27-03-2025
‘I couldn't have asked for a better job' Longtime Blount County Habitat for Humanity leader honored
BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — For many, waking up and working a job that makes an impact for others, but for one man from Blount County, it's a job he does every day. On Wednesday, the Maryville Rotary Club honored a Blount County Habitat for Humanity leader for his years of community service.
Doug Jenkins is the Construction Supervisor for Blount County Habitat for Humanity. Previously, he worked as a high school teacher and basketball coach. After he retired, he started working with the Habitat for Humanity.
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While Jenkins was very humble while speaking with 6 News, a spokesperson for the organization described him as a 'local legend' who has been involved with Habitat for Humanity since the 1980s. On Wednesday, Jenkins was named as a Paul Harris fellow by the Maryville Rotary Clubs.
'There's a lot of worthy folks in there, so I'm just one of many,' Jenkins said. 'It just says a lot about our community, about volunteerism and doing things for people and Blount County especially, I'm sure Knox has the same, but Blount County just has this culture of doing things for your neighbors.'
Jenkins also shared that he's impressed to see the others who volunteer with the organization and their passion for helping others and great families in their community get their homes.
'I couldn't have asked for a better job. I mean really it's it's just how lucky am I to have this job, to be around these kind of people. So that's really how I see it,' he added.
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The award was established in 1957 to recognize those who made substantial contributions to the foundation's only program at the time, the Rotary Foundation Fellowships for Advanced Study, that was the precursor to Ambassadorial Scholarships. In the late '70s, Rotary International president President James Bomar challenged each Rotary club to make one non-Rotarian a Paul Harris Fellow, according to Rotary International.
Jenkins is one of more than a million to be named as a Paul Harris Fellow since the recognition was established. U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Astronaut James Lovell and polio vaccine developer Jonas Salk are also Paul Harris Fellows.
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