Kiwanis of Downtown Dubuque

Service Events and Fundraisers in pictures

Keep in mind some of our fun events coming up this year!

June 2008

The Annual AYSO-Kiwanis Youth Soccer-Fest was held the weekend of June 28th and 29th.   Youth Soccer teams from Dubuque and other communities signed up to play in this fun tournament. In keeping with AYSO principles, the emphasis is on learning soccer skills and having fun. The repetitve play of the tournament fosters teamwork. Some 59 teams competed in this exciting tournament held at the Dubuque Soccer Complex.

Players in action

Kiwanians Rev. Nancy Bickel (above) and Jeff Oberhoffer (below) pass out Soccerfest awards.

May 2008

On May 17th, the Spring Adopt a Highway Cleanup on Highway 61 was completed. Several Kiwanis members assisted the Hoover K kids and parents in the clean up

April 2008

On April 26th, Kiwanians particpated in the annual downtown cleanup which  Dubuque Main Street, Ltd organizes. Again, this year Hoover Elementary School K-Kids with adult sponsors particpated in the litter pick-up.
Excecutive Director of Downtown Dubuque, LTD.(and Kiwanian) Dan LoBianco assigns clean up areas to organizations volunteering.

Kiwanians busy at work !!!

January 2008

Special Olympics Dubuque Games Chair (and Kiwanian) Paul Gorrell and Kiwanis Involvement Chair Ric Jones ready for a day of activities.....

One of the highlights of the Kiwanis Year for our club is the participating in the Iowa Special Olympics Winter Games held in Dubuque. Most of the Kiwanians in the club help serve meals and award medals to the winners and participants in the games. Of course the members are always rooting on the athletes at all of their events at Sundown Mountain and the Five Flags Ice Arena. The games this year were held January 14th through the 16th and hosted over 300 participants. Headquarters for the games are at the Grand River Hotel and Grand River Center where the Monday evening torch ceremony and pizza party kicked off the games, Then off to Sundown and Five Flags on Tuesday and Wednesday . 200 service hours were reported for Kiwanians who have also been a major financial contributor for many years.

Kiwanian Larry Friedman congratulates a Olympic's medalist.

Kiwanians Ric Jones, Scott DeSousa and Dan LoBianco prepare to feed the contestants

A rewarding moment, Kiwanian Dr Vicki Souder presents an award

December 2007

Kiwanians Rang the Bells for the Salvation Army in front of Econo Foods on December 1st. Unfortunately the weather did not cooperate and the kettles were called in by early afternoon. This is another Community service from your Dubuque Downtown Kiwanis Club. The Hoover K-Kids and Key Clubs have been valuable bell ringers. Kiwanis looks forward to this each year and we enjoyed your stopping to chat, and helping out the Salvation Army by depositing your gift in the Bucket for the Army.


Dubuque Senior High Key Club Members help out also

Kiwanis members also particpated in an Energy Conservation and Home Weather Stripping project which included eductional displays at Kennedy Mall and a team of Kiwanis volunteers particpating in the home weather stripping outreach project for needy households.

Kiwanis International Vice President Paul Palazzolo visited

the Dubuque club on December 17th. He spoke with Hoover K-Kids and mixed with acquaintances from the Dubuque and Galena Kiwanis clubs before lunch. Hempstead Key Club member Bridget Pasker provided cello music during lunch. Paul Palazzolo then presented a humorous and motivational program on what it means to be a Kiwanian, the importance of our work and building membership.

Kiwanis International Vice President Paul Palazzolo and Hoover K-Kids interact.

Mark and Bridget Pasker with Paul Palazzolo

November 2007

Kiwanis thanks you all for purchasing your Younker's special Community Holiday Sale tickets from Kiwanians. All the costs of the tickets and a percentage of sales during the Holiday Sale have been donated to Kiwanis for our many Community Projects. We hope you had a good day Christmas shopping at Younkers on Saturday the 11th.

From a a prior year, Kiwanians June Price and Carolyn Bennet Stork work the Younkers Community Benefit.

October 2007

Kiwanian and Hoover Principle Steve Geisert turns out with K-Kids and adult volunteers for the litter pickup

On Saturday, October 27th, Hoover Elementary School K Kids and parents were assisted by Kiwanians picking up litter along Highway 61 south of Dubuque, for the Fall semi-annual cleanup of the Adopt-A-Hiway project of the Iowa Dept. of Transportation. Many bags of litter were removed and a great example of community pride was set.

Weatherization Challenge

Above, the planning committee, included from left are Kiwanians Ric Jones, Laura Roussell, and 4th and 5th are Cindy Kohlmann and Tom Stovall.

The Dubuque Weatherization Challenge 2007 took place on Saturday, October 6th. Over 340 community volunteers spread out across the Dubuque Community to perform weatherization measures on 96 homes occupied by elderly, disabled or low-income residents. Dubuque Kiwanians particpated in a material way in planning the event and staffing a weatherization team.

Below, a weatherization day work crew consisting of Kiwanians and spouses from left, Barb Blinks, Bill Troy, Ed Blinks, Paul Duster, Sharon Karrmann and Mark Karrmann

September 2007

September 28th and 29th were the annual Kiwanis Peanut Days....
On this Friday and Saturday in September the Kiwanis Club members were in front of your favorite stores asking you for a contribution. In addition, corporate donations for a full case of peanuts were raised successfully. Donations to the Kiwanis Club go to local groups providing services to youths in the Dubuque area. Kiwanis helps sponsor such programs as: Reading is Fundamental, Boy Scout and Girl Scout camperships, Four Mounds HEART Project, Special Olympics, St. Marks Community Center programs, Junior Achievement programs, Albrecht Acres, and many other local programs to aid the youth of our area. It was a great and successful weekend and we thank you for your donations!!!

July 2007

The Great Dubuque County Fair was July 24th through 29th, and Kiwanis was there. This is the largest fund raiser for the Dubuque Kiwanis Club. The proceeds from the fair are used to support the many local youth charities that the Club donates to during the year. Thanks for stopping by and making this a great success to help Kiwanis help your community.

Sr Kate Katoski (above) prepares a sandwhich meal. Fairgoers (below) enjoy our fair food

Past Events

2004 Grand Mississippi River Excursion

On June 28th Dubuque celebrated the 2004 America's Great Mississippi River Excursion. This was the 150th anniversary of the original Excursion. Six great paddle wheel driven river passenger boats, an original steam propelled engine and passenger coachs train, as well as many bicyclists re-enacted this 1854 river trek from the Quad Cities to St. Paul, Minnesota. Some 60,000 folks were at the Port of Dubuque to see and take part in the activities of this adventure. The Kiwanis Club of Dubuque was there also serving "All You Could Eat Belgium Waffles".

Kiwanians work early to prepare for the big breakfast !!!

Reading is Fundamental

One of Kiwanis' favorite past projects was the Reading is Fundamental program of the Dubuque Community Elementary Schools. Kiwanis not only provided the financial support to purchase books for the students to select as their own, but also participates in the book give aways held several times during the school year in the schools. The Kiwanians read to students as well as participating in the celebrations at each school. Students at Sageville Elementary School lined up for another Reading is Fundamental book reading and give away.

Kiwanians Scott DeSousa (above) and Larry Friedman (below) particpate in the RIF book distribtion

After the reading treats were in order

Organizations that receive financial support from the club include: