There is a man from Carmel whose name is synonymous with service; community service. Way back in our City’s history he served on the very first Town Board for Carmel. There is a commemorative plaque hanging on the wall at City Hall and every time I see it, I am reminded to be thankful for Bill McFadden. His countless hours of service to our community laid a foundation which all of us now enjoy in Carmel.
But, I also am thankful for the impressive record of service he has amassed to the benefit of the entire world as a very active member of Rotary International. Bill McFadden has worked tirelessly promoting the mission of Rotary International to eliminate polio, bring fresh water to third-world countries, improve maternal and child health, provide basic education and literacy and foster economic development in communities. In so doing, he now claims friends worldwide and has touched the lives of people who will never know him.
For this reason, the Rotary Club of Carmel created The William D. McFadden Student Service Award available to Carmel High School juniors. This is not a scholarship, but a chance for any junior to assist his or her favorite non-profit organization with a cash award of $2,000. The winner will also ride as a special guest of honor in the CarmelFest Parade. Carmel Rotarian Ranjit Puthran chairs the selection committee and said, “We recognize there are a lot of great students doing wonderful service work in our community and the world. We wanted to find a way to reward these noble pursuits, and thus, developed the award.”
Naming the award after Bill McFadden would be obvious to anyone who knows him. But, for anyone else, especially the students who might be applying for the award, they will be able to learn from a man whose footsteps are truly worth following.
The deadline to fill out the application has been extended to April 1 and the winner will be announced during a Friday noon Rotary meeting in late April. This is the third year for the award. Applications can be found online at www.carmelrotary.com or by contacting Ranj Puthran of the Carmel Rotary Club at 432-6939 or [email protected], or contact your school counselor for more information.
Carmel High School juniors who are working behind the scenes to make the world a better place should apply for this award and make William D. McFadden very proud.