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Matins Kiwanis met Thursday morning at 6:30 a.m. in the Salvation Army building located at 107 W. State St. Don Feld stood in for Steve Bolar as the Greeter for the first 23 arrivals. After the Pledge of Allegiance, Clyde Evers gave the Invocation. Token fines were paid by Bolar, Jeff Rasmussen and Paul Heckman and Happy Dollars were donated by Sue Beurskens, Andy Schwandt and Rasmussen, with free Breakfasts won by Larry Kester and Schwandt.
Alan Hilleman was awarded a plaque for his Distinguished Service for the Year due to all the extra duties he accomplishes throughout the year. Fred Bayer will be heading up the Toys for Tots this year, Beth Stillwell will be the new Program Chair and Bolar volunteered to be Co-Chair of the Funnel Cake trailer next year along with Schwandt. Discussion was raised on the option of a Food Truck versus the current Funnel Cake trailer with further review provided by a committee. The Matins voted to keep weekly programs continue through the winter months, even when many members are gone for the winter. It was brought to the floor the option of combining the Noon, Evening and Matins Kiwanis Installation of Officers next fall. Funnel Cake trailer clean-up will be next Wednesday afternoon at 5 p.m. before being stored for the winter.
Program Host Feld introduced Katie Hoyle from her new facility in Altoona housing one of the four Iowa Donor Network campuses in Iowa. The Mission Statement of the organization is “Work together to transform lives through organ and tissue donations.” Nationwide, there are 22 people that die every day that were awaiting an organ transplant with 597 Iowans currently awaiting a donor. Nationwide there are 81 organ transplants performed every day that include the lung, liver, kidney, pancreas and small intestine. Other body parts that can be donated include tissue, corneas, skin, bone, blood vessels and cartilage. Registering to be a donor can be accomplished easily when obtaining your Driver’s License, but all ages are eligible to donate. Organs must be transplanted within 24 hours versus corneas and many tissues can actually be saved for a month or more. There are no costs passed on to donors for all of the medical procedures that occur and no donation is considered without complete permission given by family members or the Power of Attorney.
Many questions were raised and answered and the meeting was adjourned by President Tammie Frederick.