As I write this article for the Builder, the Capital District is about to hold its very first Key Leader Weekend. All statistics point to it being one of the most successful initial weekends ever held. With only a few days left to register, 35 students are already on board. Included in that number are five Key Club officers who have stepped up to the plate and volunteered to serve as the very first Student Facilitators. They are Anne Elder from Virginia Beach, Terrance Clark of Largo, Carolyn McCauley from Christ Church School, Emily Engberg and Hyo bin Sung both from The Salisbury School in Maryland. These students will cover the leadership curriculum at the same time they will be practicing great leadership skills as they each head up break-out neighborhoods.

At least five Kiwanis Clubs have earned a banner patch for supporting two or more students. They are Severna Park, Harrisonburg , Denbigh, Winchester, and Tysons Corner in Virginia, as well as Reisterstown, MD. Other clubs may yet achieve this distinction. Several Capital District Kiwanis leaders have also taken it upon themselves to personally sponsor at least one participant. They are Past Gov. Bob Powers, current Builder editor David Maloney, Hampton Roads Trustee Floyd Brown, Key Leader Chair Babs Lee, and Governor-Elect Tom Ganse.

While Kiwanians are invited to stop by and observe at various times, 16 Kiwanians have registered to spend the entire weekend at Camp Letts and to make the weekend run as smoothly as possible. International Kiwanis Chair for Key Leader, Dick Peterson, wrote to the Key Leader Committee saying "I am so excited to be with you in another week. The enrollment has come along great--but please keep at for the next week...we can still enroll students. Next Monday Lori will look at the numbers and see if you need more supplies sent---that would be a GREAT problem. You have done well for a first time, but any more students will help the budget numbers. I am off to New Mexico this weekend, and will see you all soon."

Lead facilitator for the weekend will be Patrick Maurer The following is his bio:

Patrick Maurer is an entertainer, educator, and motivator. He graduated Summa Cum Laude with a bachelor's degree in communication from Arizona State University. After obtaining a teaching credential from San Jose State University, he taught English at a local high school before leaving the classroom to create PMaurer Communication. He is a dynamic speaker who has presented workshops and seminars, entertaining and education audiences of all ages. Patrick is also a professional improvisational comedian performing with Comedy Sportz San Jose. His background in Kiwanis is also stellar. While in Key Club, he was a club president, lieutenant governor, and governor of the California-Nevada-Hawaii District, and was one of four out-of-state recipients of the ASU/KCI Leadership Scholarship. He currently is a member of the National Speakers Association and the Almaden Valley, San Jose Kiwanis club.

If all goes well, the Capital District may consider holding a second weekend in early May.