Certainly the world was a much different place in 1962, as John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth, The Beatles auditioned for Decca Records, the Vietnam War was far from ending and gasoline cost about 28 cents per gallon. And in this community, the Kiwanis Club of Carmichael was founded.
Many other significant events have since made an impact on the world and gasoline prices have soared to uncomfortable and depressing levels for many people.
As the years have passed by following its founding, the Kiwanis Club of Carmichael has continued to dedicate itself to its work as a constantly motivated service organization.
Altogether Kiwanis history dates back to its 1915 founding in Detroit, Mich.
The headquarters of this international organization is in Indianapolis, Ind. Its international status was established in 1916, when it expanded to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Originally established as a business networking organization through the work of Detroit natives Allen S. Browne, a professional organizer, and Joseph C. Prance, who was a tailor, and other men who they recruited, the Kiwanians changed their focus to service three years after the club’s inception in Detroit.

Kiwanis name, motto and membership
The name Kiwanis was derived from the Otchipew Native American language expression, “Nunc-Kee-wanis,” which is translated as “We have a good time, “We make some noise” or “We trade or advertise.”
In 1920, Roe Fulkerson, the editor of the Kiwanis magazine, proposed the term, “We Build,” as the Kiwanians motto.
This international organization, which has more than 600,000 members, adopted a new motto, “Serving the Children of the World,” in 2005.
The Kiwanis Club of Carmichael, which has 94 members from different areas, including Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Sacramento, Roseville and Lincoln, is part of the California-Nevada-Hawaii District and is one of the clubs of Division 44.
This local club, which is the largest club in Division 44, was chartered on August 15, 1962.

Special gatherings
In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the club recently held two special gatherings.
The first of these gatherings was a catered dinner at the Carmichael home of Michael and Debbie Koerner on Tuesday, Aug. 7. Seventy-six people, including Carmichael club members and notable Kiwanians, were in attendance at this event, which had the theme of “A White Sport Coat and a Pink Carnation.”
The next gathering occurred during the following morning at the Carmichael Elks Lodge with special Kiwanian guests, Lt. Gov. of Division 44 Bernie Bowes and California-Nevada-Hawaii District Gov. Dick Olmstead. While Olmstead lives locally, Bowes traveled from the Lancaster, Calif. area to participate in the event, which was attended by 80 people.
During his visit, Bowes, who travels about 300 days per year, installed Sky Pohle, a local scoutmaster, as the Carmichael club’s 94th member.
Another feature of the Wednesday morning event was District 3 Supervisor Susan Peters’ presentation of a proclamation honoring the club.

Kiwanis International
Cathryn Snow, president of the Carmichael club, met with the Arden-Carmichael News last week to share details about the local club and the overall efforts of Kiwanis International.
Very early in her interview with this publication, Snow recognized the Kiwanis Family House, which provides temporary support to families of seriously ill or injured children and some adults who receive treatment at the University of California, Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.
“We’re the only Kiwanis Family House in the world,” said Snow, who was born and raised in Modesto. “Two wonderful Kiwanians started (the house). The med center gave up the eternal lease on the land and then we built the house. It is run similar to a Ronald McDonald House, in that it’s the families of critically ill children and even some adults. If we have room, we’ll take adults. Those people are referred to the family house by the hospital. They pay, if they can. If they can’t, they don’t (pay). It’s a wonderful service that they have there. This last month, we served 1,200 people (at the house).”
Snow also recognized Kiwanis International’s work of eliminating iodine deficiency throughout the world.
She added that Kiwanis International is presently working toward achieving its goal of eradicating maternal and neonatal tetanus worldwide.
“A series of three shots cost $1.80 per person to eradicate (maternal and neonatal) tetanus in the world,” Snow said.
She noted that millions of dollars are still needed to accomplish this goal.

Local club projects
Locally, the Kiwanis Club of Carmichael is dedicated to many other projects.
The club supports local scouting programs and elementary schools.
Kiwanians of the Carmichael club provide tutoring and classroom participation at Cameron Ranch School in Sacramento.
During each winter holiday season, local Kiwanians also dedicate themselves to their See’s Candies program, which supports the San Juan Unified School District’s fine arts program.
Carmichael Kiwanis club members also worked with other service club members to create a current “Welcome to Carmichael” sign.
Other Carmichael Kiwanis projects include contributions to the American River Parkway, the Effie Yeaw Nature Center, middle and high school jazz programs in the San Juan Unified School District and three food closets.
One of the exciting elements of the Carmichael Kiwanis club, Snow said, is that the club is “an active, growing club.”
And she added that Kiwanis International records more service hours than any service group in the world, and that Olmstead recently described the organization as the only service club in the world that is growing.

Another anniversary to celebrate
Snow, who joined the Carmichael club in 1994, said that in addition to the club’s 50th anniversary, another anniversary is also occurring this year.
“It’s also the 25th year of the women in Kiwanis,” Snow said. “The first woman to join Kiwanis was Kathy Stake, who lives over in the Monterey area now, and I believe she’s still a Kiwanian.”

First members
Overall, Neil Loveridge, a now retired dentist, and Bob Cosans, who was a San Juan Unified School District educator, were the first members of the Kiwanis Club of Carmichael.
Neil said that the Carmichael club’s anniversary is especially meaningful to him, because he acquired his dentistry license on the same day that the Carmichael club held its first meeting.
It was through his brother, Gordon, who was already an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Sacramento Suburban, that Neil learned that efforts were underway for the establishment of the Carmichael club.
He added that it was also because of his brother that he decided to move to Carmichael from his native state of Utah in 1962.
“I came to Sacramento (from Provo, Utah), because my brother was here practicing dentistry and he’s my only sibling,” Neil said. “We decided if we could be close together, we could somehow get our parents to visit us more often.”

Membership grew
During its early years, with the exception of a brief relocation to another local eatery, the Carmichael club met in a back room at Sambo’s Pancakes at 7201 Fair Oaks Boulevard in Carmichael.
When the Carmichael club was established with about 15 members on its charter roll, it was limited to men who either lived or worked in Carmichael. And no more than two people from a single profession could join the club at the time.
Other charter members of the Carmichael club included Ted Baker, a banker for Bank of America, Paul Barkin, a pediatric dentist, Oden Bohlander, the principal at Coyle Avenue School, Bill McCreary, the club’s first president, and Orrell M. James.
Neil, who acquired his practice on Fair Oaks Boulevard from Dr. Darol Rasmussen, said that the club’s first project was raising funds through the operation of a cotton candy booth at the Carmichael 4th of July parade.
Bill Fellers, whose father was a Kiwanian, said that he was also an early member of the club.
“I was teaching at American River College and the college president (Bill Priest) wanted us to get out and (join) organizations and other things to make a name for ARC,” Fellers said. “So, I joined in 1966, when Neil was president. When I went in, I think there were 30 (members).”

Making great progress
Fellers said that the club has made great progress during its half-century-long existence.
“The club has become much stronger and much better, much bigger and able to make more money to give to charitable organizations,” Fellers said.
The Kiwanis Club of Carmichael meets every Wednesday from 7 to 8 a.m. at the Carmichael Elks Lodge at 5631 Cypress Avenue in Carmichael.

For additional information about the club, contact Cathryn Snow at csnow@cbnorcal.com.

Ending an uncertain past filled with stops and starts, visions and revisions, Jan Park in Carmichael opened to an appreciative, festive crowd Saturday morning, Sept. 17 under blue skies and sunshine.

The 13.6-acre site at Jan Drive and Slate Way has been owned by the Carmichael Park and Recreation District (CRPD) for more than 40 years, and at several times over that period, the park faced an uncertain future. The park’s final design was settled upon only recently, and ground was broken on the project only this May.

The developed portion of the park site offers a play area with a swing set and a few other play structures, a small turf play area, picnic sites, and walking trails. Much of the site was left undeveloped intentionally. In May, CPRD Administrator Jack Harrison said, “We’re going to be keeping it much like it is. That’s what the people really wanted, and that site really lends itself to a design that emphasizes its natural state.”

The site provides habitat for a multitude of plant and animal species including the big brown bat, red-tailed hawk, Pacific chorus frog, gopher snake, barn owl, and blue, valley, and corn oaks.

At one point while the park was being planned, CRPD proposed selling four of the site’s acres to developers to generate development funds for the park. Neighbors opposed to the proposed land sale formed the Barrett Hills Neighborhood Association in 2009 in response, with the association’s membership quickly championing the cause of preserving the entire site. Through countless fundraisers, work days at the site, and brainstorming sessions, the association created a “no land sale” proposal for the park, which the CRPD embraced. The neighborhood association also raised funds for the park’s development via sales of commemorative bricks and did lots of the behind-the-scenes grunt work preparing the site.

During Saturday morning’s dedication, Karen Borman, chair of the CRPD Board of Directors, praised the partnership between the district and the membership of the neighborhood association. The association, she said, proved especially important when it came to the CRPD receiving a $410,000 state grant for the park’s development.

“If it wasn’t for that collaboration,” Borman said flatly, “we wouldn’t have gotten (the grant).”

Sacramento County District 3 Supervisor Susan Peters echoed the importance of the collaboration between the county and the residents living near the park site, comparing the park’s opening to a Midwestern barn-raising.

“This demonstrates what can be done when everyone pulls together,” Peters noted.

Following the opening remarks, the park officially opened to the public; the colorful celebration included clowns, Styrofoam airplanes soaring above (and sometimes into) the crowd, interactive science and nature exhibits, and free food and ice cream.

Jan Park is the third park opened by the CRPD in the last few years, joining O’Donnell Heritage Park and Patriots Park in the district’s list of assets.

County Supervisor Susan Peters will be holding summer “Office Hours” in August at two locations prior to free evening concerts starting at Carmichael Park on Sunday, Aug. 7, and later at Arden Park on Saturday, Aug. 20. Peters will set up a table at both events an hour before each concert is scheduled to begin for residents who wish to drop by and discuss with her items of interest. No appointment is necessary with visits to be handled on a “first come basis.”

“Establishing ‘Office Hours’ provides the opportunity to mix business with pleasure,” Peters said. “I’ll be available to talk about county matters as people arrive with their blankets, lawn chairs and picnic baskets to get ready to enjoy the free concerts being sponsored by the recreation and park districts serving Carmichael and Arden Park.”

The Carmichael Park “Office Hours” will start at 5:30 p.m. and will conclude prior to the performance of the John Skinner Band that begins at 6:30 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 7. This free concert is sponsored by the Carmichael Recreation and Park District. For more information about this summer concert series, call the Carmichael Recreation and Park District at (916) 485-5322 or visit www.carmichaelpark.com.

The Arden Park “Office Hours” will start at 6 p.m. and will conclude prior to the performance of the band Inspector “71” that begins at 7 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 20. This free concert is sponsored by the Arden Park Recreation and Park District. For more information about this summer concert series, call the Arden Park Recreation and Park District at (916) 483-6069 or visit www.aprpd.org.

Census data shows Sacramento County’s population to be 1,418,788 which is 195,289 more residents than ten years ago. The Department of Voter Registration and Elections has prepared several plans for consideration to balance out the population in order to make each district as equal as possible while taking into account communities of interest.

To get the new districts ready for the upcoming 2012 election, the proposals are available for viewing at a number of community workshops currently being held throughout Sacramento County. Residents can provide input on draft redistricting plans at those forums as well as learn more about the redistricting process.

Supervisor Susan Peters is hosting two open house community workshops in May. The first will be on Tuesday, May 17, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the La Sierra Community Center, 5325 Engle Road in Carmichael. The second will be on Thursday, May 26, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Swanston Park, 2350 Northrop Avenue in Arden Arcade. Information about other dates and locations are available online at www.elections.saccounty.net or call (916) 875-5827.

“There has been a great deal of residential growth in the outer regions of the county while some older more established communities have experienced population decline. All this translates in big population swings affecting each district,” said Peters. “For instance, almost 40,000 people must be added to District 3, which poses a challenge when considering factors like communities of interest and natural borders.”

Residents can view the different proposals online at www.elections.saccounty.net as well email ideas and input to Voters-Redistrict2011@saccounty.net.

Members of the community all showed up at Carmichael Park in their work clothes with sleeves rolled up and work gloves on for the Carmichael Chamber of Commerce’s “Boulevard Brush Up” on April 10.

Volunteers enjoyed beautiful weather and a delicious breakfast provided by Moka Davis, and then headed down Fair Oaks Blvd to pick up trash and pull weeds. The event was a tremendous success, as bags and bags of trash, plant materials and more were raked, swept up and disposed of.

The “Boulevard Brush Up” was sponsored by the Carmichael Creek Neighborhood Association, the Carmichael Colony Neighborhood Association, the Carmichael Chamber, and the County of Sacramento.

The Chamber team included Howard Schmidt, chief of staff for Supervisor Susan Peters; Chamber Board members Gary Andersen of Century 21 All Professional and Bill Schlack of XLeration Services; Golden 1 Credit Union Branch Manager Julie McAndrew; Honorary Mayor of Carmichael Pauline Gilmour, and Linda Melody, Pre-Paid Legal Services and the Chamber.

The next Boulevard Brush Up will be sometime in October.

County Supervisor Susan Peters will be holding her second “Office Hours” for 2011 on Saturday, April 23, at Carmichael Park during the community’s annual egg hunt and pancake breakfast.

Peters will set up a table near the egg hunt between 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. for residents who wish to drop by and discuss with her items of interest. No appointment is necessary with visits to be handled on a “first come basis.”

“Carmichael’s annual egg hunt and pancake breakfast is a great community event,” says Peters.  “Establishing ‘Office Hours’ provides the opportunity to mix business with pleasure.  I’ll be available to talk about county matters while people can enjoy a tasty breakfast or watch the children search for eggs.”

Peters kicked off her 2011 “Office Hours” tour at last month’s Spring Craft Faire at Gibbons Park hosted by the Mission Oaks Recreation and Park District.  During 2010 Peters held “Office Hours” at several community events in Carmichael, East Sacramento and Old Foothill Farms. The annual program provides a casual venue for residents to meet with her to talk about issues as opposed to making an appointment downtown at the County Administration Center.

The egg hunt starts at 10 a.m. sharp rain or shine and the pancake breakfast runs from 7 to 11 a.m. The Carmichael Recreation and Park District along with the Kiwanis Club of Carmichael are sponsoring the two activities at Carmichael Park, 5750 Grant Avenue. For more information, call the Carmichael Recreation and Park District at (916) 485-5322 or visit carmichaelpark.com.

The event, entitled “Desperately Seeking Susan” after the movie starring Madonna, was emceed by former Sacramento Chief Meteorologist Tom Loffman. Representing the 3rd District, which includes Carmichael, Peters was honored amongst a room full of friends and community leaders, including Sheriff John McGinness, Sacramento County’s new sheriff, Scott Jones and former Supervisor Sandy Smoley.

Smoley, Assemblyman Roger Niello and Jack Harrison of the Carmichael Recreation & Park District all shared about their experiences with Peters and the valuable impact she has had on the community.

The evening included honoring Dr. Major A. Nilson as the Chamber’s 2011 Business Person of the Year. Nilson has been involved with the Chamber for over 56 years, including twice being Board President. Nilson is a veterinarian, a World War II veteran and a humanitarian.

Peters administered the oath of office to the 2011 Carmichael Chamber Board. The new Board includes President Chris Meyer of

Lind Brothers Funeral Home, Vice-President Gary Andersen of Century 21 All Professional, Secretary Becky Furtado of Mercy San Juan Medical Center, Treasurer Cary Duckett of Cypress Avenue Baptist Church and directors Bill Schlack of XLeration Services and Don Hall of California Central Property Management Group.

“I am touched by all the kind things that have been shared tonight,” Peters said. “It has been a privilege to serve the County and the people of Carmichael.”

One of the Carmichael Recreation and Park District’s most unique parks, Patriots Park, will add one more name to its Wall of Honor during a special ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 6 at 10 a.m.

Although the park is only three years old, many who are familiar with this 3.68-acre neighborhood park know that it is far from an ordinary recreation and leisure spot.

At the center of the park sits a 20-foot-long by 3-foot-tall by 3-foot-wide concrete and stone wall with much more significance than its durable materials.

Recognized as the Wall of Honor, the wall is so significant, in fact, that when the park was dedicated on Nov. 15, 2008, an entirely separate dedication was held on the same day to present the Wall of Honor and its first inductees to the public.

The park, which is located just east of the Carmichael-Fair Oaks border at 6827 Palm Avenue, off Dewey Drive, features the latest in park designs with walking paths, a playground, a picnic area, a basketball court and a butterfly garden.

But it is the Wall of Honor, which is the park’s most treasured feature.

The wall features 11 plaques with the names of local heroes, who gave their lives serving their country or community.

The Nov. 6 ceremony will honor former Navy pilot, Lt. j.g. David A. Warne, who was lost at sea at the age of 27 on Jan. 12, 1991 during a nighttime training mission over the Mediterranean Sea.

Tracy Kerth, recreation services manager of the Carmichael Recreation and Park District, explained the background of the creation of the Wall of Honor.

“We were trying to name the park and the community came forward and they said, ‘Well, how about we name it after this young man (the late Army Sgt. Ronald L. Coffelt), who grew up in the area and his family still lives here.’ But then we started thinking about all of our heroes. So, then we thought about naming (the park) Patriots Park and having a Wall of Honor and that would include not only military people, but it would include firefighters and police and CHP and Sheriffs and civilians who died in the line of duty.”

With the creation of the wall, such local heroes who resided, worked in or served the community within the park district boundaries could be honored as part of this lasting monument.

This honor is available to those who showed acts of courage beginning as early as 1945, when the district was established.

Nominations for candidates for the Wall of Honor are accepted until July 31 every year.

Official nomination forms are available through the district’s Web site www.carmichaelpark.com or by calling (916) 485-5322 to arrange for a form to be mailed via the United States Postal Service.

The first inductees

The first inductees to have their names placed on plaques and displayed on the Wall of Honor were:: As previously mentioned, Coffelt was the inspiration for the Wall of Honor.

Army Sgt. Ronald L. Coffelt

Raised within walking distance from the park, Coffelt, a graduate of Del Campo High School, died on July 19, 2007 from wounds that he suffered as a result of a bomb that exploded near him in Baghdad.

Army Spc. Raymond Nigel Spencer, Jr.: Spencer, who was raised in Carmichael and excelled in hockey during his youth, was killed less than a month prior to Coffelt’s death when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device and small arms fire.

Sheriff Deputies Kevin Patrick Blount and Joseph Kievernagel: Blount and Kievernagel, who worked as partners in the North Division serving Carmichael, lost their lives during a burglary call on July 15, 2005, when the engine of the helicopter they were flying failed and the helicopter crashed.

CHP Officer Ronald Eugene Davis: Following his graduation from the California Highway Patrol academy, Davis moved his family from Carmichael to Barstow.

Davis died at the age of 25 when he was driving about 100 miles per hour while en route to a traffic accident.

When a pair of motorists failed to heed his siren, Davis, in order to avoid a collision, died when he drove off the highway into the desert.

Army 1^st Lt. Robert Scott Byrnes: A graduate of La Sierra High School, Byrnes, a former lifeguard and swimming instructor at Carmichael Park, lost his life in Vietnam.

Firefighter Dean Wesley Rhoades: An El Camino High School graduate, Rhoades died shortly after fighting a house fire in Carmichael on Jan. 6, 1981.

The second inductees

Last year, plaques for the following inductees were also added to the wall:

Army Spc. James Edward Schlottman: An El Camino High School graduate, Schlottman was killed by a booby trap while on patrol in Vietnam on Aug. 22, 1967.

Sgt. Brian E. Dunlap: A graduate of Del Campo High School, Dunlap was killed at the age of 38 on Sept. 24, 2005, when a roadside bomb exploded during his patrol in northern Baghdad.

Sgt. Larry Morford: The courage of Morford is recognized in the book, “The Least Beastly,” by Bernard “Burn” Loeffke.

Within a memorial tribute to Morford in this book, it is explained that despite being a young man who did not believe in war as a method of resolving disputes, Morford felt that he could not stay at home knowing that other young men were fighting for his country.

On Feb. 12, 1970, Morford, a graduate of La Sierra High School, was killed at the age of 21 in Vietnam while serving in his patrol just a few days prior to when he was scheduled to return home.

Cpt. Olin E. Gilbert, Jr.: While flying an F-106 in a training mission at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida on June 11, 1968, Gilbert was met with the plane’s sudden mechanical difficulties.

Instead of parachuting to safety, Gilbert, a Vietnam veteran, piloted the plane out to sea and away from coastline homes in Port St. Joe, Fla.

This act of heroism cost Gilbert his life, but in turn saved the lives of many other people.

A special honor for a local heroUnlike the previous two Wall of Honor ceremonies, the upcoming Nov. 6 ceremony will honor only one inductee.

This year’s inductee, David A. Warne, formerly resided in Fair Oaks and graduated from Sacramento State University in 1985 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

David, who enjoyed skiing and fishing and briefly worked at Aerojet prior to entering active duty in the Navy in 1987, completed his pilot training two years later and was assigned as an F/A-18 pilot.

Although David has a marker in the Arlington National Cemetery, since his body was never recovered after he was lost at sea, it was not possible for his remains to be buried in a local cemetery.

Because of this fact, David’s family and some of his closest friends, who will be attending the event, are additionally appreciative that David will have his name officially placed on the Wall of Honor.

David’s mother, Betty Warne, recently expressed her appreciation that her son will have a local memorial to honor him.

“We don’t have the grave marker here in the area for him, so that’s really nice to have (David’s name on the Wall of Honor) here in this area,” Betty said.

David’s father, Evans Warne, a retired Air Force colonel, pilot and Vietnam veteran, also expressed his appreciation that his son’s name will be placed on the wall.

“(Having David honored on the wall) means an awful lot to me,” Evans said. “It means that somebody is recognizing his service and that whoever goes to that park will realize what a sacrifice he made and recognize what he did.”

Lee Ann Yarber, administrative analyst of the park district, said that the ceremony, which will also be attended by park district advisory board members and Sacramento County District 3 Supervisor Susan Peters, is a great opportunity for the community to show appreciation for David, as well as other heroes of the Wall of Honor.

“We absolutely invite all the community to come out – anybody who ever lost a loved one or anybody who wants to pay honor to the family of the fallen hero,” Yarber said. “It’s just a nice ceremony, so come on out and honor our local heroes.”

Winter weather storms can cause challenges for motorists so Supervisor Susan Peters is urging drivers to report all problems to the Sacramento County Department of Transportation regarding any obstacles or conditions putting travelers at risk on roadways in the unincorporated area portion of Sacramento County that are maintained by SACDOT.

“SACDOT is prepared this winter to provide quick response to roadway maintenance incidents that may result from mild to severe weather conditions, said Peters. “While SACDOT crews provide year round 24/7 response for weather related incidents, Sacramento County can still use the assistance of residents–especially during bad weather conditions–to report problems affecting local roadways.“

The winter storm season usually can impact County roadways with a number of problems like fallen trees or branches, flooded streets, plugged storm drains, inoperative traffic signal lights, down street signs, non-working street lights, etc.

Problems can be reported to SACDOT’s Customer Service Center by either calling 916-875-5171 or faxing 916-875-5773. Online reporting also is available via e-services at sacdot.com.

For the convenience of County residents a special “Winter Road Maintenance” section has been added to the Department of Transportation’s website sacdot.com discussing weather related roadway issues including departmental response procedures for clearing  debris from roadways, dealing with flooded streets, and clarifying responsibility for trees or branches that fall on private property.

“Having residents assist us by reporting problems this winter will help keep our roadways clear, functional and safe which is important to everyone travelling in a storm regardless of their mode of transportation,” added Peters.