The holiday season and the Rotary Christmas Party offered a welcome pause to reflect on those whose generosity and quiet leadership have left a lasting mark on our community. In Rotary, we honor that spirit through Service Above Self—service that strengthens places we cherish and enriches lives beyond our own. On December 18, our club was honored to recognize that spirit in action, as we expressed our gratitude for the stewardship and care that have helped make Rumsey Park a treasured part of Shepherdstown’s story. President Dale Homan offered these remarks:
This evening we have a very special Past President and member of our club to recognize along with his wife. I would like to ask Hank and Dale Walter to come forward.
In case you have not visited the James Rumsey Monument Park lately, you very much need to do so. As you enter the park, you will immediately be struck by the very beautiful improvements made in recent weeks. Carefully planned vegetation control has taken place, opening up the park’s true beauty that before was somewhat hidden. Very carefully planned landscaping work has also been done, enabling the park to fully display its true beauty. We can only imagine how magnificent all this work will look next spring when the many plants and flowers bloom into their new surroundings.
Hank and Dale Walter have been model citizens of the Shepherdstown community for nearly 40 years. In the late 1980s, Dale’s family founded and, with Hank’s leadership, developed Cress Creek Country Club into the wonderful facility it is today. Dale has served the Board of Directors of the Shepherdstown Day Care Center for years. These are only a few examples.
The James Rumsey Monument Park that you see today, with all its improvements, is due only to the generosity of Hank and Dale Walter through their very significant monetary support. Nobody asked them to do this. They simply wanted to share some of the good fortune that our community has provided them.
We have two gifts to present to Hank and Dale.
To show our very deep appreciation to Hank and Dale, next spring we will choose the perfect location in the park to plant an oak tree sapling. The oak tree symbolizes strength. This tree will grow and provide much-needed shade for future generations visiting the park.
We have another gift for Hank and Dale.
This is a sketch of a person standing below the monument, with a quote on the bottom of the frame. The sketch of the person standing below the monument will be replaced by a picture taken next spring of Hank and Dale with the newly planted oak tree.
The quote on the bottom of the frame is by the Scottish poet Alexander Smith, who once wrote: “A man does not plant a tree for himself; he plants it for posterity.”
Alexander Smith’s writing suggests that planting is inherently hopeful and generous – it’s not done for immediate gain, but for succeeding generations. It inspires us to think beyond our lifetime and to cultivate things, like trees, that will enrich the lives of those who follow us.
I know each one of you will agree that Hank and Dale Walter’s generosity has enriched not only our lives but the lives of those who will follow us.
Please join me in thanking Hank and Dale Walter.
