Rotary President-Elect, Tina Hollcroft, was recently named Rotarian of the Year for the Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties by 2009-2010 Club President Buddy Watts at the club’s recent awards dinner. Hollcroft has been a Rotarian since July of 2007 and is an inspiration in her leadership ability and Service Above Self approach.

Hollcroft received the Jimmy Don Kent Rotarian of the Year Award as an acknowledgment of her many contributions to the Club both locally and internationally during the recent Rotary Year (July 2009 – June 2010).

Rotarian Watts stated that Tina was most deserving to receive the Rotarian of the Year Award because she truly epitomizes “Service Above Self.”

“I am thrilled to be able to recognize Tina for her many efforts both locally and internationally on behalf of our Rotary Club,” Watts said. “Tina is always one of the first ones to jump in to help with all of our projects. As Membership Chair, she helped the club grow by four members this year.  She is active with many of the club’s projects whether it be our fundraisers or her involvement with our club’s signature project, Second Harvest, Inc., a food rescue program which collects food and other items that would otherwise be thrown away and delivers it to those in need in our communities.”

The Rotarian of the Year award is aptly named the Jimmy Don Kent Rotarian of the Year Award in honor of the founder of the Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties. Jim Kent was a Rotarian for over thirty-one years and exemplified Service Above Self.  Jim worked tirelessly to have a Greene County Rotary Club and his efforts came to fruition when the club received its charter on March 11, 1988. The Club has evolved considerably since it was created. Rotary District 6910 has honored the club by awarding it the large Club of the Year for the past two years.

Hollcroft is the President Elect of the Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties and is a current member of the Board of Directors and Mission Director for Alliance for Smiles (AfS). AfS (www.allianceforsmiles.org) organizes and sends surgical teams to sites for two week missions. A surgical team is comprised of approximately 20 volunteer plastic surgeons, anesthesiologists, pediatricians, nurses and dentists. They are supported by 10 non-medical volunteers. During a mission, 80 to 120 under-served children receive surgery for cleft lip & palate anomalies. The AfS team works side-by-side with local medical practitioners to exchange ideas on proper medical techniques and procedures, as well as provide follow-up care.

Internationally, Hollcroft has participated in various missions around the world providing humanitarian aid.  Most recently with AfS, Tina’s travels have included China, Bangladesh and Ghana Africa with upcoming planned missions to Nigeria, Philippines and Bangladesh.  Hollcroft chaired “Dining for Smiles” — an international event of private dining and wine tastings that raised $55K for missions to serve poor children around the world.  In addition to AfS, Tina has also been involved with the ShelterBox program (www.shelterbox.org), an international disaster relief charity that delivers emergency shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disaster worldwide.  

Tina is a graduate of Georgia Southern University and Georgia State University.  She was formally the Financial Controller for Hobson Barnes & Associates in Atlanta, GA.  She currently owns Lake House Rentals, a property management company on Lake Oconee and is an agent with Re/Max Lake Oconee. Recently, she was presented a Community Service Award by the Lake Oconee Board of Realtors.  Tina and her husband, Hal, own Barefoot Mountain Farms, a Christmas tree farm in North Carolina, and supply numerous organizations with trees and wreaths for fundraising during the holiday season.  They have operated a retail lot benefiting an inner city school in Atlanta for 12 years.  Tina and Hal live at Reynolds Plantation on Lake Oconee

Rotary International is a volunteer organization of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service, and help to build goodwill and peace in the world. There are approximately 1.2 million Rotary club members belonging to 33,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas. Founded in Chicago in 1905, Rotary celebrated 100 years of service in 2005. The Rotary Foundation has awarded more than US $2.1 billion in grants, which are administered at the local level by Rotary clubs.  For more information on The Rotary Club of Greene and Putnam Counties, please visit www.GreenePutnamRotary.org.