David Maloney, Editor

April 2007

Official Governors Travel Schedule Calendar of Events Subscribe to CAPNET Locate a Club in Capital District Memoriams Capital District Website Monthly Club Standings Digital District Capital District Foundation Contribute to Capital District Foundation Capital District Guidelines for Club Monthly Reporting Kiwanis International Capital District Circle K Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) Contact Capital Builder Guidelines for Submitting Articles

Club Standings — how did YOUR club do?? Find out here: February club standings (.pdf format)

March Video preview! Around the Capital District with Governor Bob and Nancy March Video preview!

This issue at a glance:

• Governor Bob’s Builders: Mid-Winter, Conventions Build Kiwanis and K-Family Leadership Skills
• Past Governor John Tyner II Awarded Membership In Elite Kiwanis International Founder’s Circle
• 89th Capital District Convention: Aug 17 - 19, 2007
• Candidates for Office
• Teenager of the Year Information
• Kiwanis International Convention, San Antonio, TX July 3-7, 2007
• Governor Bob and 1st Lady Nancy Host Capital District Dinner at KI Convention on 4th of July
• Administrative Reminders
• As Easy as 1-2-3: New Member Program
• Communications, Public Relations and Marketing (CPR-M) Committee Survey
• How to Recruit New Young Members in Our Clubs
• How to Get Your Club in the News
• Award Winners
• Membership Growth and Revitalization
• Distinguished by the Hundreds
• Capital District Kiwanis Go-To-Church on April 22, 2007
• Meet the Candidate
• Builders Club of James Wood Middle School Holds Jazz Night
• Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines/Ocean City Members go to FL for Meeting!
• New Club Forms - Kiwanis Club of Bel Air
• Kiwanis Club of Tabb Wine Tasting
• Westminster Club News
• Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge Blood Drive
• Kiwanis Club of Tysons Corner Ball Game 2007
• Woodbridge Virginia Kiwanis Club Celebrates 60 years
• Cape Henlopen High School Key Club
• Mentors and Tutors Serve our Youth
• Hopewell Club Pig Roast
• Kiwanis Club of the Peninsula at Oyster Point Features National Kidney Awareness Month
• Virginia Beach-Combers Kiwanis Club Receives Check
• National Symphony Orchestra Quintet To Perform
• Kiwanis Club of Abingdon Holds Pancake Breakfast
• Kiwanian Ed Novak Authors Book
• Division 23 Hosts 8th Christine Garvey Memorial Soccer Tournament
• Marion Kiwanis Club "Snack-in-a-Pack" Program
• Montgomery Village Kiwanis Breakfast & Bowl
• Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon adds Two New Key Clubs
• Joe Kalista of Warwick Kiwanis Club Honored
• Report on Northern Virginia Region Mid-Winter Conference
• Report on Potomac Region Mid-Winter Conference
• Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines/Ocean City joined the Ocean Pines Chamber of Commerce
• Savannah Brown Receives "New Wheels" from Norfolk Area Clubs
• Kiwanis By the Bay Sponsors K-Kids Club
• Kiwanis Club of Poquoson Tutors
• Kiwanis Club of Harrisonburg, VA Proud of its SLP Groups
• Kiwanis Club of Williamsburg Receives 2006 Ambassador Club of the Year Award
• Kiwanis Club of Harrisonburg Virginia Meeting Location Changed
• Celebrating Women in Kiwanis
• Grundy Kiwanis Celebrates Young Children: Priority One
• April-May Key Leader Goals: Registering Participants
• Community Braves Cold to Support Kiwanis Winter Pancake Breakfast
• Autism Topic at Recent Bethesda Club Meeting
• Division 15 Clubs Receive Distinguished Club Honors
• William and Mary Circle K International (CKI) Chapter Steps Up to the Plate to "Strike Out ALS"
• 2006 - 2007 Newsletter Contest
• Amish Kiwanian?
• Crisfield Kiwanis Club Supports ROTC
• Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines/Ocean City Sponsors K-Kids Clubs
• South Arlington Kiwanis to Host 17th Annual Auction Benefit and Social
• Montgomery Village Kiwanis and Division 17 to Host Flea Market
• Middlesex Kiwanis Club Distinguished for 2005-06
• University of Virginia Chapter of Circle K Sorts Shoes for Homeless
• Northern Neck Kiwanis Earns Distinguished Club Status
• Kiwanis Club of Fairfax Activities
• The Children’s National Medical Center Presented a Facilities Tour for Washington Area Kiwanians in March

Welcome to Spring, Kiwanians! Spring is … well, springing! April seems to bring the real beginning of spring for me. That always seems to rekindle the excitement of renewed dedication to our goals. In Kiwanis, it renews our commitment to "changing the world one community and one child at a time" through increased service and offering Kiwanis membership to others.

Over 900 Attend the Capital District's Eight Mid-Winter Conferences!

March was again a busy month for the Capital District K-Family. As our Capital District family knows, but allow me to outline for our Kiwanis world-wide readers, last year the Capital District implemented a Regional approach to conducting our Mid-Winter Training & Planning Conferences. The purpose was a straight forward plan to bring the educational resources of the District's officers and committees including the Governor, Governor Elect, district committee chairs and experienced Kiwanis educators, along with the Lieutenant Governors closer TO the "Heart of Kiwanis - The Clubs".

By having eight regional conferences throughout the Capital District, over 900 Kiwanian leaders attended. This is almost three times the number that used to attend the average single location Mid-Winters of years past. Now, members have a single, concentrated day closer to home. These helpful mid-year conferences help to exchange ideas and to promote education on international, district and local Kiwanis programs which help our clubs, all without the inconvenience of long distance travel or expense.

The March District Mid-Winter Conferences started with the Heart of Virginia's Regional Conference in Petersburg, Virginia, followed by Maryland's Potomac Regional in College Park, the Mason Dixon Regional in Columbia, then Northern Virginia Regional Mid-Winter in Arlington and lastly, by certainly not least, the South West Virginia Mid-Winter Conference in Abingdon, Virginia. My personal congratulations to both the presenters and those who organized each M-W, and special thanks to ALL of you who attended! I wish I could name each one of you, but do look for the individual conference stories in the Builder.

Three District Trustees Elected At Regional Conferences

The Heart of Virginia's members elected PLG Don Schroeder of the Petersburg, Virginia Club as their District Trustee Representative for 2007-2009 at their Mid-Winter. He will follow PLG & Trustee Tom Varner, who served a two year term as trustee. Tom continues most ably as the district chair of Training and Education. "Congratulations" also to the Kiwanis Club of Petersburg which celebrated its 85th Anniversary at the M-W!

The Mason Dixon Region also had an election with PLG and Trustee Don Dudey, Reisterstown Club, winning reelection while in the Northern Virginia Region, PLG Brian Bell of Woodbridge Kiwanis was elected to succeed NoVa District Trustee Bill Roberson at the new term October 1, 2007. Thank you, Tom and Bill, for your service … and remember, your term is not up yet!

Additional March Activities Include a Governor's Official Visit to Division 15

Our Governor's Official Visit to LG Barbara Hickman's Division 15 in March in Atlantic, Virginia, was a wonderful event. Nine new members were inducted into Division 15 Clubs. This marks the 19th Official Visit of the year. The purposes of these visits are to bring the division's club leadership together for a social evening, to give the club presidents and officers a chance to present each club's goals, accomplishments and challenges to the Governor for discussion and assistance where desired, and to hear the message from the Capital District Governor. The exchanges with and between the club officers are excellent for sharing exciting ideas for service.

April Marks The Half Way Point to the Kiwanis Administrative Year

I am very proud of the terrific team spirit, enthusiasm and contributions Kiwanians have shown each other at both the Mid-Winter Conferences and the Governor's Official Visits. This exchange of ideas and fine-tuning of our club goals for the year can lead each club to being Distinguished! Ideas, successes from club operations to community service projects, big and small, help Kiwanis in being the best service organization in the world!

All eight Regions have now successfully completed their Mid-Winter training Conferences. As said, nineteen of twenty three Visits have been completed and they were resounding successes filled with ideas, fun and recognition of accomplishments. The fellowship is outstanding! Club leadership now has participated in reviews, seminars and sessions designed to give members a fresh approach and excitement in revitalizing their clubs. Let's GO!

This is the time where we take a measurement of where we stand against our 2006-2007 goals and make the mid-course adjustments necessary to help our clubs become the "Distinguished Clubs" we can all be. See the criteria for distinguished member and distinguished club published in the March e-builder. While not difficult to attain, the hard work of club members deserves such recognition. Don't miss this opportunity by missing one of the required action check points on Service, Education or Membership Growth. 'Growth' brings more hands, new ideas and more community service!

Important Conventions are Upcoming: Key Club DCON, the 93rd Kiwanis International in San Antonio, and the Capital District Convention in Rockville

Important conventions for building leadership skills, new ideas and fellowship are coming up. The Capital District Key Club Convention will be next on April 13-15th in Richmond with Key Club Governor Peter Simasek, Key Club Administrator Joe Stankus and Assistant Administrator Bill Hand. Make sure you have Key Clubbers registered. Help support them both financially and by sending Kiwanis and faculty advisors to this great convention. Over 800 attendees have fun, work hard and amaze you by their leadership skills.

AND, the registration time for the July 3 to 7th Kiwanis INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION in San Antonio is HERE NOW. If you register BY APRIL 14th, you can save $50. Also, book your hotel reservations at the Hyatt Regency to assure staying at the Capital District Convention hotel. AND, contact Ellis Stroup to RSVP for the District DINNER at the County Line Tex-Mex BBQ on July 4th. Only $35 each but there is a maximum 200 seats available. Our quota is 360 at the convention, which includes the two voting delegates from each club. Make airline reservations early, too. It will be GREAT!

On August 16-19th, the 89th Capital District Convention will be held in Rockville, Maryland. This is the time for the incoming team to fine-tune their plans for the new Kiwanis year. There will be opportunities to exchange ideas and learn new ones as well. Each club has a responsibility to send three delegates and we will be voting on a candidate to represent Capital District as Kiwanis International Trustee. Also, we'll vote for Governor Elect 2007-2008. The Hilton Hotel is being all remodeled and will be sparkling!

Register now and we'll see YOU at the conventions if not before! And, THANK YOU for your dedication. "One CAN make a difference: It's YOU!"

The 89th Capital District Convention planning is building up steam. The hotel, newly renovated, is now called the Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Executive Meeting Center and is located in Rockville, Maryland. The dates for the convention are August 17-19, 2007. Friday night has been left open for past years “classes” to get together or for newer attendees to make new friends across the district. Registration will soon be available online or you can obtain a current printable application or other information at the website which is www.kiwaniscapdcon.com. See you in Rockville! For registration forms, click here. For complete Convention information go to www.kiwaniscapdcon.com.

International Trustee Candidates

Three Capital District Kiwanians have filed as candidates for the office of International Trustee for the 2007-2008 administrative year. They are listed as follows in the date order of their filing with the District Secretary-Treasurer:

• Past Governor Richard G. Feeser Greater Ocean Pines, Maryland
• Past Governor Charles P. Adams Chesterfield, Virginia
• Past Governor Jerome E. Peuler, Jr. Waldorf, Maryland

Candidates for this office will stand for election at the 2007 Capital District Convention to be held in Rockville, Maryland in August.

Capital District Governor-Elect Candidates

The Kiwanis club of St. Mary’s County, supported by all of the clubs in Division Twenty Two, presents Past Lieutenant Governor Thomas Ganse as a candidate for the office of Governor-elect of the Capital District for the 2007-2008 Administrative year.

I would like to remind all club presidents that their Teenager of the Year selections should be in the hands of their Lt. Governors by April 15th so that each division can select their respective winners that will ultimately be sent to me for Judging. Divisional winners should be forwarded to me by June 1, 2007. Questions? Email me at rogerdiehl@comcast.net.

Kiwanis International Conventions aren’t all business. In fact, they are a rich mix of business, entertainment, inspiration, education, and fellowship. The 2007 convention in San Antonio, Texas, July 3-7, will feature a wide variety of entertainment and inspiration. The opening session on Tuesday, July 3, for example, will feature a performance by The Second City, America’s premier improvisational comedy troupe.

The Second City (named after the group’s hometown, Chicago) has produced many star alumni, including Mike Myers, Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, John Belushi, Stephen Colbert, and Steve Carrell. Be prepared for an original, daring, and hilarious mix of satire and cutting-edge improvisation.

Go to www.kiwanis.org/convention/ for a convention registration form and more information on entertainment, workshops, and other events planned for the 2007 Kiwanis International Convention.

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New Email for Capital District Office
The email address for the Capital District Office has been changed from kiwanis@adelphia.net to ehstroup@comcast.net. This change is effective immediately.

Club Elections
Clubs will be doing their elections of the club officers for the 2007-2008 administrative year during the next two months. The Kiwanis One Reporting System is being programmed to accept the election results and will be complete no later than April 15, 2007. The election results may be entered in to the system by the club secretaries and those entries will be forwarded directly to Kiwanis International and the District Office. This will eliminate the need to prepare a manual Club Election Form as has been done in the past. It is planned that the next System One development phase will be the input of New Member Adds and Deletes for transmittal to Kiwanis International and the District Office. Since many more enhancements are being planned to be added to the System, club Boards may want to seriously consider contracting for the entire System One package.

District Dinner San Antonio
A District Dinner is planned to be held on Wednesday, July 4, 2007 at the International Convention in San Antonio. The Dinner will begin at 5:00 P.M. and be over by 7:00 P.M. so that members may have an opportunity to watch the Fireworks later in the evening. The cost of a ticket is $35.00 and may be purchased through the District Office. Tickets are being sold on a first come basis and the seating capacity is limited to 200 people.

501 (C3) Status
Dialogue continues between Kiwanis International and the Internal Revenue Service in our quest for 501(c3) tax code status. There is hope that a definitive answer may be forthcoming from the IRS by the end of April.

Beginning July 1, 2006, and running through June 1, 2007:

1. Recruit 1 new member and receive a bronze key lapel pin and one (1) entry in the random drawing.
2. Recruit 2 new members and receive a silver key lapel pin and an additional entry in the random drawing for a total of two (2) entries.
3. Recruit 3 new members and receive a gold key lapel pin and a total of three (3) entries in the contest.

• 1st Place: 2 winners: Trip to the 2008 Kiwanis International Convention (Hotel, airfare and registration)
• 2nd Place: 1 winner: Spend the day at the home of the 2006-07 International President
• 3rd Place: 1 winner : Spend the day at the International Office with the Executive Director in Indianapolis, Indiana
• 4th Place: 1 winner: Kiwanis International Life Membership
• 5th Place: 50 winners: US$100 gift card to the Kiwanis Store
• 6th Place: 100 winners: US$25 gift card to the Kiwanis Store

For more details, click here.

The Capital District Governor and Board of Trustees has tasked the Communications, Public Relations and Marketing (CPR-M) Committee to determine the effectiveness of Kiwanis Communications in the Capital District. We are evaluating the effectiveness of the Capital District web site, the E-Builder and the Capital Builder, and local Club Newsletters and Web sites, as well as communications in the local media. To assist the committee in these efforts, we are asking all CD Kiwanians to complete a short survey. Please complete the attached survey and forward via e-mail to stein@udel.edu or you may go to www.kiwanisdiv711.org/survey.htm and follow the instructions. We encourage you to give any suggestions for improving Capital District communications.

The goal is to increase usage of the Capital District Web site and increase readership of the E-Builder to tell the Kiwanis story to our members and the public in the most cost effective manner. If you have not already completed the survey at a Mid Winter Conference or CAPNet message, please complete the survey and return before April 15, 2007. Thanks for participating.

Here are some tips to gaining and retaining younger members:

Young families in communities

• establish Kiwanis brand by sponsoring sports teams
• get Builders and K-Kids Clubs in school to establish Kiwanis name

Old-fashioned meetings

• keep meetings brief and concise
• add new and exciting meeting programs
• include service projects as part of meetings
• instead of meeting weekly, meet biweekly and have happy hours and service projects in between those meetings

Secret/Back-door decision-making

• publish board meeting minutes
• welcome members to board meetings
• bring important decisions to the general membership to get a consensus before board votes
• don't penalize new members for not having Kiwanis knowledge; instead educate those new members

Costs of membership

• discount dues for younger members
• re-evaluate meeting location and cost of meals
• offer family or spousal discounts
• offer reduced fees for new members in general -- Kiwanis International recommends only charging first-year members $50
• accept dues payments in installments
• hold administrative fundraiser to offset dues and/or to send younger members to conventions

Miscellaneous

• put projects on website
• survey members for ways to attract young people
• identify people who are service-oriented in your community
• be receptive to new ideas

A common complaint among Kiwanis clubs is that “there’s never anything in the newspaper about all of the good things our club is doing.”

Here are a few simple tips to follow that will increase the likelihood of your club’s activities receiving greater print coverage in the future:

1. Develop a complete media list, keep it current and send out periodic alerts, advisories and releases – depending on what the situation warrants. Virginia has a state press association, and so does Maryland-Delaware-District of Columbia. It’s surprising the number of media companies that belong to those associations, and they are listed on their respective organizations’ Web sites. Find all of the “papers” in your club’s area – not just daily and weekly newspapers, but magazines, alternative papers and monthly niche publications as well. Smaller publications are often looking for material to fill their space. Also remember that not every paper belongs to a press association, so supplement this list with your own findings.

2. Send your news to the right people. Don’t expect the publisher to respond to your request for coverage unless he or she is the person assigned your beat. Find the name of the reporter you will deal with on a regular basis. Request a face-to-face meeting and introduce yourself. Ask that reporter how he or she would prefer to receive information. E-mail is often best.

3. Respect your contacts’ deadlines. Few reporters are going to respond to a call this morning about a Kiwanis program today at lunch – unless the President of the United States is stopping by. Understand lead times and how the reporter does his or her job. Send the reporter a list of your speakers in advance – monthly is probably best. Keep each speaker’s credentials concise; two sentences are sufficient. Always include your contact information, just in case the reporter wants more detail.

4. Recognize that you’re competing with many other news sources, including a number of other service clubs, and that not all of your releases are going to make it into print. Be realistic and prioritize your news. Handing out certificates to elementary school students may not attract news coverage, no matter how hard your club has worked in putting that program together.

Because of the Internet, major news goes global instantly. It’s unlikely any Kiwanis news is going to be considered hot. Concentrate instead on publicizing the warm feature story, the “feel-good” story.

Ask yourself the following questions and be ready with the appropriate answers: Why should a reporter care about this story? What questions might he or she ask? Who else should he or she talk to in order to support the story?

5. Recognize that there are others forums for coverage in the paper besides news stories. Does your paper have a “Names & Faces” section? Submit your newly elected officers’ and directors’ photos. Encourage club members to submit relevant letters to the editor or “op-ed” pieces. Submit appropriate photos to the club news section.

There’s no question that Kiwanians have a good story to tell. Let’s work smarter in getting that story out.

We need new members to better serve our communities. More Kiwanians means more service – it really is that simple. Statistically, we will lose approximately 18% of our members each year due to transfers, disinterest, death or other circumstances. Therefore, every one of our clubs needs a plan to bring in new members continuously. In essence, each club is dynamic, with a constantly changing membership face. This is a positive opportunity, because new members bring in new ideas and a fresh perspective on old ideas that may no longer be valid. The clubs we see struggling and in sustained decline are clubs that have made little effort to recruit, or recruited their peers, even as they aged....Read more.

Eighteen hundred and seven Kiwanis clubs earned recognition as “distinguished” during the 2005-06 administrative year. “We began our journey together with a commitment to climb higher in strengthening Kiwanis membership, to achieve success in changing the face of Kiwanis, and to nurture excellence in everything we do,” says Immediate Past President Steve Siemens. “We began by saying, ‘Together We Can.’ We continued to say, ‘Together We Will.’ Now we can proudly say, ‘Together We Did.’” The announcement coincides with the listing of district achievement awards:

• Outstanding Leadership—Florida, France-Monaco, Southwest, and Taiwan.
• Outstanding Performance—California-Nevada-Hawaii, Capital, and New York.
• Honorable Mention—Belgium-Luxemburg, Carolinas, Georgia, Illinois-Eastern Iowa,
• Indiana, Malaysia, Montana, Pennsylvania, and Texas-Oklahoma.

Was your Club one of the 1807?

Yes, Rosemary, the Kiwanis Club of Suburban Frederick was one of the 1807 — earning the coveted 2005-06 Distinguished Club Award. At a recent meeting, past Div 9 LTG Jim Jacobs presented the club with its award along with awards for 2005-06 Distinguished Club President Christine Semon and Distinguished Club Secretary Rob Summers. (Left: Rob Summers, Christine Semon, Jim Jacobs.) - [submitted by Dave Maloney (proud member of the Kiwanis Club of Suburban Frederick.] Other Distinguished Clubs are mentioned in articles below.

• All who enter the Yard must have photo identification, e.g., a driver’s license or work place identification.
• Drivers with a Department of Defense decal may enter the Yard.
• Drivers with Handicap stickers may enter the Yard.
• Those who know the area well may park near the Yard and enter through Gate #3.
• All others attending should proceed to the Navy Football stadium and park at parking Lot Blue. A shuttle will be available for your use beginning at 9:30 a.m.

JAZZ NITE 2007 ...The Builders Club of James Wood Middle School, Winchester, Va. recently held the second Jazz Night on February 28th much to the delight of Italian food lovers. This is the second year of the event featuring an Italian Style Dinner ( ravioli, lasagna, manicotti, salad, drink ), a silent auction and then a the Jazz Night Concert. The James Wood Bulldog Jazz Ensemble opened the show with several great selections followed by the Shenandoah University Jazz Ensemble. One of the highlights of the concert was the solo performance by a former JWMS member now part of the Shenandoah group. The finale was a great jam session by the combined bands. Donato's restaurant turned over the kitchen to Kiwanis members where all the food was prepared. Once ready it was transported to the school cafeteria for serving. Other Kiwanis members supported the Builders on the serving line and kitchen at the school (shown right). This is what Kiwanis family is in Winchester, and on March 31 there will be support from the Builders for the Kiwanis 50th Year of Pancake Day.

Six Snowbird members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines/Ocean City showed up at a February meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Lady Lake, Florida. When a group of members from one club visit another club, it's call an Interclub visit. Instead of the visit being to other local clubs, this visit occurred 1000 miles away. Pictured are (L to R): Bob Fralley; a mostly hidden Lady Lake Club President Greg Truhn; Mary Lee Jansen; former OP Kiwanian, now a member of the Lady Lake club, Gene Schools; John Hannigan; Dave Landis; Steve Rosen and John Smith. Call it going the EXTRA MILE!

Neither rain, nor snow, nor dark of night can stop the Capital District from organizing new clubs! Congratulations to LTG Norton Gettes, Division 12, and the 28 Charter Members of the new Kiwanis Club of Bel Air, Maryland, on their successful organizational meeting, March 7, 2007! The Charter Dinner celebration is tentatively set for Wednesday, April 18, 2007. A special thanks to Mr. Carl Conway and Mr. Ron Weiss for their leadership roles in making it happen, and for the Kiwanis Clubs of Towson-Timonium and Reisterstown for co-sponsoring our newest club. Please join me in congratulating and welcoming our newest members!

The Grafton, Virginia Farm Fresh hosted a Wine Tasting for The Kiwanis Club of Tabb in February. A Representative from Prince Michel Winery taught the Kiwanis Club of Tabb about the 5 S's of Wines Sight, Swirl, Smell, Sip, Savor. We had 27 members and friends attending. (Right) President Wayne Francis presented Lucia Matheny, Wine Depot Consultant and Manager of the Wine department with a check for the start of Farm Fresh's yearly fundraiser to Children's Hospital of the Kings Daughters.

Taneytown Kiwanians join forces with the Westminster Kiwanis club. Shown left are Charles Diehl, Roger Graham and Roger Diehl with Westminster president (and Gov-Elect) Art Riley welcoming them as transfer members.

On March 6th Students of the Month were announced. (Shown right) From Winters Mill High school are Thomas Martz, a math honors honors student, who is also active in varsity golf, track and the National Honor Society; Westminster High School representatives Samantha Kurland, a social studies honors student active in three bands; and Justin Synan, a mathematics and career and tech center student. Not present was Mark Bollinger, Winters Mill High School for the Health, Human Science Academy.

Joanne Lloyd (right) of the Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge (Winchester,Va) submits her volunteer card to fellow Kiwanian Robin Wolfe to arrange for future Red Cross Blood Drives sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. The Club has held record receipts of blood donation for the Red Cross during their drives.

The Kiwanis Club of Tysons Corner has once again purchased a large block of tickets for what we’ve dubbed in the last two years as “Take Me Out To The Ball Game Day”. For those of you new to this event, our club purchases a large block of tickets for a Washington Nationals game as both a Kiwanis social/interclub and more importantly a fundraiser for our club.

This year we have purchased 200 tickets to the Sunday, May 20th, 2007 game between the Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles at 1:35pm. These are infield Upper View MVP seats in rows 6-10 of sections 519 & 520 (right next to each other) which we are selling for the face value of $21 each at a small per ticket profit to our club. This event has had great district participation in the past and hope that continues this year, especially in light of the cross-town rivalry involved.

You can also e-mail me for a flyer that can be distributed to other members of your clubs or friends and family that might be interested. Please feel free to e-mail your orders (don’t forget to provide mailing address for the tickets). Checks for $21 x number of tickets, should be made payable to the “Kiwanis Club of Tysons Corner” and sent to: Jeffrey Wolff, 12404A Liberty Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22033. Please e-mail me your order prior to sending your check to ensure that enough tickets remain.

On Thursday night (March 22), at a gala dinner at the Montclair Country Club at Montclair, VA, the Woodbridge Kiwanis Club celebrated 60 years of providing community service to the citizens of eastern Prince William County (PWC). Ralph Eckley, a member of the Club for over 20 years, was presented with a Distinguished Service plaque for his outstanding accomplishments in the Club and as Lt. Governor of Kiwanis Division 10. (Right, Gov-Elect Art Riley conveying congratulations from Gov Bob Cressy and the Capital District to the Woodbridge Kiwanis Club for 60 years of community service.)

Distinguished Kiwanians attending included: Gov-Elect Art Riley, Past Gov Warren Kane and first lady Dale, Div 10 Lt Gov John Beere, Div 20 Lt Gov Tony Gee and first lady Gloria Jean. The following clubs were represented: Bull Run, Fredericksburg, Manassas (sponsor club for Woodbridge), Manassas-Battlefield, and Orange (all from Div 10), and Alexandria and Arlington (from Div 20). Also attending were Virginia Delegate Jeff Frederick and Supervisor Mike May of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors...Read more

The Rehoboth Beach Kiwanis Club reports the CHHS Key Club elected officers March 2 for the 2007-2008 School Year. Elected were, President Brett Morris, Vice President Chrissy Beckman, Secretary Kristen Mintzer, Treasurer Joe Wenner, Editor Nicole Nadig, and Sergeant of Arms Jessica Shifflett who are all four-year Key Club members. The Officers for next year will begin their term at the start of school in September and will attend the officer's training LTG Sarah Smith will lead in August. In other news, Brett Morris and Kristen Mintzer shared their experiences and pictures they took at a Habitat for Humanity/Reading Opens Doors event. They presented books to families who just moved in to their Habitat homes.

Mentoring is a One-To-One Relationship of consistent contact between an adult volunteer and a child. Tutoring, on the other hand, focuses on improving academic and cognitive skills. The Mentor focuses on building a child’s self-esteem, teaching life or academic skills, and avoiding negative behavior, so the child grows into a productive adult. The role of the mentor is as guide, friend, listener, and coach. Single-parent families, as well as two-working parent families create the need for the extra support and attention a mentor can provide. You can be the person who makes a difference! At the beginning of each school year, along with all the teachers and staff, come hundreds of students waiting for a mentor. These students have passions and interests, just waiting for someone who will take an interest in their thoughts, feelings and dreams. They are looking for a friend.

For example, one little girl wants to work in the judicial system when she is older, so her mentor brings in lawyers who share their experiences. Another little girl wants to be a falconer so she and her mentor read books about birds. Some mentors play basketball with their mentees, others do art projects, and others just talk. Being a mentor is easy, just find what the student likes to do, and do it. If the student does not share their interests, share your passions with them. Remember excitement is contagious. Our hope is these examples will resonate in the reader’s mind, creating an interest in mentoring in all schools.

The statistics speak volumes about the benefits a one-on-one relationship has for students. Those who have a mentor were found to be 71% less likely to steal, 70% less likely to use tobacco products, 50% less likely to use alcohol, 33% less likely to get in fights, 46% less likely to use drugs, MORE likely to graduate high school, and MORE likely to enroll in college. All these benefits come from just spending an hour a week with a student in the school.

Many Kiwanis Clubs and school districts are collaborating in their communities to promote mentoring. After completing a simple application and a short training session, mentors are ready for the challenge of a lifetime – as part of a student’s lifetime of opportunities. To learn more, contact Rosemary Cummings at stein@udel.edu.

Our first big project is coming up on April 14, 2007 at the Crystal Lake Park in Hopewell, Va and it is a PIG ROAST EVENT. Tickets are $12.50 per person. This includes barbeque, cole slaw, baked beans and the beverage of your choice. Tickets can be purchased from club members.

March is National Kidney Awareness Month and the Kiwanis Club of the Peninsula at Oyster Point had a special presentation from a club member who is a kidney transplant recipient. Nancy Huggard spoke on behalf of the National Kidney Foundation to encourage other club members to participate in kidney disease screening opportunities. She asked them to register their wishes to become organ or tissue donors through Life Net which matches donors and recipients. Nancy is living proof of the success of a kidney transplant, and shares her story with others in celebration of this medical miracle. (Nancy Huggard is pictured (on the left) with Sandy Sammons, Club President.)

(Right) Bayside Kiwanis Club Treasurer and Immediate Past Capital District Governor Yvonne Holley recently presented a check to Virginia Beach-Combers Kiwanis Club President Don Super. The Beach-Combers Club teamed with the Bayside Club for the second year in 2006 serving food in the picnic area of Norfolk's Harbor Park during the AAA baseball Tides home games. The clubs split the proceeds last year for $2,100.00 each. The clubs will team again in 2007 to earn funds for their charities.

On April 15, 2007, the National Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet will perform its Eighth Annual Concert for the benefit of the Kiwanis Club of Alexandria. Again this year the John Adams Orff Ensemble will perform one-half hour before the Brass Quintet (3:30 - 4:00 pm).The NSO Brass Quintet is readily recognized around the Washington Metropolitan area having played at the Kennedy Center, the White House and at television performances. The Quintet has also played at dozens of schools around the country as an educational effort. Previous concerts have received rave reviews and many or our attendees look forward to this performance each year. We have had excellent response from our previous sponsors to help underwrite the event. This year we are trying to emphasize selling more tickets to increase the attendance. Tickets for adults are $25 each and for children under 12 are $12 each. The profits received from the concert are used for local charities benefiting children and adults in the Alexandria and Northern Virginia area. For tickets or more information, please contact: Alexandria Kiwanis Club, Perry Carvellas, 8417 Alyce Place, Alexandria, Va 22308, Email: p.carvellas@cox.net, Phone: 703 360 0656.

The Kiwanis Club of Abingdon held a St. Patrick's Day Pancake Breakfast on Saturday March 17th. The event raised over $2,500 for the Wonder Kids Equestrian Ridding Program which serves over 60 special needs children in Abingdon and 3 surrounding counties. The program builds self confidence, self esteem, and provides physical and emotional therapy for physically and emotionally challenged children. Despite unseasonable morning snow flurries and cold temperatures, we served pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee and good cheer to over 200 hungry people. The event was organized and ably run by Club Treasurer George "Flap Jack" Strong with the able assistance of more than 25 Kiwanians, representatives of Wonder Kids, six enthusiastic Abingdon High School Key Club members, and the same number of our Emory & Herry College Circle K members. And to add to the fun, Circle K President Matt Fidler and member Kevin Hester took turns dressing up as a Leprechaun in an appropriate green suit, hat and shoes--with curled up toes--to the delight of all.

Ed Novak of "On to Honolulu" fame and a member of the Arlington Kiwanis club has written his first book, entitled "Deadly Affairs of State." An unscrupulous politician plots to take over the Presidency of the United States by arranging almost simultaneous assassinations of the four government officials standing in her way. The book can be purchased from Amazon.com. The author is willing to travel for book signings.

Division 23, Capital District Kiwanis consisting of Kiwanis Clubs of Tabb, York, Poquoson, Williamsburg and Denbigh hosted the 8th Christine Garvey Memorial Soccer Tournament on March 14-16, 2007. The event which began in 2000 hosts 32 high school soccer teams in boys and girls varsity and junior varsity divisions and raises funds to benefit The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. This year's addition brought Kiwanis clubs from Tabb, Poquoson, Denbigh, Warwick, Colonial Capital, and Williamsburg together to provide field management, ticket sales, and concessions to support the more than 500 high school soccer players. Beyond the participating Kiwanis clubs, Key clubs from Walsingham, Tabb, and Poquoson and the Circle K club from Christopher Newport University participated in this event. This year's event raised approximately $7500 bringing the total raised since the tournament's inception to more than $85,000.

The tournament, held the first week of the High School soccer season each year, is the premier tournament event in the Tidewater, Virginia area. It brings together teams from the AAA Peninsula District, AA Bay Rivers District, private schools, and teams from the Virginia Beach area. Referees for the tournament come from the Peninsula Soccer Referees Association, the Richmond Interscholastic Soccer Referees Association, and the Tidewater Soccer Referees Association and all volunteer their time to support the event. The Christine Garvey Memorial is truly a Kiwanis family event that brings together additional community partners to offer a community service event while at the same time raising funds to support breast cancer research. The 9th annual tournament is tentatively scheduled for March 12-14, 2008. (Pictured above, the Poquoson and Gloucester Boys Junior Varsity teams pause for a moment of silence to honor cancer victims prior to the opening game in the 8th Annual Christine Garvey Memorial Soccer Tournament.)

If one were to visit the WW Scott Senior Citizens Center on a Thursday afternoon, they would find senior volunteers hard at work on a new program. It’s called "Snack-in-a-Pack" and it’s sponsored by the Marion Kiwanis Club. The program involves making sure that young children in our community have access to healthy, nutritious snacks over the weekends.

Studies have shown that many children are at risk with diets that are irregular or lacking in good nutritional content. This, in turn, can increase their risk of developing health-related problems such as obesity and diabetes, help lead to behavior problems such as attention deficient disorder and adversely affect their learning ability. Conversely, children who consume nutritious foods are found to be better students, concentrate better, retain more information and perform better on tests.

The Kiwanis Club began their program in late February with the help of a grant from Wal-Mart and support from the Smyth County Community Foundation, Food City, the Second Harvest Food bank in Abingdon and the Senior Citizens Center. Senior volunteers at the Center prepare backpacks filled with fruit, fruit juice, fresh vegetables and snacks low in sugar, fat and calories. These backpacks are then distributed to participating children on Friday mornings to take home with them over the weekend, returning the empty backpacks on Mondays.

"Snack-in-a-Pack" is a pilot program targeting the young children and siblings of the Marion Head Start Program and will run through the school year. Amy Smith, the coordinator of Project Right Start, has worked closely with the Kiwanis Club to develop nutritional guidelines for the program. At a recent luncheon for participating parents, Amy stressed the importance of good nutrition in planning family meals and snacks and will continue to work with families throughout the program.

The program itself will be continually monitored for its effectiveness in meeting its goals. If successful, the Marion Kiwanis Club would like to expand the program to reach more children in the Fall.

(Upper left, Senior Citizen Center staffers (front & back right) along with several senior volunteers with children's nutritional food supplies, which they will be loading into the backpacks each week. Upper right, Kiwanis members, Alvin Crowder and Ken Osborne, loading the backpacks at the Senior Center to be transported each Friday to the local Head Start Center for the children to take home with them over the weekend.)

Montgomery Village Kiwanis is having their 2nd annual Breakfast and Bowling on April 29th at 10 AM at Bowl America, 1101 Clopper Road, Gaithersburg, MD. This event will benefit American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Cost is $25.00 per person which includes a full buffet breakfast, 2 games of bowling plus shoes, or 4 for $80.00. Children under 5 are free. Other discounts apply. For more information or to purchase tickets call 301 869-5805 or 301 840-0314.

The Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon has added two new members to it's Kiwanis Family this month with the chartering of two new Key Clubs! The South County Key Club in Lorton, VA and the Mount Vernon HS Key Club (right) were both chartered in March and are registered to attend the Key Club District Convention! ...Read more.

State Delegate Tom Gear presents an American flag which was flown over the State Capitol on March 11, 2007 in honor of Joe Kalista's 88th birthday. Joe also recently celebrated his 37th year as a Kiwanian. He is an honorary member of Kiwanis By the Bay and a member of the Warwick Kiwanis Club. Members of both clubs honored him at a recent dinner at the Hampton Yacht Club.

Approximately 100 Kiwanians, Key Clubbers and guests gathered at the Marymount University-Ballston campus on March 24, 2007 for the second annual Northern Virginia Region Mid-Winter Conference. Lieutenant Governors John Beere of Division 10 and Tony Gee of Division 20 put together a great day of training, programs and fellowship. Marymount was a gracious host and provided outstanding facilities and an excellent lunch. Governor-Elect Art Riley opened the day with remarks to the General Session. Art then met with the Lieutenant Governors-Elect and Presidents-Elect before they embarked on 4 hours of training conducted by PG Warren Kane. A total of 12 other training opportunities were provided...Read more.