2015-2016 Division 3 LG Newsletter #2

Congratulations - and a Shout Out to:

The Kiwanis Club of Chatham-Kent has been recognized as a Platinum Club.  Quoting from the letter sent by KI President Sue Petrisin: Congratulations on once again earning a Platinum Level membership in the Impact Circle—a special group of Kiwanis clubs committed to adding more hands and hearts to the service they do. This distinction is part of The Formula’s recognition program to celebrate clubs that strengthen their membership and increase their impact on the community. Maintaining this honor for a second year demonstrates your commitment to doing what you can to make your community a better place through Kiwanis.

For more information on how your club can achieve Platinum Level status, contact President Dick Roe (rdroe@kent.net).

Seaway Kiwanis was recognized as a Model Club by Randy DeLay, Campaign Chairman for The Eliminate Project.  President Don Burnard received this letter:  I commend you and club members for taking a leadership role to eliminate a cruel, deadly disease—and make history. Your support is crucial as we build momentum for our final march to victory.

Sarnia Lambton Golden K held a very successful Recruitment Breakfast resulting in 7 new members, chaired by the very competent Archie Kerr and his committee.  Their recruitment plan was highlighted last April at the DCM Kiwanis Kiosk and the annual event continues to be highly regarded by current and potential members.  For more information on how this might work for your club, contact President Bob Lutz - kiwanisbob@bell.net.

Sarnia Lambton Golden K is also to be commended for beginning the process to charter an Aktion Club in partnership with Community Living.  Preliminary meetings have been held to plan activities and to attract members, including liaison with the Aktion Clubs in Chatham and Ridgetown.

New Members

We are very pleased to welcome 12 new members into our clubs:

Chatham-Kent - David Hubbert

Forest - Ron Brooks, Darlene Arnott

Sarnia Lambton Golden K - Ron McRitchie, John McLean, Patricia McEachern, Murray Bouchette, Brian Rae, Philip Tock, Tony Wheeler

Seaway - Jim Smith

Windsor Roseland - Harry Fooks

If I missed anyone, I apologize.  Please let me know if you would like me to participate in the induction of a new member to your club.  I'd love to join you and to welcome them into our Kiwanis Family.

District Business

You are reminded of the dues deadline of December 15.  District Secretary Treasurer Jim Steele will be sending claim forms to all clubs who qualify for the discount because of paying dues on time.  If you are a Secretary, please remember to update information online for the Membership Contact and also the Public Relations Contact for your club.  If you are a President, please "cause it to be done" because this is important information for both KI and the District in order to keep these people updated on current information.

Division Caucus Meetings

January 16 - Much of this meeting will be team discussions:  Job Alike Teams:            Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers, Directors, Committee Chairs - Interclubs, Membership; Club Teams; Formula Teams.  We will also be looking for nominations for Lieutenant Governor Elect for 2016-17.

April 9 - Kiwanis Kiosks: we are still looking for ideas and volunteers to present these 20 minute sessions on Kiwanis fellowship and service.  All members are encouraged to attend to learn more about best practices, share successful plans and brainstorm future activities.

Special Events

Note the dates of up-coming events within the Division and if you have anything coming up that you would like shared, please let me know for inclusion in the next newsletter.  We all know the importance of interclubs and joining in divisional events so we can meet fellow Kiwanians and share pride in our clubs.  This is particularly important for new members as they learn more about what it means to progress from individual club member to Kiwanian.

Cathy Telfer, 2014-2016 Lieutenant Governor

Kiwanis EC&C Division 3 - St Clair Bluewater     

519-351-4378       

ctelfer@sympatico.ca

IMPORTANT  DATES IN DIVISION 3

2016 Dates	Event	Contact
Saturday, January 16 OR Saturday, January 23 in case of bad weather	District Caucus Meeting - 10:00-12:00 for: Presidents, Secretaries, Treasurers, Directors,   Committee Chairs - Interclubs, Membership Active Lifestyle Centre, 20 Merritt Ave Chatham	LG Cathy Telfer
Saturday, March 5	Regional Caucus Meeting - London	Information available at a later date
Saturday, April 9	District Caucus Meeting - 10:00-12:00 Kiwanis Kiosks Active Lifestyle Centre, 20 Merritt Ave Chatham	LG Cathy Telfer
May 12 - 15	District Convention - Hamilton	EC&C Website
June 23 - 25	International Convention - Toronto	KI Website

Division 3 LG Newsletter - Welcome to a New Kiwanis Year!

Proud to Be Canadian, Eh!

What a great year we've had celebrating 100 Years in Kiwanis.  As if that wasn't enough to be proud of, we in Canada have another opportunity to show the world how great it is to be a Kiwanian.  As you are planning your year, remember that on January 1st, we begin our celebration of 100 Years of Kiwanis in Canada.  This gives us many more possibilities for the power of 100 - 100 acts of kindness, 100 books for 100 children, 100 new members, 100 service projects and many hundreds of hours of Serving the Children of the World.

If you want another boost of Canadian pride, plan to attend a convention this year.  The Eastern Canada and Caribbean District Convention in Hamilton, May 12-14 will be a great opportunity to enjoy the fun and fellowship of Kiwanis.  We are also very fortunate to have the Kiwanis International Convention in Toronto this year - June 23 - 25.  Nothing will give you a greater sense of how great it is to be a Canadian than to stand with hundreds of delegates singing the national anthem at an International Convention.

District Caucus Meeting ~ (AKA DCM)

In my previous life and since I joined Kiwanis I have heard about caucus meetings and even attended a few but I was never really sure what it meant.  Caucusing always sounded a little naughty to me and I didn't know how I was supposed to behave.  I came away somewhat disappointed because it was just a meeting where there was a lot of talk, sometimes resulting in action but not always.  Just in case you wondered as well, I went in search of guidance on how to caucus.  The true source for all knowledge - Wikipedia tells us that:  a caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement. The term originated in the United States, but has spread to other parts of the world.  As the use of the term has been expanded, the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.  As a non-political service club, yet not really a "movement", we have come to know caucus as a meeting to discuss Kiwanis business and to work together to share best practices and to improve the world one child and one community at a time.

The online dictionary also tells us that the term caucus is also used in dispute resolution to describe circumstances wherein, rather than meeting at a common table, the disputants retreat to a more private setting to process information, agree on negotiation strategy, confer privately with counsel and/or with the mediator, or simply gain "breathing room" after the often emotionally difficult interactions that can occur in the common area where all parties are present.  Fortunately this does not describe a Kiwanis Caucus.  In our case, caucus is used in much more positive terms - for caring and sharing.  Just remember - you can't caucus alone but if you don't show up, you don't have a say.

January DCM

The next caucus meeting for Division 3 is Saturday, January 16, 10 until 12 at the Active Lifestyle Centre in Chatham.  This will be a sharing meeting - of club officers and committee chairs and of Formula teams.  In addition to the Presidents, Secretaries and other elected officers, this DCM should be of interest to chairs of Membership, Interclubs and Visibility since group discussions will focus on specific interests.

So - in Division 3, DCM means - Don't Come Miserable, but rather Do Come Motivated - to listen, to learn and to share.  Please mark your calendar and talk this up with your club members, officers, directors and committee chairs.

April DCM

Due to the availability of the Active Lifestyle Centre, the date has been changed to April 9 - again a Saturday, from 10 until 12.  This caucus meeting will focus on Kiwanis Kiosks - small group sessions featuring an activity or approach or practice presented by club members.  This was a great success last year and although the plan will be repeated, all of the sessions will be new.  You will get to choose two from a selection of 5 or 6, so it's a good idea to come with others from your club in order to cover all topics.

We are looking for ideas for the Kiwanis Kiosks and volunteers to present topics of interest to others.  If you have a great service project, a unique way to include members in your meetings, interesting program suggestions, or an idea to recruit new members, please consider sharing. 

Eliminate

We are getting so close to our $110 million goal but now is not the time to sit back.  Maternal and neonatal tetanus is still a major concern in 20 countries and we cannot give up the fight until all moms and babies are safe from this preventable disease.  A big round of applause for Chatham-Kent as a $100K club, as well as Sarnia Lambton Golden K and Forest for completing their pledge as a Gold Club.  If you've not donated do so.  If your club has not contributed do so.

Formula

Club Counsellors are available to help.  If you want assistance with a membership drive, if you want information on member education, if you want a presentation at a meeting, if you want an idea for a new service project or if you want to share a special occasion in your club, contact your club counsellor either directly or through me.  We're part of your team!

Thanks Dr John

What a great year we've had guided by the leadership Kiwanis International President Dr John and First Lady Debbie Button.  The very successful year culminated in a wonderful evening of tributes - with the usual Button combination of humour and substance.  Over 170 Kiwanians from as far away as Florida joined  hosts Kiwanis Club of Ridgetown and organizers Gary & June Guyitt to say thank you for leading us over the past year.  As you see from the attached photos, his home Club unveiled a plaque of tribute to Dr Button in Ridgetown's Kiwanis Park and others shared in the appreciation of his dedication to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus, saving the lives of millions of mothers and babies.  A Truly Great Canadian, eh!

Division 3 LG Newsletter #7

Centennial Tour Update

As Dr John & Debbie Button are wrapping up their Centennial Tour, one event just passed and one event is yet to come. 

~ One Done

The first President of Kiwanis International was recognized in a wreath-laying ceremony at his commemorative plaque in Rutherford.  It was another great event with over 100 Kiwanians including Donald Johnston's grandson, the President and other members of the Detroit #1 Club and many from Division 3 & 4.  Many thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Ridgetown for hosting the event.  It was a very special occasion as you can see from the photos attached to this newsletter.

 Division 3 and 4 past LG's along with Detroit #1 club PLG Thom Mann

 Detroit #1 Club President Eric Sabree, Donald Johnston III and KI President Dr. John Button

 Donald Johnston III, Eric Sabree and Dr. John

~ One Yet to Come

This is your last chance to get your tickets to the Centennial Celebration with John & Debbie. to be held September 26 in Ridgetown.  See the IMPORTANT DATES chart at the end of the newsletter for details on the event of the season.

The Power of One

Eliminate has surpassed one million dollars which makes the additional ten million seem within reach - although we all know that the initiative will need our attention until the goal is reached.  We continue to benefit from the Federal Government matching grant so each dollar raised through our continued efforts results in two dollars to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus.

The Seaway Club is welcoming back one member who left Kiwanis for a time but who has seen the light and will be re-joining next month.

Ward Burr from the Forest Club came up with an idea to have a loonie/toonie line at a children's day and with community contributions, raised over $150 for Eliminate (equaling over $300 with the Federal grant).  What a great idea with an amazing result thanks to one individual.

100th Anniversary of Kiwanis in Canada begins October 1 so we don't need to mourn the conclusion of the KI Centennial because we have one hundred years of our own to celebrate.

One Governor is set to finish a very successful year and as Serge Viau wraps up a very successful year, Allen Ure is already well into the planning for his year Serving the Children and all of us in EC&C.

EC&C Shirts

Please consider ordering a District shirt by going to the EC&C website and ordering online.  Our Michigan friends at the Rutherford event were very impressed with the District pride demonstrated by these bright shirts [and from someone who doesn't like to iron, they come highly recommended].

New Members

The Formula is alive and well.  Our Division has done a great job attracting new members this year and although we have sadly lost a few members this year, our count is at 33 new members inducted since October 1.  I anticipate that ALL of these people will remain faithful Kiwanians in 2015-16 and we will continue this upward swing over the next year to attract new members to our ranks.  People are attracted to our service projects and bring new ideas and energy to our clubs.

Participating in the induction of a new member is one of my favorite activities as LG and I am grateful when you arrange a time for me to come to your club to do this.  I feel, though, that we are not being consistent with our NEW MEMBER ORIENTATION.  Joining Kiwanis is an honour and a privilege but if we don't take the time to help our new members see the big picture of our global organization, they don't feel the connection to our Kiwanis world.  Because of that, I am proposing a different way of doing New Member Orientation and will talk about it at our Division Caucus Meeting (aka DCM) on September 19.  [It's no big secret - I'd like us to have two group orientations - one in Sarnia and one further south for all new members who have joined in the past year - but I haven't worked out details yet.  This would allow us to include the many people who have not heard the very excellent introduction available and also begins the connection of new members within the Division.]

Division Caucus Meeting - September 19

And speaking of the DCM...it's coming up very quickly.  We have MANY things to talk about, to do, to decide and to enjoy.  The agenda will be sent out before the meeting and I hope you'll encourage members to attend.  As you know, Division 2 Key Club Lieutenant Governor Shubhika Mahkul from Northern Secondary School in Sarnia will be joining us.  I will do a wrap up of the year and set the stage for another great year ahead "Serving the Children".  The most important part of the meeting will be hearing goals and club plans from each of the 2015-16 Presidents.

Prior to that meeting, please have committee chairs in place for Interclubs, Membership and Eliminate so we can add their names to our list of club leaders.

Special Events

The following page lists dates of events within the Division and if you have anything coming up that you would like shared, please let me know for inclusion in the next newsletter.  We all know the importance of interclubs and joining in divisional events so we can meet fellow Kiwanians and share pride in our clubs.  This is particularly important for new members as they learn more about what it means to progress from individual club member to Kiwanian.

IMPORTANT  DATES IN DIVISION 3

Date	Event	Contact
Saturday, September 12	Test drive a new vehicle at Heuvelmans Chevrolet Cadillac Ltd 755 Grand Ave W, Chatham ELIMINATE Fundraiser 10:00 - 2:00	Mary Alice Marchand mamrelxd@mnsi.net 519-354-0962
Saturday, September 12	Steak BBQ - Leamington Kiwanis Boys and Girls Camp 1948 Seacliffe Drive, Kingsville starting at 4pm - serving food 5-8 Tickets - $25	James Ives dungeon63@hotmail.com 519-965-1557
Here's an awesome plan for the Sarnia and Forest group - come to Chatham for the Test Drive, take a leisure trip to Leamington, enjoy some of the shoreline, then head to the camp for the steak BBQ.
Saturday, September 19	District Caucus Meeting at the Active Lifestyle Centre 20 Merritt Ave, Chatham 10:00 - 12:30	Cathy Telfer by September 11 ctelfer@sympatico.ca 519-351-4378
Saturday, September 26	Centennial Celebration with John & Debbie; limited tickets at $60 Cocktails at 5; Dinner at 6 University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus Rudy Brown Centre 120 Main St. East, Ridgetown	Gary or June Guyitt juniegus@sympatico.ca 519-674-2805
Wednesday, November 4	Crepe Dinner Sprucedale United Church 493 Victoria Ave, Chatham ELIMINATE Fundraiser Details to follow	Eileen Richards lrichards1@cogeco.ca 519-354-4048 or Cathy Telfer ctelfer@sympatico.ca 519-351-4378