Jacksonville, IL, October 30, 2016: Dr. Keith R. Lape, a member of the Jacksonville Rotary Club, was recently awarded the Rotary International Foundation Distinguished Service Award. In presenting the award, Rotary District 6460’s District Governor, Tony Williams said, “I can’t imagine anyone more deserving of this prestigious award than Keith. He has always represented Rotary at its highest level, as a Rotarian and Past District Governor.”

The Distinguished Service Award is an international award that is granted annually to a maximum of 50 Rotarians worldwide.  Only one Rotarian may be selected from each of the 352 Districts in the world each year. These Rotarians must have exhibited exceptional active service to The Rotary Foundation. To qualify, the nominee must have demonstrated a broad range of service over an extended period of time with substantial activity in the past two years, in addition to having met other criteria. Recipients must also have received the Rotary International Foundation Meritorious Service Award at least four years previously.  Only two Rotarians have previously received the Distinguished Service Award from District 6460, the west central Illinois district in which the Jacksonville club is located.

Lape served as District Governor of Rotary District 6460 in 2005-2006.  He has also served as Foundation Chair of the District and chaired many Rotary International Foundation committees. Lape has traveled twice to Mexico with the Rotary Heart of America delegations to observe grants sponsored by Rotary and to help select grant recipients for future years.  Lape and his wife, Phyllis, have attended eight Rotary International Conventions throughout the world.

Lape’s nomination was endorsed by District Governor Tony Williams as well as two other Rotarians, one of whom was from another Rotary District. Williams presented the award to Lape at the Rotary District 6460 conference in Springfield in late October.