Olan Fulfer, a teacher at Joseph Charter School, takes his love for and knowledge of chess on the road as far as India — where it was invented — as well as to Europe and here, during his volunteer work in the Arusha district of Tanzania.

JOSEPH — The Wallowa County Chess Club, a longtime Monday afternoon fixture at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, is looking for help to keep the club going.

Olan Fulfer, who teaches at Joseph Charter School and runs a chess club there, is willing to help, said Arianna Olsen of the Josephy Center, where the club meets.

But he does not have every Monday free. And so the club is looking for people who will take responsibility for being present to ensure that meetings of the club go smoothly and that the Josephy Center is properly locked up after meetings.

The Wallowa County Chess Club adds another commitment to Fulfer’s already-crammed schedule: In addition to his full-time job teaching history, fire science (how to fight wildfires), mental health and physical education, he spends much of the year as a coordinator and manager for the charity Children Health & Education Team Inspiration (CHETI). His work for the Tanzania-based nongovernmental organization keeps him on the go across several continents.

Fulfer also was a basketball coach at Joseph Charter School but had to resign because of the demands of his charity work.

According to the CHETI website, it’s been actively involved in promoting education and health since its establishment in 2008. The organization has supported the construction of five day-care centers, one private primary school and one private secondary school.

For CHETI, he acquires supplies for schools and teaches — including chess.

The travel has offered side benefits that have fueled his chess passion. It’s taken him to India, where the game was invented, and to Europe, where he was able to play a grandmaster at the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris.

Although he did manage to beat the grandmaster, he said he likely would’ve lost on a rematch.

“That was my crowning achievement,” he said.

Fulfer added that he’s nowhere near a grandmaster at chess and just plays for fun.

He said when he heard that the Josephy Center needed assistance, he agreed to do what he can to keep it going. And he said he’ll be getting a hand from some of the students in the Joseph Charter School chess club.

“I have some really talented students who on most of the Mondays will be there,” he said.

He said he even hopes to set up tournaments at the Josephy Center.

But right now, Fulfer’s other commitments may keep him from being a regular at the center’s club.

The club has been going since 2011. For many years, it was under the tutelage of Clem Falbo, but had to step back after he turned 91 in May 2022. The club took a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic for a year but has since gotten back in action.

“We’re reaching out to our community to help keep the longest-running chess club in Eastern Oregon going strong,” Olsen said.

She said all ages and skill levels are welcome.

“To ensure the club continues smoothly, we need a few dedicated individuals who can step up and take responsibility for being present and locking up the building after each session,” she said. “If you’re passionate about chess and would like to play a role in sustaining this cherished local tradition, your involvement would make a significant difference.”

To learn more about the Wallowa County Chess Club, call Olsen at 541-432-0505, ext. 2, or email exhibits@josephy.org.

The club meets from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Mondays at the Josephy Center for Arts and Culture, 403 N. Main St. in Joseph. 

The original version of this story misspelled the name of Clem Falbo. The story has been corrected.