Wilshire Rotary honored emergency personnel during its annual First Responders Appreciation luncheon. (photo courtesy of the Wilshire Rotary Club of Los Angeles)

The Wilshire Rotary Club honored local volunteers, firefighters and police officers on Jan. 11 at its annual First Responders Appreciation luncheon at the Ebell of Los Angeles

Each year, honorees who provide exceptional and distinguished service are recognized by Wilshire Rotary Club of Los Angeles. This year’s recipients are engineer Manny Zepeda, from the Los Angeles Fire Department’s Station 61; officer Edgar Bacilio, from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Wilshire Division; and Dr. Steven Rudd, an emergency room physician at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.

“Our annual recognition and awards event gives us an opportunity to extend our gratitude to these deserving women and men who serve us bravely and are an integral part of our community,” Wilshire Rotary resident Joyce Kleifield said. “Our Rotary Club has a long-standing tradition of more than 25 years paying tribute to those individuals who serve the Wilshire area. These uncertain times are especially challenging for our first responders, so it is wonderful to be able to honor them in this small way.”

Wilshire Rotary Club, founded in 1932, is one of the oldest Rotary clubs in Los Angeles. The club also supports Operation School Bell, Van Ness School for the visually impaired, Larchmont Charter, ImagineLA, HopeNet and Alexandria House. For information, visit wilshirerotary.org.