The co-founder of the seniors 100 Club, Hal Sundin, received a proclamation from Glenwood Springs City Council Thursday evening and a subsequent standing ovation.
“Hal Sundin co-founded in 1990 the 100 Club, a social club whose aim was to enhance the health, lives and enjoyment of the citizens of Glenwood Springs,” Mayor Michael Gamba said in reading the proclamation before Sundin at Thursday’s council meeting.
“Because of Hal’s leadership, hundreds of Glenwood Springs’ senior citizens have remained physically active and healthy, mentally vibrant and active contributors to the health and well-being of the entire Glenwood Springs Community,” Gamba added.
Councilor Jim Ingraham, wearing his 100 Club shirt, led the standing ovation before offering a few words himself.
“I’d only been here a year, or less than a year, and I came out for a hike with all of you who are now my friends. I didn’t know anybody and it was a little intimidating the first day,” Ingraham said, addressing Sundin and numerous other 100 Club members who were present.
“One of the first guys to come up was Hal Sundin with the wildest things all over his hat,” Ingraham said, drawing laughter.
Ingraham, a volunteer forest ranger, said the impetus for his service was in fact Sundin.
According to the proclamation, Sundin volunteered his experience as a backcountry hiker and summiteer of all of Colorado’s “14’ers” (14,000-foot peaks), in addition to his expertise as a master naturalist to the 100 Club’s members, or any interested citizen for that matter.
“Hal is a guy that always has something to do. He always has something planned and that included other people,” Sundin’s neighbor, Bob Lutke, described of his close friend.
“Hal, one of his favorite sayings that I heard early on was he said, ‘you know, Bob, people go to Florida to die and they come to Colorado to live.”
Hal thanked all of those in attendance Thursday evening to honor his continued service in the community.
“I want to express my gratitude for being able to live in this community, the finest place in the world, for the last 30 years,” said Sundin, who is also a regular Glenwood Springs Post Independent opinion columnist. “And, I’ll keep on doing it for as long as I can.”