John Bokros’ service to community recognized with Courtright Award

For decades of dedicated service to numerous local organizations, John Bokros is the winner of the 2026 A. Monroe Courtright Volunteer Service Award.

Bokros was honored with the Courtright Award by the Rotary Club of Westerville during its April 23 luncheon at The Medallion Club.

“Monroe Courtright was known for helping others quietly — doing the right thing, simply because it was right,” said Janet Tressler Davis, chair of the Club’s Courtright Award Committee this year.

“This year’s recipient embodies that same spirit. He never seeks recognition. Like Monroe, John Bokros never asks for thanks. He simply steps up, again and again, because he believes it is the right thing to do,” Davis said.

The Courtright Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Rotary Club of Westerville on a member of the public. Courtright was a charter member of the Club and was serving as its president at the time of his sudden death in 1977. His years of anonymous philanthropy led the Club to create the Volunteer Service Award in his honor.

Bokros is the 50th annual recipient of the award.

Decades of Service

Bokros retired in 2012 from the Westerville Division of Fire after a distinguished 38-year career. He served as a Firefighter, Fire Inspector, Battalion Chief, and when retiring his last rank was Chief Fire Marshal.

At the Fire Division, Bokros developed several citizen programs including Fire Experience, Safety Bunch, the Citizens Fire Academy, and CART. He is credited with saving the life of an Otterbein College student in 1976, while a volunteer with the Division responding to a dormitory fire.

In retirement, he has devoted himself to active volunteer service with several Westerville organizations.

Bokros currently is a board member and serves as the Program Chair of the Westerville Historical Society. He is a longtime volunteer at the local Field of Heroes Memorial Day Event, at Uptown Westerville Inc. events, and at the Westerville Senior Center.

His leadership extends to our community foundations as well.  He served as President and board member of  the Westerville Education Foundation and a board member of the  Westerville Parks Foundation and Westerville Education Challenge.

Lifelong resident

A lifelong Westerville resident, Bokros was inducted into the Westerville South High School Alumni Hall of Fame in 2002, was named the Franklin County Firefighter of the Year in 2007 and was awarded the Westerville Sunrise Rotary Service Above Self Award in 2009. Following his service with the Division of Fire, he twice was appointed to serve unexpired terms on Westerville City Council.

“The community of Westerville benefits from John’s service to it,” said his nomination for the Courtright Award, which was submitted to the Club by resident Larry Jenkins. “He is always willing to volunteer and assist when needed. … He never asks for or expects thanks. He just steps up when needed.”

Also as part of the Courtright Award, the Rotary Club of Westerville has made a $1,000 donation in Bokros’ name to the Rotary International Foundation, qualifying him as a Paul Harris Fellow.

More than a dozen past recipients of the Courtright Award attended the Rotary luncheon to honor Bokros Thursday, April 23.

“I am so humbled being up here with these past recipients and this Rotary Club of Westerville,” said Bokros, in accepting the award. “My volunteering was always a way of giving back to a great community that has given so much to me in times of need.”

When asked about Westerville, people may think of the beautiful buildings, parks and places, Bokros said. But above all when asked about Westerville, “We should remind ourselves of the good character of this community,” he said.

CAPTIONS
(Above): John Bokros makes remarks before the Rotary Club of Westerville April 23 upon receiving the 2026 A. Monroe Courtright Volunteer Service Award from the club.

(Below): Scenes from the Rotary Club of Westerville luncheon April 23 honoring Bokros as the 2026 Courtright Awards winner.