HE'S A FINE
FELLOW

Larry Kendall receives
'Hal Rogers Fellow' Award

Kinsmen Larry Kendall proudly displays his Hal Rogers Medal.

In 1999 Larry Kendall received the highest honour awarded to a member of the Kinsmen Club, a “Life Membership.” At least he thought it was the highest honour until recently.

So it came as a complete surprise to him last month, while attending a “Founder’s Day” meeting at the Kinsmen Club of Uxbridge, he learned he was to be the recipient of an even higher honour.

While in the accompaniment of Diane Rogers, daughter of Kinsmen founder Hal Rogers, Larry was astonished to learn he had been chosen to receive the “Hal Rogers Fellow” - the highest award in Kinsmen.

Larry joked during a recent interview, admitting as far as he knew the “Hal Rogers Fellow” must now be the highest honour... but with a smile said, “I’ve been fooled before”.
The prestigious Hal Rogers Fellow recognizes Kin who by their leadership, accomplishments and community endeavours, have demonstrated the high ideals to which Kin Canada Founder Hal Rogers was committed.

Larry’s 40 year career with the Kinsmen started in 1971 when he was elected the charter president of the Kinsmen Club of Port Perry.

And although the Port Perry club ceased to exist about six years ago, Larry and his longtime club friends Tony and Debra Foggetti, moved to the Pickering Kinsmen Club for three years before coming back closer to home and joining the Kinsmen Club of Uxbridge.

During his years as a member of Kinsmen, Larry held the office of president on five or six occasions, “I just can’t remember how many times,” he says.
He was also recognized on a number of occasions for his tireless work for the club.
He was honoured by being named “Deputy Governor of the Year” in 2003. He also takes pride in winning the club, zone and district public speaking contest, and placing third in the national contest.

Of course his biggest surprise, up until last month, was being presented his “Life Membership” in the club. “I don’t know how they kept it quiet,” he said, recalling his surprise when it was presented to him at the Port Perry Scout Hall with his mentor Hal Rogers present.

Explaining Larry being surprised by yet another honour can only be explained by thinking he’s either very easily fooled... or the fact that this warm-hearted man just never expects rewards for what he loves to do.

“I get most satisfaction just helping other people,” he explains, which so typifies the Kinsmen motto of, “serving the community’s greatest need”.

In Uxbridge, Diane Rogers rose to speak and he was shocked when he learned he was about to receive the Hal Rogers Fellow. “This was the first I knew of it,” he said, and when he looked around he saw his wife Doreen and son Mark standing in the back door.

He had no idea either of his most stauch supporters were in the audience, but in retrospect probably shouldn’t have been surprised, since they have always attended Larry’s special moments.

A month after receiving the honour he’s still pinching himself and questioning why him. “Why would I get it,” he asks, “All I ever wanted to do was be a good Kinsmen”.

It sounds to this writer, that Larry Kendall answered his own question... he’s a damn good Kinsmen and all the men and women he’s met, helped and worked with over his four decades in Kinsmen know it.

It’s only Larry that’s not convinced!

By J. Peter Hvidsten
Focus on Scugog

Mark, Larry and Doreen Kendall with Diane Rogers.