Klubers Mem

NAME: REX STANLEY
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former KID'S KLUB DIRECTOR!

MEMORY: As I was enjoying the blessings of my 90th birthday these two cards caught my attention. Clint Ansteth , while reading the Mendota newspaper on line said, I know that man from Kid's Klub when I was a boy in camp at Muscatine. I took the gift of salvation and I am living for the Lord in the food business in Florida. Lorraine Johnson and sisters came to know the Lord and so thankful for KK's ministry. She remembered this God said it, Jesus did it, I believe it, and that settles it.. Those years in KK's with the two wonderful ladies of my life, Geneva and Arlene as co-workers stand out in my memories. I also give thanks to the men that followed through with the burden they had to start a children's ministry in IL. Thanks to Ruth and Lillie, Rene and Lynn, and all who have had a part in 55 years of giving the Gospel.

NAME: EVELYN RAPP
CONNECTION WITH KIDS KLUBS: Current Office Volunteer& Intercessor,
former teacher at Amboy, Sublette and LaMoille

MEMORY: It's a real blessing to be able to help as a volunteer for the Kids' Klub Ministry, as well as to pray for all the Klubbers and teachers involved. I go back over 40 years. During early times, I was a parent of Klubbers, and furnished cookies for treats. Soon I got involved as a helper at Klub, and my children went to Kids' Klub Camp. I continued to teach when my girls went into high school. I taught for over 25 years in three different Klubs. Starting in Sublette, then helping out in Amboy, and finally the last 16 years at LaMoille, working with Betty Brown, Joe Jacobs, Sue DeLong, Sally King and Jane McClintock.

NAME: BETTIE SWANSON
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Office Volunteer and Intercessor

MEMORY: I feel so blessed to have been one of the volunteers at Kids' Klubs office in Malden since 1998. Along with cutting, laminating, sorting, counting, coloring, etc., I have found a group of wonderful Christians who have become my dear friends. We have enjoyed two little ones, Ellen Jacobs when she was small, and Trent Schafer this year. Over the years I have seen some great teenagers working as Summer Interns. They bring hope to these troubled times. Oh, I've even won some awards. So, I thank my God for allowing me to be part of this wonderful organization.

NAME: HELEN HOLTZMAN
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former Teacher and Intercessor
from Ottawa

MEMORY: We remember the little country house where Aunt Lillie and Aunt Ruth lived. It had only 3 or 4 rooms. I first taught Kids' Klub at Birdia Erickson's. Elvera Dial was the teacher (Beth had gone to heaven). I later taught at the Detention Home with Dottie Weavers and then at Harriet Peterson and; much later at Grace Baptist Church. How scared I was in the beginning. What fun we had with Ruth and Lillie when they stayed with us. What a challenge when we started painting backgrounds at Utica Baptist Church. I wouldn't trade those days and memories for the world.

NAME: JEAN FOX
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former Wyanet Klub Director

MEMORY: As I think back about the years that I was involved with Kids' Klub, it is a flood of memories. I think of the faithfulness and dedication of the volunteers who help prepare the lessons, those who worked on remodeling of the Malden house of course, Rene and Lynn, who coordinated it all with a smile on their face along with words of encouragement. The faithfulness and commitment of my co-leaders was tremendous and always an encouragement. Our church family was very supportive thru their prayers, treats for Klub and financially. And of course, memories of the kids! Some quiet and shy, some VERY active, some familiar with God's Word and some who didn't even know what a Bible was, but we bonded together in our quest to learn God's Word and to walk in His ways. It was a real blessing for me to be involved and I was always excited to learn and tell the weekly stories, my favorite part. I pray for the continued success of the Kids' Klub program.

NAME: PATTY HOPKINS
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former Child Klubber, Klub
Teacher and Current Grandparent of Klubbers

MEMORY: I think I was eight years old when our Klub started in Wedron. We met in the parsonage basement. Our teachers were Burnette Smith and Laura Doogan. Mrs. Doogan used to invite us all to come to her house every week to make crafts. Out in her front porch she had shelves of hundreds of rubber molds. We used the molds by filling them with plaster of paris. When they cooled, we pulled off the molds, and then painted the objects. All the times we were making our crafts, Mrs. Doogan was sharing Christ and reminding us of Christ's love.

NAME: BEVERLY LARSON
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Longtime friend, and current
Intercessor and helps on workdays.

MEMORY: In July 1960 I was involved as one of several counselors at a Camp-Out headed by Mrs. F.C. Zimmerman involving the Junior Sunday School Department of the Wyanet Congregational Bible Church. This Camp-Out was in a timber and we slept in tents. This was considered rough camping with 22 boys and girls Friday through Sunday. The Sunday closing service featured “The Aunts” of Kids' Klubs -- Miss Lillie Nooks and Miss Ruth Attebury.

NAME: REV. PAUL BARBER
CONNECTION TO KIDS KLUBS : Former Klubber in Buda, Teacher at several klubs including Leaf River, and Parent of a klubber

MEMORY: I have many fond memories of attending Kids' Klub in the basement of the old Bunker Hill Church & from teaching Kids' Klub in Leaf River, Illinois, El Dorado Kansas and Hazelton, Pennsylvania. The best one was one night in El Dorado, Kansas. My four year old son, Joshua, always sat quietly on a front row corner chair while I taught Klub to older kids. We reviewed the O.T. books, and I asked if anyone wanted to try saying the books by themselves. No one volunteered to try until Joshua quietly said, “Daddy, I can say them.” And say them he did! Both the Old and New Testaments without hesitation or mistakes! I was shocked and proud as I could be.

NAME: YVONNE BOGGUESS
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former Klubber

MEMORY: We went to church at least three times a week, and my mom (Eloise Green) and her best friend, Dorothy Dickinson, fed us with Kids' Klub every Thursday. I can honestly say that my spiritual training, which is vast by today's standards, came from Kids' Klub. Mom had seven children and Dorothy had six. A little aside; Mom died about seven years ago and Dad married Dorothy ( my new mom)! That's so cool!

NAME: HELEN RAPP
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former Teacher, Camp Worker in
Sublette, Also former office volunteer and Intercessor

MEMORY: My wife's association with Kids' Klub goes way back to when Aunt Ruth and Aunt Lilly were leaders. She taught Kids' Klub and helped in many ways. I'm sure she could write a book about her experience with Kids' Klub.

NAME: LARRY RAPP
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former Camp worker, office volunteer and Intercessor. Larry cut out all the pieces of the “Gooney Bird” for one of
our camp crafts!

MEMORY: My early connection with Kids' Klub was in helping my wife Helen in being able to go to camp, at Muscatine, IA. We had a motor home that I would set up for her and others to sleep in for the week. There were once or twice that I spent the week at camp, what a vacation. Later on when Rene and Lynn were leaders, Helen and I would go to Malden to help in remodeling the house for Kids' Klub. Later on Helen and I went to Malden to help as volunteers. What great fellowship we had with the others. Where would Kids' Klub be without volunteers. Praise the Lord.

NAME: JACK FROST
CONNECTION TO KIDS KLUBS: Longtime friend and wife, Dorothy
taught Kids' Klub in Marseilles

MEMORY: Back in the late 50's three women, Dorothy Frost, Stella Gaddis and Mona Foster started the first Kids' Klub in Marseilles. They did this for many years, leading many children to the Lord. These children have grown up to be adults, after all it was 50 plus years ago. Aunt Ruth and Aunt Lillie were in charge. Dorothy and Stella have gone home, Mona I don't know about.

NAME: CLINT ANSTETH
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former Klubber and Camper

MEMORY: At Camp, I still remember the song we would sing before going in to eat, “Onward Christian Soldiers”. Also, I can remember the Bible drills and the rush of adrenaline to find the verse and be the first one to recite the first three words.

NAME: CYNTHIA ROSINSKI
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former Teacher at Mendota

MEMORY: Just recently at the grocery store a young woman said, “Hello”, and I answered her greeting. Then she said, “You don't know me, do you?” Trying to conceal the fact that I did not recognize her at all, I said, “Well…you do look a bit familiar…” She saved me from further fumbling around by telling me her name and explaining that she remembered me from Kids' Klub and VBS at Mendota Bible Church. What a joy that she took the time to speak to me and to share memories from when she was a child.

The first memory of Kids Klub that I have was in the early 1950s. I was a high school student and Aunt Ruth and Aunt Lillie had just begun starting area klubs. I asked if I could play the piano for a klub that was meeting at a Mrs. Underwood's home. The teacher's name was Donna Eisert, whom I knew as a teacher of our time released “religious training” classes at Lincoln Grade School. I do remember playing the piano at one klub meeting, but don't remember any subsequent meetings after that.

In the late 60s, early 70s I met up with Kids' Klub again. Having left Mendota after high school graduation, we moved back into the area in 1968. Our daughter was in first grade and was invited to Kids' Klub at the Art Barker home. Aunt Ruth and Aunt Lillie were excellent camp recruiters and I agreed to try counseling that summer and served in that capacity for several summers after that.

Following that first summer I was a “driver” for Klub, picking up kids from school and dropping them off wherever Klub was meeting. Later on I volunteered to be a helper not knowing exactly what was involved. I learned to lead song time and teach the memory verse by watching June Erickson. I enjoyed listening to the wonderful instruction of Irene Hamilton. We were then meeting at the Jim Polley home. One year we were able to use a school classroom where a music instructor, enhanced the music ministry. Klub also met at the Larry Truckenbrod home for several years. Later, as I learned to use the flannels, I became a teacher with Lorna Zapf, a very gifted helper, teaching the songs and memory verses, which met at her home. Somewhere in there was the wedding of Aunt Ruth and the smooth transition of Uncle Rex and Aunt Geneva into the position of KK directors and later Uncle Rex and Aunt Arlene. I remember the precious prayer times when I would visit prayer warriors Nell and Paul Carroll. Many times I unloaded more of my concerns about the kids than the positive elements, and we would have precious times of prayer. I'm very thankful that God raised up so many others to carry on the work of Kids' Klub to this day.

NAME: ELIZABETH PHILHOWER
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former teacher in Ohio, and Bureau Townshipf.

MEMORY: I taught in Bureau Township for a few years and many years in Ohio. I first helped Doris Bohm and then I taught klub by myself. All four of my children went to Kids' Klub and also to Kids' Klub camp. My grandchildren went to klub and camp, too. Some of my grandchildren have helped with Day Camp and re even helping with Kids' Klub camp

NAME: DORIS BOHM
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former Klub Teacher, Van Orin and Ohio, Current Office Volunteer and Intercessor

MEMORY: As a Teacher - practicing telling the stories using the back of the sofa as an easel with small hands “helping”….loving the children, enjoying their smiles!
As an Office Volunteer - Sharing laughs (and occasional tears) with wonderful Christian friends as we cut, color, count collate, sort, staple, fold and tape!

NAME: DONALD MCCLINTOCK
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former Pastor, longtime friend, and
Current Intercessor

MEMORY: It was in 1953 in my first pastorate at the Oglesby Union Church that my wife and I became acquainted with the Kids' Klub ministry under the first directors, Aunt Ruth and Aunt Lily, as they were known. At that time the Klubs met in the homes of the people of the congregation. Velma Clydesdale, Betty Lou Garner, Betty Plagens and Janet Moore. Some of the ladies of the congregation volunteered to help, and I recall the late Mrs. Thomas R. Clydesdale and Laura Johnson would come at different times. Many flannel painting sessions were held in the basement of the Oglesby Union Church. Each teacher painted her own flannels in those days.

Aunt Ruth was a lady who had strong Christian convictions. I recall one instance that this became very evident to me. In one of their visits to the parsonage to discuss some matters regarding the Klubs with Jane, and as they were leaving, Ruth noticed a music manuscript on my piano having a song entitled “Jesus Smiles.” She made some kind of startling comment to me. I did not have time to preach my sermon “When Jesus Smiles”, but in response to Ruth's comment, I told her to read Matt. 19:13-15 of Jesus blessing some little children. Knowing of Ruth's love for children, and although the text does not say that Jesus smiled, it would be inconceivable that Christ did not have a smile on his face when blessing these little children. My wife and I heard a sermon recently on a Sunday morning, and the subject was on commitment. We can say what a wonderful ministry for our wonderful Lord is the committed leadership of Rene and Lynn Noble, serving as the present directors of 21 Klubs in the Illinois Valley.

NAME: BARB ALLEMAN
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former teacher and prayer partner from Oglesby

MEMORY: I had the privilege to be a teacher for Kids' Klub when it first started in Oglesby. What was so great about it, is that I learned how to tell Bible stories with the beautiful flannel figures which made the stories so alive for the children. To lead a child to Christ was the greatest privilege of all and see them grow in the Word.

NAME: KATHY BOHM
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Former Teacher and Director: Van Orin and Kasbeer; Also served as Associate Director a year and has helped at camp for many years.

MEMORY: I married into Kids' Klub. My mother-in-law was teaching Kids' Klub when I married her son. My husband along with his three sisters had all attended Kids' Klub. I began to help in Kids' Klub then with my mother-in-law as a teacher. I didn't have the privilege of growing up in Sunday school and so all the Bible stories were new to me. I had accepted Christ as a teen and didn't know the Bible very well. In many ways, Kids' Klub gave me back the years I never had. I was mesmerized by what I was learning. Shortly after our first child was born my mother-in-law suggested I be the Kids' Klub teacher and she would retire to the position of babysitting. (What's a grandma to do?) I had the privilege of teaching 29 years. I grew immensely in my own faith because teaching caused me to dig deeper into the stories I was teaching. I became an avid pupil! I had the privilege of working in various positions at camp, as counselor, craft director, Bible teacher, music leader and even directed camp one year. I've had the privilege of being on staff for Kids' Klub, too. The thing I have loved the most is seeing the Bible come alive in the eyes of a child; of seeing a child give their heart to the Lord. I love the thrill they have when they accomplish a goal like saying their books of the Bible or knowing the Bible verses they have put to memory. It's been a joy to watch many of my “klubbers” grow up and continue in their walk with the King. It's been equally heartbreaking to hear how some have walked away from their faith and I pray often that they will remember and return to their King who waits for them. I stand amazed at how God had used the ministry to help not just boys and girls, but many adults who work in the klubs, as well as the ministry it gives retired seniors who labor ceaselessly to help. I marvel at the kids who have come through klubs, and camp and come back to help and become devoted counselors and summer interns. It brings me such joy--I can't imagine the joy it brings the Father!

NAME: ODESSA FONTANA
CONNECTION TO KIDS' KLUBS: Malden office volunteer, former worker with Joe Jacobs at Seatonville Klub

MEMORY: Kids' Klub-Malden- where volunteers gather to attend Kindergarten-most of us are so old, we never went to Kindergarten-so, now we color, cut, fold, laminate and a hundred other things, but most of all we laugh a lot. We enjoy and support each other especially with prayer, trying always to meet Rene's high standards of perfection. “It's for the children, so it must be good.” Problems, Sure we have them, but we have the prayers of all our very special Kids' Klub volunteers. Not the least, we love the children and love serving our Lord in this way.