Janesville Blackhawk Golden Kiwanis

Blackhawk Golden ‘K’ General Meeting
Minutes
July 9^th, 2025

Roger Willeford presiding, called the meeting to order with a ring of the bell at 9:30AM.
35 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 thanks for the Brewers pitchers, and the children.

Raffle: John Janes oversaw the ticket sales and drawing this week.
The weekly pot was $14 and the big (Joker) pot was $297.
Jenny Turco drew a ticket from the bucket, ticket number 979.  Congratulations to the winner, April Wright.
The deck of cards has 29/53 cards remaining.  April Wright drew the K♦.

Roger Willeford thanks greeters Bruce Jorenby and Bob Knudson, invocator Ron Shuler, rafflemaster John Janes, and server Bob Knudson.

Happy Box: Dave Thill announced he is happy because the mid-year appeal has brought in over $3,300.
April Wright announced she is happy because she won the raffle, and is donating the proceeds to Kiwanis.  April is happy because she just had eye surgery, and has no glasses for the first time ever.

Jokes: Carl Cramer had a good joke about two young brothers arguing for who received the first plate of their mother’s extra special Saturday pancake breakfast.  After some time, their mother volunteered, “you know, Jesus always said, ‘give to my brother first.’”  One sibling then offered to the other, “you be Jesus.”

Other Announcements: John Janes spoke upon the parade, which after a late start, was a huge success!

Tom Neumann spoke upon members’ golf games, on for tomorrow.

Discussion during the meeting mentioned the Aldo Leopold ‘Buddy Benches,’ which are now delivered to households.

Jim Farrell introduced the day’s speaker, Jessica Lochner.  Jessica is a UW graduate, and has been the ECHO Executive Director for four years.  ECHO stands for Everyone Cooperating to Help Others.  The organization was created in 1969, and was created to address housing, food and other basic human needs and barriers to self-sufficiency.  It has been in its location for 21 years now.  It started long ago as a food pantry and clothes depot.  It is run by a collection of churches.

Jessica proceeded to share some facts about ECHO, including:
Up to 40 households can receive one week’s worth of food each day.
ECHO offers Senior Stockboxes, 35-pound boxes of non-perishable food for those 60 and older from Wisconsin.
Other offerings include Thanksgiving Basket Distribution, Monthly Community Meals and a Christmas Dinner.
ECHO is moving to a housing focus.  It received its first house from Janesville city in 2019, and now have eight – four two-bedrooms, and four three-bedrooms.
The affordable housing assists tenants with a share of the rent that increases to the full amount over 18 months. Case managers assist, and surprise housing inspections keep residents focused on goals.
A Kiwanian asked, “how is the system funded?”  The affordable housing program receives furnishings from Amazon, and the Dollar General Warehouse.  A federally funded “Street Outreach” assists locating homeless.  The program in 2025 was budgeted at $1.9M, with half being provided by federal and state grants.
Consistent audits have never found improprieties.
Residents receive vouchers for the GIFTS Thrift Store, and Acts of Kindness (a clothing charity).
ECHO’s food pantry is supported by a partnership with Second Harvest.
A Kiwanian asked, “what about fresh produce?”  Jessica explained the pantry has a new walk-in for produce, and welcome donations for freshly picked edible items.
ECHO has monthly open houses, the first Thursdays at 2pm.
A partnership with local schools provides every Friday, Friday to Sunday night meals, for 200 children.
Other member questions were answered, and interesting topics covered.

Jim Farrell thanked Jessica Lochner for speaking and presented her with a Kiwanis Parker pen.

Roger Willeford adjourned the meeting with a ring of the bell at 10:40AM.

Reminders: There is a programs committee meeting next week.

Minutes by Ryan Lewis.
Credit: Steve Skelly, and unknown, photographs.

Note: Kiwanis and its members are not responsible for errors or omissions.  We are open to discussion if you would like to request an alteration.