COMMUNITY
As an Eagle Scout, we learned to do our best to do our duty to God and our country. As a youthful Jaycee, we learned that service to humanity is the best work of life. As a Paul Harris Fellow, we did our best to abide by the motto of the Rotary International – “He profits most who serves the best”. As one of the founders of the Walker Lions Club and a present member of the Leech Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, we continue with the same objective - serving our community. All community organizations have the same goal and our little town of Walker, Minnesota depends greatly upon the help of our organizations.
A top-secret classification, earned at a Military Specialist School in Eta Jima, Japan, enabled me to serve with the United Nations Command of the Military Armistice Commission in Panmunjom, Korea. Therefore, I was eligible to serve in both the Walker American Legion and the Walker Veterans of Foreign Wars. It is truly inspirational and motivating to begin the parades in our small-town celebrations by being a member of the Legion Color Guard.
As we go through life, it seems that whenever trial or tribulation rears its ugly head, a song will help clear your mind. The Cass County Barbershop Chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America certainly assisted in that respect. Although we still manage to get together in a quartet once in a while, the majority of our singing takes place with the Chancel Choir, the Hymn Singers and the Men’s Chorus in Hope Lutheran Church. Serving on the Board of Property of the church also keeps me involved and active in that aspect of the church.
Although organizations and community involvement change as we go through life, at the present time we are also involved with the Walker Area Foundation, the Cass County Historical Society and the Walker Curling Club. Of all these organizations, I always respected and valued the theme of the United States Jaycees. Oftentimes, they were too young to know that something couldn’t be accomplished, so they went ahead and accomplished the task anyway! They truly lived up to their motto – that service to humanity is the best work of life – so much so that my involvement listed me their edition of Outstanding Young Men Of America and also a two-time recipient of their Free Enterprise Award.
Concerning free enterprise, my most recent project in this field has been a vision of a “Pathway Of Time”. As a member of the Walker City Park Board, we are working on an overall plan of development of our city park, which would include a pathway interspersed with statues depicting six different eras of our town’s history. Although dealing with city government is a complex and problematical process, it is hoped that the vision will soon become a reality.
