Baraboo Kiwanis Club History

March 9, 1960, then senator John F. Kennedy addresses a group at the Warren Hotel in Baraboo.  Kennedy did not speak at the Kiwanis meeting. The Warren Hotel was a former meeting place of the Baraboo Kiwanis Club.

The Baraboo Kiwanis was chartered as one of 7,700 clubs in 80 countries in 1922. Our motto is “Serving the Children of the World”.

Kiwanis is an international community service organization founded in 1915. Baraboo’s Kiwanis club was formed on January 27, 1922, and membership over the years has ranged from the 60s to 120. The club meets weekly, with members enjoying a networking lunch followed by a short business meeting and a guest speaker.

The Baraboo Kiwanis raises funds and provides volunteers to support a variety of community projects, with a special emphasis on those that benefit local youth. Fundraisers included an annual pancake breakfast, rose sale, golf outing, and more recently, a 5K fun run/walk.

Over the years the club has provided college scholarships, hosted an annual welcome party for new teachers, planted trees, and donated to other youth programs such as the local Boys and Girls Club and the Sauk County Children’s Giving Tree. The club offers highway cleanup several times a year and regularly helps to entertain residents of a local nursing home. Most notably the club has worked with the City of Baraboo to establish the Kiwanis Riverwalk Park, developing a continuous walkway along the beautiful Baraboo River for the public to enjoy. 

About Kiwanis International

Founded in 1915, Kiwanis International is a global organization of members dedicated to serving the children of the world.

Kiwanis and its family of clubs, including:

  • Circle K International for university students
  • Key Club for students age 14-18
  • Builders Club for students age 11-14
  • Kiwanis Kids for students age 6-12
  • Aktion Club for adults living with disabilities

Kiwanis members dedicate more than 18 million service hours each year to strengthen communities and serve children. The Kiwanis International family comprises nearly 600,000 adult and youth members in 80 countries and geographic areas. 

Members of every age attend regular meetings, experience fellowship, raise funds for various causes and participate in service projects that help their communities. Members also make an impact throughout the world by participating in Kiwanis International’s Global Campaign for Children, The Eliminate Project: Kiwanis eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus.

Learn more about Kiwanis International by visiting www.kiwanis.org.

Club By-Laws

A copy of the our current club by-laws can be viewed by clicking here

Baraboo Kiwanis Presidents

1922Norman Quale
1923 – 24Edward F. Dithmar
1925Herb Halstead
1926George Hood
1927Henry Steeps
1928 – 29Alfred C. Kingsford
1930T. Fred Risley
1931 – 32Liston Hill
1933 – 35Dr. Roger Cahoon
1936 – 37Harold Langer
1938Robert Hirschinger
1939Lloyd Tarnutzer
1940Roland J. Osborne
1941Robert Gollmar
1942Henry Ringling
1943Frank Holiday
1944Gordon Willson
1945Laurie C. Welch
1946George Weber
1947Dr. Clausen Stekl
1948 – 49Dr. Albert Dippel
1950Ezra Schaeffer
1951Severn Rinkob
1952Irv Zarling
1953Richard Fischer
1954William Kieffer Sr.
1955Virgil Hunt
1956Harlan Lambert
1957Dr. Kenneth Crawford
1958Jack Epstein
1959Dr. Ron Walling
1960James Karch
1961Edward Kurtz
1962Rev. Maurice Jones
1963Harold Hulterstrum
1964James Hill Jr.
1965 – 66Russ Bengry
1967George Rambo
1968Emmet Brown
1969Richard Jenks
1970Dr. Robert Dewel
1971John Langer
1972Bill Mossman
1973Elgi Toman
1974Lowell Follendorf
1975Ken Nelson
1976Lee Hoppe
1977Glenn Quale
1978Leo Bronkalla
1979Dick Matthews
1980Blake Lawrence
1981Dick Spragg
1982Walter Smith
1983Harold Platt
1984Merlin Zitzner
1985Herb Messer
1986Dale Williams
1987Chris Anderson
1988Doug Hill
1989John Darrow
1990Ron Cowan
1991Tim Borota
1992Ken Keniston
1993Ron La Masney
1994Gary Wegner
1995Ron Bobeck
1996Tom Warwick
1997Jane Franzen
1998John Hoffman
1999Barry Manix   
2000William Greenhalgh
2001Darlene Bach
2002Jim Konicki
2003Pete Premo
2004Kim Kalepp
2005Cathy Sperl
2006Pete Premo
2007Kevin Calkins
2008Ben Bromley
2009Brandon Wegner
2010Cheri Holterman
2011Derek Cowan
2012Matt Balfanz
2013Brent Brinker
2014Shawna Marquardt
2015Jason Laux
2016Jane Franzen
2017Matt Balfanz
2018David Van der Schaaf
2019Deb Bauer
2020Steve Paske
2021Ben Bromley
2022Jordan Hove
2023Brady O’Leary
2024 Rick Eilertson
2025 
2026 
2027 
2028 
2029

Join Us

Our Kiwanis club fulfills the Kiwanis mission by serving our community through Kiwanis Community Service Projects.

Are you ready to help create communities that let all children thrive, prosper and grow? It’s pretty easy to do! Simply contact us with your questions and apply for Kiwanis club membership here.

The kids in your community and the world are counting on you!

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