The Canton Rotary Club was well-rewarded for all the work it has done in the community in the past year.

During the Rotary International District 6910 Conference this month, the local club dominated the awards ceremony. Canton won Club of the Year and took home first place in the Community Service, International Service, Rotary Foundation, Membership, Youth Service and Public Relations categories.

There are 70 rotary clubs in District 6910. Canton's awards came in the Medium category, which means the club has about 60 members. There are 28 medium-size clubs along with 26 small, 13 large and three extra large.

Rebecca Johnston, co-chairwoman of the publicity committee for the club, said the award was a "major honor."

"It is reflective of what a really outstanding year we had in rotary," she said.

Some of the events the club has participated in during the past year include helping at Habitat for Humanity builds, raising money to help eliminate polio, the A Day for Reinhardt campaign, cleaning up the Etowah River, volunteering with the Court Appointed Special Advocates in Cherokee, helping with the MUST Ministries summer lunch program, ringing bells for the Salvation Army's kettle drive, participating in the MUST Ministries toys for kids program and providing shelter boxes for the relief efforts after an earthquake struck Haiti.

Rotarian Anton Zellman, chairman of the district conference, credited Canton Club President Peter Gleichman for its success during the awards ceremony. Zellman, himself a former president of the club, said that Gleichman has been the best president of the club since he has been a member.

"He challenged us to do such a great job," he said. "He was able to motivate more of us Rotarians to do more things. He got lots of us to participate."

Gleichman said he wanted to do a good job to support District Governor Shane Burr, whose home club is the Canton Rotary Club.

"I wanted to lead the Canton club in doing its part in supporting District Governor Shane Burr as much as possible," he said. "We've always had a very active club. I wanted to try to build up our club's level of activity to demonstrate the service that Rotary provides in the community and internationally."