News: Owen, Wis. Kiwanis (End 15^th Year - 1959)

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Email: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Laabs, Mahoney, Ferris, Ortmayer, Quicker, Scott, Dodsworth, Duskey, Devos, Georgas, Diehl, Ruedy, Van Gorden, Tomlinson, Blodgett

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI.) July 16, 1959

Owen, Wisconsin Kiwanis (Ends 15^th Year - 1959)

Fifty Kiwanians and guests from Neillsville, Medford, Wausau and Owen attended the 15^th anniversary banquet of the Owen Club in the Woodland Hotel at Owen Monday evening.  The club, sponsored by the Neillsville Kiwanis Club, was organized July 11, 1944, and charter night was held October 24, 1944.

Art Laabs, president of the Owen club, welcomed guests and William F. Mahoney, the first man to sign the club organization petition 15 years ago, was master of ceremonies.  Jim Ferris listed the highlights of the club’s activities, pointing out that 150 men have belonged during the 15 years.  Some have moved away, some are now deceased, and some are no longer active.

Mr. Ferris spoke of the club’s activities in youth programs in Owen, sponsoring of athletic banquets, furnishing transportation to athletes, contributing to the Kiwanis-sponsored camp at Waubek, furnishing trips to Pee Wee baseball players to Braves games at Milwaukee, placing of an orphan boy in a home, furnishing reflector strips for bicycles, promoting safety for youth programs, on highways, sponsoring the first farm institute in 1947 which has been held in Owen each year since that time.

During its existence Owen Kiwanis-sponsored projects run the gamut from youth projects to municipal and church-associated activities.

Letters were read from national, state and divisional officers and one from the Rev. Ronald Ortmayer of Janesville, first president.

Hubert H. Quicker and Jess W. Scott of Neillsville, Orvus Dodsworth of Medford, and Joe Duskey of Wausau spoke briefly of the Kiwanis program and the work of the Owen club.  Others attending from Neillsville were: A. L. Devos, E. A. Georgas, Edward C. Diehl, Earl Ruedy, Richard H. Van Gorden, James Tomlinson and Morris Blodgett.