Think about it.
How would you go about choosing a person or organization to honor for community building? You should exclude elected officials and appointed leaders, such as school superintendents or police chiefs. Not because they don’t deserve the award, but because they chose that path and, in many cases, aspire to it and expect to be judged by it.
The definition of those we are talking about here could fit unsung heroes. And that is exactly what they are. They are selfless and put the well-being of others – the community – above their own.
How do you select such a person or organization and why?
Although the practice has been paused due to the pandemic, the Rotary Club of Warwick annually presents the Hayden Bentley Award in recognition of an individual or organization that reflects the Rotary motto of “Selfless Service.”
This is not an exclusively Rotary activity, and that is a good thing because fortunately there are many who deserve recognition for their contributions to the community.
The late Hayden Bentley, a Warwick insurance broker, was a charter member of the Warwick Club, which was founded on July 1, 1949. Hayden later became president of the club and then governor of Rotary Club District 7950, which covers Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts.
Rotary Award recipients include Father Robert Marciano in 2005, the late Peter Koch in 2012, who did so much to support and build Mentor Rhode Island (he was a hit on the first edition of Dancing with the Stars of Mentoring, the show that has become the organization’s biggest fundraiser), John and Irene Rooney in 2015, who did so much to build youth sports in the city, Ron Barnes, commander of the Pawtuxet Rangers, in 2019, and Brenda Juhnowski in 2009.
I’m guessing many have heard of or know some of the recipients mentioned here, but probably not Brenda unless they have a history with Continental Little League. In fact, I had to resort to our online archives to learn Brenda’s story.
Not surprisingly, former Rotary Club President Tom Celona nominated Brenda for the award, along with John Rooney, former director of Warwick Parks and Recreation. For 15 years beginning in 2009, Brenda managed the league’s snack bar, often putting in 12-hour shifts on Saturdays to make sure everything was running smoothly and, of course, everyone was served.
Reading a profile Brian Dorman wrote about the league, Celona said, “Brenda never seeks the spotlight and she is never grumpy or mean. She knows all the kids who are struggling or hungry and, as if by magic, but unobtrusively, a free meal always appears.”
This year’s recipient is Greenwood Credit Union and its President Fred Reinhardt.
Celona presented the award at the club meeting on Thursday at Tavolo on Post Road across from the airport.
Celona spoke of GCU’s culture of giving back to the community, citing support for organizations and community projects, including the naming rights for the ice skating rink currently under construction in Warwick Plaza. Of Reinhardt, he said, “He shaped the institution’s core values: doing the right thing, teamwork, saying ‘yes’ and striving for excellence.”
In 2009, Rooney attempted to quantify the impact of the many volunteers who donate their time to operate all of the youth sports teams. He estimated that it takes 1,120 volunteers to operate all of these groups. If the city were charged with running these programs, it would cost taxpayers $1.3 million per year, based on six hours of work per week at $12 per hour.
Fortunately, the business community – institutions like Greenwood Credit Union as well as small family businesses from landscapers to pizzerias – is also getting involved in solving the problem.
And why should we shine a spotlight on those who make this possible?
The answer should be obvious: without them there is no community.
