Kurtz joins Kiwanis Club

Teresa Kurtz of Community Options in Jamestown was inducted as a new member of the Jamestown Kiwanis Club at the April 16 meeting.

Twenty Kiwanis and two Key Club members were present.

Kurtz is a second-generation Kiwanis member as her father was also a member. Kurtz, along with President Tim Burchill and Secretary Kenrad Peterson, intend to begin an Aktion Club in Jamestown.

An Aktion Club is a service club for adults with disabilities, with more than 9,000 members worldwide.

Kiwanis clubs serve as Aktion clubs’ sponsors.

Kurtz said she hopes to pass along Kiwanis to a third generation, as her son, Nick, is already anxious about joining the Jamestown Aktion Club.

Kurtz joins the Kiwanis’ roster of about 35 members.

Katie Ryan-Anderson introduced speaker Tim Brenner, executive director of Crystal Springs Baptist Camp.

Brenner said he began his work with Crystal Springs as a child when he attended sessions there in the summer. The camp, located about 40 miles west of Jamestown, is where Brenner met his wife, Eliza while the two served as summer staffers. Together, the couple live at the Crystal Springs camp with their 7-month-old son, Jackson.

CSBC began in 1954 as part of the North American Baptist Conference of Churches. The churches felt they wanted to minister to the families in a new way, Brenner said, and built several camps throughout the country.

Back then, the chapel wasn’t much more than a pole barn with a saw-dust floor. Air conditioning was non-existent and rumor has it, dishes were washed in a nearby lake, Brenner said.

Today, the camp serves 4,000 people a year including children at summer camp as well as family gatherings, and quilting and scrapbook retreats.

The camp’s mission is to create and environment that people can be renewed through Jesus Christ.

Members were reminded to sell tickets for Pancake Day, which lasts from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, May 7 at the Knights of Columbus Hall. Tickets are $8 per person, $22 per family and $4 for children ages 6-12. Children pre-school age and under are free. Tickets are also available at the door.

The Wine & Cheesecake event featuring the musical talents of Alexis Barnick raised more than $2,500 for Kiwanis International’s ELIMINATE project. The Kiwanis Club in Jamestown seeks to raise $5,000 per year for four years in hopes of saving the 160 babies who die from maternal and neonatal tetanus each day. The money raised supports the purchase of tetanus shots, which cost $1.80 per person.

Kiwanis members were reminded to wish Charles Krebs a “Happy Birthday” as he turns 50 this month.

Claudia Jacobson collected “Happy Dollars.” Wes Hart led the singing.

Kent Horton will introduce Scott Larsen from Sanford Health at the noon meeting April 23 at the Lantern Room.

Tags: community, clubs