Anniversaries of 75 years for AWANA International and 50 years for local AWANA Club to be celebrated at First Baptist Church in Waukon this Thursday

AWANA International is celebrating 75 years of ministry to children this year. It was begun by Art Rohrheim as he taught children in his neighborhood of Chicago. In the 1980s AWANA grew to international venues and today reaches 9.3 million children each week.

AWANA is an international youth organization that provides a weekday program open to youth from churches of all denominations. The name AWANA is taken from II Timothy 2:15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

AWANA does not promote the doctrine of any specific church or denomination but rather gives priority to the Bible as the Word of God. The vital Scripture verses on salvation and Christian growth are the heart of all AWANA achievements.

First Baptist Church formed its AWANA Club October 27, 1976 under the leadership of Pastor Dan Larson and Commanders Lee and Ruth White. Others who were involved in this early ministry were Stan and Joyce Fuchs, John Ahlstrom, Larry Gelo, and Geraldine Kerndt. There were 16 clubbers in grades 3-6 that made up the first Pals, Pioneers, Chums and Guards Clubs.

Sparks Club for grades Kindergarten through second grade was added in September of 1982 with Larry and JoAnn Gelo as Directors. They met in the Horizons Room at city hall for several years before meeting in the church at its former 201 Allamakee Street location.

Currently, First Baptist Church is at 614 Rossville Road and has added a Cubbies Club for preschoolers, two years before Kindergarten, and a Puggles Club for two- to three-year-olds. They meet every Wednesday evening, 6:15-8 p.m., September through April. Average attendance is 55 clubbers and 30 leaders, helpers and listeners.

Besides learning and coming to understand God’s Word, in 1995 First Baptist AWANA became missionaries themselves as they became involved with Adopt-A-Club and helped to support a club in Bangladesh. Since then the program has become GO, Global Outreach, and through contributions of $10 quarter tubes and Verse-a-Thon the local AWANA group supports clubbers in South Asia each year. In 2023 the opportunity to put AWANA in school curriculum in Africa nations became available and the local group took up that challenge also.

Clubbers have continually enjoyed a Parent’s Night Cook-Out at the beginning of the AWANA year in September, a Sparks party and T&T bowling party in February, and AWANA Sunday in March. The annual Grand Prix car race is held the first Wednesday night in April and an Awards Night ceremony the last Wednesday night in April to finish the year with award ribbons and trophies.

Numerous awards for memorization work have been earned over the years as displayed on recently updated award plaques. But more importantly, many Bible verses have been memorized and lives changed through the ministry of AWANA clubs.

March 22, AWANA Sunday, the First Baptist Church will celebrate all this and other achievements over the years with a church service in which clubbers will be participating with their flag ceremony and pledges from 10-11 a.m. An Open House with refreshments will follow at 11 a.m., along with the sharing of memorabilia, pictures and recollections of those years (and maybe some fun surprises).

Fellowship is offered to all interested or involved in AWANA in any way. An invitation is extended to current and former clubbers, their families, and the community to join the event at First Baptist Church, 614 Rossville Road, March 22, from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.