AL KARL
GRAND MARSHALL
RODEO IN THE REDWOODS 2022
Al Karl, born August 11, 1930, in Laona Wisconsin, came to the redwoods of Northern California in 1951 looking for logging and mill work. He was 21 years old. He came looking for a better life like so many of us. Al had uncles and a stepdad working in the woods and was offered a job running logging equipment. He never left! He has many a wild tale to tell if you sit down and have a cup of coffee with him. One of them being that he lost his thumb when he was 15 in a tractor accident! Never kept him from a hard day of work though!
Al met a gal name Dorothy Walks, settled down and raised a family. Al and Dorothy were married 49 years.
Al was a member of the Mounted Mountaineers which had a hand in starting the rodeo in 1957! He remembers the year because that was the year he and Dorothy were blessed with their baby girl Sandra. The mountaineers were 35 members strong back then and would sometimes go on trail rides for as long as 3 days. They camped and rode horses all over. Along with the Mountaineers Al enjoyed running hounds and horseback riding any chance he got!
These days, Al enjoys his daughter Sandra and his 2 grandchildren Sarah and John.
The Rodeo Association would like to take this opportunity to say "Thank you Al" for your many years of service and commitment to the community!
GRAND MARSHALL
RODEO IN THE REDWOODS 2022
Al Karl, born August 11, 1930, in Laona Wisconsin, came to the redwoods of Northern California in 1951 looking for logging and mill work. He was 21 years old. He came looking for a better life like so many of us. Al had uncles and a stepdad working in the woods and was offered a job running logging equipment. He never left! He has many a wild tale to tell if you sit down and have a cup of coffee with him. One of them being that he lost his thumb when he was 15 in a tractor accident! Never kept him from a hard day of work though!
Al met a gal name Dorothy Walks, settled down and raised a family. Al and Dorothy were married 49 years.
Al was a member of the Mounted Mountaineers which had a hand in starting the rodeo in 1957! He remembers the year because that was the year he and Dorothy were blessed with their baby girl Sandra. The mountaineers were 35 members strong back then and would sometimes go on trail rides for as long as 3 days. They camped and rode horses all over. Along with the Mountaineers Al enjoyed running hounds and horseback riding any chance he got!
These days, Al enjoys his daughter Sandra and his 2 grandchildren Sarah and John.
The Rodeo Association would like to take this opportunity to say "Thank you Al" for your many years of service and commitment to the community!
Rodeo 2020 and Rodeo 2021 were Cancelled due to the Covid Pandemic
2019 Grand Marshall Dennis O'Sullivan
Our 20-year veteran Rodeo Parade Director is celebrating this years’ Rodeo in the Redwoods as our Grand Marshall! Keep your eye on the last Vehicle in the parade! That will be Dennis!
Dennis is a 1st generation Irish American, who moved to Garberville in 1978 with his lovely wife Susan and their two daughters, Karen, who now lives in Kansas, and Bridgett who lives in Eureka! Colleen, the youngest daughter was born in Garberville and now lives in Nampa, Idaho. Dennis first met Susan as a freshman in high school and spent the next 50 years with her as best friends! With sadness Dennis shared that he had lost Susan to cancer about 1-1/2 years ago but is so grateful to have spent so many years with such a great gal!
Dennis says his parents actually wanted him to be a priest, sent him to seminary; but unfortunately, he didn’t think it was such a good idea since he spent most of his time at the Donut Shop playing pinball instead of going to catechism class!
Dennis retired from Blue Star Gas after 39 years of service, had been a 4-H leader in our community for over 20 years along with long term community members like the Whitleys, Scowns, and Brodersons. He has held a position on the Southern Humboldt School Board for 30 years and has served as President of our local Rotary twice, which he has been a member of since the late 80’s. Yes, you guessed it, he is a career community service person! When I asked him if he had any hobbies, he laughed and replied, “Why yes, Meetings!”
Dennis walks every morning along the trails of the Community Park. He is thrilled that the Rodeo has found a new home in such a beautiful venue among the old oaks and continues to provide the young people of our community a place to demonstrate their horsemanship skills, compete with one another and most of all a place for our community to come together for some good old fashioned fun.
Dennis brought Rotary into cover the Rodeo Parade over 20 years ago; he will be retiring from his role as Parade Director this year and turn it over to the capable hands of the Chamber of Commerce! A retirement well-earned Dennis!
When asked what he loves most about his community he replied, “the peacefulness, the people, my home in a redwood grove along the banks of Sprowl Creek. I can sit on my porch and throw stones into the creek. The climate, the color, the diversity and the beauty. I want to go traveling a bit though, visit places here in the west, visit my children and grandchildren. You know I have 4 grandchildren, Luke and Carter in Eureka, Blake and Brady in Kansas.”
Dennis you have been an inspiration and a role model for many men and women, young and old, who have worked with you over the years. Thankyou Dennis! Thank you for being the Parade Director for 20 years, thank you for caring about your community and demonstrating it through service. Thank you for being our Grand Marshall this year.
Dennis is a 1st generation Irish American, who moved to Garberville in 1978 with his lovely wife Susan and their two daughters, Karen, who now lives in Kansas, and Bridgett who lives in Eureka! Colleen, the youngest daughter was born in Garberville and now lives in Nampa, Idaho. Dennis first met Susan as a freshman in high school and spent the next 50 years with her as best friends! With sadness Dennis shared that he had lost Susan to cancer about 1-1/2 years ago but is so grateful to have spent so many years with such a great gal!
Dennis says his parents actually wanted him to be a priest, sent him to seminary; but unfortunately, he didn’t think it was such a good idea since he spent most of his time at the Donut Shop playing pinball instead of going to catechism class!
Dennis retired from Blue Star Gas after 39 years of service, had been a 4-H leader in our community for over 20 years along with long term community members like the Whitleys, Scowns, and Brodersons. He has held a position on the Southern Humboldt School Board for 30 years and has served as President of our local Rotary twice, which he has been a member of since the late 80’s. Yes, you guessed it, he is a career community service person! When I asked him if he had any hobbies, he laughed and replied, “Why yes, Meetings!”
Dennis walks every morning along the trails of the Community Park. He is thrilled that the Rodeo has found a new home in such a beautiful venue among the old oaks and continues to provide the young people of our community a place to demonstrate their horsemanship skills, compete with one another and most of all a place for our community to come together for some good old fashioned fun.
Dennis brought Rotary into cover the Rodeo Parade over 20 years ago; he will be retiring from his role as Parade Director this year and turn it over to the capable hands of the Chamber of Commerce! A retirement well-earned Dennis!
When asked what he loves most about his community he replied, “the peacefulness, the people, my home in a redwood grove along the banks of Sprowl Creek. I can sit on my porch and throw stones into the creek. The climate, the color, the diversity and the beauty. I want to go traveling a bit though, visit places here in the west, visit my children and grandchildren. You know I have 4 grandchildren, Luke and Carter in Eureka, Blake and Brady in Kansas.”
Dennis you have been an inspiration and a role model for many men and women, young and old, who have worked with you over the years. Thankyou Dennis! Thank you for being the Parade Director for 20 years, thank you for caring about your community and demonstrating it through service. Thank you for being our Grand Marshall this year.
2017 Grand Marshall Dan Healy
2015 Grand Marshall--Heart of the Redwoods Community Hospice
2014 Grand Marshal
Diane Lehman
Diane Lehman
2013 Grand Marshall
John Van Meter
John Van Meter