"Back from the Future: 7 Decades of Service" celebrating Rotary's seven decades of service in Big Bear Valley! Amazing that the world's largest service club found its way into our little valley just about 40 years after forming in Chicago! Founded in 1947 as the Rotary Club of Fawnskin-Bear Valley. The name was changed to: The Big Bear Lake Rotary Club in 1951 according to the Secretary of State!
Past President Dick Shaw got the festivities underway at 6:40 p.m.
Pledge of Allegiance led by immediate past president Michael Beveridge.
Rotary Moment: Thoughtful words by President Keenan Warner
Song Meister: Al Ferguson on guitar led a patriotic version of God Bless America
Guests: great to see familiar faces from the past to honor the Club's 70th celebration: along with Rule of 85ers and desert dwellers we were joined by past presidents Shed and Ellen Conklin, John Eminger, Dick and Sandy Matthews, and president/Past District Governor Roy Brownie and his wife Jean. Also, one time member Rusty Barnes.
Toast: eloquently delivered by Anne Bush and Mike Chilcoat, both past presidents.
To get the group in a nostalgic mood the video "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow" showing assorted products and businesses that have gone the way of the dodo. Think Woolworth, penny arcades, 8 tracks etc.
After dinner a second video of Rotarians at work was shown with lots of familiar faces. More were shown in a third video of the Club's past presidents, some faces no longer with us and all considerably younger. In between a trivia contest; had to know what Harry S. Truman's middle initial stands for. Answer: nothing! Power Point: 
Four Past Presidents spoke to share Rotary remembrances: Left to Right: Shed Conklin, Roy Brownie, President Keenan Warner, Dick Mathews and John Eminger.
Roy Brownie: Lauded the Club's many achievements in his year (1992-93) including Foundation support. He was in India for Rotary volunteer work when he was shown a medical van/ambulance fully equipped, proudly provided by the Rotary Club of Big Bear Lake! Our work does indeed span continents. "Probably the thing I best remember about my year is outlawing smoking at meetings," he said.John Eminger: Joined rotary in 1957 and was President 1964-65. He was the one who started the famous Santa program that continues to this day. And something about a stork on the chimney? John and Jackie were newly married and came home to find a wooden stork on their Chimney!
Dick Matthews: with a captive audience the Club President in 1980-81 did not disappoint. He was full of stories about his relationship with his District Governor Thor including a very short boat ride and longer train to Las Vegas for district conference. He noted that the Club won a district award in his year for Eminger’s Santa program!
Shed Conklin: "Dick's a tough act to follow," he noted but the president in 1976-77 followed with his own tales, like collecting fines in a porcelain potty (talk about Rotarians flushing their money!) "We changed to a fish net in my year and the first few times the coins would fall through. We told them we needed to hear the money rustle. And we started getting more money!
A great job by the committee of past presidents chaired by Ron Peavy to recognize the club's 70 years!
Follow the link to the Photo Album of the 70th Anniversary: http://bigbearlakerotary.org/PhotoAlbums/70th-anniversary-of-big-bear-lake-rotary-club