Kiwanis to Award $6,000 to Local Groups

Beginning in 2015, the 3 year Mission of the Kiwanis Club of Pekin is to "Help Improve the Wellness of Children". Each year has a different focus and the grants will be given out based on that years focus.

• Year 1 (2015): Focus on children’s physical health
• Year 2 (2016): Focus on children’s mental health
• Year 3 (2017): Focus on maintaining wellness throughout the life of the child and building a healthy family environment.

Grants from the Kiwanis Club of Pekin are given for direct services and programs that align with our 3 year mission, and more specifically the focus of the year. Grant amounts generally range from $100 to $1000.

In October of 2014 the club opened up the grant application process and charities were able to fill out grant applications with the deadline of December 31, 2014. The Club received about 15 applications for grants.

On February 24th, 2015 The Kiwanis Club of Pekin will be donating nearly $6,000 to 8 different local organizations. The organizations include the Boys and Girls Club of Pekin, The Center for Prevention of Abuse, YWCA of Pekin, Crittendon Centers, Shade Park, Pekin Main Street, TCRC and Tazewell County Children's Advocacy Center. All of these organizations will have representatives at the meeting and will be honored with lunch and then a check presentation.

The General public is welcome (and encouraged) to attend the lunch and we would like to invite the local media to the event as well, to highlight the great work that these organizations are doing for our community....More importantly our children.

Lunch will begin at 11:45am at the Pekin Country Club and the check presentations should start around 12:20. There will be time for photos and interviews as each of the organizations receive their checks.  

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Vice President, Leon Edwards, at 309-224-9389.

Meetings Return to Country Club

Our weekly meetings will return to the Pekin Country Club with our February 10th meeting.  We have no program that day - it is our monthly committee meeting.

Don't forget to bring your canned goods for the food pantry.  Also, bring items to donate to the [urse show that is coming up.  They will be used as silent auction items.  All proceeds from the silent auction and tickets will go to the project fund of the Kiwanis Club of Pekin.  

Next Meeting at PCHS

Our meeting on Tuesday (1/27) we will be at the Pekin High School Café in the Holman Center. This will be our Service week.  The membership will vote on the new club logo that was designed by the graphic arts students at PCHS!

Membership Application

Want to join us in our work?  Start by printing out and completing the membership application.  We're going to need it eventually, so you might as well do it now!  Then you can forward it to: pekinkiwanis1@gmail.com or contact any club member.

January Meetings

January 6 -

• Location: Pekin Hospital
• K of the Day: James Johnston - Presenting a group of CEO's from the human services sector that will discuss the economic impact that human services has on Central Illinois.
• Chili Cook Off: Still need people to sign up - If you are interested in bringing items, please email pekinkiwanis1@gmail.com.  

January 9 -

• Board meeting 7:30am at the Miller Center

January 13 -

• Location: John Evans SLC
• Committee Meetings
• Fred Altman's Yearly Prediction Test

January 20 -

• No regular meeting
• Christmas Party at Sazani's - If you plan to attend please RSVP to pekinkiwanis1@gmail.com.
• The party will start at 6pm. Dinner will include: a buffet (salad bar, bread, mashed potatoes, vegetable, and four entrées (fish, chicken, and two pasta dishes) with water and dessert, there is also a cash bar.
• Free for members; $17 for spouses and guests
• Games will be announced...Ideas welcome    

January 27 -

• Location Pekin High School Tech Ed Center
• Service Meeting
• We will have a speaker from the high school and also be voting on a new club logo that the students at the high school have been designing for us.
• Plan to announce our approved grant requests for 2015.

February 3 - 

• Location: Pekin Estates
• K of the Day: ??? - Program to be announced

Christmas on Court

The Kiwanis Club of Pekin will be selling Kiwanis Christmas Ornaments on Friday, December 5th from 5:00pm-8:00pm as part of the Christmas on Court celebration. We will be setting up at the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce, 402 Court Street.  Stop by and share your holiday cheer!

November 25th Meeting

The program  will be presented by Anna Buehrer, the Director of Marketing and PR for CityLink. She will present information on the Stuff A Bus program.  Please bring non-perishable food items to stuff the bus.  

Also, this will be the last day to turn in Ham and Cheese orders. 

Jim still needs empty boxes for cheese deliveries. Please bring them to the meeting. 

Meeting on November 18th

Our regular meeting on November 18th will be the last day to turn in ham/cheese orders. Please bring those to the meeting. We also need empty boxes for cheese deliveries.

November 18th is also Farm City Day at our club meeting.

We will also be collecting canned goods for Stuff A Bus. This is our November service project. The November 25th speaker/program will be on Stuff A Bus.  We will present them with our collection at that time.  However, Amy has offered to collect and hold everything that comes in on the 18th.  So we will try to stuff her car on that day!

The Membership / Communications committee is working to schedule the offsite meetings in January.  It looks like the 6th will be at Pekin Hospital and that will be our Chilli Cookoff.  More information will follow soon.

Below is the K of the Day / Greeter schedule for the next couple of months. The Greeters simply need to get to the meeting a little early (11:35ish) and hang out by the name tags and welcome people as they arrive.

Kiwanis Peanut Day is Friday

The annual Kiwanis Peanut Day is this Friday, October 31st.  It's Halloween, so expect some members to dress up for thier shift.  Thanks Jeff Lange for serving as Mr. Peanut again this year.

Kiwanis Holiday Sales

Our annual cheese sale has begun,  New this year is an Echo Valley ham & gift card sale.  Ham sales sheets need to be in by 11/18 (to Amy) and cheese sales sheets need to be in (to Jim) by 11/25. The products should be delivered around December 9th.

New Committees

On Tuesday October 21, 2014 the Kiwanis Club of Pekin heard the first committee updates from their new committee chairs.  Overall, the new committee structure was off to a strong start.  There were engaging discussions discussion with new ideas for the direction of the club. 

Fund "Fun" Development — Dan Pfeifer:  Dan reported that his committee has been tasked with raising $10,000 for the club.  This money will be used to award grants to organizations that will promote the club's theme.  To start the fundraising this year, the club will be selling peanuts on October 31 at various locations throughout Pekin.  Jeff Lange is the Peanut Chairman again this year. He mentioned there are still a couple of spots where we need volunteers. The sign up sheet will be available at the meeting on Oct 28. The club will also be selling cheese and Echo Valley hams/gift cards this year. Sales sheets should be ready at the Oct 28 meeting. Combined, the cheese/hams and peanuts raised around $5,000 last year.

Membership/Communications — Leon Edwards: Leon reported the initial goal of this committee is to get our name out to the public. This committee plans to do this through social media, a website, a newsletter and trying to get as much publicity as possible. The website is being updated. This committee is also tasked with social events for club members. The first social event will be the club's Christmas Party which will be held sometime in the middle of January. More information on that will be out at a later date.

Community Services — Erica and Ruby: Ruby gave an update from the committee meeting. Community services is tasked with raising awareness of the club's them in the community. They are considering partnering with another organization to provide snack packs for needy children in the community.

Youth Services — Baylee Gambetti: This committee will promote the club theme among the children in the community. They are considering bringing back the Bike Rodeo. More information will be announced soon.
 

November Calendar

November 6: Board Meeting, 7:20am at the Miller Center 

November 4: K of the Day—Dan Pfeifer; Greeter—Jeff Brooks; Program—TBA 

November 11: Greeter—Sandy Brooks 

November 18: K of the Day—Nick Hill; Greeter—Membership Committee Member; Program—TBA 

November 25: Greeter—Ruby Cunefare; November service project: TBA

New Board/Officers Installed

Congratulations to the new leadership of the Kiwanis Club of Pekin who were installed at the October 2nd noon meeting.

Immediate Past President:  Leigh Ann Matthews
President:  Marilyn Strickfaden
Vice-President/President Elect/Ways & Means:   Melida Heien
2nd Vice-President/Programs:   Jim McMullin
3rd Vice-President/Inter-Club:   Mitch Richards
Secretary:   Eric Mutchler
Treasurer:   Chris Schwartz
Assistant Treasurer:   Luke Gruden

Board Members 2nd Term:  Bill Link, Dale Sandrock, Barry Neal
Board Members 1st Term:   Brent Morgan, Ruby Cunefare, Mark VanderLinden

Youth Services:   Marilyn Strickfaden
Young Children Priority One:   Barry Neal
Ways & Means (Vice President):   Melida Heien
Community Services:   Jeff Brooks
Spiritual Aims:   Martin Thies
Key Club:   Ruby Cunefare/Baylee Gambetti
Aktion Club:   Dennis Stoller
Builder’s Club:  Dennis Stoller
Membership:   Brent Morgan
Membership Co-Chair:   Lelonie Luft
Interclub (3rd Vice President):   Mitch Richards
Programs (2nd Vice President): Jim McMullin

Kiwanis Anniversaries

Congratulations to the following members who are celebrating their service anniversaries in July!

Fred Altman, 16 years
Bob Barra, 13 years
Bill Fleming, 11 years
Patty Friedrich, 12 years
Jim Kaminski, 1 year
Bill Link, 5 years
Laura Lohnes, 5 years
Pat McElwee, 9 years
Brent Morgan, 3 years
Barry Neal, 11 years
Betty Rahn, 18 years
Bridget Rumler 5 years
Steve Saal, 4 years
Marggie Seelye, 13 years

Kiwanis Steak Fry

Kiwanis Steak Fry

5:30pm Tuesday July 24, 2012

Pekin Insurance Lodge

Menu:
Ribeye (grill your own)
Baked Potatoes
Tossed Salad and Dressings
Baked Beans
Rolls and Butter
Dessert
Soda (BYO Beer and/or Wine)

$20/person for guests

$10/person for Kiwanis Members  (due to no lunch meeting that day)

RSVP by Tuesday July 17 you will be billed on the next quarterly billing statement or pay at door (checks payable to Pekin Kiwanis)

There will be no noon meeting on Tuesday July 24

There will be no program at the Steak Fry, Only FUN! 

June Service Anniversaries

Congratulations to the following members who are celebrating their Kiwanis service anniversaries this month:

Bill Leman - 25 years
Greg Nelson - 3 years
Richard Sharp - 1 year
Christie Webb - 1 year

Check the Calendar

There are many events that are comping up this month...check the calendar!

Service Anniversaries

Congratulations to the following members who are celebrating their Kiwanis service anniversaries this month:

Rose Marie Hasler - 4 years

Marla Henderson - 6 years

Wings & Wheels

Mark your calendars...Saturday, June 16th
Wings & Wheels
Pekin Municipal Airport

Service Anniversaries

Congratulations to the following members on their April service anniversaries:

Tom Elliott - 26 years
Jim Johnston - 6 years
Lelonie Luft - 1 year
Barb Strand - 7 years