Honoring 'Hank' Kammerer: Islander's service to community remembered in local ceremonies

Story and Photos by Alice Gerard

Senior Contributing Writer

In the fall of 1973, the secretary to the general manager of Gibco, now Thermo Fisher Scientific, told her boss about the financial burden she was experiencing when her husband needed to have a leg amputated as a result of complications of diabetes.

“Doctors and hospital bills would take every penny of savings and home equity that they (the couple) had,” said Gregory “Jack” Kammerer, reading from the memoir of his father, the late Henry “Hank” Kammerer. Insurance wouldn’t pay the bill, Hank Kammerer reported, because the diabetes was considered to be a “preexisting condition.” The secretary said that social services advised her that “the best thing (she could do for her) ill husband (was) to divorce him.

“Rotarians raised several thousand dollars, used contacts with doctors and hospitals to keep the costs as low as possible, and helped her keep their small home. The Rotary Club looked around and realized that, even on Grand Island, there were other situations, not as dramatic, but still in need of temporary help.”

After the Rotary Club realized the need for temporary help, the Grand Island Neighbors Foundation was created as an Islandwide group.

On Oct. 6, 52 years after the inception of the Grand Island Neighbors Foundation, a permanent pantry was dedicated at the Grand Island Cultural Center, formerly St. Stephen Roman Catholic Church’s “Old Church.” A plaque was hung at the entry of the permanent pantry and was officially dedicated to Hank Kammerer. In addition, the Grand Island Rotary Club dedicated a bench near the Grand Island Town Hall gazebo in his memory.

Dave Conboy, speaking at the Grand Island Cultural Center, said, “Hank was just a giving individual. He worked hard every day in order to give back to the community that he loved, and he helped those that were less fortunate. We want to thank Hank for that. I can’t think of a better way to do that than to dedicate our food pantry in his honor.

“I will say that Jack was gracious enough to give us some funds to help us out to do some renovations that we were able to accomplish. That’s really important so … we are set up for success for the next 50 years.”

“The Neighbors Foundation was a real big deal to my dad,” Jack Kammerer said. “When he passed away in April of last year, Dave and I and others from the foundation had a little bit of a conversation about his work and about how important it was and how we could honor him and carry that forward.”

Jack Kammerer quoted his father, who wrote in his memoir, “It is with pride that I look at 52 years of foundation work, including 25 years as president, as a notable achievement in my life.

“So, what does the foundation do? Who do we help? A family that has been scraping by with a car – and cars are mandatory on Grand Island – with repair bills. They have to pay the repair bill, and there’s no money left to buy even the cheapest food.

“With nonperishable food on hand and with gift cards for Tops, clients can get food when kitchens are bare.”

At the second ceremony in honor of Hank Kammerer, the dedication of the bench near the Town Hall gazebo, Rotary Club member Diane Garey said, “I would like to thank you for being here today as we celebrate the life and legacy of our dear friend and Rotarian Henry ‘Hank’ Kammerer. We are especially honored to be joined by Hank’s family, his Rotary colleagues, his Neighbors Foundation colleagues who just came from dedicating the new pantry to Hank. To the town officials who are breaking from their meeting to come here, thank you. All are here to remember a man who gave so much of himself to our community and to the world. Today, we dedicate this bench to Hank’s memory. It’s a simple, yet lasting tribute to a man who never stopping making a difference, learning, helping. This bench is here for people to pause, reflect, and remember Hank’s spirit of service.”

Town Councilman Christian Bahleda read a proclamation that had been signed by the Town Board and the town supervisor in honor of Kammerer’s lifetime of achievement and service. The town’s proclamation recalled Kammerer’s work on Grand Island and overseas.

Faye Teluk added, “He was an exemplary Rotarian. His life reflects the very best of the Rotary motto of ‘Service above self.’

“Through the years, he had taken on challenges, championed causes, and offered time, talent and heart in service to others. The list of Hank’s accomplishments is long and inspiring. From the Miracle League in Veterans Park to the gazebo we stand in front of, to the establishment of the Neighbors Foundation, he had consistently made a difference. In the offices of the Rotary, such as president, executive secretary, foundation chair, and director, he mentored new members and fostered international good will.

“Hank always led with vision and compassion. These efforts did not go unnoticed. He received many Rotary awards, including the once-in-a-lifetime Avenues of Service in 2013, which was signed by the international president, Sakuji Tanaka. Each award is more than a plaque or a certificate. It’s a symbol of the countless lives touched, the hands extended in friendship, and the hope kindled in service, both nationally and internationally.

“Today, as we honor Hank, let us be reminded of what one individual can accomplish when guided by Rotary ideals of integrity, service and compassion. On behalf of Rotary and on behalf of all those lives he has touched, we express our heartfelt gratitude and congratulations on a life well lived, thanking Hank for showing us what it truly means to be a Rotarian. And we miss you.”

Rotary Club member Chris Learman added, “Hank also looked beyond our town. He traveled to Dubai, Ethiopia, Bolivia, India and Nepal, and Haiti, supporting medical missions and Rotary projects. He worked alongside Dr. David Johnson in Nepal and Haiti, even trekking to the Mount Everest base camp to raise money for the people of Nepal. Just one year before his passing at the age of 87, Hank took his final adventure, something he had had on his bucket list for a long time: Journeying to Africa to see the great apes.

“Beyond Rotary, we often called Hank the rocket scientist. The reason is because his professional life is just as impressive. He was a Cornell graduate in metallurgical engineering. He spent his career as a rocket scientist at Bell Aerospace before retiring in 1999. In thinking back, he actually talked about the things that they did at Bell Aerospace in the 1940s and 1950s. If you ever got him into a conversation about that, it was amazing to hear the things that he worked on. Very impressive.

“Hank wore his achievements with humility. To him, what mattered the most were family, friends, and his community. Today, we have Hank’s son, Jack; his granddaughter, Emilia Falkowski; and his son-in-law, John Falkowski, here with us. His family was his great pride and joy.”

“My dad was such a great leader and such a great friend to everybody,” Jack Kammerer said. “When he said that (the Grand Island Neighbors Foundation) was one of the most notable achievements in his life, that’s meaningful.

“At the end of the day, the work that he did and the work that you all do is so impactful. It’s service to others. He was a servant leader.

“Thanks for recognizing Hank. Thanks for recognizing my father. I think he would appreciate that the food pantry is active and formal, and I think that he would appreciate that it is in his name, too.”

New sign at the entrance to the permanent food pantry at the Grand Island Cultural Center.