By Jasmine Willis
DANSVILLE — A Paul Harris FellowMedal is given to an individual who contributes to the community in a way that honors the values of the Rotary Foundation.
Dansville Rotary Club awarded Shannon Griese with the Rotary Club’s highest honor for his contributions during the Covid-19 Crisis.
Griese was born and raised in West Sparta. He is a Dansville Central School Graduate. His many accomplishments include Rural Police Training Institute at Genesee Community College, Simmons Institute of Funeral Services Mortuary, Associates Degree in Fire Science at Corning Community College, and continuing his educating in NYS Fire Classes.
Griese is a proud member of Dansville and West Sparta fire departments. He is a member of Dansville Ambulance.
The list of his accomplishments is impressive and expands beyond civil service. Griese has served his country since May 17, 2004 in the United States Air Force. He is currently assigned to 174th Attack Wing Air National Guard.
Griese has been deployed to Qatar in 2008 and 2010, Antarctica in 2016 and 2017, four statewide missions in 2019, Kuwait in 2019, and New York City in Covid-19 Crisis.
Griese was one of only two who received The Army Commendation Medal -the highest medal given- for outstanding performance during the Covid-19 response in the City Medical Examiner Office. He was there with the 107th Attack Wing and New York Air National Guard from April 1 to April 17.
Griese is an active member of the Dansville American Legion, Sons of the American Legion and Dansville VFW.
Griese is currently the active-Dansville Police Chief and has been part of the police department since 2008.
He lives in Dansville with his lovely wife Tricia and two daughters, Coralyn Griese and Deborah Rivera.
Jon Shay, Dansville Rotary Club member said he was very impressed with Shannon Griese. He felt that he strongly represented what the club and the Paul Harris Fellow stand for in the community.
The Paul Harris Fellow Recognition was established in 1957 to encourage and show appreciation for substantial contributions to what used to be the foundations only program … Rotary Foundation Fellowships for Advanced Study. This set up the pathway for Ambassadorial Scholarships. Many impressive people in history have gotten this award from presidents to foundation members.
Griese was honored at the annual Change Over Meeting. He exemplified the Rotary Club’s standard for the Paul Harris Fellow Medal.