Dearborn Rotary President Bob Gleichauf (right) presents the 2018 Rotarian of the Year Award to Dearborn Rotarian David Anderson.
DEARBORN — David Anderson, a Dearborn real estate appraiser, recently was named 2018 Rotarian of the Year by the Rotary Club of Dearborn for epitomizing the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self.”
Anderson began his community service helping his father, Larry Anderson, in his later years, deliver the Dearborn Rotary Meals on Wheels team route. Anderson’s dad was a Dearborn Rotarian for 35 years until his death in 2008. His son continued delivering the Dearborn Rotary Meals on Wheels team route and joined the Club in 2009.
“When dad passed, it seemed like the right thing to do to carry on his commitment to community service,” Anderson said.
Dearborn Rotary has participated in the Meals on Wheels program in east Dearborn, with a weekly team route for almost 30 years.
While Anderson initially joined Rotary with the aim of continuing his father’s legacy of giving back to the community through Rotary, he exceeded his own expectations and is recognized for his outstanding and continuing commitment to club service projects, including Adopt-A-Highway, Meals on Wheels, Dearborn Homecoming Fishing Derby, Dearborn Goodfellows, Rotary tree planting project, and annual Santa Snaps workshop at the Wayne County Lightfest.
Anderson and his brother Richard also continued their father’s 50-year legacy of community service with the Detroit Goodfellows. Both have been members of the organization for 10 years.
David Anderson is a multi-year member on the Rotary Club board of directors, serving as director for several avenues of service including vocational, community, communications and club service.
He has served as chairperson for meetings and arranged such speakers as U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell and the Rev. Faith Fowler from Cass Community Services. Additionally, he is a scholarship committee member, delegate to the club’s visioning process and regularly contributes to the club’s weekly newsletter.
Past President Bob Gleichauf, who presented the Rotarian of the Year award to Anderson, described Anderson as the “stealth Rotarian” for always being ready to help and to serve while remaining quietly present.
Anderson also continues his father’s legacy as a commercial and industrial property appraiser. Lawrence R. Anderson Real Estate Appraisals, now under David Anderson’s leadership, has been a Dearborn fixture for more than 40 years.
He also enjoys working at Greenfield Village as a horse-drawn carriage driver and presenter where he puts his passion for American history to work to the delight of those lucky enough to ride in his carriage.
When asked about his role in the Dearborn Rotary Club, Anderson said, “I’m just a regular member who likes to participate and give back to my community and Rotary Club.”
The Rotary Club of Dearborn is the city’s oldest service organization and is a proud member of Rotary International bringing together 1.2 million members in more than 34,000 individual clubs to live the motto of “Service Above Self.”
The Rotary Club of Dearborn and its Foundation support many community programs, scholarships and supportive donations. Total giving by the Rotary Club of Dearborn and its foundation for 2017-2018 was $118,000.
For more information, go to www.DearbornRotary.org or Rotary Club of Dearborn on Facebook.