Blackhawk Golden ‘K’ General Meeting
Minutes
August 6th, 2025
Roger Willeford presided, and called the meeting to order with a ring of the bell at 9:30AM.
32 members were in attendance today.
Richard Johnson led with the singing of America, the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Invocation: Richard Johnson, mentioning programs and the children.
Raffle: Linda Bontly oversaw the ticket sales and drawing this week.
Darlene Johnson drew a ticket from the bucket, ticket number 685. Congratulations to the winner, Dave Kemp.
The deck of cards has 25/53 cards remaining. Dave Kemp drew the 6♠.
Roger Willeford thanks greeters Dave Figi and John Janes, invocator Richard Johnson, rafflemaster Linda Bontly, and server Glenn Disrude.
A collection was passed for the Salvation Army.
Happy Box: Tom Neumann announced he is happy because it is his birthday today, and his 50th wedding anniversary is Wednesday.
Maury Frey announced he is happy because he turns 90 tomorrow, and is thankful for the cake.
Maury’s daughter Linda brought a cake! Members and Rotary staff had a piece.
Dave Kemp announced he is happy because he won the raffle, and is donating the proceeds to the Truck on Ice.
Jokes: Ray Szczepaniak had a good joke about golfing in heaven.
Ron Shuler had a good joke.
Member Health: Linda Bontly had a status update on Don and Linda Hanneman. They were in a severe car accident. Don has cracked ribs. Linda has hip, neck and other injuries and remains in the hospital. A card was passed for them.
Many Kiwanians have birthdays this month, including Tom Neumann, Maury Frey, April Wright, Dan Heerey, Carl Cramer, Luci Cramer, Dave Peterson, Jim Farrell, Dave Thill and Greg Turco. A song was sung.
Other Announcements: Richard Johnson spoke upon the fast approaching Buckley Picnic, which falls around September 3rd.
John Janes spoke upon the tree sale, a flier arrived. He mentioned the Truck on Ice is fast coming up, and encouraged members to be in contact with sponsors.
Tom Neumann spoke upon the golf outing, which is in roughly two weeks. Carts are paid for, golf is $22. Sign up! Lunch at Mac’s is free for all Kiwanis members. Please meet at Blackhawk Golf, August 21st, for a 9a tee time.
Glenn Disrude and Steve Skelly spoke upon Aldo Leopold Buddy Benches. The gentlemen met with the Janesville school district leadership, who are 100% supportive. The 17 schools will each relay how many benches they would like.
Dale Henning spoke upon the Fort Atkinson Kiwanis group’s event, brats, this weekend.
The Janesville Lions Club Chicken Roast tickets are on sale now, at https://janesvillelions.org/chicken-roast/ .
Ryan Lewis introduced the day’s speaker, Steve Skelly. Steve is a well known, newer Kiwanian. He heads up Aldo Leopold Buddy Benches, is a resident (weekly) joker, and known for the Kiwanis golden tumblers. Steve has spent a great deal of time working with the Catholic church to hopefully see Brother Joseph Dutton receive sainthood.
Steve gave recent and new information about the project to bestow sainthood upon Brother Joseph Dutton, including a greater look at Brother Dutton’s history.
Dutton was once a fireman. The chief commented he was, “one of the best water pumper on the engine.”
In 1999, before the USS Missouri was retired, they took it past the Hawaiian peninsula, to respect him, and read a passage.
In the military, Dutton’s commander kept a diary. It includes such entries as when the December freeze forced Dutton’s unit to cross the frozen Lake Michigan.
The presentation included many photos. Some were jagged cliffs and black sand shores, too hot to walk on. The mountain above was 6,000 feet down and contained 27 switchbacks. It is no longer traversable due to private ownership.
United States president Calvin Coolidge wrote Dutton’s official obituary. Several times, including on the front of the Wall Street Journal, Dutton was announced deceased, only for it to be in error and retracted.
J P Cullen’s family were neighbors and wrote Dutton letters. They originally babysat him as a child.
The Rockford Catholic bishop recently filed an alleged miracle in Rome, supporting Dutton’s sainthood. It was noted, to become a saint, two miracles must be verified.
The many new documents should soon be on the Brother Joseph Dutton website, for viewing.
In 1060, an order was started named the Knights of Lazarus. Anyone whose faith follows the Nicene Creed is eligible to join. Steve Skelly and the Knights have long supported Dutton’s sainthood.
Brother Joseph Dutton spent 44 years of his life, without his military pay, in Hawaii.
Ryan Lewis thanked Steve Skelly for speaking.
A short announcement was made about the broken boards at the pier on Kiwanis Pond, including photographs.
Roger Willeford adjourned the meeting with a ring of the bell at 11AM.
Reminders: Please purchase the speaker’s books on Brother Joseph Dutton.
Minutes by Ryan Lewis.
Credit: Dave Figi, 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.
On this day:
1945 Atomic bomb dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima by the US B-29 Superfortress “Enola Gay”
1990 The UN Security Council imposed economic sanctions on Iraq, ruled by Saddam Hussein, for its invasion of Kuwait four days earlier.
2007 American baseball player Barry Bonds hit his 756th career home run, breaking the record set by Hank Aaron.
This is Farmworker Appreciation Day
This is National Fresh Breath Day
