(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - An awards banquet recently held at the Ted Ferry Civic Center recognized local individuals during Rotary Vocational Month for their exemplary contributions to Ketchikan's business community. Recognized were the United States Coast Guard - Station Ketchikan for “Excellence in Customer Satisfaction” and Dr. Marna Hall and the Island to Island Veterinarian Clinic for “Excellence in Entrepreneurism".

First City Rotary, Rotary 2000, and the Ketchikan Chamber of Commerce held this joint Vocational Awards Banquet on October 23rd. Senator Bert Stedman was the keynote speaker and award presenter. The annual Rotary awards are to identify, recognize and applaud local individuals during Rotary Vocational Month for their exemplary contributions to Ketchikan's business community.

Rosie Roppel, President First City Rotary and Marc Guevarra, President of Rotary 2000
Photo courtesy First City Rotary

Before the awards were announced, Chelsea Goucher, Director of the Chamber of Commerce, opened the meeting with Senator Bert Stedman leading the pledge followed by four youth from Schoenbar Middle School singing the National Anthem in acapella. Presidents Rosie Roppel, First City Rotary and Marc Guevarra, Rotary 2000 rang their respective Rotary Bells, leading everyone in the Four Way Test, and that October is recognized as Rotary Vocational Service Month.

Schoenbar Middle School Acapella Singers
Brittany Slick, Alyssa Mendoza. Lezille Sagrado, McKenzie Thomas
Photo courtesy First City Rotary

This is the second year the Rotary Vocational awards have been presented. The awards are to identify, recognize and applaud Ketchikan individuals during Rotary Vocational Month for their exemplary contributions to Ketchikan's business community.

The first award “Excellence in Customer Satisfaction" was presented to the United States Coast Guard Ketchikan Base. The USCG was nominated by Chris Baca, President Elect of First City Rotary.

Left to right:  Marc Guevarra (Rotary 2000), Rosie Roppel (First City Rotary), Senator Stedman, USCG Commander Jackson, Commander of the Naushon Jennifer Wescott (First City Rotary), Sr. Chief Demello, Sr. Chief Smith, Chris Taylor (First City Rotary).
Photo courtesy First City Rotary

In presenting the award, First City Rotary President Elect Chris Baca said of the Ketchikan USCG, “The members of our local base are our Local Heroes, and are engaged in multiple community projects each year… [they] clean up the highway north and south several times each year…place flags at the graves of fallen heroes each year for national holidays…donate uncounted hours to our public school programs, daily rescue our local and tourism industry people on the water and land as emergencies emerge, raise food for a local food pantry, work in our local soup kitchens, feed needy families for holiday…[work with] our Rotary Beach / highway cleanup.  [They] will clean along the highway and also the beach itself, and help as we clear a pathway through the driftwood logs for our local children and families to access the channel pool.”

The second award “Excellence in Entrepreneurism”was presented to Dr. Marna Hall with Island to Island Veterinarian Clinic.

Heather Muench of the Ketchikan Humane Society in her nomination wrote, "Dr. Marna Hall's lifelong dream was to start her own veterinary clinic offering clients and patients the experience of top-notch, compassionate veterinary care combined with an atmosphere more homey and soothing than the stark and cold standard of the past.  Her dream was first realized when she and her husband Don renovated an airstream trailer and started Island to Island Veterinary Clinic in Craig in 2011.  Dr. Hall saw the need for high quality and affordable veterinary care in the underserved communities of Prince of Wales. She also saw the need to help the Ketchikan Humane Society with the veterinary needs of the animals they had in rescue."

Heather Muench, Senator Bert Stedman, Dr. Marna Hall, and presidents Roppel and Guevarra
Photo courtesy First City Rotary

Muench wrote, "When early in 2012, Dr. Hall was ready to expand Island to Island Veterinary Clinic to Ketchikan, friends, family and most importantly grateful pet owners were ready to help get the clinic painted and ready to open.  The dream of a peaceful welcoming veterinary clinic became a reality.  The homey glow, candles and pet photos on the walls combined with compassion and devoted veterinary staff willing to broaden their medical education and skills and Dr. Hall’s high standard for excellent veterinary care makes Island to Island Veterinary Clinic an asset to Ketchikan."

"Like any true entrepreneur, Dr. Hall believes in giving back to the community.  She has created “Dr. Marna’s Angel Fund” to help animals that need extraordinarily expensive medical care whose owners cannot afford it.  Dr. Hall also saw a need to prevent the high number of animals being euthanized in Ketchikan, by offering her services to the Ketchikan Humane Society at a reduced rate for their low cost spay/neuter and feral cat programs.  Her willingness to help has had a great impact; in the first 8 months of 2012, 235 animals were euthanized by the Ketchikan Gateway Borough compared to just 88 during the same time period this year.  No other veterinarian in recent memory has agreed to take on a financial loss in order to give back to our community," wrote Muench.

"One of the keys to a successful business is positive word-of-mouth advertising by happy customers. Dr. Marna's reputation as an exceptional veterinarian with huge compassion for her patients as well as their owners caused her business to explode. In just over a year, her dream of being the vet in a small quality practice has mushroomed into a clinic which keeps two veterinarians busy, as well as a staff of twelve, and which serves not only Ketchikan and Metlakatla, but also maintains the mobile clinic on Prince of Wales. It is difficult to assess all the ways in which Dr. Marna's business represents significant value to the communities of Southern Southeast Alaska. Giving her this award would be a fine way to thank her for her contribution," wrote Muench of the Ketchikan Humane Society in her nomination of Dr. Hall.

The vocational recognition awards are one way the Rotary strives to address the call for Rotarians to “encourage and foster”:

• High ethical standards in business and professions
• The recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations
• The dignifying of each Rotarian’s occupation as an opportunity to serve society

New Gens were a special highlight. 

Two Youth Exchange Officers (YEO), Michelle O’Brien, First City Rotary and Christine Newbill, Rotary 2000 presented Youth Exchange (YE) students Luigi Bandino ( from Italy), Frederik Bjergen (from Denmark),  Lisa Torres (to Brazil), Holly O’Brien (to Ecuador).

Diane Gubatayao presented the officers of (First City Rotary’s) Interact of Kayhi  Executive Committee: Alyssa Jackson, Karly Blair, Carly Royer, Beau Albertson, and Page Hosley.

Photo courtesy First City Rotary

Top Chef Winners Donate winnings to Rotary House

During the regular business meeting, Steve Rydeen, Fire Chief South Tongass and Chris Taylor, USCG and both First City Rotarians presented $800+ to President Roppel for money raised during Top Chef for their Charity “Rotary House” which will go for renovations.

Steve Rydeen, Fire Chief South Tongass and Chris Taylor, USCG, both First City Rotarians presented $800+ to President Rosie Roppel.
Photo courtesy First City Rotary

Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

On the Web:

Watch the Event Presented by LiveInKetchikan on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBNDFyDiqrE

Source of News & Photographs: 

First City Rotary

 

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