Pete Hager, with his Division Star Award from Kiwanis, and President of the Devils Lake Kiwanis Club, Lisa Crosby.
Peter “Pete” Hager was recently honored at the Kiwanis District Convention held in St. Cloud with the Division Star Award.
He has been an active member of the Devils Lake Kiwanis Club for 46 years. For the past 15 years he has chaired the French Toast and Sausage Feed, making it the Devils Lake Kiwanis Club’s biggest fundraiser. When he announced earlier this year that it might be his last time chairing the event, “so let’s make it the most successful one of all!”
And they did! Normally the event takes in around $7,000 to $8,000, but this year? They took in over $14,000! That made it the most successful fundraising event of the Devils Lake Kiwanis Club, ever!
And where does that money go? It goes to the children and youth of Devils Lake and the immediate area in the form of grants and scholarship awards.
Hager served as board member more than once and as president of the local Kiwanis Club in 1983 attending the international convention in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that year.
He serves as a faithful volunteer with the Kiwanis Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. He works concessions at the DLHS football and track meets, selling popcorn up and down the stands tirelessly.
He also is the official “Voice” of the Devils Lake Kiwanis on the local radio stations, always promoting Kiwanis and its many activities and fundraisers.
He is also very active in his church, St. Joseph Catholic Church, sings at hundreds of funerals throughout the years. He has been part of many singing groups in the Lake Region and enjoys helping others whenever he can.
Present President of Kiwanis, Lisa Crosby, said, “Pete has been my ‘go-to guy’ for anything Kiwanis related. He is our unofficial greeter and leads our songs during the meetings. He rarely misses a meeting but if he does, we sure miss his strong, beautiful voice. He assists with all our events, never failing to show up smiling and offering a helping hand. He is an unwavering Kiwanis promoter, taking the extra time to visit about why Kiwanis is a great organization to belong to. I cannot imagine a meeting without Pete. He is 80 years old this year, so I hope he has 20 more with Devils Lake Kiwanis!”“
Hager has lived in Devils Lake his entire life. He retired from Job Services in 2008 but he and his wife, Ellen, remain very active in the community.
Kiwanis Club Mission:
Kiwanis’ Mission is recited at each meeting: “Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time!”
Kiwanis Club Values:
“We are passionate about making a difference. Helping kids grow and succeed is at the heart of everything we do. But how we do it is just as important. We believe our neighborhoods and our world are best served when people of all ages and different backgrounds work together to share their time and talents.”
Kiwanis Club Activities:
Adopt-A-Highway — Highway 20, Concessions for DL Football and Track, French Toast Feed in April, Honor Student Luncheon, Devils Run Steak Fry in June, the July 4th Family Picnic Celebration of Independence Day, The Kiwanis Community Thanksgiving Dinner on November 23 this year, Salvation Army bell ringing, The Kiwanis Community Christmas Dinner on Dec. 25 and the Elementary Reading Program in Minnie H, Sweetwater and Prairie View.
The Devils Lake Kiwanis Club was chartered on April 13, 1921. It presently has listed 48 members. It meets every Tuesday at 12 p.m. (Noon) at the White House Cafe in the Holiday Mall. New members are always welcome.
