Florida Kiwanis District Newsletter - August/September 2019

August/September 2019 Newsletter

FROM THE GOVERNOR'S GAVEL

2018-19 Governor, Steve LeBlanc

This final message from the 2018-19 Governors is written to you on Saturday, September 14, 2019 as Chris & I prepare to attend the Annual Gala of the Kiwanis Club of Lauderdale Lakes later this evening. Yesterday, I had the honor of participating in the Charter Celebration of the Kiwanis Club of NE Polk County. This coming weekend, we travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico to welcome a third island paradise to the Florida District family. The last weekend of the month has a mere four more events for us to attend. Whoever said the Governor’s job slows down after DCON was not speaking the truth!

Speaking of DCON, our annual family reunion at the Omni International Resort in Orlando was nothing short of spectacular! The venue was wonderful, food was great, education sessions were varied, informative and well-presented (big thanks to Allen Yergovich and Prairy Reihl!!) and our interclub sessions all ended early which gave all attendees added time to do as they please. I am extremely proud and grateful for Melanie, Tom, Jose for all they do to make this a memorable experience year after year. We can’t forget all the Key Club & CKI members who gave of their time along with the great group of Kiwanis volunteers. The event is simply not possible without all of your selfless contributions. THANK YOU, ALL!!!

During my farewell address, I recapped some numbers from the 2018-19 year. We have opened ten (10) new clubs to date and have more in the pipeline. Combine this with 27 new clubs across the spectrum of our SLPs and we definitely made the FL District larger and more productive than before. We have a realistic chance of reversing the negative growth trend in this district but we won’t know for sure until October 10, 2019. I have faith we will end on a positive note. The importance of membership growth coupled with new club opening has been a major theme for the past two years and we have positioned ourselves to carry this into the future in a big way. Many great Kiwanians have stepped up, gone outside their respective comfort zones and obtained new skills which are essential to sustain growth. Again, THANK YOU, ALL!!

I have stated many times that joining the Florida District of Kiwanis International was the second best decision I have ever made. Sorry, but the best decision I ever made remains to be my marriage proposal to Chris and ain’t nothing ever gonna top that!! This organization and its wonderful members have enriched my life beyond all expectations. We both had reservations when I threw my hat into the ring for Vice Governor, but I can assure you there are ZERO regrets. The friendships made through the years with folks from all over the world would be enough to satisfy anyone. But when you combine that with the service projects in which we participated and the time spent with our SLP students, it all adds up to a truly priceless and memorable experience. I would do it again in a heartbeat!! One more time, THANK YOU, ALL!!

Now we look to 2019-20 and the leadership of Governor Allen Yergovich, Governor-Elect Mary Lynn Desjarlais and Vice Governor Harvey White. This is a great succession of loyal, dedicated Kiwanians that are well-equipped to lead us boldly into the future. Please join Chris & I and pledge your full support for these leaders as they guide us to new heights in the greatest district in the world, the mighty Florida District of Kiwanis International. For the last time…THANK YOU, ALL!!

Steve & Chris LeBlanc

A year in the life of the Governor and the First Lady

Click here for a great video showing the life and times of Steve and Chris in 2018-19

The Objects of Kiwanis guide our organization. They are our values. Our beliefs. Our core. Delegates approved the six permanent Objects of Kiwanis at the 1924 Kiwanis International Convention in Denver, Colorado. They have remained unchanged through the decades.

As a special feature of this year's newsletter, six of our executive committee members will be offering reflections on what the Objects of Kiwanis means to them. Vice-Governor Mary-Lynn Desjarlais has selected the 6th Object.

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OBJECT 6

"To cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism which make possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism and good will . "

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So now, what does that mean? All Kiwanis members should act appropriately in private and public. Our club meetings should be a shining example of the best in mankind. Our Facebook pages should show our private and public view of righteousness (not prejudices, rants or hatred), justice (upholding the rule of law and respect of our judicial system), patriotism (be proud of our country - not blindly, but with respect and encouragement) and good will to all.

Think and reflect before you push “send” on your emails or before you post on social media. Any message that you send, first imagine that about your post being read in a deposition, attributed to you in a newspaper, court of law or read to your mother, then you will rewrite and temper your statement to reflect Object 6 of the Objects of Kiwanis.

Mary-Lynn Desjarlais

Vice-Governor of the Florida District

Click here for a cruise flyer

Friends and Family,

It was great seeing everyone at convention, which ended on a great note, with a service project. Thank you for all your support. I am ready to get Quacking!

October 1 is the final date to secure your reservations with our block for the Friends and Family Cruise in January, 2020. Teri will likely still be able to reserve you space, but our GUARANTEE will disappear. I waited last year, thinking I would get a last minute deal, but I paid much more.

If you have booked directly, or with another agent, please let Teri know that, because you can be added to our “group” without changing anything about your existing reservation.

We will be having an interclub with the Grand Cayman Kiwanians while we’re there, and we will have some fun optional activities on the sea days.

Please share this with your club, your friends, and your family. EVERYONE is welcome. It’s January, it’ll be cold up north...Invite all those northern friends and relatives to escape and cruise with us. We already have several northern Kiwanians booked.

Allen Yergovich

Governor-elect

#KidsNeedKiwanis

#FLKiwanis

#Get Quacking

From 2018-19 Vice-Governor Mary Lynn Desjarlais ...

Key Club District Administrator Position to Become Available

Donna Parton and her team are doing a wonderful job for our Key Clubs, but her Administrator position will term out in March, 2021. It is my honor to find the next great Key Club District Administrator. I have created a committee to assist in the interview process and selection of our next Administrator.

Please contract me if you are interested in applying for the position of Key Club District Administrator . I need to have all interested Kiwanians contact me by NOVEMBER 1, 2019. The Committee will interview all parties in November and December, 2019 and if necessary into January, 2020. We hope to have the next Administrator selected by spring 2020, to allow ample time to shadow and learn the various issues, challenges and trends for this position.

Our Key Clubs have over 23,000 members. Key Clubbers are shining stars, and the future of Kiwanis. Please volunteer!

Interested? Email Vice-Governor Mary-Lynn Desjarlais

"No Small Matter"

"No Small Matter" is the first feature documentary to explore the most overlooked, underestimated, and powerful force for good in America today: early childhood education. Through poignant stories and surprising humor, the film lays out the overwhelming evidence for the importance of the first five years.

Emotional, entertaining, and ultimately inspiring, No Small Matter will change the way audiences see the world, and in the process, help turn early childhood education into the grown-up issue it deserves to be.

This important film is a wonderful tool to use in the delivery of the Young Children: Priority One (YC:PO) message that our own Dr. Wil Blechman espouses every day.

You may have seen the film at the District Convention in August. Now you can see it right on your own screen.

Click here for the link to the video(Password: kiwanis1)

FROM YOUR 2018-19 DISTRICT CHAIRS

CLUB REPORTING

Caroll Neita, 2018-19 Club Reporting Chair

REMINDER

Club secretaries for the Florida District, there is no better way for your fellow Kiwanians in the Florida District and Kiwanis International to know what your club is doing than through the monthly report you submit online.

Your initial club reports from October through September are due by the 10th of the following month but you can update them throughout the year as long as you ‘save’ your entries before submitting the updates.

It is not too late to get caught up for this year so please work on getting your club reports done and submitted before October 1st , as the window for 2018-2019 entries closes at that time, to make way for the 2019-2020 reports.”

Thanks and Walk Good in Service,

Caroll Neita

MEMBERSHIP

Jim Gillies, 2018-19 Membership Chair

Working together, teams of Florida Kiwanians did a lot of new club building and club strengthening this year. Upwards of thirty of our members from all over the State volunteered to participate in those activities. They formed nine new clubs that either have been chartered or are in process of being chartered. There’s most likely going to be a new Kiwanis club in Puerto Rico, too!

This membership “team”, as I like to call them, learned more about how to grow Kiwanis and help others at the same time. Now these members are ready to help other members and clubs grow and strengthen. I stress the words “team” and “teamwork” because that’s what Kiwanians have been doing ever since we got started over 100 years ago.