Four Greenville Rotary Club members were honored for their &#8220exemplary service” to their club and community this week.

During Thursday's noon meeting at the Boys and Girls Club, Dr. Everett Snow, Calvin Poole III, Judge H. Ed McFerrin and Rep. Charles Newton were each recognized as recipients of the Paul Harris Fellow Award.

The award is named for Paul Harris, who founded the Rotary Club in 1905, Greenville Rotary President Roy Hale said.

&#8220The award was first presented in 1957. Recipients receive a medallion, pin and a certificate to honor them for exemplifying the ideals of Rotary and service above self.”

Carol Franks, associate district governor for the area and a member of the Troy Rotary Club, was on hand to present each of the four gentlemen with the prestigious award.

McFerrin, circuit judge for Butler, Crenshaw and Lowndes counties, has been a member of Rotary Club since 1973. He served as president in 1980-81.

Newton, owner of Newton Oil Company in Greenville and state representative for District 90, served as Rotary president two times, in 1978-79 and 1996-97.

Poole, a member since 1980, is a lawyer in Greenville. He has served as Rotary president in 1985-86 and in 2001-2003.

Snow, a Rotarian since 1972, practices dentistry in Greenville. He served as club president in 1976-77 and 2005-2006.

Previous Paul Harris Fellow Award winners were also recognized: Colonel &#8220Tut” Frakes, Linda Horn, Charlie Jones, Bill Thomas and Dr. Jean Thompson.

Hale shared some of the history and purpose of the Rotary Club with guests present at the meeting.

&#8220The Rotary Club was founded in 1905 by a Chicago attorney, Paul Harris, who also served as its first president. We are an essentially grassroots organization with our service efforts mainly carried out on a club level,” Hale said.

Rotary has also made an impact on the international level.

&#8220In 1945-46, there were 49 Rotarians who helped draft the U.N. charter…today, there are approximately 1.2 million Rotarians worldwide in more than 32,000 clubs in more than 200 countries.”

Hale reminded all present of the Rotary Club's famed &#8220Four-Way Test”:

&#8220Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build good will and better friendship? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?”

The Greenville Rotary Club meets each Thursday at noon at the Boys and Girls Club. Contact President Roy Hale at 382-4003 or 382-7463 for more information.