Rotary Club of Mammoth Lakes

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MAMMOTH LAKES ROTARY CLUB

By Co-Founder & Honorary member Past District Governer (PDG) Bob Tomko

Most of the year Bea and I lived in our place in Aspendell above Bishop. My membership was still in Vista Rotary part of Dist 534.   I made-up Rotary meetings at Bishop which is part of Dist 526.   Once Rotary International came into the computer age, they added zeros to every District number, 5260 etc.    In those days you did not receive a make-up for attending Rotary board meetings, or working on committee projects.  It was a challenge to find a club within 200 miles to make-up a meeting.  Many of us in those days were proud of our attendance percentage.

A good friend of mine who was a member of Bishop Rotary was PDG Nick Mandich.  He & his wife Bobbie also lived in Aspendell and we were neighbors.  One day I said to Nick: “What do you think about driving up to Mammoth and trying to charter a new Rotary club?”  Nick said: “We could do that".  

The District Governor of 5260 at that time was Elton Cherry.  His extension chairman was PDG Jack Nelson who lived in Lancaster even though they had a fine home in Aspendell, too.

We received the enthusiastic approval from Governor Elton and PDG Jack to go for it!  Nick I would drive up to Mammoth at least twice weekly and talk to prospective charter members about Rotary.  The only mistake we made was we started in WINTER of 1980.  Four wheel drive vehicles weren’t as popular then, and so neither of us had a four wheel drive or chains!  We had some “hairy” trips up to Mammoth!

Once we began visiting with prospective members, we were very happy to learn that we had several prospective members in Mammoth Lakes who had been in Rotary before.  Charter president Gary Flynn had been a member of Long Beach, Chuck Sawday had been a member & past president of Fallbrook, and Phil Hamilton had been a member of a club in Australia.

Our job began to be a little easier because they had agreed to be provisional charter members.  With their added knowledge & enthusiasm Nick and I soon had 29 prospective provisional charter members lined up.  That’s more than are required to obtain a charter for a Rotary club. 

After about two months of talking to prospective members and holding meetings at their homes, the paper work was submitted to Rotary International.  Then the complications came along!

Rotary International wanted us to “adjust” some of the classifications so that they would line up with the classification booklet published by Rotary International. We did that for about 15 of the prospective members after meeting with them. 

Then we had a big road block thrown at us.  Rotary International wrote to  Governor Elton Cherry, and told him that Mammoth Lakes was in Dist 519 (which is now 5190), and we would have to obtain a release of territory from them.  We agreed to keep Mammoth Lakes Rotary club territory within 25 miles of the post office.  After about 30 days of back and forth letters and phone calls, the Dist Governor of 519 released the territory, saying that it was too far for them to come and try to charter a club anyway.  Dist 519 took in Sacramento and all of the clubs and towns over to Reno, Carson City and Gardnerville then! 

Over the 27 years our club has met at some very interesting places.  Here are just a few:  Pea Soup Andersen's,  Mammoth Mountain Inn, Juniper Springs Lodge, and Whiskey Creek (our current location).

It is truly hard to imagine the town of Mammoth Lakes without the Mammoth Lakes Rotary Club.  Over the 27 years since our charter, the Mammoth Lakes Rotary Club and it’s Rotarian members have done so many good things here and throughout the World that I can not name everything in this Brief History.

The club has been blessed with wonderful leadership and some Club Presidents who are fine Rotarians.  Here is a list of our club presidents & their classifications in the order in which they served, together with some memorable events that took place during their terms.

Sincerely,

Bob Tomko,

ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF EACH CLUB PRESIDENT

(a work in progress)

1981-82 Gary Flynn  Ad Sales, 30 charter members

1982-83 Chuck Sawday  Real Estate, now in Napa

1983-84 Mike Henry  Sports Sales                               

1984-85 Phil Hamilton  Real Estate, built a ramp for Jim Core

1985-86 Terry Kerr  Utilities

1986-87 Rick Liebersbach  Attorney, started the Polio Plus project for the Club

1987-88 Willie Bauer  Construction, started the "Student of the Month" program

1988-89 Peter Pernarelli  Postmaster

1989-90 Roy Negus  Maintenance, brought women into the Club, was the only President to remember everyone's name

1990-91 Mike Telliano  Confectioner

1991-92 Sam Walker  Restaurateur

1992-93 Rodger Guffey  Restaurateur

1993-94 Dave Laverty  Engineering, had a golf tournament in Palm Springs

1994-95 Tom Smith  Resort Lodging, was arrested at his demolition party & played golf in handcuffs

1995-96 Don Koenig  Pastor, father of the Wonder Wheel

1996-97 Nancy O’Kelly  Restaurateur, prom nights program

1997-98 Chuck Tamajko  Real Estate, got Interact going and wore suit coats and shorts, liked cream pies

1998-99 Mike Bornfeld  Attorney, initiated the first Rotary Auction.  The idea was developed by Roy Negus and it took off from there with enthusiastic participation by the club members.  We dedicated the entire proceeds to the victims of hurricane Mitch.  We raised over $13,000.00, helped build a medical clinic and a bridge for that devastated area and we received a commendation from our District.

1999-00 John Halberstadt  Attorney, had the first year of 100% Paul Harris membership in the Club

2000-01 Joanne Hunt  ER Nurse, the Club played golf in the morning and then met at Sierra Star.  We moved from Mammoth Mountain Inn to Juniper Springs Lodge and finally ended with Whiskey Creek.  We even had one meeting at the RV Park.  Just like the original Rotary Club in Chicago, we rotated a lot.  We also skied before the meetings when we were at the mountain. Our big accomplishment that year was starting the Breakfast Rotary Club in Mammoth Lakes.  I am so happy they are doing well and we can do projects together. Our fundraiser that year was the Ski A Thon where we skied the most vertical feet.  Sam Walker's son won the event with @ 80,000 vertical.  We were still involved with the 4th of July Fireworks project at Crowley Lake.
 

2001-02 Don Sage  Retired Surgeon

2002-03 Marshall Rudolph  County Counsel, created a fundraising chair on the Board and held the first of five successful auctions.  It was the first of a new breed of auction that was far bigger and more successful than anything prior to that.  Planned the donation of grass at Mammoth Creek Park.  John Wohlmuth made all of the arrangements, got the donations, permits, etc.   Added many new members (14).  Put a new husband-and-wife team, Mike and Julie Aguirre, in charge of Interact, and they did a great job for that year and many years thereafter.   Included "Rotary 101" as a regular part of each meeting.  We had an actual donated raffle prize to win -- like dinner for two -- not just a chance to draw a card.  Thanks to the hard work of many people, we had a good year.

2003-04 Byng Hunt  Pharmacist, initiated what has become an annual Local Heroes & 9-11 Commemoration Luncheon, finished the grass project by planting the grass at Mammoth Creek Park. Threw a smashing Valentine’s Day Party at Convict Lake, held a rewarding surprise party for Doc Randall’s 85^th birthday at Sam Walker’s home, created the “Three minute handshake” hug fest idea for our luncheons to mingle members,  started the Joke Master routine, created the “Finemaster” (separate from the President), raised over $55,000 through our Auction and Fireworks fundraisers, finally sold a donated MIG fighter jet for more club income, hosted a GSE Team from Thailand and also hosted an exchange student from Thailand (Non) for the entire school year, helped sponsor and support the Fall Century Bike Ride, and had a great Salute to Local Volunteers luncheon.   It was truly fun and extremely rewarding term.

2004-05 Wally Hofmann  Publishing

2005-06 Neil McCarroll  Attorney, Tax & Spend!  Because of hurricane Katrina and Rita's devastation, primarily we gave away around $65,000 - the poor treasury has not looked the same since!

2006-07 George Booth  County District Attorney

2007-08 Dan Wright  Property Management

2008-09 Jerry Kelly  Retired TV Executive, Current President