The Cochrane Rotary Club has recognized Dan Kroffat as a Paul Harris Fellow for his continued contribution to many worthy causes.

Before the award being presented, Rotarian Alex Baum praised Kroffat.

“He has raised literally millions of dollars for communities with no ask of return,” Baum told people at the Rotarian luncheon.

“It just goes on, and on, and on. I don’t know when it will end. I hope it never ends. He continues to make people’s lives better.”

Kroffat, who moved to Cochrane three years ago and has been involved with local initiatives much longer, continues to step forward to help where he sees the need.

Due to the problems created in the Albertan cattle industry by an outbreak of Mad Cow Disease, in 2004 Kroffat led a campaign to reopen the border, gathering signatures on a petition and pressuring the Canadian federal government to help with the cause. Later on, he helped find homes for displaced mobile homes located on the corner of 5th Ave. and Glenbow Dr.

Concerned over the theft of funds from Poppy Campaign collection boxes, he spearheaded a drive to replace the funds. That lead to the creation of a more secure collection box now widely used in Cochrane and some other locations.

His most notable fundraising drives includes a penny drive for Right to Play, and several Community Builder galas that have raised funds for several different Cochrane causes. He has become a driving force for the Great Cochrane Outhouse Race, an event he believes can become an international draw for the community.

“There have been so many over the years. I just see it as an accumulation of good memories of making a difference,” says Kroffat.

“I never think of the total amount of money. I think of the value of the money raised and how effective it is in changing the lives of others and how beneficial it is to our community.

“For me, whenever we take on an initiative here in the community if we see it through from beginning to finish and it’s a success, that’s the reward."

Always with something up his sleeve, Kroffat says he has two or three projects in the planning stages right now.

The recognition is named in honour of Rotary Club founder Paul Harris and supports the Rotary Foundation.

For more than 110 years, the service organization has united people work together to create lasting change.

There are over 1.2 million members around the globe in over 35,000 clubs.