BERT REDWING greeted the many guests (unusual for a summer meeting): DON KOHLER’s wife Evelyn, JULIUS GLOVER’s son Brian, Bert Redwing’s daughter Lin McKay, CHRISTINE COTE’s prospective member Terry Archer, transfer member EARL HALL, and Kamiakin member Ken Johnson. JO MCCLAIN invocated on our behalf and the meeting was off and running under President RON’s able direction.

GENE SHIELDS was presented with a Legion of Honor Award for his more than 60 years as a Kiwanis member.

DELMAR PEARSON announced the Kiwanis Charitable Trust had gained $8,000 in the previous month. DR. MIKE WILSON added that he, PAT DANIELSON, and DAN MARPLES had been attending quarterly meetings with Rotary and Lions to design a new configuration for more ball fields at Kiwanis Park. He will continue representing the Trust with that group as the planning continues.

LINDA HACKETT reminded us all that we are responsible for Aktion Club over the next two months. They meet at 6:00 pm at the Harmen Center.

Bert Redwing announced her upcoming breakfast and asked that anyone interested contact her for further details.

Chris Cote quizzed us on famous, and not so famous, quotes as the day’s Sergeant. CHRIS CRISTMAN was able to call a game of Bingo, won by BOB BROWN, once the missing equipment was found. JOHN BENSON offered LYNN BUCHANAN a chance at almost $500 in the 50/50 Raffle, but Lynn drew a three.

Our special guest speakers, Delmar Pearson and Gene Shields, were introduced respectively by President Ron and President Elect Chris.
President Ron had Del’s original membership application which showed that Del had joined in 1951 (December of 1950 according to Del) and worked as a CPA for Boyd Olafson. The one question that stood out on his application was “do you sing?” Del’s answer was “no one calls it that”.
Chris introduced Gene as a person who in his own quiet way has greatly impacted the Yakima Valley. She announced he will be honored this Friday at 11:00 am with a ribbon cutting on the new Eugene Shields Technical Training Center at Perry Tech.

Gene then took the floor and told us he joined Kiwanis in 1948 shortly after returning home from the Army and being sponsored by his father-in-law. He was president in 1954, which was the year land was first purchased for what is today Kiwanis Park. He said there were between 120 & 140 members during his early years in the club and that they sponsored similar events and programs then as now. He is most proud of the club’s association with Camp Roganunda ad counts the biggest change the addition of women to the membership. After a bit of prodding, he spoke of his days in the Army Air Corp. He started as a flight trainer and eventually ended up flying C-46 transport planes from India into China hauling fuel, 16 barrels at a time. It was a five hour flight over “the hump” that he made over and over and over.

Del joined Kiwanis in 1951, invited by Gene and Clarence Barnett. He became president in 1961 and remembers losing 27 of the 140 regular members and 20 seniors so the District Governor could start the Kamiakin Club. He also remembers starting the only swim meet east of the Cascades to award trophies (which cost about $500 at the time). He and Gene were also instrumental in starting the Kiwanis Charitable Trust, on which they both still serve as co-chairs. He lamented that we were unable to grow our club like the Downtown Rotary has done because we were both about the same size back then. He pointed to some of the things that Rotary has done which we might consider as a way to help our club grow. He spoke briefly of his daughter’s majority ownership of Seattle Slew, but mostly concentrated on his Kiwanis memories.

President Ron marveled at the fact that Gene, Del, and DON DAVIDSON all turned 90 this year, yet remain active serving their community. He stated we are really lucky to have them as members of our club and I am sure those in attendance, hearing their stories, couldn't agree more.

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