The Japan District of Kiwanis International
Connelly Award
In honor of Robert P. Connelly, a member of the Kiwanis Club of Lisle, Illionois, Connelly Award is presented to a person who actually risks physical harm or death by accepting personal responsibility.? On September 23, 1966, Robert lost his life in an attempt to rescue a disabled woman who had fallen inthe path of an on rushing passenger train.? Both were killed.?? When the Robert P. Connelly Medal of Heroism was announced during the 52nd annual Kiwanis International Convention in Houston, Texas (1967), the statement was made, "...by his unselfish action he put tremendous and dramatic meaning into the phrase 'personal involvement'.? This man was the epitome of all that Kiwanis strives to be."? The medal is awarded to a person, either Kiwanian or non-Kiwanian, who actually risks physical harm or death by accepting personal responsibility when he/she might just pass along his/her way.? Kiwanis clubs should make all nominations.? The nominee is submitted to Kiwanis International Foundation Board of Trustees, who will have final authority to accept or reject nominations.? When accepted, the nominating club will be notified, and the award is presented at a special occasion such as International Convention or the District Convention.
To qualify for the Robert P. Connelly Medal, a person must:
- Actually risk physical harm or death by accepting self-imposed personal responsibility in the effort to save the life of another human being "when he might just as well pass along the way."? (Nominee need not be a Kiwanian.)
- Have no official responsibility for the rescue effort.
- Not be closely related to the person involved in the rescue effort.
- Be nominated by a Kiwanis club within five years of incident.
Following is the list of awardees nominated from the Japan District:
| 1999-2000 | Yusuke Imaizumi （Age 18, Keio University） | Tried to rescue a drunken stranger at Fujisawa Railroad Crossing.? Both were killed |
| 2000-2001 | Otoichi Asai （Age 73, Volunteer Mountain Guide) | Tried to inform an avalanche to a rescue group.? Killed with three others. |
| 2001-2002 | Lee Su Hyon （Student from Korea） Shiro Sekine （Photographer） |
Killed at Shin-Okubo Station. |
| 2002-2003 | Harumitsu Itoga （Age 70） | Rescued a drowning child, but himself ran out of energy and died. |
| 2003-2004 | Yusuke Hara（Age 13, Ishikawa Middle School） | Tried to rescue a drowning friend.? Himself was drowned |
| 2004-2005 | Rieko Ohigashi （Age 36, Office Worker） | Tried to rescue a drowning primary school child.? Herself was drowned |
| 2005-2006 | Atsushi Ohta （Age 72) | Tried to rescue a person stranded in a multiple collision accident in a tunnel, and was hit by a car |
| 2007-2008 | Hirofumi Iwasaki （Age 34） | Tried to rescue a drowning primary school child, while he could not swim at all, and was drowned |
| 2008-2009 | Yoshinori Kojima （Age 28） | Tried to rescue drowning primary school children.? Although he succeeded in saving a boy, he ran out of his energy and got drowned. |
| 2009-2010 | Naomitsu Sugimoto （High School） Takanori Kinoshita （High School） |
Saved a 4 year old from a fire |