Tag Archives: lynn messer

Autism Project Pitched to AM Kiwanis

Autism Awareness Logo
Monday Morning
We had 16 members and our guest speaker, Immediate Past Lt. Governor Tonya Alling, at our flooded Monday meeting. Due to an unexpected flood in our meeting room at Main Street Lounge & Café, we had to meet in the restaurant section. Hopefully things will be back to normal by next Monday morning. Gary Miller had four for an InterClub to the Kewaskum Club on Monday evening, but he was also looking for an insurance member or two in case someone needed to cancel. “Happy Bucks” were offered by our speaker Tonya Alling for a potential new member for our Club, Todd Elliot, who is a personal friend of Tonya’s and who is looking to get involved in a FDL Kiwanis Club. Gary Miller also had a “Happy Buck” in anticipation of a successful InterClub to Kewaskum. Gary Ring noted that Danny Loomans is holding a press conference on Friday at FDL High School to kick off the Food for Freedom Drive that he’s embarking on. Governor Walker and/or the Wisconsin First Lady are expected to be attending. Ron Seidl was the 50/50 Raffle winner and he drew the Ace of Clubs. Not a winner so the pot continues to grow. Next Monday’s game will have 37 cards, eight pay cards and a pot of at least $193.

Tonya Alling, Kiwanis Autism Project
WI-UM Kiwanis District Governor Lynn and First Lady Merita Messer are passionate about helping children on the Autism Spectrum learn and communicate. Their granddaughter, Kelsey, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of eight, so the Messers have firsthand experience with the unique challenges for children on the spectrum. It has been proven that autistic children benefit from the use of software Apps available for the Apple® iPad. An iPad with a protective case and one app will cost approximately $500. Governor Messer’s goal is to raise over $500,000 during his term, which will be used to furnish iPads, Autism software Apps, and protective cases for at least 1,000 children on the Autism Spectrum in the WI-UM Kiwanis District.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a life-long disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to other Those affected typically display major impairments in three areas: social interaction, communication and behavior. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 88 children in the United States have autism in some form. Teachers are using iPads as a tool to reach out to children with ASD and the results are remarkable. Autistic children are showing tremendous improvement after playing fun-filled exercises on the iPad which is less stressful and more fun for the teachers and students, and mutually beneficial for parents, siblings and other caregivers.
Tonya talked about the strategy her Ripon Kiwanis Club has taken to jump start this fund-raising effort as well as the use of the “FirstGiving” webpage to also help raise funds for this project.

2012-2013 Governor’s Project to Focus on Autism


Monday Morning
We had 10 members and no guests at Monday’s New Year’s Eve Roundtable. Dan Leeds announced that he is a proud grandpa with the birth of his first grandson, Liam Leeds, on Saturday. Mother and baby are doing fine. Monday was John Cooper’s last day of real work as he is retiring after more than 40 years in the banking business. Good luck, John, and make sure you wake up in time for next Monday’s meeting. General topics of conversation were what Santa brought for Christmas, which appeared to have a heavy emphasis on technology, the Packer’s loss to the dreaded Vikings, and the anticipation of the upcoming Rose Bowl. There was no 50/50 Raffle so the next drawing on January 7th will have 41 cards with eight pay cards and a pot of at least $141.

2012-2013 Governor’s Project on Autism
WI-UM Kiwanis District Governor Lynn and First Lady Merita Messer are passionate about helping children on the Autism Spectrum learn and communicate. Their granddaughter, Kelsey, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of eight, so the Messers have firsthand experience with the unique challenges for children on the spectrum. It has been proven that autistic children benefit from the use of software Apps available for the Apple® iPad. An iPad with a protective case and one app will cost approximately $500. Governor Messer’s goal is to raise over $500,000 during his term, which will be used to furnish iPads, Autism software Apps and protective cases for at least 1,000 children on the Autism Spectrum in the WI-UM Kiwanis District.
Former Lt. Governor Tonya Alling also has a son who is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and is actively involved with Governor Messer on this important project. We’re hoping to have Tonya speak at one of our January meetings to update us on this project and how we can help to reach this aggressive $500,000 fund raising goal.

Governor-Elect Messer Stops by Kiwanis


Monday Morning
We had 17 members at Monday’s meeting along with three guests. Joining us as guest were our speakers Governor-Elect Lynn Messer along with current Lt. Governor Tonya Alling and Jackson Goldapske, who joined his Mom for breakfast. Vickie Goldapske began circulating the sign-up sheet for Fond du Fest on September 8th. Check your calendars and watch for it again next week. Del Waldschmidt announced that the pork chops have been ordered for our September 27th Annual Pork Fest. Clear your calendar for that date so you can help at this annual fund raiser. Gary Miller finalized the member list for an InterClub to the FDL Noon Club on August 14th to help celebrate their 95th anniversary. Marlin also announced that the Social Committee has a tentative date of September 20th for the Installation Banquet. Watch for more details in the near future. “Happy Bucks” were offered by Bob Kahl for two busloads of veterans who went to Miller Park this past weekend, Sharon Kollman for finally being off chemo for the first time in quite a while, Pete Vercouteren for Barb & his anniversary and another for a great family vacation to Canada, Tonya Alling ($3) for being back at our Club, for having Lynn Messer along and for her 88-year-old great uncle’s Honor Flight and finally, Gary Miller for a recent GeoCaching adventure. Chris Serres won the 50/50 Raffle drawing, again, and this time she drew the Jack of Spades, not a winner. Next week’s drawing will only have 32 cards in the deck with six pay cards and a pot of over $450.

Kiwanis Governor-Elect Lynn Messer
Governor-Elect Lynn Messer and Lt. Gov. Tonya Alling joined us on Monday morning to talk about Lynn’s Governor Project for the upcoming Kiwanis Year. Both Lynn and Tonya have a grandchild or child that’s been diagnosed under the autism spectrum. Lynn’s project will be to raise $750,000 in our District to be used for various technologies, such as iPads and iPods, for these children to have resources to succeed academically and socially. This fund raising goal is surely ambitious but the motivation and the need are real; so hopefully our District will fully support this.