October Message

Hello Kiwanis Family Members!

What a beautiful fall day in Northwest PA! There’s a nip in the air but the sun is shining on the colorful maple leaves and everything looks like a calendar picture. Later today I’ll cut the last of my herbs to be dried and begin putting the gardens to bed for the winter.

This is my first “official” web article as Governor and I really don’t know what to write. There are lots of ways I could go with this, from the factual to the philosophical. Maybe, as the year progresses, I’ll find “the perfect fit” for everyone’s enjoyment but until then you’ll have to put up with whatever comes to mind!

Here’s what I’ve been up to since October 1^st and what’s taking place for the remainder of the month. I started out with assisting to pass the Lt. Governor’s banner in Division 1, my home division, on October 2^nd. On the 3^rd I attended the Hershey-Hummelstown (home club of LTG Susan Grab) 35th anniversary celebration, which was an outstanding event that made me proud to be a Kiwanian. I stayed at the Grab B & B in the Governor’s suite and was served breakfast (but not in bed) by club President John Grab. Then it was on to the District Board meeting in Harrisburg on Friday and Saturday. Dave and Eva Curry arrived at our home on Sunday, October 7^th to stay in the Kiwanis Driveway Motel for a couple nights. I had the privilege of preparing a special meal for them but I want you to know that even a president has to follow the house rules: I’ll get your first soda, coffee etc. but after that you are no longer a guest and you pour your own! David and I said “until we met again” to Dave and Eva in Williamsport on the 10^th and my next road trip is to help open a new club in North Allegheny (Region 2 near Pittsburgh) from the 16^th to the 18^th and on the 19^th I’ll attend a lunch honoring President Dave and Eva in Youngstown Ohio. October 24^th marks Kiwanis Day at the Horse Show in Harrisburg and K Family members from across the district are invited to attend. Ticket information can be obtained by contacting the Harrisburg club. The round of regional meetings and Governor’s visits begins with Region 3’s Governor visit on the 20^th and Region 6’s Fall meeting taking place on the 27^th. Whew! I tell you this not to impress you will all the miles traveled, or for you to feel sorry for me because of all the miles traveled! I want you to know that I am “out and about” in the district to learn and be inspired by all that you do. On a less aggressive scale you, too, should be “out and about” learning and being inspired by those around you.

A governor always has a lot of “must do things or must attend events” such as the Regional Governor’s visit, New Club Charter presentations or District Board meetings. Being in attendance at those is carved in stone. Membership nights, anniversary celebrations and fund raising events have a better possibility of getting on my schedule if the information is made available far enough in advance. Please let me know what’s on your club’s calendar and remember to include Immediate Past Governor Dick, Governor-elect John and Executive Director Kevin when you send out a notice. It’s impossible for all of us to attend everything but it’s often possible for at least one of us to attend an event as a representative of the district.

It’s beginning to sink in that David and I spent some time with International President Dave Curry and his wife Eva while we were traveling our district together. The events scheduled in his honor have been in the planning stages for many, many months and everything went so well that each and every stop exceeded my expectations. My only regret is that every Kiwanian and K Family member didn’t have the chance to hear President Dave “Share Our Story.” What seemed to impress him most was the way many clubs, or even the entire district, came together for a purpose. Three examples of this were highlighted during visits to the Western PA School for Blind Children in Pittsburgh, the Miracle League of Blair County and our involvement with making the Pediatric Cardiac ICU at Geisinger in Danville a reality. Look for Pennsylvania and these projects to be featured in the February edition of the Kiwanis magazine.

President Dave’s main message, aside from his telling of Irish jokes, was that no matter how good we think we are, at either providing hands on service or raising funds for a cause, we can always do more. He told of a 38-member club in Panama that sponsored four medical clinics, a school and a sports complex. When the members were asked how they accomplished all this they said simply that they did it “one project at a time.” The lesson for us is that we should do one new, relevant project that will truly make a difference and when that project is accomplished, do another, and another, and another still. He told us that he believes what we do best, as an organization, is meeting the needs of those around us but the problem is we don’t tell others. How can we expect the non-Kiwanian to want to join our ranks if we don’t act as though we are proud of what we do? And how can we make a bigger impact if we don’t invite others to become part of what we do? President Dave’s theme is “Share Our Story” which is what I choose as well. We must provide relevant service and opportunities for lasting friendship. If we do these things, and “Share Our Story” with everyone we can, in any way we can, our clubs will reach excellence and people will beat a path to our club’s door.

I think I’ve come to the end of what you have time to read! My garden is calling and I need some quiet time in the fall sunshine. Send or email your club newsletters and please don’t hesitate to email or call me yourself. I say this sincerely because I really want to know what’s on your mind. Be proud of Kiwanis and tell others about us. If your club members have petty differences, put them aside. Remember to “Share Our Story” so that, as a Kiwanis Family, we can change the world, one child and one community at a time.