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!
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