2007-2008 Roster – Vallejo Kiwanis Club

1. Levan Akitaya –Sophomore – California Maritime Academy in Engineering Program. A new member in 2007, originally in Circle K.
2. Miko Booker – Joined in 2000. Retired from Home Care Services, now helps husband, Melvin, run a small horse ranch in Vacaville. Serves on committees, when needed. Served as President for 2003 – 2004. Miko uses her creativity and decorates beautifully for every event we can get her to be decorations chair, also makes lovely raffle baskets. She served as a Board Member & Director before moving to Vacaville.
3. Phillip Bowman – Joined in 1962 Served as President in 1969. Is currently Club Secretary, a position he has claimed for about 20 years and we won’t think of taking it away. He has served as a board member & director also. A Retired teacher, Dean of Boys and Superintendent of Schools for the Vallejo Unified School District, Phil is our oldest and longest reining member with more than 40 years of perfect attendance. He is active in everything the club does and attends most meetings except when too sick or on vacation. His favorite hobby is playing golf. He can keep up with all of us even at the age of 84. Phil is presently recovering nicely from heart surgery and will get back to meeting duties soon. Says he just cannot figure out why he has no energy. He and his lovely wife Marie have served this community lovingly.
4. Arnett Davis – New member 2007. Workforce manager for “The House of Acts” Alcohol & Substance Abuse Treatment Program. He speaks to groups community wide about the program and his recovery. He volunteers everywhere he is needed and encourages others to serve the community thru Kiwanis.
5. Sparkle Durio – New member 2007. Senior attending California Maritime Academy as a Business Major. Active committee member working on the Annual Fish Fry & Auction, the Jan. DCM, The 2007 & 2008 Orphanage Drive for CMA’s spring cruise. She is busy everywhere and volunteers for every committee we have.
6. Jade Evans – New member in 2007 – Jade is a student at CMA Majoring in Marine Transportation. Jade also volunteers for everything and is working on everything. Jade plans to use her education in her home country of the Bahamas in return for their sponsorship of her education.
7. Abram (Abe) Garcia – Another New Member coming to us in 2007 from the “House of Acts”. Serves on any Committee he is asked. Is looking forward to handling the Silent Auction for the Annual Fish Fry & Auction where he was a helper last year. He enjoyed it so much he joined the Club so he could do it again. Abe and his crew were a huge help as Huggers and Greeters for the Special Olympics in Yountville in October.
8. Sylvia Harris – Member since 1998 – Retired School Principal from the Vallejo Unified School District. Served as Club President 2002 – 2003, Sylvia serves as a board member & director & helps with all activities & committees when she is in town. Traveling is her favorite hobby. She spends lots of hours tutoring her grandchildren, working with her Sorority and Omega Boys & Girls Club and her Church
9. Mary Henderson – A member since 1999. Served as a board member & director. – She is a Registered Nurse – Enjoys traveling in her spare time. Caring for her granddaughter is #1 treat. Mary’s schedule keeps her from being as active as she would like, however she is there when she can, serving in any place needed.
10. Jim Hollister – Retired MD – Inactive Senior Member
11. Karen Johnson – Joined in 1996. Current President of Club and Division 8 Secretary. Served as Club President for 2 terms -2000 – 2001 & 2001 – 2002. Has served as a Board Member & Director. Served as Division 8 Secretary from Oct. 2002 and is serving currently under Lt. Gov. Diane Brown. – She is a licensed Allstate Agent. Favorite hobbies, sewing, quilting, crafts, reading, and best of all spending time with 5 grandchildren & 11 month old great-granddaughter. Karen loves to attend conventions, serves on many committees, and has picked up a wonderful collection of Kiwanis Pins. ( Thank you Charlie)
12. Scott Kays – Superior Court Judge for Solano County – Member for many years – Served as President in 1980-1981  Inactive for the most part but attends when free from Court duties.
13. Samantha Ligne - New member 2007 – Student at California Maritime Academy – Attends and serves when possible with very busy class schedule.
14. Peter McGroarty, Chief Bos’ain for California Maritime Academy – Advisor to Circle K for many years, Coach of CMA Rugby Team - Coach for Whaleboat Rowing Team. – Organizer & Committee Chair for many years for Vallejo Kiwanis Major Fundraiser – “ Whale-boat Regatta &  Waterfront Festival” in charge of the Boat Races. Assists in organization of Circle K and students who organize the Orphanage Drive, is Chief Bos’ain & instructor on the training ship, Golden Bear, for Cal. Maritime. He took over the work of long time member Bob Ferguson when Bob’s health forced him to retire. Chief McGroarty is recovering from his own health issues but recently has returned to work and hopefully soon to Kiwanis.
15. John Pointer - Member since 1994. President in 2004-2005. Served as a Board Member for many years. Still a very active member of the club serving on committees as needed, after suffering a stroke during his term as President. He returned to regular meetings as soon as he could giving back to Kiwanis for the wonderful wheel-chair ramp built by many Kiwanis friends. It had to be built in 2 days so he could come home and it poured down rain for every minute of that time. John is serving as the Raffle Chair for the Lt. Governor’s since returning to active participation in Kiwanis at the Division & club level. He loves to go to Convention & get all “Jazzed Up” about Kiwanis. His favorite hobby is caring for his puppy, Kiele & traveling everywhere he can convince Karen to take him. John enjoys spending time with all of the grands & great grand, too.
16. Julian Rose – New member 2007 – Julian is a sophomore at CMA majoring in Marine Transportation, he works two extra jobs to support his wife Yuho & family while getting his education, has served in the Navy. Julian took over the job & single handedly made the Orphanage Drive to Danang, Vietnam a huge success in 2007. At the time the Circle K Club at the Academy did not rally back together and he would not let the work for the children fall apart. Julian helped gather the students who are our new members. He is working hard getting the Alumni Association at the Maritime Academy involved with Kiwanis, he works his assigned committee positions to the fullest. He currently also is serving as President Elect.
17. Cory Rossow  – New member 2007.  Mechanical Engineering major at CMA, in his sophomore year also. Cory is serving on the Fund Raising and Finance Committee to get his feet wet in Kiwanis duties. He fills in whenever needed and had a great time with duties at the Special Olympics in Yountville.
18. Dawn Toney Vinson – A member since 2001, served as board member & director. Dawn is a Physical Therapist. She was brought into Kiwanis by Marilyn Nickles, who knew her as a kindergartener when she was the school Secretary at the school Dawn was going to attend. Dawn helped out with lots of Kiwanis events before she was finally able to join. She is a new bride and her new husband, Lonnie, had to be “approved” by her Kiwanis family. Dawn is always available for serving on any committee. Her favorite pastime in coaching youth basketball.
19. Geneva Watts – Member since 1998. Served as Board Member & director for several years. Retired school teacher. Serves on the Solano County School Board. Active in her Sorority and stays busy with her Church where her husband John, is minister. With her busy schedule she works in Kiwanis whenever she can, helping wherever needed.
20. Ralph Williams – Member since 1987. Served as President in 1993 – 1994. Ralph has served as a Board Member & Director for many years, has served on every committee in Kiwanis thru the years, he is always at fund raisers and events prepared to work, usually being the first to arrive and the last to leave. Ralph is a retired high school teacher and vice principal and also recently retired from 10 years of being the Head of the Vallejo Adult School. His favorite pastime is playing golf. He and his wife Yvonne love to travel, playing golf along the way.
21. Darren Wong – Member since 1992. Served as President in 1996 – 1997. Currently serves as Treasurer taking that position after the club lost long time Treasurer and Past President, Bob Carden. Serves as board member and director. Darren is the best Family Dentist in town. His wife Laura is his Dental Hygienist and their daughter, Brianna (age 11) has grown up as a Kiwanis attendee. Darren is studying Bonsai with a Master from Japan. The family travels to Japan as often as possible for both Darren & Laura are getting certified.  
22.  Dennis Yen – Joined Kiwanis in 1981. Served as President in 1983-1984. Had to take a sabbatical from Kiwanis due to job commitments. He then returned to Kiwanis in 2004 after retiring from his Law Enforcement duties. He graciously took over Club President responsibilities as President Elect when John Pointer was unable to perform those duties. He assisted John, then went on to serve as President for two years because no one wanted the job. He currently is Immediate Past President, works hard assisting President Karen with Fund Raising, as Committee Chair of the Fish Fry & Auction and as leader and trainer of our new members from CMA. We couldn’t do it without him. He has pretty much been the glue that has kept us together since returning. Dennis’ daughter, Jennifer, is always there to lend a helping hand. He is very busy acting, doing voice-overs and plays golf as often as possible. He recently traveled to Paris to perform in Amy Tan’s work “Immortal Heart” from the book “The Bonesetter’s Daughter”. He is a great actor. 
23. Charlie Nickles - Member since 1966, served as President in 1975-1976, & then as Lt. Governor in 1995-1996. Charlie is retired from the Vallejo Unified School District, having been principal there. Charlie has served the community as a Kiwanian in so many ways it would take a book to write it down. As Lt. Governor he was part of the Pink Panthers and still wears that loud pink jacket so he doesn’t get lost in a crowd. Charlie is an avid Kiwanis Pin collector, having so many in frames there is no more room on the walls. His favorite pastime is trains, trains and more trains. Train rides – model trains – train memorabilia – train stations, all of it. He has traveled to all sorts of places via trains and Marilyn, too. Charlie is so versed about Kiwanis he is a great mentor to so many newcomers that it is incredible.
24. Marilyn Nickles – A member since 1989, served as President 1995 – 1996 while Charlie was Lt. Governor. Marilyn was so busy installing new members that eventually there were 9 Kiwanis members living on Los Cerritos Dr. We tried to get the city of Vallejo to change the name of the street to Kiwanis Drive. Marilyn has served on every committee in Kiwanis, has been a board member and director since joining, served as youth sponsor to our Builders Club, Circle K, Key Club and continues to be out in the community for one reason or another helping where children need support. She retired from the school district after being secretary in numerous schools for 30 years. Her favorite hobby is writing. She recently published her first book. It is titled, “Keep the Red Dirt out of Your Clean Part”, telling charming stories of her Wyoming childhood. Her book can be purchased at the Naval Historical Museum Bookstore on Marin St in Vallejo. Marilyn and Charlie have traveled to many world cities and throughout the U.S. attending Kiwanis International Conventions. They have been to Nice, Vienna, Toronto, Montreal, Denver, Salt Lake City, Nashville, Indianapolis, San Diego, Dallas and New Orleans, maybe more. 

The Vallejo Kiwanis Club at CMA is enjoying a renewal right now and with our association at CMA we will continue to grow.