Change is inevitable so this week Kiwanis passes the torch as a new president was chosen to lead the Germantown Kiwanis Club into 2024. It was the last time that outgoing president Joletta Kerpan would reside over the weekly meeting of the Germantown Kiwanis. After four years as president for Germantown’s Kiwanis Club organization, she was leaving big shoes to fill. Luckily, in a last minute decision, Tom Barney, Kiwanis member representing the Germantown Schools, accepted the role of President of Germantown Kiwanis for the next year 2023-2024.
Kerpan had taken over the Kiwanis Club at a time when it was enjoying a high profile in the Germantown Community. They had just put finishing touches on the Gehl Performing Arts Pavilion in Firemens Park, a project that they had been working on for over ten years. Kiwanis is also known in Germantown, Wisconsin as the club that puts on events such as the 4th of July (which has since been taken over by the village) and Breakfast With Santa. They also are a main supporter of community events such as Maifest and Octoberfest.
But soon after taking office Kerpan found she was supervising remote meetings and Zoom meetings because of Covid. Those were difficult days to keep an organization together. Kerpan was the main reason the Germantown Kiwanis was able to keep functioning during the pandemic.
Leaving such “big shoes” was a little daunting for remaining Germantown Kiwanis members to fill. So Tom Barney, a Kiwanis member who represents the school district within the organization, stepped up to take over as president. In a unanimous vote the Kiwanis Club members approved him as president at the September 13, 2023 meeting.
Barney will use his extensive knowledge of meeting procedure to lead the Kiwanis Club meetings. The club meets twice a month on the second and fourth Wednesdays at 7:30, usually at the Germantown Library.
