Shawn Roetman, Herald and News, Feb 20, 2016
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Klamath County recently presented its Spirit Award for 2015 to Chuck and Sally Wells, a couple from its own membership.
The award is recognizes local individuals who best embody and demonstrate the seven principles of Unitarian Universalism of showing leadership skills, compassion and service.
They formerly resided in the Chiloquin area for more than 30 years, where they were active in both conservation and community efforts.
Chuck served as a volunteer for six and a half years on the Chiloquin-Agency Lake Rural Fire Protection District and the Chiloquin Volunteer Ambulance.
In 1994, the they were instrumental in the founding of Chiloquin Visions in Progress that has sponsored and supported community projects such as Writer In Residence, Chiloquin Learns after School, Two Rivers Village Arts, Friends of the Chiloquin Library, and Concerned Friends of the Winema.
They also spearheaded the raising of $1.7 million to build the Chiloquin Community Center, which houses the Chiloquin Branch Library, the gallery of Two Rivers Village Arts, community and conference rooms.
Chuck put in a number of years on the Klamath Lake Resource Advisory Committee and Sally served multiple terms on the Klamath Province Advisory Committee. She also served as member and president of the Citizen Involvement Advisory Committee to the Department of Land Conservation and Development.
Chuck founded the Friends of Crater Lake National Park and served as the first president. He has also been president of the Klamath Library Advisory Board for 15 years.
Other affiliations over the years were the Klamath County Cattlewomen, the Chiloquin Care Program (Food Bank) and the Central Klamath County Action Team. Sally was also the token environmentalist on the Timber Committee of Klamath 2002 and on the original Hatfield Committee.
Since moving to Klamath Falls four years ago, they have given their time and energy to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, where Chuck is president; to the Friends of the Klamath County Library, where Sally is secretary; to the Klamath County Democrats; to the Peace Readers group; and to the formation of Klamath Independent Public Power, an effort to establish a Peoples Utility District for Klamath County.
The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meets in the upstairs community room of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 801 Jefferson St. Services are held every Sunday at 10:30 a.m.