Sylvester Neal joined the Kiwanis Club of Fairbanks, Alaska in 1980, and has had a distinguished Kiwanis career during which he served as Club Secretary, Club President, Lt. Governor and Governor. He has also served on numerous District and International Committees. His clubs recognized Sylvester as Kiwanian of the Year four times.
During his year as Governor, Sylvester motivated PNW Kiwanians with his theme - "Commitment Counts." As a district wide Governor's Project, he promoted the Kiwanis Family Against Drunk Driving (KFADD, including with Kiwanians all other members of the Kiwanis family (Aktion Clubs, K-Kids, Builders Clubs, Key Club and Circle K Clubs).
Sylvester also serves as the Honorary Chair for the Pacific Northwest District Kiwanis/SIGN project. SIGN stands for Surgical Implant Generating Network and addresses the need for neglected fracture care in more than 40 developing countries of the world. Through this project, he is inspiring Kiwanians, Clubs, and Divisions to help heal broken bones and restore broken families with their funding support. Follow the Kiwanis/SIGN link for more information on this important program.
Sylvester's professional career includes 26 years of service in fire fighting, airport security, and industrial safety. His career includes service as Fire & Security Chief of the Fairbanks International Airport and two appointed terms as the State Fire Marshal for Alaska.
When Sylvester and his wife Doris relocated from Anchorage, Alaska to Auburn, Washington in September 2001, he transferred his membership to the Kiwanis Club of (The) Valley Auburn. Sylvester has five children and six-grand children.
Sylvester has the unusual hobby of collecting pennies and had collected more one million of them before his relocation from Alaska. He attracted nationwide publicity when he cashed in eight hundred thousand pennies before his move. His immediate goal is to replace them, as quickly as possible! For good reason, Sylvester is known by many as "the Penny Man." His supporters say, "It just made good 'Cents' to elect Sylvester to the position of International Trustee".
Visit the webpage of Sylvester's home club at www.kiwanisclubofthevalley.org