On July 18, the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise recognized Ole Peters with a Paul Harris Fellowship.  He was designated to receive this recognition by Sunrise Rotarians E. Russell Smith and Luz Maria Ortiz-Smith. A participant in the Rotary Youth Exchange Program this past school year, Ole exemplified the humanitarian and educational objectives of The Rotary Foundation. He served as an excellent ambassador, teaching people about his home country of Germany, its culture, and ideas and enthusiastically participating in many activities at school, with other Youth Exchange Students, and Rotarians. Beginning in August 2011, he lived with three Sunrise Rotarian families, Lisa and Scott Burns, Judith and Paul McCaffrey, and Gloria Cavallero and Bruce Belfiore. He also spent extended periods of time with E. Russell Smith and Luz Maria Ortiz-Smith and Carin and Steve Kally.

The Paul Harris Fellowship is named for Paul Harris, who founded Rotary more than 100 years ago. A Paul Harris Fellow is an individual who contributes $1,000 or in whose name that amount is contributed to The Rotary Foundation. The award was presented by Past President E. Russell Smith on behalf of Luz Maria and himself. E. Russell stated he was impressed that Ole “was so open to try new things and expand his life and experience.” Ole was joined by his family who is in the country on holiday before returning to their home in Schwerin in the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

Photo: Ole Peters (with his Paul Harris Fellowship) and his family, Cort (brother), Karsten (father) and Christina (mother).