SAMUEL Music

Founder Lowell Samuel Honored By Rotary

Lowell D. Samuel, founder of Samuel Music in Effingham, Illinois, has been presented with the Service Above Self Award presented by Rotary International. The award is the highest honor provided to a Rotarian by this international service organization.

Samuel, a member of the Effingham Noon Rotary Club, is one of 123 Rotarians worldwide to receive the award, which recognizes individuals who embody, through their volunteer work, the Rotary motto of 'Service Above Self.' A maximum of 150 such awards are given annually among the more than 1.2 million Rotarians in 156 countries and 35 geographical regions.

'I am an educator,' said Samuel, who began his teaching career as music supervisor for the Effingham school district, 'I believe there is good in everybody regardless of race, color, or creed.'

After playing with the Army Air Corps Band during World War II and touring as an original member of the Singing Sergeants, Samuel returned to Effingham to establishSamuel Music Company and, eventually, Midco International. Samuel Music is now a full-line retail music company with stores in several Illinois cities. Midco is an importer/wholesaler of musical merchandise with three distribution centers in Illinois, Texas, and Virginia.