Rotary clubs honor Coles with service award

The Rev. Rodney Coles received the 2024 Gino Abessinio Vocational Service Award from the Greenville and Greenville Noon Rotary Clubs at a meeting of the Greenville Rotary Club.

This award is given annually to a Non-Rotarian who has provided outstanding vocational service to the community. It is named after Gino Abessinio, a local school teacher, killed in a traffic accident, who exemplified Rotary's Motto of Service Above Self.

Beginning in 2006, Coles moved to Greenville and began to focus on building God’s kingdom in the community by impacting numerous churches and hundreds of families in Pitt County and surrounding areas.

In 2007, he started Churches Outreach Network. Coles' daily works include helping families access services, food, school supplies, toys and medical attention, in addition to building a strong resilient faith community and much more.

"He is a shining star in our community," officials from the Rotary clubs said in a news release.

Among his community projects, along with Community Outreach Network, are community events for families, the Pitt County Reentry Program, the We Care program at Community Crossroads Shelter, men’s biblical conferences, Interfaith Clergy meetings, food box distribution for elderly shut-ins, weekly community prayer sessions. mentoring programs, and work with Destiny Magazine, Elderly Touch of Heart and disaster recovery assistance.