About Us

A few of our Club members at one of our weekly Tuesday meetings

St. Charles Kiwanis

The first Kiwanis Club of St. Charles was chartered in 1923 and disbanded in 1941 due to World War II.  In 1969, the St. Charles Kiwanis Club was chartered. Through our fundraisers, we have supported children’s needs in our community.  

Since 1985, we have given grants to 90 organizations helping in the areas of health, safety, scouting, sports, mentoring, counseling, arts, food, cancer-related, education, accessibility, student leadership and service, and general needs that occur.  Additionally, we are involved in supporting our community by serving at the Northern Illinois Food Bank, Fox River Clean-up, plastic collections, and planting daffodils. 

Serving the Children of the World

All Kiwanis clubs help kids around the world. Our Kiwanis Club looks out for our community and the Kiwanis international organization takes on large-scale challenges, such as fighting disease and poverty. Our Kiwanis Club is generous with its time. We are creative with our ideas. We are passionate about making a difference. And we have fun along the way!

For more than a century, Kiwanis has created opportunities for children to be curious, safe, and healthy regardless of the community in which they live. When you give a child the chance to learn, experience, dream, grow, succeed, and thrive, great things can happen.

The Kiwanis Mission & Vision

Kiwanis empowers communities to improve the world by making lasting differences in the lives of children. Kiwanis strives to be a positive influence in communities worldwide — so that one day, all children will wake up in communities that believe in them, nurture them, and provide the support they need to thrive. Our Kiwanis Club fulfills the Kiwanis mission by serving our community through Kiwanis Community Service Projects. To learn more, visit the Kiwanis International site.

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

Kiwanis Service

Our Kiwanis Club focuses on changing the world by serving children, one child in our community at a time. To reach more people and have a greater service impact on their communities, many clubs sponsor a Kiwanis family club — K-Kids for primary school children; Builders Clubs for middle school children; Key Clubs for teens; Circle K clubs for university students; and Aktion Clubs for adults living with disabilities.

Our Club Leadership

Our leadership serves on a board of directors that consist of President, Treasurer, Secretary, and nine board members at large. Officers and board members are elected by the membership of the Kiwanis Club of St. Charles.

Officers 2023-2024

  • President: Darlene Riebe
  • Past President: Joel Mulder
  • President Elect: Trudy Nichol
  • Vice President: Michelle Fisher
  • Vice President: David Cullum
  • Treasurer: Mike Linkimer
  • Secretary: Lori Linkimer

Board of Directors

  • 2023-2024: Peter Ball, Bob Brautigam, Diane DeWitte
  • 2023-2025: Kathy Hewell, Steve Roberts, Rita Payleitner
  • 2023-2026: Dr. Mike Dohan, Katrina Hish, John Radman

Club Committees

Fundraising Committees

Bowl-a-thon

  • A yearly Kiwanis District-wide event, usually in February or March, for a day of bowling fun with the purpose to raise funds for the Kiwanis Neuroscience Research Foundation. 

Finance Committee

  • To set the grant criteria and requirements, review the grant applications, and determine the grant award to be given out based on the funds raised by Peanuts and Rose Days fundraisers.

Financial Investment Advisory Committee

  • Investigate funding opportunities to present to the Board.

Financial Review

  • Once a year reviews documents from the Treasurer, Foundation, and Administrative accounts to confirm there are no inconsistencies in record keeping and recording of all transactions in our accounting system and reporting to the Club. 

Fundraising Review

  • Opportunity for club member to suggest ideas about ongoing and new fundraising events.

Peanut Fundraising

  • Coordinates the annual solicitation of donations in exchange for boxes of peanuts or individual packets given for donations at local businesses throughout the community in September.

Rose Day Fundraising

  • Unloads roses, distributes to customers, and cleans up afterwards on Rose Day. Chairperson orders roses and works with the vendor. A committee member tracks incoming orders and creates a spreadsheet to assist with order pick up. 

Club Service Committees

Community Events

  • Looks for opportunities to be involved in community events to promote the Club. Included Key Club Advisors from both high schools.

Directory

  • Annually reviews “The Blue Book” to ensure all information about the Club and members are kept up-to-date.

Facebook/Publicity

  • Activities and pictures are posted each week on the Club Facebook page to help keep us unified, knowledgeable, and entertained.

Liaison Program

  • Pairs a Kiwanian with a non-profit that submits a grant application to the Club. The Kiwanian meets with and learns about the non-profit and becomes their advocate in the grant process. 

Membership Growth and Retention

  • Increases membership through community awareness, friends, and family. Encourages all members to join committees, volunteer for service opportunities, and mentor new members. 

Membership Welfare

  • The Club secretary sends get well, encouragement, sympathy, thank you, and birthday cards.

Photographer

  • Photo documents important moments during weekly meetings, especially Grant Day, and special events.

Social Events

  • Plans the various social activities that encourage engagement throughout the year.

Website

  • Updates the Club’s webpages with the most up-to-date information about meeting dates and times and fundraising efforts. Works with the President and other committee coordinators to ensure website accuracy. 

Club Meeting Committees

Happy Bucks

  • Club members can donate a dollar for an entry into the weekly raffle, at the end of the meeting a ticket is drawn to see if the lucky member draws in ace in order to win the pot. Also at the end of meetings, members can donate a dollar and share for every happy event in their lives.

Human and Spiritual Values

  • Leads Club members in a prayer at the beginning of each meeting. Implements projects that support spiritual development, provides comfort, counseling, and guidance.

In the News

  • Keeps track of members who are in the local news pertaining to our Club and their professional lives.

Interclub

  • Make arrangements with other Kiwanis clubs to attend and host meetings and to maintain contacts with leadership of other Division and District Clubs. 

Meeting Games/Trivia

  • Provides questions for the entertainment of the members in the spirit of friendly competition.

Meeting Programs/Guests

  • Arranges presenters and games for meetings pertaining to topics of interest to the Club. 

Meeting Set Up/Clean Up

  • Ensures all supplies for the Club’s weekly meetings are set up, cleaned up, and stored properly.

Meeting Vocals

  • Leads the Club in song celebrating our nation, members’ birthdays, and the welcoming tune of “When Kiwanis Calls.”
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