The Gloucester Rotary Club has named Patrick Thorpe and Danny Williamson as Paul Harris Fellows, the prestigious award named after the Chicago lawyer who founded the Rotary movement in 1905. Thorpe was selected by a club committee of previous recipients of the award, while Williamson was chosen by members of the Interact Club, the very active group of Gloucester High School junior Rotarians. Thorpe and Williamson were honored at a special dinner in May. Patrick Thorpe joined BankGloucester in 1999 and was named President a year later. He is an active member of the community, serving on the boards of the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce, the Cape Ann YMCA, the First R Foundation, and as a board member and past president of the Gloucester Rotary Club. He has chaired the Chamber’s Business Education Collaborative for the past 13 years, been involved with Addison Gilbert Hospital, the Sawyer Free Library, and the Open Door.
Patrick graduated from Bentley College with a degree in finance, and subsequently worked for several companies and the U.S. Treasury Department in financial management and oversight before coming to Gloucester. He has been married to wife Maureen for 25 years, and they have two children—Victoria and Brendan.
Danny Williamson is a 29 year old graduate of Gloucester High School His entire adult life has been closely associated with high school athletics and the Special Olympics. As a freshman at GHS, Danny tried out for the basketball team and did not make it, but was subsequently named the manager of the team and earned the school’s Inspiration Award. Danny joined the track team in 2007, receiving the Sportsmanship Award for his efforts. In his senior year, he received the Interante Award from the basketball team and the Courage Award from the officials. He also became the manager of the soccer team, and was given a Most Improved Award from the track team. Danny is still managing the GHS basketball team and has been managing the GHS football team for the past eight years.
Danny’s former coach, Jim Munn, helped to get Danny into Special Olympics in 2009. He is involved in track and field, basketball, soccer, bowling, bocce, and softball. He went to the National Competition five years ago, and last year carried the torch for the opening ceremonies of the games in Seattle. Danny will be inducted into the Special Olympics Hall of Fame this year.