WWII Turret Gunner Proud to be a Kiwanian
by Doug Butler

After returning from WWII and 35 combat flights as a nose turret gunner on a B-24 Liberator Heavy Bomber over Germany, I was ready to settle down to the business world. I was general manager of a local agriculture chemical company from 1946 until 1982 when I retired at age 58. I found my first Kiwanis Club in Winchester in May of 1949 and now on my 59th year of perfect attendance with that Club. In business, if you wanted to sell me anything from a ball-point pen to a fleet of trucks, you had better be a Kiwanian. I liked the Community Service Projects and the fellowship with members of Kiwanis. I jumped right in being active in the Club and in 1955 was elected President. I didn't know that I was the youngest President of a Kiwanis Club larger than 100 members until I received a call from Kiwanis International.

I now am an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Old Town, Winchester, Va, Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge, Winchester as well as my original Kiwanis Club of Winchester, Va. with it's 150 members. It seemed like if I help build a new Kiwanis Club, that I wanted to join it also. At present, I enjoy membership in the 3 Clubs and always one of the first to sign up for inter-club visits and community service projects. I really enjoy being appointed to the Membership Growth, Retention and Attendance Committees of the Clubs and this past April made a goal to myself to sponsor at least one new member to each of the 3 clubs during the month. I met the goal. My favorite recruiting place was the local Chamber of Commerce Fellowship Business Mixers where I singled out someone to invite to our Kiwanis meetings, a plan that really works.

Inter-club visits are most enjoyable to me and I urge my fellow visiting Kiwanians to spread out, not sit together, and secure as much information on our visiting clubs as we can on fund raising, membership drives, etc. and then we compare information.

I have a Kiwanis family, my wife Linda is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Blue Ridge and a past Lt. Governor of the Division and my 3 sons were Key Clubbers and Circle K members.

I enjoy the District Conventions where we have a chance to talk to other club members and receive a wealth of information on what makes a successful event. And at the luncheon, you will probably see me the last to sit down in years in Kiwanis unless Past Governor Warren Kane brings in a "ringer".

My success and enjoyment in Kiwanis comes down to "getting involved" and "share your K". Don't just be a member, be a leader. We have lots to share so thanks for sharing, thanks for caring!