COEUR d'ALENE - Dick Wandrocke springs from bed each morning at 4:30 to go the gym.

And before he even goes to bed, he makes a list of what he's going to be doing the next day.

The 77-year-old uses that kind of discipline to stay both healthy and busy contributing to the community he made his own more than 20 years ago.

"It used to be people retired and sat at home twiddling their thumbs and reading," Wandrocke said.

That has never been his style.

On Tuesday, Wandrocke was recognized for his numerous volunteer efforts. He received the Ed Abbott Volunteer of the Year Award at the 99th Annual Coeur d'Alene Chamber Luncheon.

"I really was very, very surprised," Wandrocke said. "I just thought it was very super to receive the award."

The award was presented by Wandrocke's fellow Coeur d'Alene Chamber Commodore John McGruder, who was last year's volunteer of the year award recipient.

McGruder said, "Dick chose to retire in 1990, and he and his wife, Shirley, moved from Newport Beach (Calif.) to Coeur d'Alene, and because of that decision the residents of our area are better off."

Wandrocke is involved with the Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls chambers, the Museum of North Idaho, North Idaho College booster club, Habitat for Humanity, the Children's Village, the Kootenai Humane Society and Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County.

In his professional career, Wandrocke started 12 restaurants in Washington, Oregon and California, with names like Ancient Mariner, Rusty Pelicans and Rusty Duck. He also served in the military, after being drafted in 1954.

The 2010 Citizen of the Year Award winner, Barbara Bradley, presented this year's award to Joe Morris.

He began his career with Kootenai Health in 1974 and served as the CEO from 1981 through 2010.

Morris wasn't at the luncheon, but was sitting poolside somewhere in Arizona when his name was called.

"I really appreciate the honor the chamber has bestowed upon me," Morris said by phone in brief comments.

In 1984, Morris led the way as Kootenai expanded from a 181-bed community hospital to a 246-bed facility with multiple joint ventures and centers of excellence, including the Kootenai Cancer Center and the Kootenai Heart Center.

During his career, Morris served on the boards of numerous health care and civic organizations, including the American Hospital Association, Hospice of North Idaho, Jobs Plus, and the Coeur d'Alene chamber. He currently is co-chairing NIC's long-range planning and visioning committee.

The luncheon was conducted at the new Hagadone Event Center.