By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Cass County Civitan Club, including many members who have been on board since Aug. 21, 1986, spent a relaxing evening reminiscing Thursday at Dowagiac Lions Club about the first two decades which sped by.
They paged through voluminous scrapbooks which have been maintained since those first pumpkin sales from the Sarabyn patch and dipped into the mesmerizing chocolate fountain provided by County Treasurer Linda Irwin which anchored a long table of finger foods.
President Audrey Sperling was treasurer in the first slate of officers in 1986-87, along with charter President the late Fred Dowsett.
Inaugural officers who returned included Dr. Alan Montgomery, Judy Corak, Charles Sarabyn and Zana Smallen.
Charter members on hand also included Rosanne Dowsett, Joanne Gast and Agnes Sarabyn.
Civitan furnishes social activities for the handicapped – bingo parties, fishing, roller skating, bowling and Halloween and Christmas parties.
Civitan also provides community service projects and works with Special Olympics and other leagues for handicapped athletes.
Club members hold a spring prom every year for about 100 guests.
Civitan sponsors campers to Camp Civitan every June, including 19 last year.
Camp Civitan is a four-day camping experience filled with food, companionship, games, swimming, fishing and crafts.
Civitan organized to help with the 1987 Special Olympics at the University of Notre Dame, which brought together Cass County with the Kennedy clan, including Caroline, Maria Shriver and her husband, now California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and other stars such as Whitney Houston, Don Johnson and Susan St. James.
By 1993 the club received an award from Michigan Special Olympics for being the "Best Area Service Club of the Year."
An auction and mostaciolli dinner has been Civitan's prime fundraiser for the club since 1992.
Each year in February Civitan sponsors a clergy luncheon.
Civitan was the fist national service club to welcome women in 1974.
It started March 17, 1917, in Birmingham, Ala., when business and professional leaders began meeting weekly for lunch.
Civitan was coined from the Latin word "civitas," or citizenship.
Civitan meets on the second and fourth Mondays each month at the LaGrange Township Hall, next to Inn Between on M-62 at 6 p.m.
They share a meal, then start the meeting at 6:45.