Sunshine's History

Our Institution:

The following Ladies served as Officers the day of our institution:
Marhsal: Mrs. Geraldine Stettar (the first MA)
Mistress of Ceremonies:  Mrs. Ruth Jackson
Supreme Inspector & Instituting Officer:  Mrs. Hester Kohlmer
Instituting Marshal:  Gretchen Gurstenau, GWA
Instituting Chaplain:  Patti Moorad, JPGWA
Instituting Recorder:  Karen Neudecker, GWAA
Instituting Musician:  Chris Samel, Grand Faith  (future MA)

The opening & initiation of the Assembly was done by officers from Friendship Assembly #100, Bensenville Assembly #32, & Florence Nightingale Assembly #10.  Pamela Sims served as Worthy Advisor.

We had 26 girls receive their obligation.
 

The Early Years...

• Sunshine Assembly was instituted on August 26, 1972
• Phyllis McCluskey Titus was the first Worthy Advisor installed on that day.
• Our first Mother Advisor was Geraldine Stettar who served through 1973 where Mrs. June McCluskey took over in 1974 until 1979.
• Mrs. McCluskey has gone in and out as MA serving a total of 9 years as MA along with Mrs. Wehrli who served for 9 years.
• Mrs. McCluskey also served as our Grand Deputy after Mrs. Renda for 8 consecutive years.
• Our first Grand Deputy was Carolyn Quinlan (we were put in with a district) who served until 1974.  Mrs. Marie Renda took over as our Grand Deputy until 1984 (because of her appointment as Supreme Deputy).  Mrs. Renda was our longest serving Grand Deputy.
• Sunshine Assembly's First appearance at Grand Assembly was in 1973 where Phyllis McCluskey served as a Grand Page at large and Becky Hausten gave the ode to the Illinois Flag.
• Phyllis was then appointed as Grand Representative of Rhode Island. (Our FIRST ever Grand Appointment!!)
• Phyllis was also our first Grand Cross of Color Team appointment as the Sister of Vision.
• Our first Grand office and elected Grand Line Office was Phyllis’ sister Karen McCluskey, who was elected Grand Faith.

Assembly Level

• 76 PWA’s
• 97 Installations
• 7 different Mother Advisor’s (Geraldine Stettar, June McCluskey, Marcia Morehouse, Sandra Bengston, Muffin Long, Chris Wehrli, Pamela Trinco)
• 5 different Grand Deputy’s (Carolyn Quinlan, Marie Renda, June McCluskey (none for 8 years), Lynne Smith & Chris Wehrli
• Pamela Schmidt and her two daughters: Veronica Spitzer and Tori Spitzer are the ONLY mother & daughters to have served in Sunshine assembly as WA
• There have been 13 pairs of sisters that have served as WA
• There has also been one group of three sisters that have served as WA

• Sunshine girls have been elected/appointed every Grand Floor office with the exception of Grand Treasurer.
• 3 GWA’s (Caroline McClellan, Carrie Becker and Victoria Wehrli), 2 GWAA, 5 Charity, 2 Hope, 4 Faith, 1 Recorder, 1 Chaplain, 3 D.L., 3 Love, 1 Religion, 2 Nature, 2 Immortality, 1 Fidelity, 1 Patriotism, 2 Service, 3 C.O., 1 O.O., 1 Musician, & 1 C.D.
• Most common grand office is Grand Charity with five…: Jan Jurgens, Caroline McClellan, Ginny Wehrli,  Lisa Mueller and Rose Yaguchi.
• One Grand Historian (Lisa Mueller)
• Every state represented except 7 (CT, FL, GA, IN, LA, MS, &OK)
• The most common states represented are Iowa/Minnesota with five representatives: Barb Dutton, Rebecca Karales, Kelly Macauley, Lorali Brigante and Rachel Israel.

• Most common Grand Cross of Color Team appointment is Sister of Victory with 6...(Kristi Ford, Muffin Goodman, Caroline McClellan, Grace Yaguchi,  Carly Miles & Rose Yaguchi)
• All Grand Cross of Color Team offices except Keeper of the Door and Crown Bearer have been held by Sunshine girls.
• 4 State Dean’s of the Grand Cross of Color Team (Beth Fields, Ginny Wehrli, Liz Furgat and Vicky Wehrli)
• 6 Grand Pages for GWA (Laurie Eaglesham, Tammy Channic, Casey Jarman, Colleen Smith,  Tricia Kuhrt & Becca Fisher), 10 Grand Pages for Grand Line Officers (Tracie Cady, Rebecca Karales, Ginny Wehrli, Grace Yaguchi, Carrie Becker, Jill Clouse, Margie Kuhrt, Vicky Wehrli, Allison Leonard, Cullen Johnson), 3 Grand Pages at Large (Phyllis, June Morello, Beth Fields)
• 8 Chairmans/ Co-Chairs of the Grand Pages (Jan J., Tracy J., Teresa C., Ginny W.,  Grace Y., Carly M.,  Margie K. and Cassie F.)
• 7 Chairmans/Co-Chairs of the Grand Hostesses (Phyllis M., Jodi U., Jennifer W., Caroline M., Carrie B., Rose Y. and Vicky W.)
• 3 Grand Pages for Supreme (2 for Mrs. Kohlmer Debbie Cozad & Jane Eberhart), 1 for Mrs. Renda (Lisa M)
• 4 Rainbow Girls of the Year (the most any assembly from Illinois has ever had) Jeanine Lentini, Jan Jurgens, Teresa Carson and Allison Leonard!

• One Acting Supreme Worthy Advisor ( Vicky W.)
• One Cavalcade of Flags Representative (Caroline M.)
• 2 Supreme Choir Members (Caroline M. & Lisa M.)
• 2 Supreme Skit Representatives. (Grace Y. & Carrie B.)
• One Supreme Page (Carrie B.)