Ken Schmieding celebrated his 50th year of “Perfect Attendance” at the weekly Seward Rotary Club.
Since March 1, 1975, he has never missed a meeting, and if he did, he visited another club meeting in a different community- usually York, Crete, David City and Lincoln. He was presented with a special cake and recognized at the Seward club.
“We figured he’s made 2,600 meetings over the years and that does count all the extra meetings he’s attended at District meetings and even the Rotary International Convention in Kansas City,” Rotarian Greg Zabka said. “He was on a mission to make 50 years and is a role model for us all.”
“Ken is a loyal, devoted member of the club and his loyalty to Rotary is to be admired,” said Past Rotary President Clark Kolterman. “Even when he spent weeks in the hospital - every Wednesday he’d ‘zoom’ in for the weekly meetings. But he more than just attended as he was a club’s president and represented Rotary in Argentina with a Rotary Gruop Study exchange and still serves as a program chair and active on committees for Rotary.”
Schmieding’s name was placed on the Club’s Perfect Attendance plaque - The J Don Miller Perfect Attendance Award. The late J, Don Miller was a longtime Seward Rotarian. Rotary encourages meeting attendance and Miller enjoyed over 25 years of attendance until his passing.
In addition, in honor of Schmieding’s 50th year of membership in the Seward Rotary Club in Seward, a special recognition and pin presentation was held at the March 12 luncheon meeting.
He was honored by the membership and joins two other Seward 50-year members – Chuck Matzke, 56 years, and Clark Kolterman, 52 years, in Seward Rotary.
Schmieding was presented with a special Rotary International lapel pin by the Seward Rotary and Rotary International. He followed the presentation with remarks and testimonials by the membership.
Also recognized at the luncheon was Ken’s wife of 50 years - Cheryl Schmieding , who played a big role in Ken’s achievement and assisted in his Rotary membership. She attended many Rotary meetings, District meetings and even anInternational Convention with him.
