Gov. Bob's Builders: What Great Fun & Fellowship! What a GREAT District Convention!
by Gov. Bob Cressy

Well, Capital District Kiwanians, you have outdone yourselves. As I reflect on our just-completed 89th Annual Capital District Kiwanis Convention held at the almost-completed Hilton Hotel and Executive Conference Center in Rockville, Maryland, I hope you agree it was a resounding success. First of all, there were 590 registered attendees, plus many guests and other visitors pushing our attendance to well over six hundred and 'something' for one of the best attended DCONs in years. For awhile there, I thought "Bob's Builders - Kiwanis at Work" was going to have to be more than just a good idea to rebuild and strengthen our Capital District. But the hotel staff and management managed to get the hotel complex all completed except for the atrium. So we only needed Kiwanis building tools and didn't have to build our own hotel. Whew! Your DCON committee lead by Chairman PLG Charles Falck (left) of the Olney Club did a great job with organization.

One of the main reasons for success was the spirited elections to select our Capital District candidate to run for the position of Kiwanis International Trustee. It was a three-way race won by Past Governor Jerry Peuler. I thank Past Governors Charlie Adams and Dick Feeser and Jerry for running strong campaigns and putting their qualifications, achievements and leadership skills 'on the ballot'. You are all terrific, dedicated Kiwanians. We all are indebted to each of you.

We also had elections for Art Riley your Governor for 2007-2008 and your new Governor Elect Tom Ganse, also for 2007-2008. We have all been supporting and living the District's "rolling three year concept" whereby there is continuity of leadership with common goals and objectives to keep us on track to "Building a Better Tomorrow Through Service". Congratulations to Art and Vickie, and Tom!

You have seen many pictures and articles each month from your Capital District Editor Dave Maloney and me, along with many others contributed by clubs, committee chairs and members. They have presented a 'rolling history' of this year in pictures and words in the Capital Builder found in both the e-Builder and the hard copy paper versions. I hope you have enjoyed them. The year's previous monthly submissions are still available for your review, by the way. As I reviewed the pictures from our DCON in August I saw so many of you at the convention it would be impossible to cover it all. I have to say 'a picture is worth a thousand words.

So, please take a look at this edition's photos to see an overview of you and your teams celebrating at DCON. In a quick overview, Thursday night began the festivities with the Past Governor's Dinner at Congressional Country Club honoring our Kiwanis International Trustee to the Capital District Stan L. Storey and Elizabeth. They are pictured left flanked by Art & Vickie Riley to the left and Nancy and me on the right. Friday brought the district board and committee meetings, then the Honor's Reception and the LGs Class dinner on Friday night. Our most sincere thanks are given to our three terrific key convention speakers. Dr. Jack Delahay is Professor of Orthopedics and Pediatrics at Georgetown University Medical Center and the Medical Director of the Kiwanis Clinic at Sibley Hospital supported by the Kiwanis Club of Washington, DC. Our luncheon speaker was COL Gray Heppner, MD, Director of the Division of Malaria Vaccine Development at the Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital. He is a world authority on malaria which is the number one killer disease in the world today. On Sunday we watched and heard an inspirational and moving address on Camp Friendship, a free camp for children with cancer by a spokesperson for Beverly Gough the founder of the Carol Jean Cancer Foundation. All three programs are sponsored by Kiwanis clubs.

The Kiwanis workshops, training and meetings planned by Governor Elect Art Riley throughout Saturday were excellent and very well attended. The social highlight was Governor's Reception and Banquet and was a pleasure for Nancy and I to host. Our elections were important, exciting and spirited. We were sold out on most everything, a good sign. We had a ball. I think you did too. Next year, even bigger and better!

We're Preparing for 2007-2008, BUT We Still Have Four Weeks To GO!

I believe our most important task in the next FOUR weeks is to help each and every club try to make "Distinguished Club" status. Why? Well, first every club (and everyone is a member of a club, their club) has worked hard this year in service to their communities. Most clubs, and I do mean most, are either slightly ahead on membership net growth or a just a bit shy of +1 by two or three members. As I have published for many months, you know that one of the criteria for Distinguished Club status is a +1 NET growth in membership. WE can qualify many more clubs as long as we focus on this for these last four weeks.

As I have said before, "we have enough Kiwanians to do what we are doing … but NOT enough to do what needs to be done". The 2006-2007 Class of Governors promised President Nelson Tucker "50,000 more Kiwanis hands — 25,000 new members internationally by the KI convention". We delivered and the Capital District was a strong part of that accomplishment. Capital has added FIVE new Kiwanis clubs this year: Potomac, Bel Air and Charlotte Hall in Maryland, and Toano and the 'Kiwanis Club of the Dulles Area' in Virginia. Growth is not for growth's sake but to provide more hands to do what needs to be done. These new clubs and their club sponsors have brought the Kiwanis opportunity to people and communities that did not know the fellowship and satisfaction of serving their world through Kiwanis. Now they will.

On August 25th the Kiwanis Club of Toano held its Charter Night with forty-eight (48!) new Kiwanians. Read all about it here. Toano is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Williamsburg, Virginia. What a great job of dedicated leadership by Williamsburg and a quick realization by the new members of what a new club means to the Toano community. That's how it's done. In September two more clubs already officially accepted into Kiwanis International, Charlotte Hall and the Kiwanis Club of the Dulles Area will hold Charter Nights. On Wednesday, August 29th, the new Aktion Club of Northern Neck was officially chartered and was sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Northern Neck. Read about it here. Wow! The Capital District is now in positive net growth. We need to finish with a flurry of quality new members and help all clubs attain that "Distinguished Club" status. Will you help? I know you will. Thanks!

Serving Your World is an Honor and a Privilege — Seize the Opportunity To Lead

Permit me to just highlight a little of the chronology and say it is just amazing that we have but one month left in this administration. In hind-sight where did the time go? But that comes with the fast pace, privilege, honor and pride that we receive when we step up to the roles of club, division and district leadership. Being club president and a lieutenant governor, and now governor, have been some of the most rewarding events of my lifetime. Working together with Kiwanians — people of good cheer, a kind heart and a willingness to help those in need — is unmatched anywhere. We are truly the best and most unique community service organization in the world. Thanks for your service to Kiwanis! Take your opportunity to step up to a leadership role in your club, division or the Capital District. And keep on keeping on!