BELGRADE – Three recipients of a Rotary International award for outstanding service not only live in Central Maine, but they also work for the same company.

Larry Demerchant of Skowhegan Rotary, Al Feather of Farmington Rotary and Fred Perkins of Augusta Rotary work for Hammond Lumber Co., the Maine family-owned building supplier headquartered in Belgrade.

They each received the 2005 Paul Harris Fellowship given to members who exemplify the Rotary motto, “Service above self.” Gifts of $1,000 will be given by each Rotary chapter in their names to the Rotary Foundation.

Demerchant, who manages Hammond’s Skowhegan store, has worked for Hammond for more than 28 years. In addition to overseeing day-to-day operations in Skowhegan, he is also a lumber buyer for the company.

He has been involved in Rotary for 10 years, having served on the board of directors and the scholarship committee of his local club and participating in various fund-raisers. He coordinates the Vidalia onion sale and assists at the annual lobster bake. Demerchant lives in Skowhegan with Diane, his wife of 35 years.

Feather was formerly on the board of Waterville Rotary and is now active in the Farmington club. He has worked for Hammond since 1983. He was the first manager of Hammond’s store in Fairfield before taking the helm in Farmington in 2002.

Feather coached youth sports for 15 years and was instrumental in bringing the New England Babe Ruth Baseball championships to Belgrade where he lives. He served on the building committees for Workman Field, the Center for All Seasons and the Messalonskee School District renovation.

He edits Farmington Rotary’s monthly newsletter, which for the past two years has won third place in its district of 53 clubs. As Farmington’s part of RI’s Centennial Project, Feather is helping to coordinate the conversion of the local railroad bed into a walking/hiking/biking trail.

He also the chairs the world service committee for his club, which participated in Rotary’s international response to the tsunami disaster and raised enough money to replace an Asian family’s fishing boat. Feather and his wife, Susan, have been married for 29 years.

Perkins, who has been Hammond’s sales manager since 1999, started with the company 14 years ago as a yard worker at the Belgrade store. He has also served as the delivery truck dispatcher in Auburn and the assistant manager in Fairfield.

Perkins chairs the annual Vidalia onion and potato fund-raisers for Augusta Rotary. The proceeds are donated to the Feed the Kids Program, which provides meals three days a week to school students who may otherwise not be getting adequate nutrition at home.

Surplus onions and potatoes from the sales are donated to local food banks and churches. Augusta Rotary has raised money for the YMCA’s new building project as well as the New England Music Camp, and its members participate in Earth Day, Make a Difference Day , Whatever Week and other community projects. Last year, Perkins participated with the Belgrade Tiger Cub Scouts in the Salvation Army Bell Ringing Project.

Perkins and his wife, Amy, have been married for 11 years. In addition to participating in Rotary, he coaches youth baseball, basketball and football.

Hammond Lumber Co. founder Clifton “Skip” Hammond is also a Harris Fellowship honoree, having received the award from Waterville Rotary in 2000.

More information about Rotary is available at www.rotary.org and about Hammond at www.hammondlumber.com.