Sean Donovan, left, of the Lake Placid Rotary Club hands Zach Clark a Service Above Self Award. (Photo provided)

Lake Placid’s Rotary Club, as do all Rotary Clubs worldwide, has a motto that states a core value of the organization: “Service Above Self.”

Rotary is a SERVICE club. Our clubs exist to better their communities through civic projects, financial support, education and disaster assistance, among other endeavors. And “community” can be anything from a respective club’s hometown to a village thousands of miles away in need of a clean water source or school supplies.

Service above self means not seeking credit, but seeking results.

It is in this spirit that our club annually awards a non-Rotarian our “Service Above Self Award.” This acknowledges individuals who exemplify that core value by going above and beyond in serving others. This year we were very happy to bestow the honor on Lake Placid’s own Zach Clark. Zach is a fixture here, and many have probably seen him attending to our parks, coaching or refereeing, or maybe even giving sage advice to his customers at the Lake Placid Pub & Brewery on weekends. What many of us don’t see, however, is the behind-the-scenes Zach.

Zach is on the board of the Adirondack Community Church and has taken on responsibility for the grounds and building appearance. His leadership there is obvious, the church being a beautiful landmark on Mirror Lake and Main Street.

Zach Clark poses with his daughters, Emma and Madelyn, who also help their father with the North Elba Christmas Fund. (Photo provided)

Continuing his work with the church, Zach co-ordinates their annual winter outerwear drive. This drive regularly collects and distributes warm clothing to over 100 children in the region. The clothing drive sometimes dovetails with the annual North Elba Christmas Fund food drive. Not only are toys and other holiday needs provided, the NECF also provides over 150 holiday meals. This huge undertaking requires Zach to coordinate with the state Olympic Regional Development Authority (which provides a rink as the base of operations), volunteers, food purveyors and supply trucks, ensuring all families are included, and routing timely deliveries.

Zach’s concern for others also manifests unexpectedly and at odd times when he has been called upon by Social Services or WIC programs to obtain items such as clothing, food and even bedding for families that find themselves in need of emergency or temporary housing.

More than one person of authority that I spoke to about Zach said they call him for help because they know he cares. And he’ll get it done. He has traveled throughout Essex and Franklin counties getting and delivering such items. He’s racked up more miles on his truck than Indiana Jones did in three movies.

Not being all work and no play, Zach was heavily involved with last year’s 1980 Olympic 40th anniversary celebration. He coordinated the torch relay through town as well as parts of the re-lighting ceremony at the North Elba Show Grounds. Not being quite perfect, Zach was unable to coordinate the weather and the expected 20-below temperatures shortened the relay and created some concerns at the show grounds. Zach took it all in stride, and the event was a huge, but chilly, success.

Zach also coaches and volunteers at youth soccer, softball, skating and hockey. He has also donated his referee skills at charity hockey games. No surprise that on the evening he was to receive this award, Zach made a quick exit because he had to coach a softball game.

Of course!

In talking about the award, Zach humbly acknowledged that he grew up surrounded by volunteerism, especially in his family, so he doesn’t see his efforts as unusual. And he lauded all of the people here who also volunteer their time and abilities to help others, saying he doesn’t do these things alone and any results are because of the great people in this community.

Zach Clark is just another example of the personification of Service Above Self.