News

Honoring and Celebrating 66 Years of Incredible Service!

Wayne Smith – Downtown Ft. Smith Sertoma Club (Arkansas)
March 06,2020 -  By Susan Love - Queen City Sertoma Club Member (Missouri) 
Also covered by the Fort Smith Southwest Times Record
Roger Young, Louise & Wayne Smith, Susan Love
Left to right – Roger Young, Louise & Wayne Smith, Susan Love

When you are in your 90’s and have been a Sertoman for over 60 years, it’s normal to wonder if you are the “oldest” one out there.  On a visit last spring to Wayne Smith’s club, he asked that very question.  I knew immediately that I had some investigating to do, and in doing my research, I found a wonderful story about one of Sertoma’s most tenured, respected and beloved members.

Wayne’s friend, Ed McDonald, asked him to join a new Sertoma club that was being built in 1953 by an undertaker from Kansas City.  Wayne was a young man, only 27-years-old, and was pursuing a career in manufacturing sales.  At that time, he was a footloose and fancy bachelor looking to make new friends while yearning to serve his community.  This was the beginning of his Sertoma adventure, and he never looked back.  The first and immediate focus of his club was to finance an emergency vehicle for their town.  Through their fundraising efforts, they were able to buy a used 1939 flower truck from a funeral home, and convert it into a rescue unit truck for the fire department.  It was the first rescue vehicle in Fort Smith, Arkansas.  Shortly after, the club was able to purchase another unit for $10,000, and it was brand new!

Through the years, Wayne’s held many roles, including club treasurer, and has changed many lives working with his club.  One of Wayne’s best friends, Roger Young, who has been in the club over 25 years, jokingly told me that Wayne has held every office in the club except secretary because “he can’t read or write”.  Wayne always nudges him and laughs out loud.  These two have a genuine relationship, humor and bond that cannot be broken!

Wayne has personally been involved in building three Sertoma clubs in Arkansas.  Just as his home club was about to fold a few years ago, with the club growing older, Wayne made a suggestion that would keep the club going strong.  They changed their fundraising model from hosting events to promoting direct donation campaigns.  It has been very successful, allowing the club to continue their main philanthropies.  Today, they buy many hearing aids for those who cannot afford them locally.  They also support local police officers, recognize an annual ‘Policeman of the Year’, provide scholarships and support many other community needs.

At the age of 39, Wayne wed his wife Louise.  She has been a proud supporter of Wayne for over 53 years.  Wayne remains a committed Sertoman and has become a role model, leader, friend and a huge influence to his fellow members.  He has been a pillar of service in his community and can always find a way to brighten your day.

Wayne confirmed his commitment to Sertoma in 1960 when he became a Life Member.  When asked why he joined and stayed in Sertoma for so many years, he replied, “I was single, I needed and affiliation that served.  Sertoma has been like a church to me.  It is my friend, my family, my life.”

Just to clarigy – Wayne is not the oldest Sertoman out there.  Unfortunately, not all birthdays are submitted.  So far, however, I have found only one other Sertoman older than the very young 93-year-old from Fort Smith.  Wayne is also the second most tenured Sertoman alive today with his 66 years of service.  Thank you Wayne for all you have done through your Service to Mankind.  You are, and continue to be, a true inspiration for us all!

Honoring Our Most Tenured Sertomans

Sertoma’s awards and recognition programs honor many of its members on an annual basis in many ways.  However,  there is one outstanding class of dedicated Sertomans who deserve our high praise and gratitude.  At the end of Eddie Dlugopolski’s presidential term (2018-2019), he awarded Sertoma’s 15 most tenured members with an acknowledgment letter, a certificate of appreciation and a Proud to Be a Sertoman pin.

Here is the list of our 15 most tenured Sertomans.  Hats off to you, gentlemen!  Thank you for all you have done for your clubs, the organization and your local communities.

Name and Service Start Date

  1. Charles E. Collins – 4/4/52
  2. L. Wayne Smith – 12/5/1953
  3. Jim Lilly – 2/26/54
  4. Robert R. Howells – 5/12/55
  5. George J. Mackinaw – 5/23/57
  6. Samuel F. Robinson – 6/20/57
  7. Dennis Maloney – 2/1/58
  8. Jay D. Seeger – 11/1/58
  9. Richard M. Dom – 4/25/59
  10. Robert W. Miller – 8/22/59
  11. Ted Wainscott – 8/22/59
  12. Allen O. Larson – 10/2/59
  13. Stanley Sedran – 1/1/60
  14. Charles Rossfeld – 1/1/60
  15. Paul E. Holm – 10/22/60

Published in the Sertoman magazine winter 2020 edition

Sertoma Club Raises Funds For Hearing Loss

May 26, 2015
By John Lovett – Times Record – jlovett@swtimes.com

The Sertoma Club, the “Service To Mankind” civic club which primarily raises funds for those in need of hearing aids, is in the middle of its local and national fundraising campaign.

The Downtown Fort Smith Sertoma Club also provides the track and field medals for the Special Olympics as well as support for a number of other local service organizations like the Gregory Kistler Treatment Center For Children and the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club.

Following the cancellation of its annual golf tournament two years ago, the 62-year-old Fort Smith club has relied entirely on donations from private individuals and businesses. The tournament usually raised between $7,000 and $8,000, which was about 95 percent of the group’s annual budget and enough for three or four hearing aids.

Since March, the club has raised about $6,000.

“These donations are our livelihood,” Downtown Fort Smith Sertoma Club President Robert Young said. “We need contributions to continue to serve at the level we want to.”

The club sponsors at least two people a year to buy custom-made amplifiers that can run $1,000 each for basic models. Due to their negotiations with hearing aid companies and local audiologists’ help, the club is able to purchase hearing aids for those in need at a discounted rate, Young said.

Banks and Walmart have been very supportive of the 501(c)(3)-status nonprofit organization, Young said.

Donors are listed at the club’s website, fortsmithsertoma.com, and levels of sponsorship range from $100 bronze to $1,000 platinum levels.

Audiologists donate their time and offer discounts negotiated by Sertoma Club members, he added.

Dr. Lori Boyd at the Center for Hearing said the hearing aid company Starkey has a charitable program that allows patients to apply for donated hearing aids, but there is an application fee of $125 per hearing aid. The fee is a challenge to meet for those who are financially strained. The Sertomans take candidates for sponsorship to the Starkey program.

Harley Strang, a retired local banking executive who interviews candidates for hearing aids, said what keeps him going is seeing the smiles, and sometimes tears, on people’s faces once they are able to hear.

The American Academy of Audiology says untreated hearing loss has serious emotional and social consequences for older people, according to a study by the National Council on Aging.

“For those who feel like they can’t go to an audiologist because they can’t afford it, there is a source where they can apply for help, and that’s us,” Strang said.

In the past 10 years, 20 members of the Sertoma Club have passed away, Strang said. The group now has 16 members. Meetings are held every Friday at noon in the Golden Corral, 1801 S. Waldron Road, in Fort Smith.

While Sertoma’s primary focus is on assisting the more than 50 million people with hearing health issues and educating the public on the issues surrounding hearing health, the group also sponsors community projects to promote freedom and democracy, to assist youth and to benefit a variety of other local community needs, according to the Sertoma Club website.

Some of the other local groups the Sertoma Club supports are Single Parent Scholarships, Crisis Center for Women, Hanna House, Camp Dream Street and the Fort Smith Police Department. The group also works to help local families with children during Christmas and gives “heritage speeches” and copies of the Declaration of Independence to area ninth-grade students.

Sertomans Offer A Sound Service

Swtimes Monday Matters December 30, 2013
By John Lovett – Times Record – jlovett@swtimes.com

Dr. Lori Boyd

When Ludwig Van Beethoven began to lose his hearing at age 30, it is said, he became so sullen that he considered suicide. Thankfully he didn’t, because his most lasting pieces like his “9th Symphony” were composed in those final years before his death in 1827.

For the past 60 years, the Downtown Fort Smith Sertoma club has helped many people who have lost their hearing but are unable to afford hearing aids. The club sponsors at least two people a year to buy custom-made amplifiers that can run $1,000 each for basic models.

Sertoma is an acronym for Service To Mankind. The club’s primary mission is to provide hearing aids for the hearing impaired.

“We have empathy and compassion for those who are hearing impaired,” Sertoma Club member Harley Strang says. “We have provided hearing aids for many, and we can tell you from experience that when we provide hearing aids to those who need them and you see their eyes light up and the smile on their faces, it makes it all worthwhile.”

One young man the club sponsored for a hearing aid was an excellent student, Strang said, but hearing loss was hindering his educational progress. Candidates for sponsorship by the club go through an application process. Sometimes they are referred to the club by audiologists at the Center for Hearing, 4300 Rogers Ave.

Leeann Harrelson, office manager at the Center for Hearing, said the audiologists know the Sertoma club has limited funds and only refers those who may have no other way to pay.

Dr. Lori Boyd at the Center for Hearing said the hearing aid company Starkey has a charitable program that allows patients to apply for donated hearing aids, but there is an application fee of $125 per hearing aid, which is also a challenge to meet for those who are financially strained. The Sertomans take candidates for sponsorship to the Starkey program, too.

While simply losing the ability to hear the birds sing is unfortunate and can bring on a sullen mood, hearing loss can actually lead to more serious conditions, from depression to dementia, Boyd said.

“People will begin to isolate themselves, because they feel it’s just too much trouble to communicate,” Boyd said. “With just a mild hearing loss, people are twice as likely to develop dementia.”

The American Academy of Audiology says untreated hearing loss has serious emotional and social consequences for older people, according to a study by the National Council on Aging.

Of 2,300 hearing impaired adults age 50 and older, the study found that those with untreated hearing loss were more likely to report depression, anxiety and paranoia and were less likely to participate in organized social activities compared to those who wear hearing aids.

In addition to helping those in need buy hearing aids, Sertoma also supports local charities, including the Gregory Kistler Treatment Center, the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club, Special Olympics and Policeman of the Year. They also name a Sertoman of the Year and give a Service to Mankind Award annually.

The local Sertoma club was founded on Dec. 5, 1953, and still has one charter member, Wayne “Smitty” Smith. With only 16 current Fort Smith Sertomans, membership has fallen in the past few years as older members pass away, Strang said.

The Sertomans hold two fundraisers a year, the annual Jim Griffith Memorial Golf Tournament at Deer Trails Golf Course at Chaffee Crossing in June, and a cookout at the Greenwood Fall Festival in November. The golf tournament raises 95 percent of the club’s donations. With the cookout and sponsors, the club raises about $7,000 a year for donations.

Meetings are held every Friday at noon in the Golden Corral Buffet & Grill, 1801 S. Waldron Road, in Fort Smith.

Sertoma International is the third oldest civic organization in the United States, its website states, and one of the smallest with only about 17,000 members. There are Sertomans in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The organization’s main focus is “communicative disorders,” but member clubs are given the latitude to sponsor those activities that will most benefit the community.

Club activities are also intended to increase public awareness of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss.

Sertomans, Smith Have Served Area Well

SWTimes Letters December 27, 2013

The Fort Smith Downtown Sertoma Club is 60 years old this year. We meet every Friday at noon at the Golden Corral.

Sertoma stands for Service to Mankind. Our primary mission is to provide hearing aids for the hearing impaired who can’t afford them. We have empathy and compassion for those who are hearing impaired. We have provided hearing aids for many, and we can tell you from experience that when we provide hearing aids to those who need them and you see their eyes light up and the smile on their faces, it makes it all worthwhile.

We also support some local charities, including the Kistler Center, Boys and Girls Club, Special Olympics, Policeman of the Year, etc.

We have the Sertoman of the year award to the member who has given outstanding service to the club. Also, we select a local citizen who’s contributed much to the community for the service to mankind award. This being our 60th year, we have one active charter member, Wayne “Smitty” Smith, who has served the club faithfully for the past 60 years. He’s a living example of service to mankind.

Harley Strang
Sertoma member, Fort Smith