Rotary Club of Kenai
About Our Club
Rotary Club of Kenai, Alaska
A Brief History
In 1982, the Kenai-Soldotna Rotary Club was the one and only club on the Kenai, Alaska Peninsula. The club's meeting place was in Soldotna, and the nearest club to attend for a "make-up" meeting was in Anchorage -about 170 miles away over a mountain pass.
The Kenai-Soldotna club agreed to sponsor a new Kenai club and the founding fathers of the new club were Brad Wade, Leroy Heinrich, Dr. Dick McCartan, and Elmer "Mo" Knight. This group invited some other business people in Kenai to a breakfast meeting to determine if there was enough interest. Attending that meeting were Matt Amundson, Richard Ross, Bill Thompson, Dale Sandahl, Tom Wagoner, and George Ford who had been involved with Rotary since 1954 and who was also a charter member of the Kenai-Soldotna Rotary Club.
Breakfast meetings continued weekly at the Sheffield House as a provisional club. Officers and board members were elected, and the club was granted its charter in February 1983. Ed Philleo, the District Governor of 503 and Carl Swenson, the District Governor Elect, made the charter presentation on March 4, 1983 at the Kenai Elks Club. The first officers and board members of the club were:
President: Brad Wade/ Clergy
Vice President: Clancy Johnson/ Borough Government, Civil Defense
Secretary: Leroy Heinrich / Petrochemical Manufacturing
Treasurer: Matt Amundson / Banking, Commercial
Club Service: Clyde Baxley / Professional Sports, Baseball
Community Service: Elmer "Mo" Knight / Federal Government, Aviation
Vocational Service: Steve Doughty / Telephone, Central Office
International Service: George Ford / Petrochemical Manufacturing
The first female club member was Barbara Wilcox, and she was admitted on April 1, 1990 with the classification of Government Finance. In 1997, Eleanor Thomson became the first female president.
The following is a list of club presidents & classifications to-date:
1982-1983: Provisional Club Brad Wade / Clergy
1983 3 months Brad Wade / Clergy
1983-1984 Matt Amundson / Banking, Commercial
1984-1985 Dale Sandahl / Education, Personnel
1985-1986 Clancy Johnson / Local Government
1986-1987 Mark Winston / Footwear
1987-1988 4 months Paul Epperson / Education, High School
1987-1988 8 months Leroy Heinrich / Petrochemical Manufacturing
1988-1989 Leroy Heinrich / Petrochemical Manufacturing
1989-1990 Rick Baldwin / Law
1990-1991 2 months Dave Bredin / Gas Utility
1990-1991 10 months George Ford / Petrochemical Manufacturing
1991-1992 John Dahlgren / Education, High School
1992-1993 Tom Boedecker / Local Government, Law
1993-1994 Bill Kluge / Architecture
1994-1995 Nelson Amen / Petroleum Engineering
1995-1996 Charlie Pierce / Natural Gas Utility
1996-1997 Lloyd Johnson / Banking, Commercial
1997-1998 Eleanor Thomson / Business Management
1998-1999 Dave Feeken / Real Estate
1999-2000 7 months Bob Newbry / Retail Management
1999-2000 5 months Rick Baldwin / Law
2000-2001 Duane Bannock / Auto Sales
2001-2002 Barry Eldridge / Marine Shipping
2002-2003 Randy Daly / Office Equipment Marketing
2003-2004 Gaye Dawkins / Banking
2004-2005 Linda L. Snow / Municipal Government
2005-2006 Wes Keller / Title & Escrow Services
2006-2007 Matt Streiff / Financial Services
2007-2008 Dave Derry / Real Estate Appraising
2008-2009 Mya Renken / Visitor Service Administration
2009-2010 Jeanette Desimone / Substance Abuse Counseling
2010-2011 Barry Eldridge / Marine Shipping
2011-2012 Trenten Dodson / Financial Services
2012-2013 Scott Harman / Metal Fabrication
2013-2014 Carrie Couey / Real Estate
2016-2017 Karl Heinz / Financial Services
2017-2018 Dick Peck / Management Controlling
The following club members have become Paul Harris Fellows: Dick Peck, Karl Heinz, Nelson Amen, Rick Baldwin, Dave Derry, Barry Eldrige, George Ford, Jim Hampton, Lloyd Johnson, William "Bill" Kluge, William Phillips, Linda L. Snow, Chuck Stauffer, William Thompson, Tom Wagoner, Jeff Belluomini, Randy Daly. Non-club members who have become Paul Harris Fellows are Julie Derry and Mary Ford. (Last updated 2007)
The club has held a variety of fundraising events, and the three most successful were raffles (Hawaii trip, Guns, Boat trip to Nuka Island, Super Bowl, etc.), Rotary Roses for sale, and the Fourth of July Pre-Parade Breakfast. Raffles have earned the most money.
The following four have been the top priority club projects:
(1) since its 1995 inception, the annual "Not for Sale" ethics program at the Kenai Central High School.
(2) the 1998 establishment of the Rotary Interact Club at the Kenai Central High School.
(3) since 1983, the club has provided annual college scholarships to graduating high school seniors.
(4) Soap Box Derby