Rotarian Frank Kohler’s untimely death at the hands of the Navy Yard shooter has shocked and saddened Rotarians world-wide with emails coming from South America, Canada, Asia and the US.
Past-President (2005/2006) Frank was a member of the Rotary Club of Lexington Park for 16 years. His leadership was marked with great personal initiatives such as the reconstruction of a schoolhouse in a remote area of Thailand against great odds. Other major contributions included a major donation to the Greenwell Foundation that demonstrates the possibilities available to all individuals when accessibility and inclusiveness are made a priority, distribution of dictionaries to every third grader in St. Mary’s County and major support of “Christmas in April“, a volunteer effort that rehabilitates the homes of low-income families. The Club contributed over USD$73,000 to worthwhile charities and scholarships to deserving local students.
His leadership resulted in formal recognition of the Rotary Club of Lexington Park for it’s outstanding Community Service Program by the Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Committee.
Following his year as President, Frank’s sense of humor had ample opportunity to display itself when he presided over the St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival as King Oyster in 2006-2007. Frank remained an active member of the Oyster Festival Committee by overseeing the beverage services at all the subsequent festivals. Typically, these festivals saw well over 20,000 attendees.
Besides continuing activities in the Rotary club, Frank and his family were deeply involved in their church and earnestly supported the Kings Christian Academy. The entire Rotary community will miss him. His wife and two young daughters survive him.
The Kohler family has selected the Rotary Club of Lexington Park to administer donations in Frank’s name.
Donations to insure a durable memorial to Frank may be made in two ways:
1. Direct contributions to the Foundation of the Rotary Club of Lexington Park can be acknowledged as tax deductible under US law, or;
2. Direct contribution to a Kohler College Fund for Frank’s daughters. Because of US tax regulations, donations to this fund cannot be recognized as tax deductible.
Contributions to either fund may be made to the Foundation of the Rotary Club of Lexington Park, P.O. Box 202, Lexington Park, Md. 20653. It is very important to designate to which account(s) your donation is
