Published: Thursday, July 15, 2010

Canale, Cross garner top Rotarian honors

Gregg L. Parker, Business Desk
Madison Weekly
Madison, Alabama’s Hometown Newspaper

Pat Cross and Jason Canale earned top honors from the Rotary Club of Madison. Pat Cross received the Four Avenues of Service Award, which recognizes a member's exemplary work for Rotary International's four commitments: the local club, community, along with vocational and international efforts.

"What a surprise and wonderful honor!" Cross said. "Many other Rotarians are just as deserving."

Cross praised the Madison Rotarians for their volunteerism to better their community and the world. "They certainly live the Rotary motto, 'Service Above Self.'"

Before joining the Madison club in 2001, Cross belonged to the Hamilton County Rotary Club in McLeansboro, Ill. She served as president for both clubs and held numerous posts at the district level, including assistant governor.

Cross assisted with orientation of new club members, the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards and Parrots of the Caribbean fundraiser.

She volunteers for the Madison Street Festival and Triana Boys and Girls Club and serves on the Madison Beautification and Tree Board.

She earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Southern Illinois University and worked as a teacher until retiring in 1994. Her husband Roger Cross retired from the space industry in Huntsville and coal industry in Southern Illinois and Indiana.

Their daughter Kelley Grant, husband Doug and children Carsen, Connor and Camden will return to Madison in August after five years in Germany. Daughter Whitney Milam and husband Jason and daughter Eva live in Dunlap, Ill.

The Rotarian of the Year is Jason Canale. Currently, he serves as the club's community services director.

After learning about his award, Canale asked, "Why me?"

Canale organized the tenth annual Miles Montgomery Golf Tournament in April, which benefited the Triana Boys and Girls Club and communities damaged by spring tornadoes in Alabama and Mississippi.

All club members contribute to Rotary International's vision and personally sacrifice to make Madison a better place to live, Canale said. "I feel blessed to work side by side with some of Madison's top contributors."

In one committee assignment, Canale helped with an education program for adults to earn a high school GED at the Triana Library.

With Karen Jernigan, Canale coordinated various speakers for the Triana Boys and Girls Club's vocational series. Rotary Club of Madison is donating books worth more than $1,000 to the Triana Library to help the children further study any of the speakers' professions.

Studying business administration, Canale earned a bachelor's degree from West Virginia University and a master's degree from Loyola College of Maryland.

He works as supply chain manager for Science Applications International Corp (SAIC) and has worked in the field for 13 years.

A Maryland native, he grew up in the Baltimore suburb of Westminster. The Canales settled in Madison in 2009.

He and his wife Candice are parents of Alex, 5, who will be entering kindergarten, and Shawn, 2.