Don, a member of Kiwanis from 1983 through 2017, is a past president. He acquired and designed fixtures for the trailer allowing for the roast beef concession at Lakefair, helped establish the Kiwanis scholarship endowment and helped to create the Olympia Kiwanis Foundation. He also helped instigate Happy Dollars and worked to involve women in Kiwanis. The Donald and Patricia Ernst Olympia Kiwanis Endowed Scholarship Fund was established with the belief that education is very important and that there are many measures of success. The scholarship has the potential to be renewed for up to one additional year, reapplication is required.