The Santa Barbara Rotary Club has presented the prestigious Merrill Hoffman Award to Connie Ragen Green for the year 2015-16. Green has been a Rotarian since 2006. First a member of the Santa Clarita, California Rotary, in 2012 she transferred her membership to the Club in Santa Barbara where she lives part-time. Rotary is an international service organization with more than a million members worldwide.
Rotarian Merrill Hoffman was a leader and participant in many important projects, both locally and abroad. He was a successful businessman in Santa Barbara, a community leader and an innovative thinker. He was also a veteran of the United States Navy for twenty years. For this service, Merrill received the Navy Achievement Medal and Navy Commendation Medal. When he passed away in 2009, the Rotary Board made the decision to carry on his name by presenting an annual award to someone who exemplifies the beliefs and actions Hoffman incorporated into his life. He personified Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self” by valuing diverse perspectives and becoming a global citizen.
Green says, “It is an honor to receive the Merrill Hoffman Award and I am humbled by the Club’s choice. Although I did not know Mr. Hoffman personally, I pledge to carry out and follow through with his work for the remainder of my life. We share a love for the city of Santa Barbara and in getting involved with meaningful and needed projects both here and throughout the world.”
Hoffman set and attained goals throughout his years as a Rotarian, including perfect club attendance, bringing in many new members and visiting Rotary Clubs in countries around the world.
Green adds, “Receiving this award opens my heart even more to the people of the world. Being a part of Rotary has allowed me to be involved with people and projects around the world and to feel like I am a part of something much bigger than myself. Merrill traveled to countries all around the world, and I’ve visited Rotary Clubs in a dozen U.S. states, as well as Clubs in Finland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Italy, China, and Thailand. They do good work for people who need help from those who have access to valuable resources. I like to think that Merrill is pleased with the Club’s choice for the recipient of his award this year.”
Over the past century, Rotary has taken on the projects that many thought would never be accomplished, such as bringing clean water to remote villages and eradicating polio in all but two countries in the world.
Past President Kathleen Blake had this to say about the prestigious award, “It was my distinct honor to award the Merrill Hoffman Membership Award for 2015-16 to Connie Green. There are many people in our club who do so much work they cannot all be known by all of us. Connie has this year, and in the past, been known to do much for members in our club. I have seen her here at the tables after everyone has left the meeting talking to new or potential members. She gets to know people who come into or visit our club. She will meet members for coffee or when at other events, she takes the time to engage with new and/or potential members. She is a great advocate for Rotary and our Club. Other things I would like to mention about Connie is how she has kept the Interact Club at Santa Barbara High School going when it looked like the club might fold. Connie also was a volunteer counselor at RYLA this year and in the past. Connie exemplifies the caring and involved member whether here at meetings or when she is out in our community. Congratulations, Connie, on receiving this award on behalf of the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara.”
Connie Ragen Green is not only a Rotarian, but also the author of more than a dozen bestselling books on various aspects of entrepreneurship, an international speaker, and creator and publisher of more than fifty information products. She has been online since 2006 and continues to work with entrepreneurs on six continents to help them build the business that suits their lifestyle design goals.
To learn more about Connie visit http://HugeProfitsTinyList.com and to find out about her Online Marketing Incubator go to http://TheOnlineMarketingIncubator.com.