Blackhawk Golden ‘K’ General Meeting
Minutes
February 12th, 2025
Roger Willeford presiding, called the meeting to order with a ring of the bell at 9:30AM.
22 members were in attendance today.
The meeting was led with the Pledge of Allegiance and the singing of America, the National Anthem.
Invocation: Ron Shuler, mentioning the cold snowy weather, and the children.
Carl Cramer led the meeting with a brief presentation of the Kiwanis precepts.
Raffle: John Janes oversaw the ticket sales and drawing this week.
The weekly pot was $10 and the big (Joker) pot was $44.
Luci Cramer drew a ticket from the bucket, ticket number 7176. Congratulations to the winner, Jim Farrell.
The deck of cards has 49/53 cards remaining. Jim drew the 8♠.
A second drawing occurred for a Bucky Book, courteously donated by Mac’s Pizza Shack. Ticket 7182 was drawn, and the winner, Linda Bontly, collected her prize.
Roger Willeford thanks greeters Bob Knutson and Bob Wilcox, invocator Ron Shuler, rafflemaster John Janes and server Linda Bontly.
Happy Box: Linda Bontly announced she is happy because she recently won over $1,000 (near the super bowl).
Maury Frey and a partner in crime were similar such winners around the same time.
Roger Willeford announces a guest is present today, Carrie, from the Rockford Alpine Kiwanis (and her dog!).
Jokes: Carl Cramer had a good joke about safely following plow drivers in winter storms.
Steve Skelly had another good joke.
Committee Reports: John Janes announced the Truck on Ice will give away over $25,000 for kids. Members sold $12,800 in tickets, and $18,000 was made in sponsorships.
Gregg Dickinson introduced the day’s speaker, Ryan Murphy. Ryan, a 26-year veteran of the Janesville Fire Department, has a Bachelor’s in Fire Science. Ryan counts working for Kiwanian Steve Skelly at the Skelly ambulance service when Ryan was 18-19 years old as formative. Ryan took the Janesville leadership in June.
Ryan now oversees Janesville’s five fire stations.
Some facts about Janesville firefighters and their profession: They generally keep quite busy. Janesvile Firefighters work a “California work week,” which is 56 hours long, 24 hours on, 24 hours off, then again, and another eight hours.
During their many areas of training and multiple community involvements, firefighters spend a week in October spending extra time training the public on fire safety, in part to kids in a house Beloit that was made for the task. Fire Safety Week is a national event, in remembrance of the day of the Great Chicago Fire and the lesser known and more deadly Peshtago (WI) Fire.
The Janesville firefighting force is comprised of around a 10% female workforce.
The average retirement age is 53 years old, at around 30 years of service. That is to be expected, because firefighting is hard work, and lends itself to youth.
The average firefighter now has a Bachelor’s degree, whereupon some individuals will pursue their Master’s.
Many questions were asked of Ryan. The presentation was informative and appreciated.
Gregg Dickinson thanked Ryan for speaking and presented him with a Kiwanis Parker pen.
Roger Willeford adjourned the meeting with a ring of the bell at 10:48AM.
Reminders: There is an Programs Committee meeting next week.
Minutes by Ryan Lewis.
Credit: Dave Figi, and Ryan Lewis, photographs.
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