Speakers
Click on photo for Facebook item.

On March 29 member Chuck Traugott described his February cruise to Antarctica. He explained that Antarctica's land area is greater than the entire area of the United States! 70% of the world's supply of water is there, and if it all melted, the oceans would rise 16 inches! He accounted for many creatures who live there: seals, penguins, whales, dolphins, albatrosses, and cormorants. Photo courtesy of Sara Johnson

Bill Andrae of Wells Fargo joined us March 22 to explain the mystifying world of Crypto Currency. Here we met the distinction between investing (as in a blue-chip stock) and betting (as with gold, or bitcoin maybe). We learned of a giant web-based ledger on the Bitcoin (Capital B) server, which serves all participants. We marveled at the every-ten-minute equation one must solve to update the ledger. Amazingly, Bill was able to explain in terms everyone understood.

March 15 featured Tom Stewart (President) and John Ziegler (IKE) of Elgin's Isaac Walton League of America. Isaac Walton (author of "The Compleat Angler") is an environmental conservatism-oriented organization. In Elgin the group's efforts include fishing, creek clean-up,/restoration), archery, oak tree giveaways, and support for scouting activities. Famously, they did the cleanup of Elgin's picturesque Walton Island. Photo courtesy of Sara Johnson.

March 1st - City of Elgin Senior Liaison Cherie Aschenbrenner spoke on senior fraud and scams. She described many threats we experience as seniors and explained various services including Senior Showcase (WRMN - 3rd Thursdays at 9:15am), Device Advice, Triad, Senior Services Association, Memory Cafe, and many others. We were pleased to award her with a donation of $350 for her work. Photo courtesy of Sara Johnson

Kiim Wascher, Director – South Elgin Parks & Recreation
Feb 15th speaker was Kim Wascher, Director – South Elgin Parks & Recreation. Kim has 22 years’ experience in the Parks and Recreation field. She recently won the Myrtle Spiegler Gerberding Award for Public Service from the YWCA of Elgin - which celebrates women leaders in the Elgin area. She outlined a startling variety of community programs, including Preschool Pals (serving 150 kids), After Shock After-School Program, Wednesday Concerts in Panton Mill Park, along with 180 acres of parks and 20 public playgrounds. Photo courtesy of Sara Johnson

Welcomed Julia the Comfort Dog in our Feb 8 23 meeting. Handler Karen Stout helped us understand the importance and amazing background that goes into training and handling a Comfort Dog. Julia has a Facebook page with 2,247 likes! Her ministry is part of Lutheran Church Charities, sponsored by King of Glory Lutheran Church in Elgin. Her ministry is impressive, including memory care, prisoners, and veterans. Thanks, Karen, for a great talk! Photo courtesy of Sara Johnson

Alex Hoffer spoke on Feb 1, explaini
ng leadership and core values at Hoffer Plastics, a successful business in South Elgin. He, along with family members William, Gretchen Hoffer Farb, Charlotte Hoffer Caning manage this business with more than 300 employees. Founded in 1953, Hoffer handles injection and molding and manufacturing. Alex featured the importance of plastic in the lives of human beings. He is an active speaker in the community and offers a personal blog at alexhoffer.me Photo courtesy of Sara Johnson
January 11 meeting featured Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain and Undersheriff Amy Johnson. Covered many topics. FB summary: "Through implementation of jail supportive program, drug addiction assistance, medically assisted treatment, vocational certification and solid exit programming, along with Taser training for our officers, improved food, and climate quality, we have seen a 37% decrease in detainee altercations and an almost 95% decrease in inmate vs. officer altercations in 2019 vs. the three years before. All while coming in over $500,000 under budget in FY2019." Photo courrtresy of Saralee Johnson

Hosted Pastor Tiffany Henerson of Kingdom Advancement Center at our December 21st meeting. She presented an aweseme storehouse of accomplishments over the past decade in which her Center is serving the city's youth in a combination of Science and Christianity. We have greatest respect for her ability to prepare youth for the future. The video illustrates the Jesus Is the Reason pageant Kingdom Advancement Center shared with youth of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church on December 17th. Clothing donations in the video were donated by the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Featured guest Nov 30th was Gordon Turner - Circus Enthusiast & Model Builder. Everyone loved his stories and home movies from the Big Top! Gordon is a member of Circus Fan Association, Circus Model Builders and Circus Historical Society. He retired from 40 years at General Electric, where everyone called him the "Circus Bum!" He was accompanied by family members Steve and Lynn Martin.

Kiwanis Golden K welcomed Dan Symonds November 9. Dan is from Symonds-Madison Funeral Home. Symonds-Madison features special services for veterans. For example, he and his wife Joy conduct Operation LOVE - Love our Veterans Elgin to help veterans and their families. A second-generation funeral director, Dan purchased the funeral home in 2013. He is a second-generation Army reserve soldier, having served twice in Iraq and Afghanistan. His great-great-grandfather served in the Civil War Battle of Appomattox Court House.

On October 26 we enjoyed a presentation by Dan Fox, Board member of PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter). Founded in 1989, PADS of Elgin meets the basic needs of homeless individuals first, providing a safe place to sleep, meals, showers, laundry facilities and personal hygiene products. Elgin Golden K donated to their vital program. Pictured (left to right) are Lyle Wolff (President), Dan Fox, and Karen Snyder (Board Member).

From Elgin Partnership for Early Learning - Amber Peters who spoke to us today..
About this morning! Thank you to Elgin Golden Kiwanis for inviting EPEL to talk about our birth to five community!
I learned a few new jokes, enjoyed your information about your new Facebook site, your fundraiser of selling peanuts and your big kind ❤️! You are one of the reasons that make Elgin so very special!

Elgin Golden K Kiwanis Donates $4,000 to the Gail Borden Library Foundation
Jennifer Bueche, Gail Borden Public Library District’s Director of the KidSpark program, addressed Golden K Kiwanis members at the weekly meeting on September 14.
Also pictured are Carole Medal, Executive Director of the Gail Borden Public Library, and Mike Lee, president of the Gail Borden Library Foundation. Elgin GoldenK Kiwanis was pleased to donate $4,000 to the Gail Borden Public Library District Foundation, which was founded in 1933 to provide resources and financial support for library services. Photo courtesy of Jerry Turnquist.

Elgin Golden K Kiwanis Donates $5,000 to Food for Greater Elgin
Food For Greater Elgin Board Member Robert Langlois addressed Golden K Kiwanis members at the weekly meeting on August 31.
The group was pleased to donate $5,000 to Food for Greater Elgin, Inc. Founded in 2011, Food for Greater Elgin (FFGE) is the second largest food pantry in Kane County. Their goal is to combat food insecurity in the most effective and supportive ways possible by giving the community the resources it needs.

Elgin Golden K Kiwanis Donates to U-46 Superintendent’s Scholarship Program
U-46 Superintendent Tony Sanders addressed Golden K Kiwanis members at the weekly meeting on August 22.
The group was pleased to donate $2,000 to the Superintendent’s Scholarship Program. The fund, established in 2012, supports outstanding students who are the first in their immediate family to attend college.
Prior to August 24, 2022 |
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Member Interview - August 17 |
Mike Oine - Division Chief - Elgin Fire Dept. - August 10 |
Member Interview - August 3 |
Picnic - July 27 |
Dave Rohlwing - Understanding Alzheimer's and Dementia - July 20 |
David Ahrens - Operation Sweet Life, Inc. - July 13 |
Steve Knight - Elgin Men's Shed - July 6 |
Linda Eggebrecht - Paul's Restaurant - June 29 |
Tina Vigucci - Hispanic Services - Gail Borden Library - June 15 |
Jim Feuerborn - Beekeeper - June 8 |
Rep. Ann Moeller - 33rd District - June 1 |
Cherie Aschenbrenner - TRIAD and Jerry Turnquist on Memorial Day - May 25 |
Maureen Manning - Director of Elgin Crisis Center - May 18 |
Jaime Garcia - Executive Director - Centre de Information - May 11 |
Jennifer Phillips - Elgin neighbor Services Manager - May 4 |
Kimberly Rother - ECC Culinary Arts Progfram - April 27 |
Dave Reich - ECC Welding School - April 20 |
Donna Boyce - ECC School of Nursing - April 13 |
Dr. David Sam - ECC President - April 6 |
Barb Kohley - Anderson Humane - Formerly Anderson Animal Shelter - March 30 |
Coleen Haas - Sherman Natural Prairie & Garden - March 23 |
Kane County Forest Preserve - March 16 |
Robb Cagann - Elgin Fire Dept Chief - March 9 |
Gary Swick - Friends of the Fox River - March 2 |
Melissa Pedrigi - U-46 Program for 17 to 21 Year-olds - February 23 |