GENEVA ROTARY CLUB HONORED NOZOMI WILLIAMS FOR EXEMPLARY SUPPORT OF GENEVA COMMUNITY
GENEVA – The Geneva Rotary Club honored Nozomi Williams on April 27, 2017 as the recipient of this year’s Springstead Award in commemoration of her exemplary philanthropic support of Geneva.
The Geneva Rotary Club established the Springstead Award seven years ago. The award is named for the late Ralph Springstead, who was a long-time Geneva banker and a member of Geneva Rotary. Mr. Springstead supported community service in a quiet and sometimes anonymous way. Past recipients of the award are Carl Fribolin, the Rev. James Gerling, Rosa Blue, David and Brenda Rickey, Mark and Mary Gearan, Judge Walter Gage and Dr. Kenneth and Eva Steadman.
Ms. Williams has made contributions in the arts, education, healthcare and disabilities areas in her own special way. When the Geneva Chamber of Commerce named her the 2012 Citizen of the Year in Geneva, she was described as “an unsung hero in the Finger Lakes Region.” Organizations she has supported since the formation of her Williams Family Foundation include Happiness House, the American Red Cross, Boys and Girls Club of Geneva, Disabled American Veterans, Finger Lakes Community College Foundation, Finger Lakes Visiting Nurse Service, Finger Lakes Health Foundation, Geneva Center of Concern, Geneva Community Center, Geneva Concerts, Geneva Family YMCA, Geneva Historical Society, Geneva Lakefront Childcare Center, Geneva Police Department, Geneva Post Office, Geneva Public Library, Geneva Theatre Guild, Geneva Volunteer Fire Department, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and the Smith Center for the Arts/Smith Opera House.
The Williams Family Foundation was founded in honor of her late husband Sam and their late two sons, Ichiro (Ichica) and Jiro (Popo) Williams, as they had always discussed how to reach out to the community.
The Service Above Self event is a celebration of community service in Geneva and features the presentation of the Springstead Award and Rotary Paul Harris Fellow awards as well as a dinner, other awards and a silent auction. Paul Harris honors recognize individuals for their commitment to the Rotary club or the community.
The 2016 event last May raised $27,000 that the local Rotary club contributed to Geneva projects and programs, including $11,000 for the Geneva City School District’s Backpack Program to feed local children on weekends during the 2016-2017 school year. The goal this year is to raise even more money for the Backpack Program.
Rotary also has two youth organizations, Interact at Geneva High School and Rotaract at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Awards were presented to the Interactors of the Year and the Rotaractor of the Year.
Rotary International is composed of 1.2 million men and women around the world who donate their expertise, time and funds to support local and international projects that help people in need and promote understanding amongst cultures. If you are interested in serving your community in a new way and are interested in becoming a Geneva Rotarian, please contact secretary@genevarotaryclub.org for more information or visit us on our website at www.genevarotaryclub.org. Geneva Rotary meets every Wednesday at noon at Geneva Country Club.