Move It! senior award winner Gene Glader on the tennis court with Frankie Jarchow, who nominated him for the Move It! award. Glader is an active member of the Cook County Tennis Association and still finds time and energy to get out on the courts.
During the month of May, nominations were sought for the Move It! award. The Sawtooth Mountain Clinic, the Cook County Senior Center and the Cook County News-Herald joined forces to get community members thinking about the people who inspire others to move. Organizers wanted to highlight one youth, one adult, and one senior. This week we are featuring our senior winning nominee, Gene Glader.
The nomination for Glader read, in part: Gene is well known as an active community member, promoting cross country skiing when he owned Cascade Lodge and as a member of the Cook County Tennis Association.
Gene is also very humble. Most of us didn’t know until recently that he had a long and stellar career as a cross country and track coach at Bethel College. Many community members were surprised, but delighted, to hear that the college was now hosting an annual Gene Glader indoor track meet.
Gene doesn’t brag about his accomplishments. He quietly encourages others through his community efforts and by how he handles his own physical challenges.
An illness in 2007 resulted in Gene being in a wheelchair. This is something that would have left many people bitter and unwilling to pursue former activities. Not Gene, he has continued his many community activities, including tennis in a specially adapted chair.
Glader received two nominations, from fellow senior citizen and tennis player Frankie Jarchow and from this reporter. Because I was part of the Move It! award effort, I’m not eligible for the award, so I am very glad to see that someone else appreciates Glader’s efforts to get others moving. His refusal to quit moving and his positive attitude are inspiring to everyone who knows him. He deserves to be recognized with the Move It! Award.
Glader received a $40 gift certificate to a local business and Jarchow received a $20 gift certificate for nominating him.
Visit www.becausemovingmatters.org for more information about the local efforts to get the community moving.
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