Kishwaukee Kiwanis Club (DeKalb)

Collection

Identifier: RHC-RC-278

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

These records partially document the history of the Kishwaukee Kiwanis Club since 1969, however most of the documentation for the 1970s is missing. Although incomplete, included here are club newsletters and meeting minutes, correspondence and newspaper clippings, monthly reports, budget and treasurers reports. There is a considerable amount of documentation on the creation of the Kishwaukee Kiwanis Pathway. Also included are files on various committees and activities undertaken by the club, including its annual Halloween Haunted House, and the NIU Circle K Club sponsored by the Kishwaukee Kiwanis. A small number of items are included from the Illinois-Eastern Iowa District, the national Kiwanis organization, and other Kiwanis clubs. The President’s records donated at a later date include meeting minutes, newsletters, emails, and supplemental material. The collection also contains electronic records: Biking with Beanzie material from 2012-2014 and born-digital newsletters since January 18, 2012. These records are accessible in the Center's reading room.

Dates

created: 1969+
Other: Date acquired: 09/05/2006

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions on access to materials in the collection.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights in the collection belong to the Regional History Center; literary rights are dedicated to the public.

Biographical or Historical Information

In July 1969 the DeKalb Kiwanis Club president Bob Bennison appointed a committee to study the possibility of sponsoring a second Kiwanis Club for DeKalb. The committee was chaired by Eugene Miller, and composed of Dick Cambridge, Bob Gilmore, Howard Gould Wendell Lindbeck, Mike Madison, Porter Martin, and Ralph Sherman. A primary consideration was that new club meet at noon to accommodate those men who could not attend evening meetings. After the DeKalb Kiwanis Board unanimously approved the formation of another club on August 25th, a New Club Committee was appointed to guide and assist the new club personnel and officers in their formation and organization. They were chair Eugene Miller, Howard Gould and Harold Wright. A charter was granted on September 30, 1969, and the first meeting of the Kishwaukee Kiwanis Club was held Wednesday October 8, 1969 at noon at Sweden House. The first officers of the Kishwaukee Kiwanis Club were Ralph Sherman, President; Harold Husa, 1st Vice President; Dick Hennegan, 2nd Vice President, Gerald Halasz, Secretary; and Robert Holdridge, Treasurer. Charter night was held Tuesday November 11, 1969 in the University Center Regency Room, with 47 charter members. Bob Bennison of the DeKalb Kiwanis was the master of ceremonies. Guests included dignitaries from various Kiwanis District offices and neighboring clubs, DeKalb Mayor Jesse Chamberlain, and representatives of other local organizations. Neighboring clubs in Division 20 helped establish the new club with various gifts, including a club banner from the DeKalb Kiwanis Club. On March 19, 1992 Janet Byrnes, Lee Ann Henry, and Patricia “Pat” LaVigne became the first three women to join the Kishwaukee Kiwanis. Since that date women have taken on many leadership positions within the organization. Pat LaVigne became the first committee chair (Community Service) in the fall of 1992, officer (Assistant Secretary) in 1994, member of the board in 1995, and president in 1999. As of 2007 the Kishwaukee Kiwanis Club had approximately 75 members. The 21 committees of the club are divided into four areas. The Club Operations Committees are: 1.Audit, 2.Bulletin/Publicity, 3.Fellowship, 4.House/Yearbook, 5.Interclub, 6.Membership, 7.Nominations, 8.Programs, 9.Risk, Reduction & Avoidance, and 10.Social Sports. The Fund Raising Committees are: 11.Biking with Beanzie, 12.Corn Fest, 13.Haunted House, and 14.Peanut Day. The Services Committees are: 15.Community Service, 16.Pathway, 17.Human and Spiritual Values, 18.Young Children priority One, and 19.Youth Services. The Sponsored Activities Committees are: 20.Sponsored Youth, and 21.K-Family. A community service organization, Kishwaukee Kiwanis contributes both manpower and funding to numerous worthy projects. Notable among those projects is its work with the DeKalb Park District to acquire, develop, and maintain recreational paths for safe biking and hiking. Members of the club have worked on projects at Barb City Manor, for the Special Olympics, at hearing clinics, and on community improvement days. In addition the Kishwaukee Kiwanis sponsored the NIU Circle K Club, and also helped initiate the “Gold Card Program” to recognize scholastic achievement and provide athletic equipment to the DeKalb School District.

Note written by

Extent

3.75 Linear Feet

approx. 412 digital files (228+ MB) other_unmapped

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Source of Acquisition

Norman Schaeffer, Herb Buhr, Abby Chemers, Jack Goodrich, and Mary A. Olson

Method of Acquisition

Norman Schaeffer, Chair of the Kishwaukee Kiwanis Club Audit Committee, members of the committee including Herb Buhr, Abby Chemers, and Jack Goodrich, and Kishwaukee Kiwanis President Mary A. Olson, gathered together records of the Kishwaukee Kiwanis Club, which were donated to the Northern Illinois Regional History Center on September 5, 2006.

Accruals and Additions

Additions records were added to the collection at later dates. The newsletter continues to be submitted every other week via email, which is then transferred to V:\ARCHIVES\RCElectronicArchives\ RC 278 Kishwaukee Kiwanis.

Related Materials

Researchers should note that complementary organizational records for the DeKalb Kiwanis Club (RC 18) are also held by the Regional History Center.

http://archon.lib.niu.edu/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=18