Brora Rotarian receives 'Service Above Self' award - Rotary's highest honour
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An East Sutherland Rotarian has received Rotary’s top award in recognition of his service to his community as well as causes across the globe.
Well-known Brora resident Alistair Risk, a long-time member of the Rotary Club of East Sutherland, has been presented with the prestigious “Service Above Self Award”.
The accolade is only presented every five years to around 100 Rotarians from the organisation's worldwide membership.
It recognises Rotarians who demonstrate Rotary’s motto “Service Above Self” by volunteering their time and talents to help others.
Rotary International president Jennifer Jones was set to make the presentation to Mr Risk at the Rotary International Convention in Melbourne, Australia, last month in front of 30,000 delegates.
However, he decided he was too busy organising events at home, including the hugely successful Brora coronation picnic party in the park, to fly such a distance.
And instead he received the award from Scotland North Rotary district governor Ken McLennan at a conference last Saturday, June 10, at the Dewar Centre in Perth.
Mr Risk has been president of three Rotary clubs and has served on national and international committees.
He has campaigned and spoken to MPs' working groups at Westminster on a number of issues including the eradication of polio, and has helped raise more than £500,000 for a variety of good causes, both local and international.
He has also spearheaded the development of Youth in Rotary and especially RotaKids, setting up more than 50 clubs across Scotland.
Recently he camped outdoors to raise funds for refugees from the war in Ukraine and also for those made homeless in Turkey and Syria following the February 6 earthquakes in the two countries.
