Elmer joined the Kiwanis Club of Jennings as a Charter member on April 26th 1956 when he was a 24 year old appliance store manager. In 1957 he was elected Club Secretary; in 1958 he became Vice-President; and in 1959 Elmer was elected Club President. Also in 1959 he began to take on additional responsibilities outside of the Club: he was elected Secretary for the years 1959-60 of the Kiwanis Children’s Dental Foundation of St. Louis, an organization started by the St. Louis Kiwanis Clubs in 1935; In 1958-59 and 1962-63 he served as Vice-President of the Kiwanis Children’s Dental Foundation of St. Louis. And, for the years 1958 through 1962 Elmer served as Member at Large of the Board of Camp Wyman. In 1962 he served as Lt. Governor, Division 6; then Governor-Elect, Mo-Ark District, in 1963, and in 1964 Elmer became Governor of the Mo-Ark District of Kiwanis International..

To show the kind of leader Elmer was, when he was with his class of Governors prior to 1964, each was asked to pledge a number of increase in membership in their Districts during 1964. Elmer was asked to pledge an increase of 325 members. He pledged 650, and they all couldn’t believe it possible. But by the end of August he had an increase of 863 in membership, and 22 new clubs! The Mo-Ark District was leading all Districts in Kiwanis International in both the number of new clubs built and increase in membership. In addition to these Kiwanis Clubs the District added 7 Circle K Clubs and 4 Key Clubs. By the end of the year, 26 new clubs were added and the previous record of 25 new clubs built in 1946 by Gov. George Kirk was surpassed.

Elmer continued to help build clubs as he also joined other clubs closer to where his work was: the Downtown Club, the Glen Carbon, IL Club, and finally the Kiwanis Club of Bridgeton on December 11, 1986. He also became a Life Member of Kiwanis May 14, 1979. He has also served in special capacities for Kiwanis International such as Corporate Donations for the Iodine Deficiency Disorders and recently as a Trustee of the Kiwanis International Foundation, to encourage more members to provide larger donations to the Foundation. Elmer has been supported throughout these years by his wife Bernyce and daughter, Kathleen.
ELMER AUSTERMAN
CELEBRATES 50 YEARS In KIWANIS


Past Governor Arnold Zimmerman: Spoke about the fact he was in the Navy and everyone knows Elmer was in the Marines.

Past President of the Kiwanis International Foundation and Past Governor Gene Englehardt: He mentioned that Elmer always fought for the Mo-Ark District. But Gene also told the story that the Bridgeton Club gave Elmer a Hixson, and then Elmer wanted to give one to Bernyce that Gene arranged to be given at a convention, and from that point Elmer’s commitment and involvement at the International level increased.

Past Governor and past Secretary/TreasurerPheeze Kemper: Pheeze joined Kiwanis the year Elmer was Governor, and one of the things Pheeze remembers him for is head of the PAC, (Political Action Committee), and his desire to make that work. Elmer is also the largest contributor to the Kiwanis International Foundation.

Lyle Downs read a message from International Trustee and Past Governor Pete Mihelich that essentially said Elmer is well-known for his service and accomplishments.

Lt. Governor Alma Smith brought comments from John Oberman a person who knew Elmer most of these years, worked with him at Mercantile Bank and told the story about a man holding Elmer up and Elmer got a shot in his leg from it. And John said he is envious of Elmer’s success in life and proud of Elmer’s achievements.

 

And perhaps the highlight of the program was a message from Kiwanis International President Steve Siemens in which he commended Elmer for his commitment to the Iodine Deficiency Disorders project in which Elmer donated a large sum of money as seed money to get more donations from corporations. And then Elmer’s donation of a million dollars to the Kiwanis International Foundation, again to be seed money to encourage similar donations by other Kiwanians. Steve closed by saying Elmer is an example of what people can do, and an example to all of Kiwanians of being generous with his time, and how all this is really making a difference.

Mo-Ark District Secretary/Treasurer David Green presented Elmer with a plaque from the Kiwanis Club of Bridgeton recognizing his 50 years of service and leadership in Kiwanis.

Till Fehrenbacher, President of the Kiwanis Club of Bridgeton presented Elmer with the two volume books of Kiwanis history, signed by everyone at this meeting.

And we would be remiss if we did not mention Elmer’s closing remarks in which he thanked everybody for coming to this tribute, and thanked his wife Bernyce for her support throughout both his Kiwanis and business life and thanked her for their 56th wedding Anniversary last November.