STE. GENEVIEVE – The Ste. Genevieve Rotary Club recently presented local historian Bob Mueller with the Paul Harris Fellow award prior to Mueller’s speaking engagement at the Orris Theater as part of the Sainte Genevieve Museum Learning Center’s speaker series.
Members of the Ste. Genevieve Rotary Club presented Bob Mueller with its organization’s Paul Harris Fellow award. (l-r) Mike Horrell, Mark Fallert, Joe Steiger, Andrea Stolzer, Greg Lauer, Dave Bova, Steph Gremminger, Dave Weber, Gary Stolzer and Bob Mueller. Not visible in photo Sara Menard and Geoff Giglierano. photo by Ali Cavanaugh
“Yearly, our club recognizes Paul Harris Fellows, the organization’s highest honor, to members who contribute $1,000 or more to the Rotary Foundation or to members who have gone above and beyond in service to our club,” said Steph Gremminger, club secretary. “We can also recognize a community member as a Paul Harris Fellow, signifying their significant contribution to the community, aligning with Rotary’s values of “Service Above Self.”
Gremminger highlighted many of Mueller’s accomplishments.
“Bob is a past president of the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve, served as chairman of the Ste. Genevieve Tourism Advisory Council, and served on the board of the Ste. Genevieve County Community Foundation,” she said. “He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Center for French Colonial Studies; a member of the executive committee of the State Historical Society and received their Distinguished Service Award.”
Adding to the list, Gremminger also said that Mueller, as one of Ste. Genevieve’s historians, searches out the history, genealogy, traditions, food, and cultures of Missouri’s oldest settlement. He is a member of the local Art Guild and is active in the town’s tourism industry, leading tours and giving countless presentations. He also does re-enactments of the 1780 Colonial and Civil War-time periods.
“We are proud to present Bob with the Paul Harris Fellow Award and thank him for all he’s done for Ste. Genevieve and recognize his talent in preserving this town’s history,” said Gremminger.
The Rotary Club, while best-known for its duck races every Jour de Fete, is much broader than that according to Gremminger.
“Rotary is a worldwide organization with 1.2 million members and 32,000 clubs,” she said. “We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders. Together, we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change — across the globe and in our communities.”
Some of the club’s local initiatives include providing numerous scholarships to Ste. Gen and Valle students; contributing to R-II schools backpack program; donating to other non-profit organizations like Heavenly Hope; St. Vincent de Paul; and the Ste. Gen Extension Adopt-a-Family program. They have planted trees along Progress Parkway and put the welcome sign in front of the community center, to name just a few of their projects. Globally, the club contributes to Rotary in their efforts to eradicate polio, promote peace, provide clean water and sanitation, save mothers and children, support education, grow local economies, and protect the environment.
The club meets every Tuesday at noon at the Country Mart party room and invites anyone to come and learn more about Rotary.