LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Congratulations are in order to Lake County native Don Lange of Lakeport who was recognized on Nov. 15 for his 45 years of membership by the Lakeport Rotary Club.

He received a handsome eagle in flight trophy figure mounted over the engraved words “Service Above Self” which was awarded by District Representative Dr. Paul Theilen of Sebastopol and local President Bruce Maxwell.

Lange has the distinction of having committed his time and talents serving Rotary causes since 1972, through countless local, state, national, and international Rotary projects with the goal of improving the lives of community members and the environment.

His fellow club members counted on him to work at big and little fundraising events year after year, without hesitation.

The list includes such annual projects such as the Easter egg dye and hunt, the Christmas basket giveaway; the Konocti Challenge bicycle event; and the Lake County Fair beer booth.

Lange was sponsored into Rotary by respected businessman and Lakeside Hospital philanthropist Baird Anton.

He served on the Rotary Board of Directors for his club 10 times, served at length as committee chair of the bylaws committee, was advisor to multiple club presidents, and attended the Rotary International Convention in Birmingham, England, and another convention in Las Vegas.

Lange served as club president in 1983-84 and saw the initial club efforts to sponsor the existing much appreciated Lakeport Senior Center.

That same year Rotary expanded to welcome women into what previously was a men-only organization.

He also led his club into supporting the Rotary International Polio Eradication Project, which has now annihilated this dreaded disease in all but three countries of the world.

During his youth, he spent six years in the US Army Reserve, and worked two and a half years on the construction of the linear accelerator located on the campus of Stanford University in the quality control division.

Lange also was very much a part of Lange Brothers Construction, between 1965 to 1992, which at one time was the only roadway construction company in the county.

He had his own construction company thereafter, sold construction equipment and currently has a carpet cleaning business.

All the while, the wind beneath his wings has been his lovely wife Jaye of 52 years and their two grown sons Brian and Kevin.

Thanks are in order Don Lange for his lifelong contribution of “Service Above Self!”

Elizabeth Davis is a Rotary member and Lake County Realtor.