Doc Gondalia Wins First CSR Community Service Award

Local Doctor receives new award from Sunrise Rotary

(Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, Saturday, May 10, 2014)

The honor is meant to recognize locals who make exceptional contributions to the community and will be given out each quarter.

by James Chilton, jchilton@wyomingnews.com

CHEYENNE--On Friday, local allergist Dr. Lakhman Gondalia was named the first recipient of a new award being given by the Cheyenne Sunrise Rotary Club.

Gondalia was presented with the Outstanding Community Member Award at his clinic on Yellowstone Road by Sunrise Rotary President Andy Miller.

Miller said the award was in recognition of Gondalia’s work in organizing local flu clinics over the past decade, as well as for raising more than $33,500 to help in Rotary’s mission to battle polio.

“A lot of money for the (flu shot) vials has been either raised through the club or donated through the clinic,” Miller said. “And then he will go out and do vaccinations on site at different businesses in town. The money raised through those vaccinations is then put toward our polio effort.”

Gondalia also raised money to build a school in India, and was able to obtain a matching grant through Rotary to fund a library at the school.

Miller noted that while the Outstanding Community Member Award isn’t meant for just Rotarians. Gondalia has been a member since 1991 and joined the Sunrise Rotary Club when it was formed in 2002.

Miller said the Sunrise Rotary board came up with the award this year as a means of recognizing locals who make exceptional contributions to the community. He said the club plans to give the award out each quarter.

Gondalia himself had only a short time to appreciate the award Friday, busy as he was with his patients.

When asked what the award meant to him, the doctor joked, “More work.”