Club History

In 1990, Steve Hanna, who was then serving a term as Cosmopolitan International 2^nd Vice-President, decided to try forming a new Cosmopolitan club in his hometown of Lawrence, Kansas. Hanna had relocated to Lawrence in the late 1970’s, and had joined the Lawrence Luncheon Cosmopolitan Club in 1981. Moving up the Cosmopolitan ranks, Hanna served terms as both Lawrence Luncheon Club President and Mo-Kan Federation Governor in the 1980’s. In 1989 he ran for and won International office, which at the time was a five-year commitment to the organization. As an International officer, Hanna felt he had a mandate to start a new Cosmopolitan club. Lawrence already had two Cosmopolitan Clubs, the Luncheon and Breakfast Clubs. Hanna saw a need in the Lawrence community for a club that would serve those individuals and couples who wanted to participate in a civic organization, but found it difficult to attend the weekly breakfast or luncheon meetings which most civic clubs offered at the time. Thirteen people attended the first of several club organizational meetings, most of which were held at Hanna’s home. The seeds for a new Cosmopolitan club were being planted.

On June 23, 1990, the Lawrence River City Cosmopolitan Club was officially chartered, with a banquet and dance at the Lawrence Holiday Inn Holidome. Charter night was attended by 24 club members and several dignitaries, including Cosmopolitan International President Larry Heim, Mo-Kan Governor Larry Benton and Lawrence City Manager Mike Wildgen. On that night, Dennis Hoss was installed as the River City Club’s first president, and accepted the club’s new charter from the International President Larry Heim.

The original charter members of the River City Club included: Gary & Susie Bartlett, Bob & Carol Boncella, Roy & Marilyn Chaney, Jim & Linda Clark, Jim & Janet Durkin, Steve & Kathy Hanna, Kevin & Cindy Harmon, Dennis & Deanna Hoss, Bob & Diane Hughes, Tommy & Denise Johnson, Mike & Diana Klopfenstein, Brian & Joni Lawrence, Rick & Marsha Nickell, Bob & Mary Parish, Louie & Carla Pfortmiller, Bruce & Marie Slagle, and Doug & Ginger Wehner.

The club’s first monthly dinner meeting was held on August 2, 1990, at the Plum Tree Restaurant in Lawrence. Excerpts from the first edition of the club bulletin, the River City Review, include … “following dinner, and prior to the evening’s business meeting, Club President Dennis Hoss entertained the group with some fascinating facts about the Pentagon and the Panama Canal. At the conclusion of the meeting, President Hoss asked for the telling of jokes. Mike Klopfenstein told one that got a few more giggles than the groaner told by Dennis.”

The River City Club wasted no time becoming involved in the community. In August 1990, the club participated in its first fundraiser, selling slices of watermelon at the Douglas County Fair. Club members manned their watermelon booth over a 5-day period, selling a total of 18 watermelons and netting a profit of less than $2.00. What the club lacked in profits during their first fundraiser, was more than made up for in enthusiasm, as club members got to know each other better and learned to work together towards common goals. The River City Club’s second fundraiser, held later that same month, consisted of selling refreshments at the Lawrence Luncheon Cosmopolitan Club’s garage sale fundraiser. This event was also held at the Douglas County Fairgrounds and proved more profitable than our first fundraiser. The club raised $70.00 selling cookies, iced tea and coffee over a 5-hour period, which was much improved over making less than $2.00 selling watermelon slices over a 5-day period! The River City Cosmopolitan Club was on its way!

Two additional fundraisers were held during the River City Club’s first year of operation. In December 1990 and January 1991, club members manned a concession stand during four Kansas University basketball games and made $377 for the club treasury. In February 1991, the club organized and hosted the “Guys & Dolls Fashion Show” at the Lawrence Holiday Inn Holidome. A total of 143 tickets were sold to the event, which featured both male and female models, and raised over $900 for the club.

The first local organization that the River City Cosmopolitan Club helped fund from our early fundraising efforts was BOLD (Blind Outdoor Leisure Development). The BOLD program organized annual Colorado ski trips for visually impaired children and young adults. For several years, Mary Gordon, the coordinator of the local BOLD program, presented a program each year at a monthly club dinner meeting. The club opened its heart to this program and donated $2,300 to help fund it between 1991 and 1996.

In March of 1991, the club decided to have some fun and entered a float in the Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Club members and their kids spent many long hours preparing their float entry, which was on the flat bed of a semi-trailer truck. The hours were well spent as the entry took first place honors in the parade. The River City Club was awarded two plaques (the Judges Pot-O-Gold and Grand Leprechaun Awards) and a June 8th bus trip to a K.C. Royals baseball game for forty-five people (the Royals lost to the Chicago White Sox, 14 to 7). It is important to note that the River City Club repeated as champs of the Lawrence St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1992, with another first place award and another trip to a K.C. Royals baseball game.

At the club’s second inaugural, which was held on August 17, 1991, at the Lawrence County Club, Tommy Johnson was honored as the club’s first “Cosmo of the Year” recipient, and Denise Johnson was installed as the club’s second president. In its first year, the River City Cosmopolitan Club had grown to 54 members strong. It had been a lot of work, but we also had a lot of fun along the way!

Throughout the club’s history, many types of fundraisers and money-making ventures have been tried. A second “Guys & Dolls Fashion Show” was held in 1992, club members worked at a Taco Grande concession stand at K.U. football and basketball games (until getting fired), the club has sold holiday pumpkin rolls and has held garage sales, ham & bean dinners, and wine tasting events. One of the more successful fundraisers in the club’s early history was the construction of playhouses in both 1992 and 1993, with donated labor and materials, which were then displayed at local merchants (Dillon’s Food Store in 1992 and Wal-Mart in 1993). The club accepted donations for chances to win the playhouses. Our first “Dream Playhouse” raised over $5,000 for the club and the second raised $7,500.

On May 24, 1996, the club held its first annual “River City Cosmopolitan Club Diabetes Golf Classic.” A total of 21 teams and 36 hole sponsors participated in the clubs initial attempt at a golf tournament fundraiser. Total proceeds for the 1996 golf tournament, which was held at the Lake Shawnee Golf Course in Topeka, were in excess of $4,000. The “River City Cosmopolitan Club Diabetes Golf Classic” is held each May on the Friday before Memorial Day. After a successful seven year run at the Lake Shawnee Golf Course, the tournament was relocated to Lawrence’s Alvamar Public Golf Course in 2003. Our 2004 golf tournament, which fielded 34 foursomes and raised nearly $16,000, has proven to be the club’s most successful fundraiser to date. The 2004 tournament was also memorable because River City Club member Bud Stagg scored the tournaments first ever hole-in-one.

Having fun has played an important role throughout the River City Cosmopolitan Club’s history. Club members have supplemented their monthly dinner meetings with many types of social events through the year that have brought members together. Some of the events that members enjoy participating in are Kansas City T-Bones baseball games, pig roasts, dinner theater, road rallies, pub crawls, bowling and family picnics.

The River City Cosmopolitan Club is proud of the Cosmopolitan International and Mo-Kan Federation leaders that have emerged from its ranks. Our club founder, Steve Hanna, served as Cosmopolitan International President in 1992-1993. Susie Bartlett served as Mo-Kan Federation Governor in 2002-2003. Kevin Harmon has served two terms as Mo-Kan Federation Governor, the first in 1996-1997, and the second in 2003-2004. Kevin will also serve as Cosmopolitan International President in 2005-2006.

Although the River City Cosmopolitan Club is relatively young in age, our brief history shows that its club members truly believe in the goals and ideals of Cosmopolitan International, “Unity, Service & Action”.

To be continued …