The Jacksonville Rotary Club honored 10 people in the past year for their service and volunteerism by naming them Paul Harris Fellows. Amy Byers, Randy Duvendack, Gina Hayes, Dan Henry, Nikki Henry, Susan King, Tiffany Mathis, Gigi Galloway Patterson, Maria Phillips, and Jenna Tucker received the awards.
The Paul Harris Fellowship, named for the founder of Rotary, is an honor established by the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International in 1957 to honor individuals who, though not necessarily members of Rotary, carry out activities that exemplify the humanitarian and educational objectives of the Rotary Foundation. Members of Rotary earn the ability to designate either themselves or others a Paul Harris Fellow upon making a contribution of $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation.
The Jacksonville Rotary Club has been in existence for 100 years, has named 295 Paul Harris Fellows, and has contributed more than $386,000 to the Rotary Foundation. The awardees are recognized for their service to the community.
Amy Byers is the director of the Chatham Area Public Library. Byers is a member of the American Library Association, the Public Library Association, and the Illinois Library Association. She is a former member of the board of directors of the Rolling Prairie Library System. She has served as president and secretary of the Chatham Area Chamber of Commerce, president of the Benedictine Alumni Association and a member of the Springfield Young Philanthropists. In 2014, Byers was given the Springfield Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” award for young professionals. Byers and her husband Ryan reside in Chatham.
Randy Duvendack has been Sheriff of Morgan County from 2006, following a career in law enforcement that began when he was hired in 1975 as a Morgan County Deputy. He will be retiring from that position in November 2018. Duvendack has contributed to the Jacksonville community through volunteerism in organizations including Big Brother/Big Sister, JACOA (later known as the Wells Center), The Do What It Takes Committee, and the Kiwanis Club. He is a regular blood donor and recently reached the 30 gallon marker. He advocates for children by reading to students, mentoring young people, and speaking to classes. He and his wife Naomi are active members of First Presbyterian Church. They are the proud parents of three daughters, all of whom are in careers where they work with children.
Rotarian Gina Hayes is the General Manager and Vice President of Home Instead Senior Care. Hayes has been a Rotarian for the past three years where she has discovered a love for Community Service. She is a member of the Jacksonville Rotary Club Board of Directors, and has served on several committees, including chairing the Ferris Wheel committee and donating countless hours to the programs that Rotary supports. In 2017 Hayes was the Logistics Chair for the first Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Jacksonville and awarded Boss of the Year by the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce.
Rotarian Dan Henry has been involved in a wide array of community organizations, serving as president of the White Hall Lions Club, White Hall Little league commissioner and coach, North Greene Junior High girls basketball coach, YMCA boys and girls basketball coach,
Greene County Fair Board member, Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce Ag Division member, and volunteer with the Morgan/Scott and Greene County CEO programs. He volunteers for First Baptist Church of White Hall and has donated countless hours as a band member, playing at benefit events. He made two week-long trips to Joplin, Missouri, after the 2011 tornado to volunteer as an electrician. His Rotarian service includes the Rotary Ferris Wheel committee and chairing the Rotary Oktoberfest Bags committee. Henry, a resident of White Hall, is a loan officer at CNB Bank and Trust in Jacksonville. He and his wife Jessica enjoy spending time with their daughter Nikki and son Brett and their families.
Rotarian Nikki Henry has held numerous community service positions including White Hall Lions Club Parade and Homecoming Celebration volunteer, Vacation Bible School volunteer,
co-chairman for the Mia Ware Foundation’s Little Black Dress Event, Girls on the Run volunteer, Strawn Art Gallery opening host, Kid’s Zone chair at 4th of July Celebration, co-chairman of the Rotary Scholar Athlete Banquet, Oktoberfest committee member, Rotary Valentine Dinner Dance committee member, past member of the Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Network, and vice president of the Business Division of the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce. Henry is Agency Manager at Dimond Brothers Insurance Agency in Jacksonville. She resides in Jacksonville with her daughter.
Rotarian Susan King is Manager of FSB Asset Management Group and Vice President of The Farmers State Bank & Trust Co. King’s community service includes Relay for Life, the Race to End Alzheimer’s, New Directions Shelter and United Way allocation panels. King is a member of Our Saviour Church in Jacksonville. She is a past member of the Jacksonville Rotary Club Board of Directors, and co-chair of Foundation fundraising. She and her husband David live in Jacksonville.
Rotarian Tiffany Mathis is the Director of Development & Community Relations for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Illinois and part time Youth Services Facilitator for The Phoenix Center both located in Springfield, IL. Mathis serves as a Commissioner for the Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service and is Committee Chairwoman for the Governor’s Volunteer Recognition events. She is President Elect and Membership Chairperson for the Rotary Club of Midtown Springfield, serves on the Rotary District 6460 Public Image committee, is Public Relations Chair for Springfield Pridefest and is a member of the Order of Eastern Star, Estella Chapter #3 (Prince Hall Affiliation). Mathis was recently recognized by Illinois Representative Rodney Davis for her strong community leadership during his “Fostering Women Leadership” event. Mathis and her husband, Frank have two daughters and a newborn son.
Gigi Galloway Patterson is Executive Director of the Nursery School. She is a member and past board member of the Art Association of Jacksonville, has been involved with the Morgan County Fair Queen Pageant for many years, and is a former member of the Illinois College Alumni Association Board of Directors. She expresses her creativity by helping to develop and lead new fundraisers for the Jacksonville community, and as a well-known artist. Patterson lives in Jacksonville with her son.
Maria Phillips has taken a dozen trips to Honduras in the past 12 years. On many of those trips she led groups of volunteers to build houses, provide food and clothing, conduct medical clinics, and work at a children’s home. These volunteer groups ministered to Honduran people in severe poverty who were without food, clothing, running water or electricity. After returning home to Jacksonville, one volunteer group wanted to continue in service locally. Thus, Share the Love was conceived. Since 2012, Phillips has volunteered with Share the Love to aid local people who could use a helping hand with clothing, bedding, cleaning supplies, hygiene items, and food. Additionally, Phillips has worked with organizations including the Soup Kitchen, New Directions, and Salvation Army to help others. Phillips and her husband Jeff have three children and a granddaughter. 

Rotarian Jenna Tucker, an associate attorney at Rammelkamp Bradney in Jacksonville,
has presented tax education seminars at multiple locations in the community. Although she has been a Rotarian for just a short time, she has been involved in leading the Valentine Dinner-Dance fundraiser and the Ferris Wheel committee.
Each Fellowship recipient was presented with a certificate, pin, and medallion, with one of the Rotary members responsible for awarding the Fellowship explaining why the individual was selected.
Rotary unites people from all continents, cultures, and occupations. Rotarians are leaders in their fields and communities. Rotarians’ diverse perspectives help them to identify and solve problems in communities throughout the world.