Who We Are
Valparaiso Sunrise Kiwanis
Our group was formed in 1988, the first year women were admitted to Kiwanis. It was the idea of George Nash (food service director of VHS) and Lonnie Steele (school principal), noon club members. Several of their fellow school principals could not attend noon club, so they had this Sunrise idea. That is why there were so many educators in our club. We first met at Brown's Ice Cream, Valpo Velvet. Mr. Gordon Brown fixed us a nice breakfast even though they did not open for breakfast. We have met at several locations thru the years, but this is the 2nd time to meet at Chili Bowl!
Kiwanis International
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time. Our members develop youth as leaders, build playgrounds and raise funds for pediatric research. We help shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, mentor the disadvantaged and care for the sick. Working together, members achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone. And along the way, club members share friendship and laughter.
Did you know Kiwanis currently has 240,000 members? View Fact Sheet_Kiwanis.pdf for more information about our Kiwanis Family.
Valparaiso Sunrise Kiwanis Board 2018-2019
George Vrabel
President
Larry Dankoff
President Elect
Current Board Members
Ingrid Miller
Brett Furuness
Jim Martz
Ken Watson
Sheri Gow
Darcy Scully
Mary Corso
Recognition of 2017-18 Board Members
Terry Larr
Sandy Keammerer
Ken Watson
Larry Dankoff
Sheri Gow
Connie Westerhausen
2018-19 Board Installation
Larry Dankoff
Sheri GowConnie Westerhausen
Mary Corso
Ingrid Miller
Darcy Scully
Recognition of 2017-18 Officers
President
Past president/Advisor
Secretary
Treasurer
Larry Dankoff
Sheri Gow
Connie Westerhausen
Two-Year Term
One-Year Term
Larry Dankoff
477-0039
dankoff1525@gmail.com
Sheri Gow
242-9617
s_gow@comcast.net
Connie Westerhausen
462-1390
cawester1@comcast.net
Board of Directors
Terry Larr
465-1344
tllarr58@gmail.com
Sandy Keammerer
462-8447
dnssk@frontier.com
Ken Watson
508-5227
cawatson@frontier.com
Mission & Vision
KIDS NEED KIWANIS
Kiwanis helps kids around the world. Local clubs look out for our communities and the international organization takes on large-scale challenges, such as fighting disease and poverty. We are generous with our 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
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.
The Kiwanis Vision
Kiwanis will 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.
Kiwanis Service
Service is at the heart of every Kiwanis club, no matter where in the world it’s located. Members stage approximately 150,000 service projects and raise nearly US$100 million every year for communities, families and projects. By working together, members achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone.
A FAMILY OF SERVANT LEADERS
Kiwanis clubs focus on changing the world by serving children, one child, and one 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 adolescents; Key Clubs for teens; Circle K clubs for university students and Aktion Clubs for adults living with disabilities.