The David Butts’ Award is named for East Cobb Rotarian Dr. David Butts. David joined the Rotary Club of East Cobb in its first year of existence, and he has been a dedicated and enthusiastic Rotarian from that moment until now. David has mentored, encouraged, and inspired literally generations of East Cobb citizens, not only through his work with Rotary, but as an educator, father, husband, friend, citizen, and servant to all who have had the pleasure to know him.
Recently, David has faced a daunting personal challenge in the form of an aggressive cancer. True to his nature, David not only met the challenge with tenacity, he did so without losing his buoyant, faith-driven optimism. David’s journey has been physically, mentally, and emotionally grueling to say the least. There have been setbacks to match many of the steps forward. More than once, the news was very, very grave. David never seemed to waiver from his love of life and the joy he found in being around his friends and family.
That David maintained perfect attendance at the East Cobb Rotary (sometimes even doing make-up meetings at M.D. Anderson Hospital in Houston) is just one example of David Butts’ undaunted spirit in the face of great adversity. And he didn’t just attend Rotary meetings—David has remained active in Rotary events and activities throughout.
It is with great pride, and loving admiration for David Butts, that the Rotary Club of East Cobb has established the David Butts Award in his honor. Each year, the club will select a citizen of East Cobb—nominated by the community at large and voted upon by club membership—to receive the David Butts Award. The recipient shall be a citizen of our community who has demonstrated courage and perseverance in the face of a personal challenge.
The Rotary Club of East Cobb hopes to inspire others by shining a light each year on an individual who, like David Butts, uplift with his or her strength in overcoming adversity. Adversity can take many forms; it can be of short or long duration, and that there are countless ways people may face and conquer these challenges. For that reason, the Rotary Club is placing no other restriction upon nominees than they demonstrate the qualities outlined broadly above.
To further honor these deserving recipients of the David Butts Award, the East Cobb Rotary Club will make a donation in the amount of $1,000 to the charity of the recipient’s choice.
You can submit a deserving nominee by emailing a summary of their David Butts-like qualities to DavidButtsAward@gmail.com. Please include contact information for the nominee as well as for the person who is making the nomination. All nominations must be submitted by Feb. 24, 2017.
For more information regarding the Rotary Club of East Cobb, please visit its website at www.EastCobbRotary.com.
