At the Shawano Optimist Club’s 49th installation and awards banquet, held recently at Stubborn Brothers in Shawano, Kristine Rankin was named the club’s Optimist of the Year and Jim Black received the James Leuenberger Lifetime Achievement Award.
In addition, the officers and board members for the 2025-26 year were installed, and members achieving perfect attendance at club meetings and participating in club projects were recognized.
Commenting on the past year in which she served as club president, Robyn Shingler noted that club members had given more than 2,000 hours of volunteer service to the Shawano community and had touched the lives of more than 3,000 area youths.
“You are to be commended for the countless hours you contributed to making Shawano a great place to live,” Shingler said.
In announcing Rankin as the Optimist of the Year, Sandra Carroll, last year’s honoree, said, “Kristine has been an amazing member ever since she joined the Shawano Optimist Club. She is always willing to accept leadership roles, as evidenced by her current role as vice president of youth activities.”
In 2023, the Optimist board of directors established the James Leuenberger Lifetime Achievement Award, which was to be presented to a longtime member in good standing who has contributed greatly to the club. Receiving the award this year was 27-year Optimist member Jim Black.
In presenting the award to Black, Leuenberger said, “Jim has been one of the true leaders of our club ever since he became a member. He has served two terms as president, has served all other offices as well as several terms on the board of directors and is currently the club’s treasurer. He participates in nearly every project and fundraiser. I really believe we would be lost without him.”
Vanessa Rueth, governor of the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan district of Optimist International, installed the officers and directors for the 2025-26 year: President Jim Liesner, Vice President-Fundraising Sandra Carroll, Vice President-Youth Activities Kristine Rankin, Secretary Gail Moesch, Treasurer Jim Black and Immediate Past President Robyn Shingler.
Directors installed were Leuenberger, Troy Edwards, Dan Mauel and Ryan Alexander.
Rueth announced that the 2026 slogan for the district is “Stand tall and face the sun.” She encouraged the Shawano Optimists to be the best Optimists they can be and praised them for 49 years of outstanding service to the Shawano community.
Each year, Shawano Optimist members who achieve a certain level of attendance at club meetings, fundraisers and service projects are given a perfect attendance award. Heading the list is Leuenberger, who has achieved 48 years of perfect attendance.
Others achieving perfect attendance were Ben Elsner, one year; Carroll and Rankin, three years; Shingler, seven years; Liesner, eight years; Mauel and Lorine Raddant, nine years; Edwards, 17 years; Ryan Alexander, 18 years; Michael Sleeper, 25 years; Moesch, 26 years; and Black, 27 years.
The Shawano Optimists meet the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 6:45 a.m. at Farm Inn’ On Main in downtown Shawano. Anyone wanting to learn about joining the club can call Liesner at 715-526-6148 or or715-853-1000 or go to the Shawano Optimist Club website at https://shawanooptimistclub.org/.
