In addition to the Paul Harris Foundation, many Arcadia Rotarians donate to the Paul Johenk Fund. Moneys from this fund are spent on projects within the city of Arcadia in contrast to the Paul Harris funds which work on world wide programs. For those who are not familiar with the life of Paul Johenk, his family wrote the following about him after his death in 1993.
“The Rev. Dr. Paul G. Johenk was many things to many people, but most of all a man of great faith in God. He retired in 1984 after serving as Resident Chaplain of the Methodist Hospital of Southern California for 26 years. During those years he started daily Church broadcasts, Sunday services via closed circuit television from the Church of the Good Shepherd in Arcadia, and Collegium, a group of people from the healthcare field and members of the clergy who met weekly.
In addition to his chaplaincy duties, he served on the Ethics Committee at the Hospital, was active in Arcadia Red Cross, Coordinating Council, the Arcadia Rotary Club, the Arcadia Public Library Board of Trustees, and
was the Arcadia Citizen of the Year in 1976. He served on the boards of numerous organizations and was named Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in Southern California and Hawaii. He also served on the Los Angeles County Commission of Human Relations.
Paul was on the faculty at several institutions, including Arizona State University, Mt. San Antonio College, Whittier College and Pasadena City College. He was a clinical supervisor to graduate students at Fuller Theological Seminary. Also, fluent in German, one of the highlights of his ministry was in 1976 when he travelled to East Germany to preach and lecture behind the Iron Curtain.
Perhaps more than his accomplishments, Paul will be remembered for his sense of humor, enthusiasm for life and his compassion for others. He always had a funny story to tell, aiming to help cheer, relieve and gain perspective in our daily lives. He would be pleased that a foundation has been set up to honor his service to the Church and the community. It is the Rotary Club’s Paul Johenk Community Fellowship.”
The fund was established in 1994 with the intent of using the first $10,000 to furnish a room at the new Arcadia Public Library. After this project the remaining funds were to be used for charitable purposes at the direction of the Board of Directors of the Club, with the stipulation that the funds be used for projects only in Arcadia. One can become a Paul Johenk fallow with a cumulative contribution of $500 to the fund. As of today there is approximately $50,000 in the fund.