Kiwanis Con 21 pg.25
ISSUE NO.18
feeding families pg.17
A Publication of the Texas-Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International
Celebrating Together
Virtual Convention pg. 10
KI-NOTES
August 2021
Join us for the District's Virtual COnvention!
our virtual conventio n will be held on facebook live and youtube
4 Governor's Message 8 News 10 Virtual Convention 14 A Look at Clubs 20 District Content
Contents
Paul Heinz
G
From the Governor
reetings fellow Kiwanians of the Mighty T-O, The Kiwanis year is almost over. The journey has gone by quickly for me and I have had the opportunity to visit with many people across the district either in person or by Zoom. I still have trips planned across the district during August and September and I want to thank those that invited me to be a part of ceremonies and projects. Based on reports the pandemic prevented very few clubs from completing community projects and provide support to youth leadership. We had to think outside the box and try new things, but I believe this showed us what we can accomplish even in the face of adversity. We have gotten over 445 new members since October 1st, but we have shown a net gain of 91. This tells me the clubs are doing a great job keeping the roles clean and providing accurate numbers. We still have a couple of months to attract new members, so keep asking people to join Kiwanis. Marketing and Membership have been working on new programs and providing assistance to all that ask. If you need ideas or help please contact the district. Since this is my last KI Note article as Governor I would like to thank some of the people that make the Mighty T-O the best district in Kiwanis. I am going to keep my list short because otherwise, it could go on for pages. Laura Arnhart and Evelyn Herrera have done a wonderful job running the office during this difficult year and I appreciate their hard work. Marshall Kregel and Susan Hennum have pressed the envelope creating marketing and membership programs and tools. Kiwanis International recognized T-O's marketing and membership were successfully breaking new ground and has contacted both Marshall and Susan to share with them some of our programs and projects with other districts. Scott Kimball served as the district treasurer and provided me excellent council for managing the budget and ensuring our money was accurately accounted for. Dan Collins served as the district secretary and ensured everything was reported to international as required. The Trustees did an outstanding job running the business side of the district while the Lt Governors handled operations in their divisions during these unpredictable times. The Past Governors and District Chairs did a phenomenal job during the pandemic of engaging and helping where needed. I would like to thank Colleen Biggerstaff, John Cano, and the CKI board for the fine job they did keeping clubs engaged. Key Club membership was about half of last year, but you couldn't tell by the impact. The Key Club Board, Kenyon Black, and Kelly Poland did a fabulous job keeping the program moving forward and also adding new Key Clubs in T-O. All of the Service Leadership Program (SLP) advisors did a great job keeping the SLPs engaged in community programs. Last, but certainly, not least I would like to thank each member of the Texas Oklahoma District for showing up during these difficult times and making a positive difference in the lives of our youth and your community. If not for the members, we would have not been successful. I have been discussing the sale of the building in Pantego, Texas for a few months. This was a difficult decision for the T-O District board to make, but the expense was just too great. When we purchased the building we had approximately 12,000 members and we now have roughly 5,700. The money spent on the building could be used better with our Service Leadership Programs or even to help support communities during disasters. The T-O District board would like to thank the Texas Oklahoma Foundation for helping us by agreeing to sell the building. I and the Texas Oklahoma District Board appreciates the continued support of the Texas Oklahoma Foundation and look forward to a long friendly relationship. A plan is in place to retrieve all of the memorial bricks and the bench so we will have them for display at a future location. Don't forget to make your donation to the Texas Oklahoma Foundation and Kiwanis Children's Fund. Be sure to mail your T-O Foundation check to the District office!! Thank you for the opportunity and privilege to represent the Mighty T-O as Governor. I know we will continue to set the standard in service!! Please contact me if you need anything and thank you all for your service. Paul Heinz Governor Texas/Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International (405)246-5972 #KidsNeedKiwanis
817-640-7711
"SALT LAKE CITY – June 26, 2021 – Peter Mancuso of North Bellmore, New York, USA, was elected 2021-22 president of Kiwanis International during the meeting of the 2021 Kiwanis International Council today. The council met to elect officers in lieu of the House of Delegates due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, today, the Council elected Bert West, Divide, Colorado, as 2021-22 president-elect. Both will serve a one-year term beginning Oct. 1, 2021. trustees electedCouncil also elected Katrina J. Baranko from the Georgia District as 2021-22 vice president who will begin her term October 1. She will serve a one-year term. Three new trustees were also elected to the Kiwanis International Board of Trustees. They are Gary S. Graham from the Louisiana-Mississippi-West Tennessee District, Linda I. Lawther from the Michigan District and Dan Leikvold from the Minnesota-Dakotas District. They will serve a three-year term beginning October 1, along with Hope Markes, elected by the delegates at the 2021 Eastern Canada and Caribbean District Convention in Canada and Eliane Ott Scheffer, elected by delegates from the Kiwanis International-European Federation earlier this year..." -https://www.kiwanis.org/news/newsitem/news/newsitem/new-yorker-elected-2021-22-president-of-kiwanis-international
texas oklahoma district
txokdist@swbell.net
Text
https://www.facebook.com/texasoklahomakiwanis
www.txokkiwanis.org
NEW YORKER ELECTED 2021-22 PRESIDENT OF KIWANIS INTERNATIONAL
The first Kiwanis Club in what is now the Texas-Oklahoma District, was officially completed February 10, 1917, at Dallas, Texas, with a membership of 200. Due to the increasing number of clubs across the country members realized the need of setting up the District organization. In October 1918, the Dallas Club selected one of its members to serve as interim Governor of the Texas-Oklahoma District until an organization conference could be arranged. The first meeting was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and on February 10, 1919, the Texas-Oklahoma District was organized.
OUR STORY
P.O. Box 13160, Arlington 76094-3160
McKinney Kiwanis Delivers The McKinney Kiwanis club delivers Meals-on-Wheels every Wednesday and Thursday on the McKinney “Red Route”. The club has delivered this route 2 days a week for over 25 years. Delivery assignments are scheduled by Mary Minnis and published in the weekly newsletter that is written and published by Sandra Williams. This project provides our members an opportunity to serve our community and its senior citizens. What a heart-felt joy to do! Rated a 5 Stary Project by McKinney members…
ICE CREAM TREAT The Kiwanis Club of Sanger helped “top off” National Ice Cream day at the Sundae Stroll!.
INDEPENDENCE DAY McKinney Kiwanis Club displays their “Pride of Country” in the “McKinney 4th of July Parade”.
scholarship recipients The Huntsville Kiwanis Club awarded two Huntsville High School students with $1,000 scholarships.
DONATION Huntsville Kiwanis Club donated $10,000 to the Josey Scout Lodge, Inc. Their local Boy and Girl Scout Lodge is having a capital campaign to raise $100,000 . They made their donation and issued a challenge to any other club in Huntsville to match or beat their donation.
OUR DISTRICT KIWANIS TEXAS-OKLAHOMA DISTRICT
Disc golf course Chris Cook created this video for the Jones Kiwanis Club about the Kiwanis Disc Golf course by the park. Look for another Kiwanis Disc Golf tournament during the Jones Old Timer's Day festivities. (October 2, 2021)
Donation Huntsville Kiwanis Club donated $10,000 to the Josey Scout Lodge, Inc. Their local Boy and Girl Scout Lodge is having a capital campaign to raise $100,000 and we made our donation and issued a challenge to any other club in Huntsville to match or beat our donation)
WELL DESERVED The Conroe Noon Kiwanis Club congratulates Michael J. DeGeorge Memorial Scholarship Winners from Lake Creek HS, Caney Creek HS and Covenant Christian
Our District Convention is being held online.
Virtual DCON
roaring into service
he Texas Oklahoma District Convention has been changed to a virtual convention this year to accommodate our members who still cannot meet in public and may not be able to do so by August. We totally understand the frustration about not being able to meet in public but are working hard at establishing some in-person events to take place in the fall and winter. We are planning an awesome "virtual" event with activities, videos, guest speakers, and news from around the district. It will be a 1-day event which will take place on Saturday, August 7th, and you will be able to watch the speakers and activities either on YouTube or on a video channel on our district Facebook page. We have an awesome day planned for the district and everyone can tune-in and watch the events either on their computer, phone or smart-tv. We have guest speakers from around the country, visits from our Key Club and CKI governors, cool little videos provided by clubs around the district, a memorial service for our members who have passed this last year, and an installation of Pastor Brad McKenzie as our incoming Governor for 2021-2022. There will be news about upcoming events and some short educational sessions too. So, we hope everyone will join us and have fun with this great program!
virtual dcon
1 day virtual event
Live on Facebook and Youtube August 7, 2021 @ 8 AM - Noon & 12:30PM - 3PM
8:00 AM - MEMORIAL SERVICE 8:30 AM - CONVENTION BEGINS 9:30 AM - SHORT FORUM 11:00 AM - SPECIAL SPEAKER NOON - LUNCH 12:30 PM - SLPS 1:30 PM - DISTRICT BUSINESS REPORTS 2:45 PM - RETIREMENT/INSTALLATION OF DISTRICT OFFICERS AND BOARD
Featuring Guest speakers
Art Riley
Kiwanis Int'l President 2020-2021
Kiwanis Int'l Trustee / Counselor
Gary Cooper
OTHER SPEAKERS INCLUDE: Governor Paul Heinz Governor Elect Brad McKenzie Key Club Governor Lillian Thai CKI Governor Bobby Serda and more!
Clubs continue to engage with their communities to support them through difficult times.
A Look at Clubs
Belton Kiwanis recently finished presenting 14 Citizenship Awards to one 5th grader at each BISD Elementary School and one 8th grader at each BISD Middle School. The recipients are chosen by the staff at their respective schools, based on the students’ demonstration of respect, responsibility, friendliness, and helpfulness. They display a positive attitude, find ways to help without being told, and help no matter who is watching or even if no one is watching. The award is presented at the end of the year awards assembly in front of their peers and the parents. It is recognized as a prestigious award, the only award presented by an outside organization..
Belton Kiwanis club Citizenship Awards SUBMITTED BY Rhonda Hershey
Woodlands Kiwanis club Brothers’ Love Bear Project SUBMITTED BY Daniel pruett
When there is a need for kids, the Kiwanis Club of Abilene steps up. Three years ago, we became aware of such a need. The Abilene Independent School District provided free meals through the summer for students. However, the program was to end three weeks before the start of school, and the return of the meals. The Abilene Hunger Coalition, the summer before, set up a small number of sites to provide meals during that gap. It worked well, and they planned to expand to more than a dozen sites the next summer. The Kiwanis Club of Abilene steps in. We volunteered to provide volunteers and funds for one of the sites, the North Mockingbird Lane branch of the Abilene Public Library. We filled 75, 2-hour shifts feeding kids and their families. The Hunger Coalition prepared the food at Highland Church of Christ, and we transported it to the library site. That first year, we served several hundred meals. Last year, we volunteered to take on a second location, Shining Star Fellowship Church. Combined with the library site, we served nearly 2,000 meals. A dozen locations served more than 8,900 meals in the three-week period. This year, the Coalition has dropped the Shining Star location and picked up All for One Missions Church on the city’s far west side. This will be the first time we will have served that portion of town. The Kiwanis Club of Abilene is taking that site. So between the church and library locations, we will provide 120-140 shifts and as many as 300 hours of volunteer service. You know, this is what Kiwanis is all about.
The Houston Chronicle shines light on Woodlands Kiwanis Club's Brothers’ Love Bear Project. To support this project please visit https://woodlandskiwanis.com/brothers-love-bear-project/.
Abilene Kiwanis club feeding families SUBMITTED BY Charles Kirkpatrick
Kiwanis Club of Bartlesville Fishing Derby SUBMITTED BY Konrad brandemuhl
Kiwanis Club of Bartlesville 2021 Miniature Golf Sunfest Showdown Tournament SUBMITTED BY Konrad Brandemuhl
Since 1951, the Club has been hosting a children’s fishing derby at Jo Allyn Lowe Park for ages 3 through 12. After a weather cancellation earlier this year, the event was held Sat. June 12, 2021. Kiwanians (left to right) Jim Swezey (leading), Lents & Gayle Prendergast, Jeanette Miller, Waymond White, and Konrad Brandemuhl (not pictured) volunteered for the event. Additionally, Boy Scout Troop 6 assisted with measuring the fish for the event. The event had 49 children participants and over 100 fish were caught.
Bartlesville SunFest is an annual Arts and Entertainment Festival held the weekend after Memorial Day, June 4th-6th at Sooner Park. Bartlesville Club extends our Sooner Jr. Miniature Golf hours and features a Sunfest Showdown Tournament. Preliminary rounds are held Fri., Sat. and early Sun. and the top competitors are invited for a Sun. afternoon playoff round. 5 youths (age 8-12) competed in the playoff as well as 5 young adults (13-17). 7 Adults participated in the adult classification including a celebrity guest Steve Witting, who is visiting the area as part of the cast for Martin Scorsese’s Film “Killers of the Flower Moon”.
Support for the T-O District of CKI Submitted by John Cano
The CKI District Board is smaller than in past years but ready for the opportunity to rebuild and reunite the district so more service can spread across college campuses and communities in Texas and Oklahoma. In order to reduce expenses for the board and maintain the benefits of working together in person, we'd like to ask that any Kiwanians or friends in the district with a second/vacation home with 4-5 bedrooms consider donating the space to us for the weekends of October 1-3, 2021 and February 4-6, 2022. We'll keep it tidy and will pay any associated cleaning fees. Our board members are clustered in the Interstate-35 corridor between Austin and the DFW area, so travel to the far edges of the district would be a challenge, but they could be interested in a destination! You can learn a bit more about our Executive Staff here: https://www.txokcki.org/district-leadership/executive-staff Also, be on the lookout in August/September for outreach from the district for the annual Leadership Fund giving campaign. By donating at least $150 to the district, individuals and clubs can be recognized as Leadership Fund supporters who are investing in the board's development and work across the district. Member dues alone can't support the CKI district's activities, so the generosity of Kiwanis is always greatly appreciated! Please email AdminJohn@txokcki.org if you have any suggestions.
District Content
More content from the Texas Oklahoma Kiwanis District.
Marketing Strategy Worksheet for Clubs Submitted by marshall kregel
We encourage you to share this at a club meeting! Give your club 10 points for each. 80 to 100 points is a very healthy club! 50 to 70 points are usually average. Less than 50 needs help. Call us!! Recent survey of town leadership to determine important service possibilities? This survey opens doors to new members too. Demographics – has this changed and has your club adapted? Partnerships – does the club establish partnerships with other agencies or non-profits and do joint service and share joint publicity? Business networking – do you help your members expand their business reach and offer networking opportunities to potential members? Fundraising – Are your programs still effective? Do you need new fund-raising ideas? Do you take credit cards or Venmo on your social media, emails, website? Social media – website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Next Door app, community Facebook pages, partner Facebook pages, email lists, press releases, YouTube acct, newsletters. Are these up to date? Do you need help in getting any of these established? BTW, your Key Club can get service hours for helping you establish these connections to your audience. It all helps kids. Your district marketing/PR team can also help you get some of these going. Legacy media – This means “paper” and TV/Radio. Are you sending articles to the local paper? Do you have a relationship with your local town newspaper or magazine? We will help you create short videos too! Would you be interested in helping to build a new club in a town next to you? If so, your membership team can really help here. And it’s a win/win for existing clubs because it brings a lot of visibility during the build of a new club. SLPs reviving? Establish new ones? We can help you build or revive a Key Club or K-kids or other children’s program. Some programs really suffered during the pandemic. Is your club working on reviving any SLPs? Signature project – Is it still relevant in your town? Is it time to look for new programs? New members bring new ideas. It’s ok to listen to new ideas and invite some change in older clubs. If your signature program still works, give yourself 10 points. Your district website www.txokkiwanis.org has a great marketing and PR section with lots of good articles. Plus, Kiwanis International has a section of great free material for clubs at www.Kiwanis.org/brand You can also contact Marshall at mkregel@hotmail.com for special assistance.
Kiwanis Con 21 Submitted By Courtney Fallway
For Sale! Wait, what? TO District & TO Foundation
What a treat to be back in person in Salt Lake City! The in-person attendance may have been small, but the Kiwanis fervor was as strong as ever. The conference kickoff was host by Captain “Sully” Sullenberger. He shared his experience on that fateful day in the Hudson and all the pieces of his life that lead up to his success in the face of disaster. He shared one of his favorite quotes about courage: doing what’s right even when it’s not convenient. Different this year from the recent convention was summit instead of workshops. Rather than spending 45-60 minutes per topic, attendees were to commit to three hours per subject, one per day. Seasoned convention-goers had mixed feelings about this change, but lessons were still learned in each education block. The first round of workshops focused on membership, club improvement, community service, and fundraising. We were reminded that the world needs solid Kiwanis clubs to ensure the longevity of the service leadership programs (SLPs) and the future leaders they foster. Governor Spencer Cox welcomed us in the afternoon session. He said that involvement in Kiwanis brings out the best in us. Rachel Giannini talked about the impact that our work with preschoolers can have on the rest of their lives. The evening closed with a party at the Gallivan Center, complete with food trucks, trivia contests, and dancing. Friday morning greeted us with an inspiring presentation by Kevin Carroll. He told us the pandemic has shed light on a sixth stage of grief: finding meaning. He challenged us to commit to one random act of kindness a day. Every member, every day – imagine the impact. The second round of workshops targeted youth leadership and protection in person and money, education and literacy, and young children online. Leaders from Circle K International and Key Club International shared what their boards have done lately and how their respective organizations have impacted their lives. Be on the lookout in the August Kiwanis Magazine and online for Homecoming resources to pump up your SLPs! Kiwanis staff also encouraged us to pursue membership from the pool of SLP parents in our communities. The afternoon involved a speech from the 2021 World Service Medal recipient Steve Young and a presentation by Survivor winner and Grassroots Soccer founder Ethan Zahn. Young spoke about the spirit of abundance and seeking the healing of others. Zahn reminded us that we’re all survivors for a very short time and that Kiwanis is the ultimate alliance. Day three started with the diversity, equity, and inclusion summit. One speaker advised us to stop saying we’re all connected and the same; instead, celebrate our differences and individuality. On the other side of the convention center, officers were elected in the Kiwanis International Council. The newest trustees in 2021-2022 will be Gary Graham, Dan Leikvold, and Linda Lawther. The 2021-2022 vice president will be Katrina Boranko, working alongside President-Elect Bert West and KI President Peter Mancuso. We received updates about the Kiwanis Children’s Fund in the afternoon, and we cheered for the gold medal signature service project winners from the Philippines and Jamaica. The affair concluded with a barbecue buffet and entertainment by Larry Gatlin and Lorrie Morgan. What’s next? On to Indy! Stay tuned for more trivia, planning tips, and convention details for the 2022 Kiwanis International Convention and beyond.
Yes, the property housing the Texas-Oklahoma Kiwanis District Office at 3010 W. Park Row Dr., Pantego, Texas is being put up for sale. The topic is complex and has a lot of moving parts so this will likely be the first of several articles that will be used to socialize this subject. The Texas-Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International (District) and the Texas-Oklahoma Kiwanis Foundation (Foundation) are working together to improve the financial status of both, to achieve a win-win situation. The following has taken place: The District has decided it is no longer advantageous to occupy the property in Pantego, TX, and decided to vacate the property when convenient for both entities. The District released the Foundation from any restrictions on selling it. The Foundation has decided to sell the property and get out of the real estate property business. The Foundation has listed the property for sale with DFW Commercial Real Estate LLC for $599,000. The district will continue to occupy the building until the building is sold, and the Foundation will not require the District to move out until it is sold. There are no immediate changes expected, however, both parties are planning for the eventual sale and move out of the building. While the residential housing market might currently be red hot, the commercial market is less so. When the Foundation purchased this building, it had been on the market for 511 days. The Foundation is thankful that the District is willing to continue to use the building and keep it “lived in” till it is sold. The commercial broker estimates it may take a year to sell the building, however, the broker has already shown the property a few times and there are parties actively interested in the property. Stay tuned for additional information from the District or Foundation on this topic.
From the Editor
Month
Division
Club
Name
June
32
Greenville Golden K, Greenville
Larry Eastwood
8
Bonham
James Woodall
30
Mustang
Allen Martin
25
Pawhuska
Kenneth Woodhams
1
Fort Worth Golden K
Bill Jowell
July
12
Brownwood
Al Faetche
5
San Antonio-Bexar
Arla Bisson
Donald Bisson
Laura Richmond
11
Laredo
Jorge Cedillo
18
Altus
Robert Beers
34
Mineola
Carey Woods
35
Greater Abilene
Mark Rogers
Tom Roberson
40
Edmond
Bruce Ackerman
All listed with sympathy and memory.
In Loving Memory
H
““While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet him behind the veil” ― John Taylor
ello Fellow Kiwanians! Are you excited for the virtual convention? I sure am! We are in for a treat as we get to hear from special guests as well as our very own leadership team. I know many had their hearts set for an in person convention, but I assure you this virtual one will still be a treat. This is the last KI Notes before the new Kiwanis year. I would like to encourage you to take some time to reminisce about your time as a Kiwanian this year. Like last year we continued to face many challenges, but like every year we put in the work to come on top.
Evelyn Herrera