Dana Schirmer -Biography

 

Dana began square dancing in 4-H and belonged to a youth club before becoming a charter member of the Sunflower Steppers club in 1975.  With the encouragement of Bill and Jerry Abbott and friends, he started calling in 1977 and helped create the Shawnee Swingers singles club in 1978.  He later became the club caller for the Kuntry Kuzzins in 1979 and the Top Kans Twirlers in 1985.   Dana and Donna met in square dancing and were married in 1994.  They still call for the Kuntry Kuzzins and Top Kans Twirlers, Plus Squares in Topeka, a Plus Club in Kansas City  and an Advanced workshop group in Topeka. 

He is a past CALLERLAB Board of Governors member and currently serves as the Executive Director of CALLERLAB.  Dana is also on staff at Kirkwood Lodge, Osage Beach, Missouri providing dance entertainment for non square dance families vacationing at the Lake of the Ozarks.   He is the Director for the Kaw Valley Callers School providing caller training sessions for newer caller.  Dana has served several terms in various offices of the Kansas Square Dance Callers Association and the Northeast Kansas Callers Association.   

Dana worked twenty five years for the Santa Fe Railway and retired in 1996 as Manager of Financial Reporting and Budgets.  He then went to work for Heartland China, Inc. as Office Administrator and Controller.  In 2000 he and Donna bought the company and operated it for four years.  They sold the company in 2004.  Donna works for Bartlett and West Engineers in Topeka.  Dana has two daughters and seven grandchildren.

 

Updated 7/27/10