BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Former Keystone Heights Mayor Lyndel M. Hale addressed the Keystone Heights Rotary Club on Wednesday, December 18, at the Montgomery Center.
Hale, who represents Modern Woodmen, talked about the importance of life insurance.
“My dad was in the insurance business,” he told the civic group. “I learned from an early age what it meant for a man to take care of his family. And what I do is help people build, protect, and preserve their assets for retirement.”
Hale reviewed his career path, which included a stint at Banker’s Life and Casualty before joining his father in the family business. He added that now, his wife and daughter operate an insurance agency in Middleburg.
The representative also emphasized the importance of getting the details right when obtaining life insurance, recounting a difficulty his family endured because one policy on the life of a partner in a family business did not pay out. The insurance company’s refusal to honor the policy prevented the execution of a buy-sell agreement, pitting family members against one another and throwing the company’s disposition into litigation.
“Because of that, the last five years of (my father’s) life were very hard, very stressful,” Hale said. “And I think it put him in an early grave. So, I have this passion to tell everybody about that so they don’t have to go through that. It’ll be easier the more prepared you are.”
Assistant Governor provides update
Rotary Assistant Governor Jim Troiano also talked to the group. Troiano said District 6070 had just elected Ed Lombard as its district governor for the 2027-2028 year.
“He joined Rotary of West Jacksonville in 2011, and he was the club president in 2017-2018,” Troiano said of the future leader, who will take office in July 2027. “He’s also served as a District 6970 assistant area governor, treasurer, and sergeant at arms.”
Troiano added that North Jacksonville’s Dale Moe will succeed Micky Ulmer, who hails from the Amelia Island Sunrise Club, as District Governor in July 2025. Bo Norton of the Orange Park Club will lead the district from 2026 to 2027, followed by Lombard.
Troiano also reminded the group that in December, Rotary is emphasizing disease prevention and treatment, one of its seven service areas. The others are peacebuilding and conflict resolution, water, sanitation, and hygiene, maternal and child health, basic education and literacy, community economic development, and the environment.
“Disease results in misery, pain, and poverty for millions of people worldwide,” he said. “We know that there are millions of people without health insurance and people that can’t afford it or don’t have access to good quality healthcare.”
The assistant governor added that Rotarians have set up clinics, blood donation centers, and training facilities to advance the group’s disease prevention and treatment mission.
“We design and build infrastructure,” he said. “We encourage doctors and patients and governments to work together. Our members combat diseases like malaria, HIV aids, Alzheimer’s, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes.”
Troiano reminded the group of Rotary International’s polio vaccine program, which is on the cusp of eradicating the disease.
“Disease prevention is about more than just healthcare,” he said. “It’s about education. It’s about empowerment, whether it’s funding vaccines, providing clean water to help prevent disease or offering medical training in underserved areas. Our collective efforts help save lives and provide dignity.”
