“I think what Rotary does and continues to do is fantastic,” Palmer told the crowd of more than 100 Rotarians gathered at his Latrobe Country Club in Unity. “It’s a great honor from the Rotary. It’s very special,” Palmer added.
His involvement in the community includes the Arnold Palmer Pavilion, a cancer treatment center at Mountain View, and the 50-acre Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve at St. Vincent College in Unity. The nature reserve is named after his late wife.
Anderson told the Rotarians that although Palmer’s has interests that go far beyond the region, he has not forgotten his roots.
“He’s still one of ours ... and we always will be ‘Arnie’s Army,’” Anderson said to a round of hearty applause.
Palmer lives by the Rotary’s moral code that calls for people to be truthful, to be fair to all and act in a manner that is beneficial to all, Anderson said.
The Greensburg Rotary Club will present its other 2012 Paul Harris Fellow certificate, medallion and pin to Hempfield auto dealer Bud Smail, who heads the Smail dealerships along Route 30 east of Greensburg. Smail was unable to attend Monday’s event due to a prior commitment, said Larry Blake, vice president of the Greensburg Rotary Club.
Joe Napsha is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-836-5252 or jnapsha@tribweb.com.