MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Maplewood Rotary Club will honor former local resident and community volunteer David Berry with its 2017 Citizenship Award at Rotary’s annual Affair of the Heart Dinner Dance on April 21. The Affair of the Heart supports the club’s Gift of Life programs, which provide for children’s critical medical needs in the United States and abroad. It will be held at the Maplewood Country Club, 28 Baker St., at 7 p.m. Tickets are being sold on a reserved basis only.
For reservations, or to obtain more information, contact event chairmen Rick Porter at rickporter10@gmail.com or Steve Gussen at sjgussen@gmail.com.
Not long after moving to Maplewood in 1985, Berry met the love of his life, Linda. They married in 1990 and raised two children: Jillian, a second-grade teacher in New Brunswick, and Corbin, a freshman at Indiana University. Although they relocated to Chatham in 2005, Berry still calls Maplewood “home” and he has been an active and dedicated volunteer in the community for more than 20 years.
A member of Wyoming Presbyterian Church since 1993, Berry gives of himself to the church’s mission of helping others in need. He is coordinator for WPC’s homeless sheltering program with Essex County’s Interfaith Hospitality Network and served as both vice president and president for the IHN Board in 2000 through 2009. Berry has led programs and fundraising efforts for his church’s Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Hunger Relief and Self Development programs.
Berry and his son began their commitment to Scouting together in 2004, when Corbin joined Cub Pack 20 in Maplewood and Berry served as an assistant Cubmaster. They moved on together in 2009 to Boy Scout Troop 5 in Maplewood where Corbin recently attained Eagle Scout ranking and Berry still serves as an assistant Scoutmaster. He has helped guide Troop 5 for many years.
After Superstorm Sandy’s destruction in 2012, Berry spent more than a year volunteering with We Are Team New Jersey, helping those who lost so much. Berry never says “no” when he’s asked to help out with a problem or need. He epitomizes Rotary’s international motto of “Service above Self.”
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