COWDENBEATH Rotary Club’s Jim Stark has received the Paul Harris Fellowship Award, the top individual award a Rotarian can receive.

The Times Chief Reporter has been a member of the club for over 27 years and has been given the award for his contribution in many roles in the club in support of the community.

On Thursday Jim received his Paul Harris Fellowship from club president Erica Lock and secretary David Hunter, himself a Paul Harris Fellow, went through his service to the club.

“Jim joined Cowdenbeath Rotary Club in the summer of 1990 having been introduced by Joe Timmons snr, and played his part in helping get over to the public what the local Rotarians were doing in the community,” he said.

“He was president in 2004-2005 and since then has been involved in the sub-committee which deals with appeals for financial support as well as running the club’s Primary School Quiz over the past six years.

“Jim has played important role in promoting the club both in the local paper and in the District 1010 magazine and the club council felt he was someone who was very worthy of this leading rotary accolade.”

Jim described himself as ‘totally shocked’ at receiving the award and said after receiving it: “I can well remember Joe Timmons asking me to go along to a a meeting of the club at Torleys in Lochgelly in April 1990 and I found it a very interesting experience and when asked to join decided to give it a go.

“Over the years I have been lucky to serve with some great people and today we have a club which is geared to helping causes at home and abroad.

“Some of the fundraising work really is quite unbelievable and to be able to distribute over £12,000 to so many good causes in a year really is quite remarkable and it is very rewarding to be part of it.”

Jim praised the hard working membership of the club which made the tremendous fundraising possible.