By Monty Siekerman
He wrote a 1,500 page history of the club (yes, one thousand and five hundred pages). The book details the service club's efforts in the community from 1924 to the present.

He has served the club as its president.
He was a lieutenant governor of the district a decade ago.
He has been a member of the club for 20 years and now serves as its publicity chairman.

For his efforts, the Kiwanis Club honored Jon Umphress with a tree planted in his honor at Ada Memorial Park during a luncheon on Tuesday.

For the past 18 years, the service club has recognized one of its distinguished members by having a tree planted in the park in their honor or memory.

During Jon's work years, he was heard on the Lima Christian radio station, wrote for the Kenton Times, and served as managing editor of The Ada Herald. Presently, he volunteers at ReStore Community Center.

Photo: It's Jon and Sue Umphress by a Valley Forge elm tree.