Dianne Kowalski, past president of the Munster Junior Woman’s Club, has been giving back to her community for years. She got her start with the club when her children were little and has been with the organization for a total 27 years as of today.
The Munster Junior Woman’s Club is an organization where a group of women come together with the goal of improving the community.
“We do everything from helping the police department to the fire departments. We also do Meals on Wheels, and we raised money for hospice just to name a few,” Kowalski said.
A big influence in Kowalski’s life when it comes to helping others and giving back to the community has always been her family.
“I am one of eight children,” Kowalski said. “Growing up in a large family, everyone helped each other. It was only natural that when I got married at 19 years old and started my adult life that my husband and I would help others.”
Being a mother of two, Kowalski passed down her passion for helping and impacting the community to her children as well.
“I think part of it is leading by example and knowing that every little bit helps,” Kowalski said.
Kowalski has volunteered for Meals on Wheels along with her father-in-law for 15 years and also dedicates her time to the Choice Community Council. The Choice Community Council’s mission is to educate the community on violence, drugs, and gangs and to keep the community safe and clean.
Despite Kowalski’s jam-packed schedule, she enjoys hobbies such as sewing, making glass flowers out of plates, and especially cooking.
“I love to cook, I love to eat,” Kowalski said. “I’ve always loved to cook, entertain, and feed people. I love doing the cooking shows, and I make videos and post them on Facebook.”
Through her love for cooking, Dianne and her husband started a Pampered Chef business that has been going strong for 37 years.
“We've always been cooking and when I started with Pampered Chef, it's given me an opportunity to show people that the kitchen is the heart of the home.”
Throughout her years of working with Pampered Chef, Kowalski and her family have even gotten to travel.
“Pampered Chef has sent us to Hawaii five times and also to England,” Kowalski said. “Our kids are very lucky that they have traveled with us many times over the years. Now that they're older, they say, ‘Mom, it’s expensive to travel.’ But that's what I work for.”
Apart from her passion for cooking, Kowalski’s hope is to get more people back in the kitchen.
“It just amazes me how many people don’t know how to cook; Give me a frying pan or cast iron pan with a little bit of butter and olive oil and some chicken, and you'd be amazed what it tastes like,” Kowalski said.
Kowalski shows that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible and everyone can make a difference.
“Everyone's got 24 hours in a day,” Kowalski said. “There’s a lot that you can do if you just slipped something in your day to help others. Just be kind and never give up on what you want to do.”