-
Leon Osborne (left) receives the Paul Harris Fellow designation from Toccoa Rotary Club president Leon Womack (right).
Leon Osborne, CEO of Osborne Wood Products, has been awarded the Paul Harris Fellow standing as a Rotarian.
This award is presented to members of the Rotary Foundation (rotary.org) “in appreciation of tangible and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among peoples of the world.”
Osborne was chosen for this award due to his financial contributions toward the Rotary Foundation’s charitable causes, which include a multitude of humanitarian programs.
Currently, the Rotary Foundation is focusing on programs such as eradicating polio throughout the world.
According to the CDC, no cases of polio have originated in the United States since 1979, and the last known occurrence of travelers bringing polio to the US from other countries happened in 1993.
The Rotary Foundation is working to make polio vaccines more accessible in places where they aren’t readily available or commonly utilized.
Currently they have vaccinated 2.5 billion children against polio.
Other programs the Rotary Foundation takes part in include: projects to help develop the necessary infrastructure to make clean water readily accessible to residents in over 100 countries.
Also, expanding access to medical care, sanitation, education, and economic opportunities for mothers and their children; helping support basic education and literacy, thus enhancing economic and community development; and reducing gender disparity in education and increasing adult literacy in communities all over the world.
Previously, Osborne earned this award in recognition for his civic activities, including promoting a company-based mentoring program, working with the local Boys & Girls club, time spent volunteering with the Salvation Army, and the internship program through Osborne Wood Products that offers work-based learning opportunities for local high school students.