Tag Archives: service organization

United Singers of Fond du Lac Receive Check from Kiwanis

Monday Morning
We had 15 members and eight guests at our Monday morning meeting at the Retlaw Plaza Hotel. Joining us were our guest speakers, Kris Shoemaker, Terry Shoemaker, Diane Fricken and Adam Holz as well FDL High School Key Clubbers Megan Buechel, Joshua Gutzman and Kevin Ditter and Evening Club Member Brian Olson. Brian was selling Spaghetti Dinner tickets as well as the Evening Club’s Big Money Raffle tickets. Adult dinner tickets are $8 and Children are $4.00. The event is moving this year to the Eagles Club vs. the KC Hall. “Happy Bucks” were offered by Bob Kahl ($2) for the nice press we got for the photo op of our donation to the Fruth Field project, Harry Schneider for his wedding anniversary and Steve Millin for being late and forgetting to greet and do the invocation. Chris Serres was the 50/50 Raffle winner and she drew the King of Clubs, another non-winner. That leaves 47 cards with eight pay cards for our next drawing in two weeks. The new pot for our next drawing will be at least $59.

United Singers of Fond du Lac
Former member Kris Shoemaker was the main speaker and she introduced her entourage of folks associated with the United Singers of Fond du Lac. This choral group started in 1994 at Brooke Industries and was affiliated with VSA of Wisconsin until this past year. They are now an independent group that is establishing themselves as a 501(c)(3) so they can receive tax deductible donations to help support this effort. United Singers of Fond du Lac currently has 42 members and is the largest such choir in the State. Adam is a current member of the choir, and also a Kiwanis Aktion Club Member and he gave a brief talk about why he loves being in the choir. He’s been in the choir for about five years and loves performing and practicing. The United Singers practice on Tuesday nights at the Church of Peace from 5:30 – 6:30PM. Anyone is welcome to come and watch the choir practice if you’d like. Our Club made a check presentation of $200 to the United Singers of Fond du Lac at Monday’s meeting.

District Convention Report

Monday Morning
We had 19 members at Monday’s meeting at the Retlaw Hotel, one of our former haunts. Gary Miller thanked those members that made the FDL High School Key Club on Friday morning. Charlene Pettit offered up a “Happy Buck” in thanks for her receiving the “Kiwanian of the Year” award and also for all the help of the Social Committee in planning the Installation Banquet, Gary Ring and Vickie Goldapske both for their Hixson Awards and Gary Miller just because he was “Happy”. Gary Ring was the first 50/50 Raffle winner in our new game and he drew the Jack of Hearts. That was close but, unfortunately, no cigar. The new pot next Monday will be at least $15.

District Convention Report
Gary & Donna Miller, Charlene Pettit, Gary Ring and Chris Serres attended the WI-UM District Convention in Racine on August 23-25th and agreed to be our Monday program to talk about the convention. Gov. Lynn Messer presented Tonya Alling with the Governor’s Cup for being the top Lt. Gov. for the 2011-12 administrative year. Our Club, along with all of the Division 12 Clubs, were also recognized as “Distinguished Clubs” at Saturday’s luncheon.
Gary Miller attended sessions on Marketing/PR and the incoming President’s projects while Charlene attended workshops on Social Media for Success and Club President’s Workshop-Share What is Working Well With Your Club. Chris attended two workshops on fundraising do’s and don’ts and Gary Ring attended two workshops on Recruiting New Members and Club Member Retention. All of the attendees gave us a summary of what they learned in their various sessions. The membership topic will be further explored as our program for this coming Monday at Faro’s.
Incoming Gov. Gurdip Brar’s projects and goals were also discussed. Anyone that was at the Installation Banquet had a chance to hear from Gurdip personally on what he hopes to accomplish in the coming year. Watch for more details in future issues of the Kiwanews. Thanks Gary, Charlene, Gary and Chris for the program.

Eliminate Project Update Presented to Kiwanis


Monday Morning
We had 22 members and two guests at our Monday meeting at our temporary location at Trinity Baptist Church. Joining us on Monday morning were Jackson Goldapske and our speaker, Steve Heinsen, from Kiwanis International. Gary Miller reported on the District Convention this past weekend attended by Gary & Donna Miller, Charlene Pettit, Gary & Lois Ring and Chris Serres. Happy Bucks were donated by Gary Ring for the District Convention, Mark Luttenberger for his recent vacation, his and Gail’s 59th birthdates and also their 38th year wedding anniversary, and Harry Schneider for his winning a portion of the third place prize at the recent Agnesian Hospice Golf Outing. Bob Kahl circulated a Thank You from his daughter, Joelle, for our sponsorship of their Relay for Life Team. Dave Lefeber was the 50/50 Raffle Winner (again and again) and he drew the Ace of Spades, not a winner (again). The next drawing will have 11 cards, four pay cards and a pot of at least $542.

Steve Heinsen, Kiwanis International
Steve Heinsen is the Kiwanis International Campaign Area Director for the Eliminate Project. He was in Racine this past weekend for the District Convention and agreed to be our program on Monday morning on his way to Manitowoc. Steve gave a brief background on the Eliminate Project and Kiwanis International’s efforts to eliminate Maternal/Neonatal Tetanus in many third world countries. Steve also talked about his personal observations during a recent trip to Cambodia as part of a joint Kiwanis/UNICEF delegation.