1990 Our Charter Year

 

Jim and Karen Kline get full credit for the founding of WHRC. Karen's experience with Rotary International began when she was chosen as a Rotary Scholar to Denmark in 1962-63. Later, she worked at Rotary International in Evanston as Supervisor of R.I.'s Youth Exchange Program, where she reported to Jim, then head of all international and youth programs of R.I. and the Rotary Foundation. A professional relationship turned into a personal one, and they were married a year later. At different times, both became members of the Rotary Club of Chicago; Karen was one of the first women accepted into Rotary!

Later, the Klines began their own business. They believed there was room in the Village for a second Rotary Club, and began researching the possibility. Initially, members of the Noon Club, where Jim had transferred, had concerns that a new club would take members away from their own, but they gave Jim authorization to begin exploring the idea. When Jim was elected Club President, he was able to move ahead. "In my 50 years of Rotary, I've never gotten more enjoyment out of a project," says Jim, but for a year, my business definitely suffered!"

Karen came up with our club's name. She looked to Evanston Lighthouse R.C., which had used an Evanston landmark in its name; thus, the Rotary Club of Wilmette Harbor was chartered on May 22, 1990! The name came well before a place for meetings was established, first at St. John's Church, but later, at Sheridan Shore Yacht Club at Wilmette Harbor!

In the interest of brevity, the following WHRC history does not annually cite continuing projects, nor every project undertaken by the club each year. The club also won numerous District awards throughout the years, which have not been listed in their entirety due to lost records. Finally, the histories of club years vary in length due not to the number of projects undertaken, but to the availability of information at this time.

1990-91 - Karen Kline, Charter President ?

The Charter Night was a black-tie affair attended by Rotarians throughout District 6440, as well as R.I. dignitaries. Sixty-five Charter Members planted the charter oak tree in Gillson Park. Membership was a mix of men and women: The U.S. Supreme Court had decided in 1987 that women could not be excluded from community groups in the U.S., and in 1989 the R.I. Council on ?Legislation had voted to eliminate the "men only" provision in Rotary clubs worldwide. Technically, however, Rotary first admitted women in 1986, after a lower court ruling. ?First service project: Collecting 12,000 eyeglasses for an eye clinic in Thailand. The club entertained ten short-term youth exchange students; the program, initiated by Karen with the Rotary Club of Linz, Austria, continued for years, with students from both countries exchanging visits. WHRC also hosted four neighboring clubs, R.I. President Luis Giay, and the R.I. Board of Directors as a blue spruce was planted in Gillson Park for the first R.I. Ecology Day. At the end of Karen's term as Club President, an evergreen tree was planted at Gillson in her honor, beginning a years-long tradition of honoring immediate past club presidents with evergreens and plaques in the park. WHRC began its sponsorship of a local Little League baseball team. The club also sponsored a District fellowship event at Ravinia which included a 5K race and performance by an Evanston band. A coat drive for the needy was also successful. Rotarian-of-the-Year was Steve Breitberg.

Notes on Karen Kline: Karen's abilities and achievements were truly extraordinary. A complete list of her accomplishments in Rotary alone would take several pages if listed here. A few follow: Founding member, Rotary Foundation Alumni Association ('89-'90), Governor's Group Representative (Asst. Gov) ('91-'95), ABC's of Rotary Chair ('93-'94), Polio Plus Immunization Steering Committee member ('93-'94), member President's Advisory Council ('95), District 6440 Governor ('96), Rotary Volunteer to Ghana and Ethiopia ('97 NID), Eastern U.S. Area Coordinator, R.I. Membership Task Force ('98). In that year she also was awarded the Foundation's Citation for Meritorious Service. She was the President's Representative to Copenhagen's District Conference ('99). She was also named Regional Coordinator of the Foundation Alumni Resource Group, then General Coordinator (2000). Karen was awarded the International Service Award for a Polio-free World in 2002. She and husband Jim are Paul Harris Fellows, Benefactors, and Major Donors to the Rotary Foundation. ? ?And a personal note: There is a loving tendency, at times like this, gently to enlarge the persona, talents, and accomplishments of an individual being remembered. No one need deify Karen. She simply doesn't need the help!? ?Karen Oksendahl's abilities showed themselves early in her life; she was graduated cum laude from St. Olaf College. In '62 she was awarded a Rotary scholarship to Denmark, the first Rotary Scholar sent to that country. She easily mastered Danish and was so successful an ambassador for Rotary-long before that term was added to the scholarship-that R.I. requested she extend her stay in Denmark, serving as an ambassador of good will.? ?That experience began her lifelong love affair with Rotary, its ideals, and the Rotarians worldwide who turn those ideals into concrete missions of love and service. Her knowledge was encyclopedic, her memory prodigious, her enthusiasm unbounded for all things Rotary. It was virtually impossible to enter a conversation with her-about any topic-that didn't end, somehow, discussing Rotary!? ?Charter member Gil Gilbert found it impossible to say No to Karen's recruitment. "One felt like you would be joining a very prestigious organization, and she would do all the work. You just had to attend meetings. We didn't know she already had us penciled in for a committee!"? ?Club member Ted Welch remembers Karen's personal friendships with Rotarians around the world. We all know the concept of "six degrees of separation" linking humankind: Ted says that, between Karen and anyone on our globe, it had to be only a handshake!? ?Rotarian Herb McDowell remembers her unashamedly special passion for Rotary. "Lots of us are dreamers," he says, "but Karen always managed to turn dreams into solid reality. With her organizational and personal skills, she knew how to implement the dream," whether a student exchange, a Matching Grant, or a club project.? ?I was always in awe of her ability to meet people, ferret out their interests and talents, and even years later, bring them to mind in order to make a connection between them and a kindred spirit in the Rotary family. Karen always saw the best in people; she made each of us feel that we had a talent or ability that could-and SHOULD-be used in Rotary. Over and over, we all ruefully learned one didn't say “No” to her persuasive appeals to help with this project or that. And after its completion, she was always quick to proffer a sincere thank you-while casually bringing up yet another project that would be PERFECT for those selfsame skills and interests!? ?Club member Nancy Hillner said that Karen always organized and orchestrated everything so beautifully you never felt you were in over your head. "She always seemed to see how something COULD be done, never feeling discouraged by obstacles or difficulties. She gave us faith in our own abilities. Karen was so certain we could succeed-that we did!"? ?George Carpenter remembers Karen's brand of leadership as a personal style that effectively motivated individual achievements. "She reached out to me saying she KNEW I'd be good at working with Group Study Exchange. Of course, I volunteered!"? ?I have never met anyone who truly loved Rotary as deeply as Karen Kline, or who offered as much of her talents and treasure to carry on its work in our weary world. The outpouring of affection and respect for Karen within our club honors her memory, which will ever shine bright at the Rotary Club of Wilmette Harbor, where Jim will always remain an honorary member. Personally, she was unequaled as a purveyor of Rotary knowledge, information, and lore, as a role model within Rotary, and as a friend, whom I shall always dearly miss.  Diane Teska, Charter Member