By Charley Hanney channey@conleynet.com 

 

HARTFORD — Thiensville residents Bob and Jan Blazich were selected as the shared recipients of Rotary District 6270’s 2024 Agent of Peace award. This award celebrates those who go above and beyond in advancing international understanding and peace, making a real impact in the world.

 

“The Agent of Peace Award embodies Rotary’s vision of peace as a proactive journey — a mission to create trust, to embrace diversity, and to cultivate harmony,” Rotary District Governor Peter Bosch said at the Rotary District 6270 Foundation Dinner on Nov. 7, where Joan Robertson of Milwaukee also received the Decades of Peace Advocacy and Education award. “Tonight’s honorees have made unique contributions to this mission. Their work inspires us all to consider our role as peacemakers — reminding us that true peace is achieved through the efforts and dedication of individuals who believe in a world united by shared goals and mutual respect.”

Bosch pointed to the Blazichs’ global travels to over 50 countries, their work with Friendship Force International, and the couple’s 20 years of involvement with Rotary Youth Exchange. These and other efforts have fostered cultural understanding and made a positive impact on communities worldwide.

 

“Your tireless efforts with the Russian Leadership Program/ Open World directing over a dozen delegations from former Soviet Union countries demonstrate your commitment to creating bridges between cultures. Additionally, your years of involvement with the Adult Literacy Center of Ozaukee County, your winters volunteering at Peru’s E.I.G.E.R. School, and your longtime leadership of the Guatemala Medical Relief Project highlight the breadth of your service, all aimed at improving lives and fostering global harmony,” Bosch said to the couple in his presentation comments. “Bob Blazich is a shining example of Rotary’s ‘Service Above Self’ motto working tirelessly with Jan to create a legacy of peace and hope in our world.”

 

Jan and Bob Blazich have lived in Thiensville for over 45 years and will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary later this month.