Beatrice Rotary presents scholarship, new award at recent meeting

BEATRICE - Several honors were passed out at the most recent meeting for the Beatrice Rotary Club.

Last week, the group gave awarded their scholarship winners, handing out honors to Beatrice seniors Tayla deKoning and Elizabeth Bartels. The group also handed out their Golden Wheel award. This years winner was Mark Pethoud, who serves as Public Properties Director for the City of Beatrice. Club president Brad Achtmeier explained the new award.

“The award itself is for somebody who demonstrates the four-way test of rotary,” Achtmeier said. “And is a good steward of our community. Mark was nominated by a few people in town and our board voted on that.”

Pethoud says it was an honor to be nominated.

“It was a great feeling that I was nominated by the group. It was an honor, really.” Pethoud said.

He credits a quality support staff for the recognition.

“It’s a team effort. I have a great group of guys who help, council members, administrators, basically everyone at the city, it’s an award for everybody really,” Pethoud said. “And we have great groups with girls softball and boys baseball. It all makes the city better.”

Achtmeier also discussed a new event rotary will be holding come Fourth of July time.

“We have organized city-wide fireworks July 3 of this year,” Achtmeier said. “It’ll be out at the Beatrice High School. It’ll be a nice addition I think.”