Rotary Club of Bakersfield East
Resource Information

Table of Contents

Object of Rotary
The 4-Way Test
Four Avenues of Service
Definition of Rotary
Sponsoring a New Member
Our Three Club Foundations
The Rotary Foundation's Beginning
Paul Harris Fellowship--A History
Paul Harris Fellows List
Past Presidents of BERC List
Past Presidents of Other Rotary Clubs
Rotarian of the Year List
Service Above Self President's Award
Rotary Club of Bakersfield East; The Beginning--You Are There!
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Object of Rotary             Back to TOC

The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster:

1. The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service.

2. High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying by each Rotarian of his or her occupation as an opportunity to serve society.

3. The application of the ideal of service by every Rotarian to his or her personal, business and community life.

4. The advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world fellowship of business and professional men and women united in the ideal of service.
 
 
 

The 4-Way Test             Back to TOC
Of the things we think, say or do.

Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

One of the most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics in the world is the Rotary "4-Way Test." It was created by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor in 1932 when he was asked to take charge of the Chicago-based Club Aluminum Company, which was facing bankruptcy. Taylor looked for a way to save the struggling company mired in depression-caused financial difficulties. He drew up a 24 word code of ethics for all employees to follow in their business and professional lives. The 4-Way Test became the guide for sales, production, advertising and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company was credited to this simple philosophy.

Herb Taylor became president of Rotary International during 1954-55. The 4-Way Test was adopted by Rotary in 1943 and has been translated into more than 100 languages and published in thousands of ways. The message should be known and followed by all Rotarians.

-- from the ABCs of Rotary
 
 
 
 

Four Avenues of Service             Back to TOC

The term "Four Avenues of Service" is frequently used in Rotary literature and information. The "Avenues" refer to the four elements of the Object of Rotary: Club Service, Vocational Service, Community Service and International Service.

Although the Avenues of Service are not found in any formal part of the constitutional documents of Rotary, the concept has been accepted as a means to describe the primary areas of Rotary activity.

"Club Service" involves all of the activities necessary for Rotarians to perform to make their club function successfully.

"Vocational Service" is a description of the opportunity each Rotarian has to represent the dignity and utility of one's vocation to the other members of the club.

"Community Service" pertains to those activities which Rotarians undertake to improve the quality of life in their community. It frequently involves assistance to youth, the aged, handicapped and others who look to Rotary as a source of hope for a better life.

The fourth avenue, "International Service," describes the many programs and activities which Rotarians undertake to advance international understanding, goodwill and peace. International Service projects are designed to meet humanitarian needs of people in many lands.

When a Rotarian understands and travels down the "Four Avenues of Service," the Object of Rotary takes on even greater meaning.

-- from the ABCs of Rotary
 
 
 
 

Definition of Rotary             Back to TOC

How do you describe the organization called "Rotary"? There are so many characteristics of a Rotary club as well as the activities of a million Rotarians. There are the features of service, internationality, fellowship, classifications of each vocation, development of goodwill and world understanding, the emphasis of high ethical standards, concern for other people and many more descriptive qualities.

In 1976 the Rotary International Board of Directors was interested in creating a concise definition of the fundamental aspects of Rotary. They turned to the three men who were then serving on Rotary's Public Relations Committee and requested that a one-sentence definition of Rotary be prepared. After numerous drafts, the committee presented this definition, which has been used ever since in various Rotary publications.

"Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world."

Those 31 words are worth remembering when someone asks, "What is a Rotary club?"

-- from the ABCs of Rotary
 
 
 
 

Sponsoring a New Member             Back to TOC

The bylaws of Rotary clearly outline the procedure for a prospective member to be proposed for Rotary club membership. The "proposer" is the key person in the growth and advancement of Rotary. Without a sponsor, an individual will never have the opportunity to become a Rotarian.

The task of the proposer should not end merely by submitting a name to the club secretary or membership committee. Rotary has not established formal responsibilities for proposers or sponsors, however, by custom and tradition these procedures are recommended in many clubs. The sponsor should:

1. Invite a prospective member to several meetings prior to proposing the individual for membership.
2. Accompany the prospective new member to the Rotary orientation/information meeting.

3. Introduce the new member to other club members each week for the first month.

4. Invite the new member to accompany the sponsor to neighboring clubs for the first make-up meeting to learn the process and observe the spirit of fellowship.

5. Ask the new member and spouse to accompany the sponsor to the club's social activities, dinners or other special occasions.

6. Urge the new member and spouse to attend the district conference with the sponsor.

7. Serve as a special friend to assure that the new member becomes an active Rotarian.

When the proposer follows these guidelines, Rotary becomes stronger with each new member.

-- from the ABCs of Rotary


Rotary Club of Bakersfield East
HOW TO PROPOSE A NEW MEMBER

Every Rotarian has the privilege and obligation to seek qualified members and to "share the gift of Rotary". Membership is the means to accomplish Rotary's mission and goals.

General Qualifications:
Rotarians are adults of good character and good business or professional reputation, who hold or have held an executive position with discretionary authority in any worthy and recognized business or profession.

Active Membership:
Active members must meet the above qualifications and as a general rule live or work within the club's locality or surrounding area.

Honorary Membership:
People who have distinguished themselves by meritorious service in the furtherance of Rotary ideals may be elected to honorary membership.

Classification:
Each active member of a Rotary club is classified in accordance with the member's business or profession. A classification describes the principal and recognized activity of the firm with which an active member is connected or the member's principal and recognized business or professional activity.

The club shall not elect a person an active member if the club has already a certain number of active members from that classification. For clubs with over 50 members, the club may elect a person to active membership in a classification so long as it will not result in the classification making up more than I 0% of the club's active membership. Retired members require a classification but are not included in a club's total number for each classification.

Standard Procedure:

Sponsor and/or Mentor Role:

Typically the person sponsoring the new member will also assume the role of mentor, i.e. introduce him/her to other members and board members, accompany them to a make-up at another club, encourage him/her to attend a District Conference or Assembly, and help them complete other requirements of the club's Red Badge Program.

Sometimes the sponsor does not have the time or is not comfortable assuming the mentor role. Our Membership Committee has developed a formal Mentor Program that matches Past Presidents with new members to help them complete the Red Badge Program and get involved in club projects and activities.



Our Three Club Foundations             Back to TOC

The Rotary Club of Bakersfield East now has three Foundations associated with it (four if one also counts the Rotary Foundation). Briefly, here is what each is all about:

The Joe Alexander Memorial Scholarship Foundation, the first of our three local foundations, was established in memory of Joe Alexander, a beloved longtime member and Past President (1958/59) of the club. This seemed a fitting memorial to a departed friend and fellow member who had served as Club Scholarship Chairman for many years and who had made many gifts to deserving youth on his own. At the time of Joe's death in the late 1970's, a number of the members of Bakersfield East made scholarship contributions in his memory, and through Joe's company, A-C Electric, his family agreed to match these contributions. A separate endowment fund was established to keep the scholarship funds donated in Joe's memory separate from the normally appropriated scholarship funds of the club. In the years since Joe's death, the family and the company have continued to match the memorial scholarship contributions of Bakersfield East Rotarians dollar-for-dollar. A Board of Trustees for the Foundation, drawn from both the Rotary Club of Bakersfield East and A-C Electric, has continued to oversee the activities of the foundation. With the Joe Alexander Foundation's goal of $50,000 in invested principal having been reached, two or more Joe Alexander Memorial Scholarships per year are awarded from the earnings to deserving students from Highland High and/or East Bakersfield High in amounts fixed each year by the Foundation's Board.

Our second foundation was also formed with a noble Community Service purpose in mind. Lloyd and Patty Plank began the Plank Foundationin 1985 by contributing fully-paid $25,000 life insurance policies on themselves with Bakersfield East as their beneficiary.

President Bill Stone and member Barney Gill urged members to contribute to the fledgling foundation so Lloyd and Patty could still be with us as it began its good works. Many members have contributed and continue to contribute (and Lloyd & Patty have matched these contributions) enough so that the Plank Foundation has already begun providing financial assistance to people facing emergency needs without sufficient funds. This was and is its intended purpose.

This brings us to our third club foundation which was formed in the Spring of 1995. The Bakersfield East Rotary Foundation was established with the help of 1994/95 Governor Jim Hawkins, an experienced tax attorney and estate planner. The purpose of this foundation was and is to provide a conduit for tax-exempt monies to be channeled directly to charitable purposes. While members' charitable contributions to Rotary causes may be recognized as deductible donations by the IRS, there is no guarantee that they will be; thus, many Rotary clubs have formed club foundations and sought 501-C-3 tax status for them so that contributions made using this vehicle will be tax exempt by definition. Since we could not continue to raise dues & fine our way to meeting our charitable budget, our club's leaders decided to follow the lead of Governor Jim and other clubs by seeking public funds. Foundations such as the Bakersfield East Rotary Foundation are necessary in order to be able to offer tax deductions to contributors and to keep our club's charitable and administrative funds truly separate. Thus our newest foundation came into existence to act as a master charitable account for our club. It in no way diminishes the importance of or dilutes the funding of our Joe Alexander and Lloyd & Patty Plank Foundations; rather, it will actually assist us in building up both foundations by making public funds available to them.

-- contributed by PDG Frank B. Geddes
 
 
 
 

The Rotary Foundation's Beginning             Back to TOC

Some magnificent projects grow from very small seeds. The Rotary Foundation had that sort of modest beginning.

In 1917 R.I. President Arch Klumph told the delegates to the Atlanta Convention that "it seems eminently proper that we should accept endowments for the purpose of doing good in the world." The response was polite and favorable, but the fund was slow to materialize. A year later the "Rotary Endowment Fund," as it was first labeled, received its first contribution of $26.50 from the Rotary Club of Kansas City, which was the balance of the Kansas City Convention account following the 1918 annual meeting. Additional small amounts were annually contributed, but after six years it is reported that the endowment fund had only reached $700. A decade later, The Rotary Foundation was formally established at the 1928 Minneapolis Convention. In the next four years the Foundation fund grew to $50,000. In 1937 a $2 million goal was announced for The Rotary Foundation, but these plans were cut short and abandoned with the outbreak of World War II.

In 1947, upon the death of Paul Harris, a new era opened for The Rotary Foundation as memorial gifts poured in to honor the founder of Rotary. From that time, The Rotary Foundation has been achieving its noble objective of furthering "understanding and friendly relations between peoples of different nations." By 1954 the Foundation received, for the first time, a half million dollars in contributions in a single year, and in 1965 a million dollars was received.

It is staggering to imagine that from those humble beginnings, The Rotary Foundation is now receiving more than $40 million each year for educational and humanitarian work around the world.

-- from the ABCs of Rotary
 
 
 

Paul Harris Fellowship--A History             Back to TOC

Undoubtedly the most important step to promote voluntary giving to The Rotary Foundation occurred in 1957, when the idea of Paul Harris Fellow recognition was first proposed. Although the concept of making $1,000 gifts to the Foundation was slow in developing, by the early 1970s the program began to gain popularity. The distinctive Paul Harris Fellow medallion, lapel pin and attractive certificate have become highly respected symbols of a substantial financial commitment to The Rotary Foundation by Rotarians and friends around the world.

The companion to the Paul Harris Fellow is the Paul Harris Sustaining Member. This recognition is presented to an individual who has given $100 to the Foundation (or in whose honor this gift is made) with the stated intention of making additional contributions until $1,000 is reached. At that time the Paul Harris Sustaining Member becomes a Paul Harris Fellow.

By 1998 more than 625,000 Paul Harris Fellows and 215,000 Sustaining Members had been added to the rolls of The Rotary Foundation.

A special recognition pin is given to Paul Harris Fellows who make additional gifts of US$1,000 to the Foundation. The distinctive gold pin includes a blue stone to represent each US$1,000 contribution up to a total of US$5,000 in additional gifts. Red stone pins signify gifts of US$7,000 to US$9,000. A Diamond Circle pin is given to donors for major gifts in excess of US$10,000.

Paul Harris Fellow recognition provides a very important incentive for the continuing support needed to underwrite the many programs of The Rotary Foundation that build goodwill and understanding in the world.

-- from the ABCs of Rotary
 
 
 
 

Rotary Club of Bakersfield East             Back to TOC
Paul Harris Fellows

* = Deceased; # = PHF from Another Club

* George Ablin (1979)
Millie Jean Ablin (1997)
* Eleanor Akers (1984)
Tom Akers, Jr. (1979)
* Joseph R. Alexander (1982)
Ruby Alexander (1973)
Douglas H. Amstutz (1986)
Jan R. Amstutz (1992)
Nicholas T. Amstutz (2000
             Back to TOC
Stephen D. Amstutz (2000)
Judy Anderson (2003)
Sally Palmer Andrews (2002)
Tony Ansolabehere (2002)
Alan Austin (1987)
* M. E. "Jack" Baird, Jr. (1978)
Patricia Baird (1990)
Oscar Baltazar (2004)
Hugh Bartenstein (1980)
Ben E. Batey (1991)
Gayle Batey (1998)
Justin Batey (2004)
Scott Begin (2004)
R. J. Behringer (1989)
BERC -- (Rotary Club of Bakersfield East -- 2003)
* John Beresford (1981)
# Maria U. Berntson (1994)
Ronald D. Biglin (2000)
Ronald M. Bivins (1984)
Michael V. "Mike" Blake (1998)
Anne C. Bowles (1995)
Stanley R. Boyce (1988)
Ann Braun (2004)
Gregory G. Braun (2001)
Greg Broida (1989)
Bryan D. Brown (2002)
Kelley Anne Brown (1991)
Patricia L. Brown (1992)
T. Glen Brown (1989)
* Marco Bruschi (1976)
Gail Burch (1999)
Heidi Ann Burch (2001)
Thomas Burch (1993)
Michael Burger (2003)
Harry Burke (2003)
C. A. "Terry" Burley (1993)
Shirley A. Burley (2001)
* Jack Butterfield (1979)
Frank Cabral (1995)
* Archie V. Cain (1980)
* Phyllis Cain (1991)
Fredda Carpenter (1989)
James Dean Carpenter (1986)
Wilmer J. Carpenter (2002)
Roy R. Carroll (1991)
Sharon Casey (1997)
Pamela Lee Chandler (1996)
Tim Chang (1999)
Deborah Clark (1998)
James Clark (1989)
             Back to TOC
John T. Claypool (1981)
Harry W. Clester (1984)
Army Spc. Aaron Coates (2004)
Frank J. Colatruglio (2002)
Lawrence J. Collins (1985)
Bette J. Cooper (1996)
Dr. Greg W. Cooper (2003)
* Harmon E. Cooper (2000)
Kathryn Victoria "Katie" Cooper (1997)
Michael W. Cooper (1985)
Joe Corn (1983)
William Crabtree (1987)
* Howard S. Dallimore (1974)
Martin Davis (1983)
Chungsam Doh (1982)
Grace Doh (1993)
Hanna Miesol Doh (2000)
Jenny Doh (1991))
Jinil Doh (2003)
Sunae Doh (1987)
Sister Sherry Dolan (2003)
Eldon Easter (1983)
Sharon Ekdahl (1990)
Wallace D. Ekdahl (1986)
Emory Ellis (1992)
Gary Fachin (1983)
Kenneth Feer (1985)
* Roy E. Fellows (1979)
Daniel E. Flynn (2000)
Sally Fox (1996)
Phil D. Franey (1985)
Anne D. Frapwell (1983)
C. Robert Frapwell (1981)
James L. Frederickson (1976)
* Ruth Frederickson (1983)
Sheldon Freedman (1987)
Kati Garcia (2002 Ambassadorial Scholar) (2002)
Frank E. Garner (1984)
Dean A. Gay (1979)
Ashleigh L. Geddes (1985)
* Cornelia Machen Geddes (2000)
* F. Bramwell Geddes, Jr. (1991)
Frank Bramwell Geddes (1978)
Graeme Lambourne Geddes (1990)
Laurel Rose Geddes (1990)
* Penny Beresford Geddes (1988)
Jim George (1998)
Roberta Lynn George (1995)
Steven G. Gibbs (1995)
Alan Giblin (2002)
             Back to TOC
Kelly D. Giblin (1996)
Patricia Giles (1994)
Richard F. Giles (1980)
* Joy Gill (1987)
* S. B. "Barney" Gill (1974)
Susan Gill (1998)
Daniel R. Giordano (2000)
Patricia A. Giordano (2000)
Michael Goad (1985)
Leslie A. Golich (2001)
Alice Goodman (1974)
* Allan R. Goodman (1985)
Michael A. Griffin (1996)
Patricia Casey Griffin (1996)
Zachary Griffin (2003)
* Leslie B. Hackney (1977)
Lynne Hall (1999)
Molly Hansen (1999)
Todd Hansen (1998)
Julie Hanson (1989)
Scott N. Hanson (1984)
* Ellen Harger (1989)
Richard Harger (1988)
Marianne Harmer (2004)
Robert Harper (1983)
David Hashim (1990)
Marta Josephina Lozano Haslebacher (1997)
David J. Haynes (1996)
Loretta Haynes (1997)
Richard Henderson (1983)
# Michael A. Henstra (1985)
Alonzo E. Hill (1997)
* Elizabeth Hinse Mes (2000)
Heidi C. Hinse (1989)
Hendrik M. Hinse (1987)
Johannes "Joop" Hinse (1997)
Marc Hinse (1989)
Mardi Hinse (1988)
Gary Hoetker (1996)
Frank W. Hogan (1984)
Frances Holmes (1984)
Marilyn Hood (1988)
Roland E. Hood, Jr. (1982)
* James W. Huber (1973)
Patricia Huber (1981)
Joseph W. Hummel (1979)
* Harry L. Hurst (1975)
Phillip Icardo (1995)
Betty Isaacs (1995)
* Jean Isaacs (1989)
             Back to TOC
William F. Isaacs (1984)
Ted Jablonski (1976)
Carolyn Jackson (2003)
Carl Jacobson (1989)
Bill C. Johnson (1998)
Royce Johnson (1984)
* Marvin "Pete" Jones (1983)
Dian A. Jung (1996)
Johnson Jung (1982)
Steve Karcher (2001)
Bruce Keith (1986)
Claudia Gilli Keith (1995)
Wendal Keith (2003)
Elton A. Kelly (1988)
Harold M. Kempen (1992)
Claude Kimball (1976)
Hilda Reyneveld Klein (2000)
Peter Klippenstein (2004)
Annette Koop (1998)
Kenneth D. Koop (1986)
James Kordahl (1985)
Truce Kramer (1992)
Jean Kress (2004)
* Lawrence Kress (2003)
Leslie Walters Kress (1999)
Wayne Kress (1995)
Don Kuhns (1991)
Daniel A. Lacey (1984)
Patrice E. Lambourne (1985)
Sandra Larson (1998)
Pauline Larwood (1990)
Tom Larwood (1984)
Albert M. Leddy (1981)
Harold E. Lee (1980)
* Lincoln Lee (1980)
Yang Su Lee (1989)
William "Bud" Leedy (2004)
Jane L. Lewis (1998)
* John S. Lewis (1999)
William B. Lewis (2001)
Stan Lewis (1998)
* Abraham Lincoln (by Jim Huber)--date unknown)
* Daniel B. "Pete" Lokey (1992)
Jane Lokey (1993)
Quon Louey (2003)
Joe Lozano (1989)
Virginia Lozano (1991)
* Howard Lucy (1976)
* Sadie Lucy (1976)
Bonnie G. Mahan (1996)
             Back to TOC
# William M. Malloy (1985)
* Al Malouf (1983)
Gail S. Malouf (2002)
Darlene Marsh (1988)
* John Frank Marsh (1976)
* Gib Mauer (1979)
Erin Maureen McCabe (1998)
Mary Mavis McKean (2003)
Ryan McKean (2003)
* Norman McNamee (1985)
Duane A. Meyer (1996)
Joyce E. "Jo" Meyer (1998)
Nancy Jo Meyer-Fairfield (2000)
* Robert Meyer (1985)
Jeffrey Lee Miller (2001)
Britney Minton (1998)
Angela Mitchell (1994)
* Roy A. Mitchell (1981)
Donald Moloughney (1983)
Janet Mosley (1998)
Robbyn D. Mosley (1992)
* John Mossman (1979)
Gerardo Mouet (1997)
Monica Anne Mouet (1996)
Jeffry E. Moxley (1991)
Jennifer Ellen Moxley (1991)
Larry D. Moxley (1987)
Richard Daniel Moxley (1992)
Steven Moxley (1988)
Susan Moxley (1990)
Janet Lynn Mudge (2000)
Madan G. Mukhopadhyay (1984)
* John Nairn (1975)
Dayna Nicholas (1998)
* Larry Nordahl (1979)
Father Clifford Norman (2000)
* Kathryn Noroian (1999)
Karen E. Northcutt (1989)
Ralph Nuanez (2001)
Chris O'Harra (1993)
Leslyn O'Harra (1991)
* Rod O'Harra (1978)
Gregory A. Olson (1988)
Joan Marie Olson (1988)
James L. O'Neill (2001)
Young Nam Paik (1993)
Bruce Walker Palmer (1993)
George C. Palmer (1978)
Nina Palmer (1989)
Alexandra "Alex" Parker (1997)
             Back to TOC
Barbara Parker (1991)
Dustin Parker (1997)
Robert Parker (1991)
J. Michael Parks (1979)
Judy Parks (1995)
Donald L. Paul (1991)
Glenn A. Paul (1982)
Nell Paul (1985)
Victoria Pendleton (2000)
Lisa Plank (2000)
Lloyd E. Plank (1975)
Patty Plank (1990)
Rusty Plank (1999)
Warren A. Plaskett (1986)
J. Steven Pressley (2000)
Michele Primm (1999)
Linda Provencio (1999)
Robert Provencio (1995)
Beverly Ann Pyle (2001)
Carleen Radanovich (1986)
Larry Radanovich (1981)
Brad Rappleye (1997)
Erin Rappleye (2003)
Megan Raymond (2002)
* Rae F. Redfern (1984)
Billy D. Reed, Jr. (1995)
Kenneth Reed (1999)
Hazel M. Rees (1992)
* Raymond E. Rees (1983)
Susan B. Reynolds (2001)
Jeanette Richardson (2000)
J. Nelson Richardson (2000)
Bradley T. Ritter (1982)
* Hazel Ritter (1988)
* Albert C. Robbins (1994)
Herbert E. Roberts (1985)
Sarah Robinette (1995)
Arthur L. Rockoff (1995)
Mickey Roling (2003)
* Frank R. Rosenlieb (1987)
* Colleen Ryan (1999)
Patrick Ryan (1990)
Elizabeth Saba (1999)
Jack M. Saba (1984)
D. Lee Sattley (1984)
Charlotte Anne Shafto (1997)
* Ralph Sharon (1979)
* Conrad Shaw (1989)
Clifford Silveira (1987)
Karen Ann Skrable (1995)
Patrick D. Skrable (2002)
             Back to TOC
Leona M. Smith (1996)
M. Lloyd Smith (1982)
Randall Smith (1985)
# Barbara Spencer (1978)
# John M. "Jack" Spencer (1976)
Susan Yvonne Palmer Sperling (1998)
Evelyn Stanfill (1998)
Gary L. Stanfill (1986)
Bill F. Steele (1981)
J. S. "Sam" Stewart (1982)
James M. Stuart (1984)
Jere N. Sullivan (1980)
Jack Swan (1986)
Larkin Tackett (2001)
Rhoda Thompson (1976)
Warren R. Thompson (1979)
Robert Tisch (1985)
Carolyn M. Toriggino (1995)
Richard L. Toriggino (1991)
Gerald L. Towery (1985)
Roland H. Turmel (1991)
Beulah Turner (1985)
Elvey "Skeet" Varner (2002)
Janis Gale Mattoon Varner (1998)
Vernon Varner (1995)
Cyrus Wade (1982)
* Cyrus Ralph Wade, Jr. (2004)
Virginia Wade (1993)
Debra Walker (2004)
Emma W. Walsh (1991)
* Patrick F. Walsh (1986)
Steve M. Walsh (1986)
Jean Keleher Watanabe (1998)
Stephen M. Watanabe (2001)
Charles B. Webster (1979)
* Russell Wells (1979)
Melinda McKean Westfahl (2003)
Harold E. Williams (1986)
Edward G. Wulfekuehler, Jr. (1994)
* Henry Yoon (1976)
Marcella Yoon (1993)
 
 
 

Rotary Club of Bakersfield East             Back to TOC
Past Presidents

* = Deceased

* Malcolm J. Little (1952-53)
* James W. Huber (1953-54)
Earl E. Beck (1954-55)
* Harry E. Blair (1955-56)
Cyrus Wade (1956-57)
* Walter Lindecker (1957-58)
* Joseph R. Alexander (1958-59)
* Raymond E. Rees (1959-60)
* Patrick F. Walsh (1960-61)
Tom Akers, Jr. (1961-62)
* John M. Nairn (1962-63)
* Harry D. Campbell (1963-64)
* Charles Anspach (1964-65)
* Joe E. Cranston (1965-66)
Jere N. Sullivan (1966-67)
* M. E. "Jack" Baird (1967-68)
George C. Palmer (1968-69)
Charles B. Webster (1969-70)
* Rod O'Harra (1970-71)
Martin S. Simon (1971-72)
* George S. Whiting (1972-73)
* Allan R. Goodman (1973-74)
* Jack Butterfield (1974-75)
Glenn A. Paul (1975-76)
* S. B. "Barney" Gill (1976-77)
Lloyd Plank (1977-78)
Brad Ritter (1978-79)
Ted Jablonski (1979-80)
* John Beresford (1980-81)
Larry Radanovich (1981-82)
Robert C. Frapwell (1982-83)
Frank B. Geddes (1983-84)
Richard F. Giles (1984-85)
William F. Stone (1985-86)
Roland E. Hood, Jr. (1986-87)
* Conrad N. Shaw (1987-88)
Larry Moxley (1988-89)
Hendrik M. Hinse (1989-90)
Dean Carpenter (1990-91)
Richard Harger (1991-92)
Richard L. Toriggino (1992-93)
Bruce E. Keith (1993-94)
Chungsam Doh (1994-95)
Michael Cooper (1995-96)
Joe Lozano (1996-97)
David Haynes (1997-98)
Wayne Kress (1998-99)
Doug Amstutz (1999-00)
Dr. James N. "Bruin" Clark (2000-01)
Bob Parker (2001-02)
Kelly Giblin (2002-03)
Maria Berntson (2003-04)
 
 
 

Past Presidents of Other Rotary Clubs             Back to TOC

Michael A. "Mike" Henstra
(Kern River Valley -- 1982-83 & 1985-86)
John T. McWhorter
(Bakersfield Breakfast -- 1982-83)
John "Jack" Spencer
(Redondo Beach -- 1962-63)
 
 

Rotary Club of Bakersfield East             Back to TOC
Rotarian of the Year

* = Deceased

* Albert C. Robbins (1953-54)
* Albert T. Malouf (1954-55)
* Malcolm J. Little (1955-56)
* Harry E. Blair (1956-57)
* Raymond E. Rees (1957-58)
J. L. Frederickson (1960-61)
* M. E. "Jack" Baird (1962-63)
George C. Palmer (1963-64)
Dean A. Gay (1964-65)
James C. Jeffrey (1965-66)
* Russell N. Wells (1966-67)
Harold W. Meek (1967-68)
* James W. Huber (1968-69)
* Joseph "Gib" Mauer (1969-70)
Roy "Scotty" Thursby (1970-71)
* A. W. "Art" Green (1971-72)
Martin S. Simon (1972-73)
* Joseph R. Alexander (1973-74)
Tom Akers, Jr. (1974-75)
* O. Howard Lucy (1975-76)
* Jack Butterfield (1976-77)
* John Beresford (1977-78)
Frank Garner (1978-79)
Bob Frapwell (1979-80)
* Marc Bruschi &
Warren Thompson (1980-81)
* Archie Cain (1981-82)
Lloyd Plank (1982-83)
* Barney Gill, * Al Goodman &
Larry Radanovich (1983-84)
* Norman McNamee (1984-85)
Hendrik M. Hinse (1985-86)
Frank B. Geddes (1986-87)
Bradley T. Ritter (1987-88)
* Rod O'Harra (1988-89)
Cyrus Wade (1989-90)
Martin Davis (1990-91)
T. Glen Brown (1991-92)
Gregory A. Olson (1992-93)
Robert Parker (1993-94)
Richard F. Giles (1994-95)
Chungsam Doh (1995-96)
* Penny Geddes (1996-97)
Michael W. Cooper (1997-98)
Kelly Giblin (1998-99)
Karen Skrable (1998-99)
Larry Moxley (1999-00)
Bruce Keith (2000-01)
Dr. James N. Clark, DDS (2001-02)
Sandra Larson (2002-03)
Dan Giordano (2003-04)









Service Above Self Presidents Award             Back to TOC

Michael Henstra (2003-04)
 




 

Rotary Club of Bakersfield East             Back to TOC
The Beginning--You Are There!

As presented by PDG Frank Geddes at the Rotary Club of Bakersfield East meeting held on January 15, 1999. The program featured Dick Griffin, our club sponsor from the Rotary Club of Bakersfield, and Charter Members Henry Yoon, Cy Wade and Tom Akers.

Some of you longer-term members may remember the old "You Are There" television program in which host Walter Cronkite would take his audience back in time to relive a particular moment in history. As Cronkite intoned in those memorable broadcasts, "Today is a day like all days, filled with those events that alter and illuminate our time." And so it was when our beloved Rotary Club of Bakersfield East was formed. The year was 1952 and Harry Truman was President. The U.S. was deeply mired in the Korean conflict but hope was on the horizon with the election of General Eisenhower and Richard Nixon to lead our country. The atom bomb was a terrible threat, but the hydrogen bomb was still in the future. Television was all the rage and it came in living color--as long as the colors you were living were black and white. Cars were longer, lower, and wider and the bigger the tailfins the better. Bakersfield was digging out from the massive Tehachapi earthquakes but thankfully the clock tower at 17th and Chester was still standing. The venerable B-52 bomber was still on the drawing boards back then and Rock & Roll was yet to be.

All in all it seemed an odd time for Rotary to be planning an expansion in Bakersfield, yet that's exactly what took place. Six thousand-eight hundred-two Rotarians attended the 1952 RI Convention in Mexico City to hear incoming RI President H. J. Brunnier from the San Francisco club share his vision for Rotary as it neared its Golden Anniversary. Governor of District 159 (the precursor of District 5240) in 1952-53 was Floyd Bohnett from the Santa Barbara club and it was he who saw an opportunity for Rotary to expand to a third club in Bakersfield. Old Town Kern and the East-side of town was the territory earmarked for expansion and Governor Bohnett called upon an outstanding Rotarian leader from the Bakersfield club, Richard "Dick" Griffin, to serve as his personal representative to insure that the provisional new club came to be chartered. It was Dick's responsibility to find and qualify outstanding East-side community leaders to form the nucleus of the new club and to lead these men in the formative meetings leading up to the new club's chartering on December 23rd, 1952. Dick has been an Honorary Member and friend of this club for 47 years now and it is with pride that I introduce the Father of Bakersfield East Rotary, Dick Griffin.

Dick began by quipping that while he was being asked to remember events from 47 years ago, he couldn't even remember what he had done just yesterday. He flew B-17s in WWII and was known then as Pop because his crewmen were 19 or 20 years old and he was 28! Dick joined the Bakersfield club in 1946 and when tapped by Governor Bohnett to be his personal representative for the formation of the new club, Griffin was told to look for members "just like you." Mac Little who "transferred" from the Delano club was a key. Dick closed by remembering all the problems he had in obtaining reservations at the Bakersfield Inn for holding the new club's Charter Night. This inaugural event finally occurred on January 30, 1953.

One of the initial four members who started meeting with Governor's Rep. Dick Griffin, founding member Henry Yoon served as Charter Director of Club Service II and then as 1953-54 Director of International Service. Henry is unique in our club in that he has served continuously since our founding yet never under the same name. Each year about mid-March he became Henry O'Yoon and every time we inducted a member whose last name began with "Z" he became Henry Zoon. He is our own tail-end Charlie and l'm proud to introduce Charter Member Henry Yoon.

Henry recollected that he along with Jim Huber, Mac Little, and Al Malouf constituted the original group of four men meeting with Dick Griffin at the House of Rasmussen during September and October of 1952. He spoke of the extreme difficulties in recruiting members. Rotary was very territorial back then and the City of Bakersfield (claimed by Downtown) and Oildale (claimed by the North club) were "off limits." The territory specifically ceded to the new East club consisted of East Bakersfield and Old Town Kern. Despite the turf wars, 21 additional qualified candidates were signed up and the new East Bakersfield club received its charter on December 23, 1952. At the Inaugural Charter Night, Henry and the other members were both stunned and delighted when Bakersfield club co-founder Arthur Crites agreed to a fine of $1,000 to sweeten the new club's treasury! Henry closed by recalling that he had been asked to serve as the club's third president (following Jim Huber) but had declined due to the pressures of both a new business and a new son.

Cy Wade served as our Charter Secretary and as Director of Community Service II in 1955-56 prior to ascending to the presidency in 1956-57. He attended the 1956 RI Convention in Philadelphia and helped host the District Conference right here in Bakersfield. Known as "Mr. Rotarian Magazine" in our club, I am proud to introduce 1956-57 President and Charter Member Cy Wade.

Cy's introduction to Rotary was going to meetings with his father, a Rotarian, in Kansas. After he moved his family to Bakersfield, Cy attended Downtown Rotary with Howard Nichols and learned of the formation of a new club on the East-side of town. He contacted Dick Griffin and began attending the formative meetings at the House of Rasmussen. Cy recalled the first installation of officers of the new club (Jim Huber and his Board) at Jim Curran's home. That first full year the 8-Ball and Exempt Badge traditions were born and President Huber paid $5 to the treasury for each week of perfect attendance. That got expensive! The first craft talks were given and the first Ladies' Night was held at Maisson Jaussaud. It was in September of 1954 that the club moved into the brand new East Bakersfield Veterans' Hall. During Cy's year as President the first Sons & Daughters' Day was held, and the first Competitors' Day, and the first of our, now widely emulated, Rotary Information Committee presentations was given to prospective members. Cy closed by showing the copy of Adventures In Service that he received as a Charter Member. It contains a hand-written dedication from District Governor Bohnett.

It's tough being last on the program, but that's the lot that falls to our youngest founder. Tom Akers attended the RI Convention in Tokyo, Japan and then took over the BERC Presidency in 1961-62. Pat Walsh was his Vice President and Jack Baird began his 40+ years of service on our Board as Club Secretary. Known in our club as Mr. Cotton and as Bakersfield East's answer to Colonel Sanders, I am proud to introduce Charter Member Tom Akers.

Already employed full-time at CalCot, Tom Akers had just purchased a farm for his wife, three children, and one more on the way. There he raised cotton, alfalfa, chickens, orchard fruit, swine, and two cows. Thus when he was asked to join the provisional club meeting at the House of Rasmussen, he "needed Rotary like a hole in my head." He did join, though, at the behest of Lloyd Frick, his boss at CalCot. Jim Huber was Tom's mentor, but surely it wasn't he who caused Tom to sleep at meetings for the first seven years.

By now you've no doubt realized that we at Bakersfield East Rotary didn't become a "Black Belt Club" overnight. It is only through the dedication and hard work of Governors Representative Dick Griffin, Charter Members Cy Wade, Henry Yoon, and Tom Akers, and their 22 fellow Charter Members, that Bakersfield East Rotary put down solid roots to become the outstanding Rotary Club that we are proud to serve today. Let us all be mindful of this exceptional heritage as we join with our own Governor Chungsam Doh to "Serve in Harmony" and "Follow Your Rotary Dream." Let's hear it for our distinguished panel of Founding Fathers!

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