True Rotarian Award

2022 Recipient - Rotarian Aidan Sheridan

President Ouma Cuniah and Rotarian Aidan Sheridan

The True Rotarian Award is presented to a Rotarian who demonstrates through his/her Rotary and community life that he/she lives by the four-way test and provides 'Service Above Self'. Nominations are received from club members and under the recommendation of the Board of Directors, the selected member is granted the Award by the District Governor.    Aidan Sheridan received the True Rotarian Award this year for his many years of service as a Rotarian. Aidan has been working ceaselessly as co-chair of the Advertising Supplement since many years and thanks to his commitment, discipline and unwavering confidence in our club members, has pulled off successfully numerous advertising sales campaigns.

What makes a "True Rotarian"?

• The “True Rotarian” has a Rotary attitude. This is a person who conducts him/herself following the 4-way Test at all times, who is humble, does not flatter wealth or boast of his/her own possessions or achievements.                              

• This Rotarian speaks with frankness yet always with sincerity and sympathy. After having communicated his/her differences, he/she supports the activities of others even if the direction may not parallel with their thinking.

• Deeds follow words, and this Rotarian thinks of the rights and feelings of others. This Rotarian always appears well in any company and is a person whose honour is sacred.

• The “True Rotarian” is the foundation of Rotary – always there, contributing to the current Rotary activity and by any Rotarian’s measure, is the life blood of Rotary.

Each year, a fellow Rotarian is chosen to receive the Harry MacLauchlan Award for Vocational Excellence based on the following criteria;

• Considers their vocation an opportunity to serve- Adheres and promotes the highest ethical standards in their occupation
• Contributes their vocational talents to addressing the needs of the community- Offers his or her talents for young people
• Improves the quality of life in their community
• Abides by the principles of the Rotary 4-Way Test in their daily business dealings

2023 Recipient - Jodi Swan

Jodi serves as funeral director at the MacLean Funeral Home/Swan Chapel in Charlottetown. The Rotary Four-Way Test is displayed daily within the family-owned business where Jodi and her family have a hundred-year tradition of caring for the living and the deceased She has been an integral part of the professional, compassionate, and personalized service that her family provides to families and loved ones in their time of grief. She is a trailblazer in her profession, introducing the role of licensed funeral celebrant to PEI; just one of the many ways she has demonstrated leadership in the industry.

Jodi has served on the boards of three organizations concerned with death and dying, including the Association of Death Education and Counseling, Canadian Hospice and Palliative Care Association, and Hospice PEI. She has also been a
Director in the Rotary Club of Charlottetown Royalty and was a member of the Amherst Rotary Club earlier in her career.

Jodi applies high ethical standards to her vocation, using the statement "it is an honor to care for the family when a death occurs”. She offers her expertise to Seniors College programs on Aging, End of Life Planning, and Bereavement, partnering with others in her profession to open difficult conversations about palliative care, family bereavement, and counseling, She is an advocate for planning end-of-life choices with family members, conducting those conversations in a caring and safe environment.

Jodi is an early adopter and innovator, recognizing the growing demand for funeral celebrants on Prince Edward Island.  As a funeral celebrant, Jodi can help families create a meaningful funeral service when they are not affiliated with a religious denomination or do not have strong religious ties, She has worked with families as a Social Worker, Licensed Funeral Director, and Certified Grief Counselor, shaping her understanding and passion for her work

This year, Jodi is the recipient of the Harry MacLauchlan Award for Vocational Excellence, a fitting recognition for her outstanding contributions to the community.