Fort Atkinson Club & Community Center Holds First Annual Joan Jones Spirit of Service Award

The Fort Atkinson Club and Community Center held its inaugural Volunteer Appreciation Event on Sunday, April 27, 2025, attended by an estimated 35 people. A news release provided the following information.

The event honored a remarkable group of individuals with the inaugural Joan Jones Spirit of Service Award. Honorees were Ann Engelman, Cynthia Holt, Joan Jones, Jill Kessenich, Rachel Nelan, James Nelson, James Vance, and Lee Jahnke - individuals who embody a spirit of service who have shaped the Fort Atkinson Club and Community Center into the gathering place it is today.

Joan Jones Spirit of Service honorees and family members. Seated, L-R: Katie Vance Whitten, Jill Kessenich, Joan Jones, Rachel Nelan, Ann Engleman, Jamee Vance Briggs. Standing, L-R: Cynthia Holt, James Nelson, and Peter Vance. Not pictured: Lee Jahnke.

James Vance, a Spirit of Service award recipient at Sunday’s Spirit of Service event, was honored in remembrance. Mr. Vance, known by many in Fort Atkinson as a local attorney, had practiced law in the city for 63 years. The Fort Atkinson Club and many local citizens extend gratitude to his children (pictured above) - Katie Vance Whitten, Jamee Vance Briggs, and Peter Vance – for remembering their father through the Fort Atkinson Club which their father was so much a part.

“The contributions of these individuals have been instrumental in restoring the Fort Atkinson Club and Community Center’s historic space and creating the invisible structures that sustain a thriving nonprofit. More than a decade ago, they imagined a hub where people could come together for arts, learning, and wellness experiences - the very heartbeat of a vibrant community. They envisioned the Fort Atkinson Club and Community Center as a space for connection and belonging, where people could come together across differences to strengthen their ties to Fort Atkinson and each other,” according to the news release.

“To have a spirit of service means approaching life, and especially work, relationships, and community, with a mindset rooted in generosity, empathy, and a sincere desire to uplift others,” said Fort Atkinson Club and Community Center Executive Director Megwyn Sanders-Andrews. “It’s not just about doing good deeds; it’s about being someone who instinctively looks for ways to make life better for those around them. We are proud to celebrate the spirit of service of our founders and proud to continue their legacy today,” stated Sanders-Andrews.

Following the award event, the Fort Atkinson Club hosted a performance by the Wingra Wind Quintet, one of the very kinds of programs our founders dreamed of bringing to life.

Owned by the 501c3 nonprofit, Rock River Heritage, Inc., the recently renovated Fort Atkinson Club is an independent, multi-purpose center serving the community, neighbors, and visitors to Fort Atkinson. An iconic landmark in Fort Atkinson, this historic downtown hub along the Rock River provides people of all ages and backgrounds a place to come together through education, arts, wellness, business, community events, and other fun activities while showcasing the history, culture, and heritage of the Fort Atkinson area.

Located at 201 South Water Street East, the Fort Atkinson Club was listed on the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places in December 2016.

Special commemorative plaque designed especially for the Sunday Service Award event, showing developmental phases of the Fort Atkinson Club over the course of 102 years, from initial construction in circa 1913 through completed renovation in 2015.

Members of the Fort Atkinson Club also extend special gratitude to an anonymous donor whose generosity helped make the event on Sunday possible. Additional special appreciation is also expressed to Alan Goldberg, Beth Gore, Mary Jones, and Kay Udey for their time, creativity, and generosity as members of the event committee.