The Marblehead Rotary Club has announced the installment of its newest president and local businessman Don Dowling.
Dowling began his work as president of the Rotary in July, and was announced this week in a press release from the Marblehead Rotary.
“The fun-loving, hardworking, no-nonsense father of two, he brings fresh vitality to our club as one of our youngest members, spicing up our meetups and events with his infectious positive energy and winning attitude,” the Rotary said in a statement.
Dowling is a multiple-time winner of the Paul Harris Fellowship award given out by the Rotary and has spearheaded multiple sporting events to raise money for the Rotary’s projects. Dowling was also the captain for the Rotary’s yearly Polar Plunge to End Polio and the crew leader in the duck-tape regatta race, which benefits the clean-water project in Burkina Faso. In addition, he was the co-captain for the Marblehead team in the district softball championships, plays a significant role in handling the logistics of the club’s scholarship-fundraising project, and has begun a recent project with his wife, Laney, that aims to raise funds for a new playground at Eveleth School.
“A quote that sums up Don’s immense contribution to Marblehead Rotary, former President Arthur Schwartz explained, ‘Consistency and reliability are vital qualities in leadership,'” the club said in a statement.
A Saugus native, Dowling went into the auto-body-repair business, where he was mentored by his father in his local shop for nine years. In 2011, Dowling and his father opened Marblehead Collision in town. Dowling is the father of two children, 9-year-old Bobby and 6-year-old Ellie, and according to the statement from the Rotary, his focus point during his presidency will be on the youth and children in Marblehead.
“As family is essential to him, his time as president of Rotary will focus on our community’s children and families in need,” the Rotary said in the statement.