East Lansing Kiwanis Club Reflects on Local Projects and Global Impact

Sue Petrisin has friends all over the world. 

Petrisin joined the East Lansing Kiwanis Club in 1988, shortly after the club began allowing women to become members. Through her work with Kiwanis, she has remained active in East Lansing volunteer initiatives for nearly 40 years. But that work with the club has carried over to the group’s state and international boards, including a year she spent as the first female president of Kiwanis International. 

While working with Kiwanis International, Petrisin traveled to places like Cambodia, where she helped provide childhood immunizations, and Japan, where she was honored as the country’s person of the day. 

The East Lansing Kiwanis Club has operated since 1949, becoming known for its many community projects like building the Patriarche Park Pavilion and book vending machines the Kiwanis Club recently paid to have installed in all six East Lansing elementary schools.

Kiwanis has more than 7,000 adult clubs in 83 countries. These local clubs address needs members identify in their communities that can be anything from buying a child a bicycle to purchasing accessible playground equipment. Meanwhile, Kiwanis International has launched initiatives to tackle global crises, like raising $110 million to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus, Petrisin said. 

On Sunday, the East Lansing Kiwanis Club gathered at One North Kitchen and Bar to celebrate the club’s work. They were joined by Hope Markes, current president of Kiwanis International, and Eric Stezowski, governor of Kiwanis Michigan. 

Markes, who lives in Jamaica, stressed that the core mission of the Kiwanis Club is to help children. In an interview with East Lansing Info Sunday night, she said during her 27 years with the club most of her work has been helping young people and preparing them to become leaders. 

In addition to the main Kiwanis Club, Stezowski said there are similar Kiwanis groups for grade school and college students. There is also a club for adults with disabilities. 

“All are through that, teaching leadership and teaching community service,” he said. 

Stezowski praised the East Lansing Kiwanis Club’s work, singling out the book vending machines the club had installed. Teachers can give students tokens to receive a book out of a machine for good behavior or on special occasions, like birthdays. The machines can help improve literacy among area children, which is key for long-term success, Stezowski said. 

“Plus they [club members] go and read to the students, they do all sorts of stuff,” he said. 

The East Lansing Kiwanis Club has about 45 members and is looking for more, Petrisin said. The club meets on Mondays at One North Kitchen. Club members also volunteer at events like clothes drives and poker nights Kiwanis holds to raise money. 

Participation of club members varies, with some members only coming to help out at events and not regularly attending meetings, East Lansing Kiwanis Club President Diane Tubbs told ELi on Sunday. 

Initiatives the Kiwanis Club pursues are suggested by club members and other area residents. At the club’s Monday meetings, members vote whether or not to pursue suggested initiatives. 

“It’s basically what the club wants to do,” Petrisin said.  

In addition to carrying out its own projects, the Kiwanis Club supports other area nonprofit organizations. 

Right now, the East Lansing Kiwanis Club is partnering with the East Lansing Zonta Club, a service club that seeks to improve the world for women and girls. The two organizations are working together to provide Thanksgiving meals for 31 families that are currently served by Haven House, a homeless shelter in East Lansing. 

Dawn Pysarchik, president of Zonta Club of East Lansing, said she became aware of Kiwanis Club’s work through individuals who are members of both clubs. She said the groups became partners after Tubbs – who she described as a “dynamo” – reached out offering help. In turn, Zonta Club members volunteer at Kiwanis Club events. 

“It’s a great partnership,” Pysarchik said. “That’s how organizations should be, not just be tubs on their own bottom.”

Visit the Kiwanis Club East Lansing’s website to find out more about the club’s work and how to become a member.