sEPTEMBER 16, 2026

Proposed Membership Dues Structure — Member Vote

The proposed membership dues restructure is now ready for a vote of the club. You may cast your vote in either of two ways:

• Vote electronically by completing this Google Form [click here]
• Vote in person at our September 28 club meeting.

The new structure includes multiple membership tiers, with different dues levels designed to better align the cost of membership with the way members participate in and support Kiwanis. The proposal also eliminates the current Base membership.

Please review this document showing the proposed membership tiers and dues amounts before casting your vote. Each member should vote only once, either electronically or in person on September 28, 2026 at our next meeting.

Electronic voting will close at 1PM September 28, 2026.

Thank you for participating in this important decision for our club.

Bob Bahnsen introduced the 20th Head Coach in Illinois State Men's Basketball, Ryan Pedon, who is entering his 5th season with the Redbirds.  

 

In 2025-26 he helped lead ISU to its longest postseason run in program history, advancing to the semifinal round of the 2026 NIT held at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The team's 23-13 record gave the program 20+ wins in two consecutive seasons for the first time since 2008-09 and 2009-10, while becoming just the fifth coach in program history to record back-to-back 20-win seasons.

 

Prior to joining the Redbirds, Pedon had spent five seasons at Ohio State after joining the staff in the summer of 2017. In his time with the Buckeyes, OSU has a record of 106-53 with an NCAA tournament berth during each of his seasons in Columbus, with two trips to the NCAA second round. 

 

Pedon played college basketball at the College of Wooster, where he was a three-year letterwinner and helped the Fighting Scots to three NCAA Tournaments and three North Coast Athletic Conference regular-season championships. In 2000, he won Wooster's prestigious "Bear Award".  He received his bachelor's degree in communications from Wooster in 2000 and a master's degree in sport organization from Miami (Ohio) in 2002. He and his wife Stephanie have a son, Maddox.

The success of the Men's Basketball team has been on an upward trajectory, and they look to build off of that success.  The program has 3 primary goals:

1. Become the standard of excellence in the Missouri Valley Conference.
2. Become a program on the national stage. 
3. Accomplish achievements that have never been attained before. 

The Redbirds have set a team GPA record with a 3.71 average. 

Coach Pedon is excited about this year's teams, and updated the club on the roster, schedule, and program outlook.  

The Redbirds start practice on September 20, with the "Ballin' on Beaufort" event on October 7, and first exhibition game at home on October 18 against Northwestern.  The regular season opens on November 2 at St. Mary's.  

For more information about Illinois State Men's Basketball, click here. 

On September 14, we inducted two new members.  Please welcome Melissa Juvinal with the YMCA, and Gabe Matherly with the Bloomington Bison to the club! 

Scott Seibring:  Scott presented the proposed slate of officers and board for the 2026-2027 Kiwanis year. 

 

Continuing Board Members:

New Board Members:

Board Member Terms Ending October 1:

The club will vote on this slate at the next meeting on September 28.  

 

Sonya Weber: Sonya is working on finalizing the committees for the next Kiwanis year.  If you're interested in a specific committee, please contact Sonya. 

 

Bob Starckovich: Bob took an honor flight to Washington DC, and he wants to thank all of the Kiwanis members for their support of this opportunity.  

 

Alyx Merritt: ISU Circle K is meeting on September 14, and there are other Key Club meetings upcoming.  If you'd like to attend these meetings, contact Alyx.  

 

Kathleen Lorenz: The board has proposed new membership tiers for our club.  She brought physical copies of the proposed changes.  A vote on these changes will take place at our meeting on September 28. 

Illinois-Eastern Iowa District

Kiwanis International

Kiwanis International Foundation