March 1, 2011

President: Mardy McGarry Secretary: Dennis Ansay Treasurer: Carol Boehle

262-284-5813 262-284-0592 262-284-6677

mardymc@portkiwanis.net dansay@wi.rr.com garysautosolutions@sbcglobal.net

Foundation President: Foundation Secretary: Foundation Treasurer:

Jim Olson Brad LaDuc Paul Ehrlich

262-208-0976 262 284 0735 262-284-2590

movinkids@yahoo.com leducfam@sbcglobal.net perhlichsrschirk@aol.com

The Wait Was Worth It

Bureaucracies by definition are a hierarchy of administrators and petty officials.

Mark and Ingrid Pfeiffer remarkably conveyed no distain for the bureaucracies they dealt with in both the birth countries and in the United States when they decided to adopt. In the early spring of 2004, they contacted a local agency experienced in international adoptions.

The agency presented several countries and the Pfeiffers chose to adopt from Russia .

That summer they started the paperwork and identified a baby they would adopt. All the paperwork was in the possession of the Russian agency by July. After several inquiries and little response from Russia, word finally came that the baby would no longer be available for adoption.

In January of 2005, they switched from Russia to Guatemala. All the paperwork had to be completely redone and submitted to the Guatemalan adoption agency. In April, they were approved and shortly thereafter they identified a newborn boy of interest. Using photographs from Guatemala, they with the help of their Doctor determined the little baby looked healthy and the process was started.

By August of 2005, they were in Guatemala to meet the now 4 month old little boy. A second trip was required and they had to spend 5 days there gradually letting him get used to them before they could take him home.

Countries were starting to shut down adoptions and the Pfeiffers decided if they wanted a second child they had to start right away. So in 2006, the started the process to adopt a daughter. At the end of May of 2006, they found their new daughter. In July, they went to meet her and in March of 2007 they went back down to pick her up.

The Pfeiffers have met other couples who have adopted from Guatemala. Through these meetings they found Julia has a half sister now living in Madison.

The frustrations of dealing with the bureaucracies was worth it.

The kids are doing great. Eric is a super active kindergartner and Julia is a happy preschool baby.

Bowling for Kids Sake

March 11^th at 7:30 pm a team of bowlers headed by Carol Boehle and consisting of Gary Boehle, Karen Oleski, Ralph Hess and Jerry Wiskow quaff their first beer, strap on their shoes and roll that big ball at those distant pins.

The objective is to have fun and raise money for Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Ozaukee County. So even if you are not bowling, come and support the team. Each member has committed to raise $75 in pledges so please consider helping with your dollars.

Nut Crackers

Jerry finally got help cracking the walnuts he will be using for Week of the Young Child.

Ralph, Robin Lee and Brad stayed after a meeting to help and enjoyed some comaradery.

Jerry, while cracking a walnut at Christmas, remembered as a kid how he used to make boats with the walnut shells. With a good half shell, he would put a drop of wax in the bottom and stick a toothpick in it and cut out a sail.

A Letter from the President

Thanks everyone for the great attendance we have been experiencing! We have had some great programs..thanks to your efforts, with many more to come.  Our meeting on the 8th will be sharing information regarding the web site Patch.com, which is a local news site. Our very next meeting on the 22nd of March will be a program presented by our newest member, Derek Strohl.  Derek has been the driving force behind a new community garden.  You won't want to miss this program! 

Don't forget to consider offering auction items for building our club funds. Perhaps you even would like to suggest auction items for services, such as cooking, cleaning, babysitting, baking, grocery shopping, oil change, ??? We all have something to offer!  

Week of the Young Child is quickly approaching.  I hope each of you are planning where you will be helping.  This event has become one of our "signature" activities.  Our tentative schedule looks like this: Monday: dinosaurs. Tuesday: boats. Wednesday: gardening. Thursday: Saukville preschool in charge? Friday: aeronautics? Saturday: egg hunt.

If you are leading one of the nights, you need to identify your needs for: assistance, materials, story for sharing.  Please have this information available by our March 8th meeting if at all possible! 

Mardy 

COMING EVENTS

March 8 6:30 pm Regular Meeting Patch.com

March 11 7:30 pm Bowling for Big Bro Big Sis

March 22 6:30 pm Regular Meeting

April 5 6:30 Not a regular meeting night, Easter Egg Stuffing at Tellos

April 11 – 15 Week of the Young Child

April 16 Easter Egg Hunt

May 7 Cleanup of Beach Migratory Center (Squires) prep for Honors Banquet

May 10 High Honors Banquet Speaker Ashley Tikkanen

July 6 – 10 Kiwanis Convention Geneva, Switzerland

Sept 23 -25 Key Leader Camp Wawbeek at the Dells WI

Program Assignments for 2011

March 8 Lee Bourdow

March 22 Nicole Bulow

April 12 Mardy McGarry

April 26 Keith Burich

May 10 Bob Koch

June 14 Jeff Callies

June 28 Robin Depies

July 12 Mike Ehrlich

July 16 Garry Boehle

July 26 Paul Ehrlich

July 26 Sally Schirk-Ehrlich

August 9 Ralph Hess

August 23 Marvin Huiras

September 13 Barb Kobishop

September 27 Brad LeDuc

October 11 Karen Oleski

October 25 Jim Olson

Greater Port Washington Kiwanis Club sponsors:

Boy Scout Troop 837

Cub Scout Pack 3837

High Honors Banquet for graduating seniors.

Badger Boys State

Badger Girls State

Week of the Young Child

College Scholarships

Safety Town

Big Brothers Big Sisters

Children’s Hospital

Food Pantry

 
 
 
  Editor: Jerry Wiskow jwiskow@portkiwanis.net

.