A Growing District pg. 28
DCON AGenda pg.3
June 2023 (Issue NO. 29)
KI-NOTES
New Clubs Emerge
A Publication of the Texas-Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International
Marketing Team Receives Grant pg 34
8AM-5PM 22/23 LTG/Trustee Training 12PM-4:30PM Spouse's Tour 12:30PM-1:30PM Past Governor's Luncheon | Foundation Board Luncheon 2PM-5PM Registration & Credentials Booth | CLE Officers Training 6PM-8PM District Dinner (Invite Only) 8:30PM Governor & First Lady Carla Welcome Reception (Hilton Lobby-All Invited) Children's books and canned food for our service project and auction items will be collected from 2PM-5PM on Friday.
Contact us
Governor: Patrick McCage Governor-elect: Kathy Culbertson Immediate Past Governor: Brad McKenzie
8:30AM-11:10AM Opening Session (Doors open at 8AM) 11:20AM-12PM PLGA Meeting | Governor-Elect Candidate Forum 12:15PM-1:45PM PLGA Sponsored Lunch: Speaker Chief Gary Batton Oklahoma Choctaw Nation 2PM Spouse's Tour 2PM-4:45PM Workshops 7PM Granbury Live Family Event (Dinner on your own) Children's books and canned food for service project 7AM-4:30PM. Auction items need to be turned in prior to 12PM.
KI Notes Staff
The first Kiwanis Club in what is now the Texas-Oklahoma District, was officially completed February 10, 1917, at Dallas, Texas, with a membership of 200. Due to the increasing number of clubs across the country members realized the need of setting up the District organization. In October 1918, the Dallas Club selected one of its members to serve as interim Governor of the Texas-Oklahoma District until an organization conference could be arranged. The first meeting was in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and on February 10, 1919, the Texas-Oklahoma District was organized.
Agenda
TX-OK DCON 2023
3 DCON Agenda 4 Governor's Greeting 6 DCON 2023 12 Events 14 A Look at Clubs 26 From the Texas-Oklahoma Kiwanis Foundation 28 A Growing District 29 ICON, Registration Awaits! 30 K-Kids & Builders Club: The Beginning, Our Future 33 TX-OK CKI Newsletter 34 Marketing Team Receives Grant 35 2021-2022 Distinguished Clubs Awards 36 In Loving Memory 37 Editor's Message
www.instagram.com/texas.oklahoma.kiwanis/
Granbury, TX
Contents
www.txokkiwanis.org
https://twitter.com/txokkiwanis
22-23 District Officers
Editor: Evelyn Herrera District Marketing Chair: Marshall Kregel
txokdist@swbell.net
P.O. Box 13160, Arlington 76094-3160
817-640-7711
OUR STORY
Details may change slightly. Check your convention program for final time and location.
Thursday August 3
Friday August 4
8AM-9:50AM Prayer Breakfast 10AM-11:50AM Workshops 12PM Governor's Sat. Lunch W/ Jim Rodriguez F.L.A.G. Program 2PM AUCTION CLOSES 2:30PM-4PM Delegate Session/Closing Session 4:30PM Regional Meetings 6PM Governor's Banquet Children's books and canned food for service project 7AM-2PM on Saturday
texas oklahoma district
Saturday August 5
www.facebook.com/texasoklahomakiwanis
Texas Oklahoma Kiwanis District Governor's Greeting Patrick McCage
Can you believe it? Our district convention is less than two months away. This is such a fun and exciting time in our Kiwanis year. Please, if you haven’t already, make every attempt to attend your convention from August 4th through the 6th. You may ask why. Why attend DCON 2023? Because this is our opportunity to celebrate every member in attendance. To educate us on new and different fundraising projects. This is a time for us to strengthen our Kiwanis commitment for years to come through camaraderie, exploring what our district has to offer your club, and seizing upon creative but realistic ways to ensure your club's membership is lasting. The way this DCON team is coming together is simply head-spinning to me. I am in amazement at what Susan, Marshal, Governor-Elect Kathy, and the team from Lake Granbury Kiwanis Club, Tammy, Elizabeth, and Eva, are doing. I can tell you now that, as of this writing, I am behind in several of my email responses to a few of these folks. I can hardly keep up with their pace. These individuals are ensuring that this will be one of the best conventions yet, and I have no doubt they will pull it off. This team has come together this year for one reason. That reason is because of each and every Kiwanian in the Texas-Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International—you! If you have not, please register now. If you wait until July, it will probably be too late. I believe the Convention Hotel is sold out, but there are still PLENTY of rooms at our sister hotels in Granbury, the beautiful Best Western and Comfort Inn Suites. Speaking along the lines of education, Governor-Elect Kathy’s goal is to have every division represented by a Lieutenant Governor by the time DCON kicks off. We will also have Lt. Governor’s training on Thursday, August 3, just before the convention. One of the events I’m really looking forward to is Saturday’s lunch keynote speaker, Jim Rodriguez. If you recall, his F.L.A.G. Program is my governor's project this year. Jim is the founder and creator of the F.L.A.G. Program. This simple patriotic curriculum is invaluable to the youth of our cities, towns, states, and our beloved US of A. What we teach our children today will last a lifetime. Let’s not forget about the Saturday night banquet. This will be an opportunity to praise, honor, recognize, and give thanks to our awesome members and clubs throughout the Texas-Oklahoma District and to welcome our incoming Governor Kathy Culbertson. Stick around, we will also have live, fun and energetic entertainment to close out the 2023 DCON. Over the last couple of months my Kiwanis heart has been steadily filling. Hats off to Adrian Thompson and Cory for knocking out an awesome LEDCON this past April. We have some true leaders in our Key Club district. Thank you for what you do. Thank you for the time you commit. Thank you for your love of Key Club. Talking about filling up my Kiwanis soul with a bunch of Kiwanis goodness. Hats off and congratulations to the members of the new Kiwanis Club of Cypress Texas and as of this writing the Kiwanis Club of Aubrey Texas. These two new Kiwanis Clubs will make an impact for years to come which will benefit the children in these cities. If you have a friend or family members in these two areas have them reach out, join one of these Clubs and start improving the world. Thank you to the Membership Chair, Brad McKenzie and many thanks to Buck Lalley and Robin Meyers for spearheading these two efforts. I had the opportunity to speak on behalf of Kiwanis to the Conroe Hispanic Chamber of Commerce which in turn could be a new Kiwanis Club before DCON. I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch, but it’s looking very promising. Keep your fingers crossed! In closing let me just say this, if you could see what I see in every city and town that I have had an opportunity to visit, your heart and soul would be overflowing as well. What we are doing, what you are doing is making a difference for our beautiful children that we have committed ourselves to serve and for that I say thank you. Because if we only know one thing, that one thing is #KidsNeedKiwanis! Now, let’s get busy. I’ll see you in Granbury, DCON 2023 please join us. Patrick McCage Governor, Texas Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International Kiwanis Club of Gainesville Texas 940-736-1603
Comfort Suites
There will be three hotels available for reservations. Rooms are filling up fast! As of May 25, 2023, 12 rooms are available at Best Western and 22 at Comfort Suites. Check availability below:
Register Now!
Hilton Garden Inn
Hotels
August 3th, 2023-August 6th, 2023
Our District's annual convention is right around the corner!
A Look At Granbury
View Agenda
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DCON 2023
DISTRICT CONVENTION 2023 Granbury
Check out what the district has in store! Our convention is loaded with training opportunities and great fun this year. Start jotting down what you want to do today!
Best Western
LEADING THE T-O DISTRICT TO A BETTER PLACE Why I Am A Candidate for 2023-24 Governor-Elect Dear Kiwanians, It has been my honor to serve Kiwanis International as a member, Club President-Elect, Club President for two consecutive terms, and Lieutenant Governor. Now, I am a candidate to be your 2023-24 Governor-Elect. I am humbled and honored to run for this prestigious office. When our current Governor-Elect, Dr. Kathy Culbertson, graciously asked me to run, my wife Mary and I discussed this significant life change at length. I am happy that I received my first endorsement to run from my wife of 28 years! I am also proud to have the enthusiastic backing of my home club, the Kiwanis Club of Mansfield, TX. I am especially honored to have the expressed support of the other six amazing clubs in Division 39: Arlington, Arlington Southwest, Northeast Tarrant County, Southlake, Venus, and Waxahachie. I thank Governor Patrick and the District Board of Trustees for their approval of my campaign. Finally, I am personally grateful to have the strong support of Dr. Claude Cunningham, a T-O Foundation Trustee and Club Coach who has served Kiwanis impactfully in many leadership roles. Why am I asking for your vote? Now more than ever in a post-pandemic world, kids need Kiwanis! Lockdowns, social unrest, war, supply issues, and inflation have had a massive negative impact on children here and around the world. At the same time, generations are recommitting themselves to building a better society through altruistic service, community, and innovation. I believe Kiwanis International is well-positioned for this burgeoning explosion in global volunteerism. As an individual, I am confident my business experience, my coaching background, and my Kiwanis leadership have prepared me for this role and for this time. What could I bring to the T-O District as Governor-Elect? I am a proven business leader. I bring almost 30 years of corporate business experience, primarily in learning and development, as well as human resources. Over the last 20 years, I led major organizations through impactful and measurable culture change, concentrating on workplace respect, customer service, and employee engagement. I am an experienced professional coach. In 2016, I returned to college and earned my Graduate Certificate in Executive and Professional Coaching from the University of Texas at Dallas. Today I am a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) as credentialed by the International Coaching Federation. I own To A Better Place Executive Coaching, where I help leaders and their teams move to a better place through future-oriented, solutions-focused, and strengths-based coaching. I will bring those same methods to my term as Governor-Elect. I am a proud Kiwanian. I joined the Kiwanis Club of Mansfield in August 2018. Mansfield Kiwanis supports six Key Clubs and one Builders Club in the Mansfield Independent School District. The Club is a founding partner with Common Ground Mansfield in the Feed the Kids for Summer nutrition program. Mansfield Kiwanians recognize an MISD teacher and student of the month each month during the school year. The club also funds four annual scholarships and promotes literacy through the Jack Buster Memorial Book Project. How have I personally impacted the work of Kiwanis? I served Mansfield as President-Elect in 2019-2020 before serving two consecutive terms as President in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. Over several months in 2020, the Mansfield club fell from 25 pre-pandemic members to only six remaining. We met on Zoom, in a local park, in a church foyer, and in a senior adults Sunday school room. It was a trial by fire, but we learned valuable lessons about resilience, regular communication, and making connections. Today, Mansfield is back with 22 active members and two corporate partners. We proudly sponsored new clubs in Venus in 2021 and in Waxahachie in 2022. Currently, I serve as Lieutenant Governor for Division 39. I am honored to be a George F. Hixson Fellow. What can you expect from me if I am your 2023-24 Governor-Elect and potential Governor? As Governor-Elect, I look forward to working beside Governor Kathy and supporting her vision for the district in the coming year. Dr. Culbertson is a gifted leader with a passion for Kiwanis. Should I be fortunate to succeed Kathy as Governor in 2024-25, I will work beside each of you along this path to a better place. I will champion Kiwanis’ unique value proposition to improve communities and the world one child at a time. I will prioritize the Six Objects that should guide every meeting, every activity, every project, and every relationship Kiwanians have. I will work tirelessly to ensure fiduciary health, transparency, and accountability throughout the district. I will do everything in my power to ensure the physical and psychological safety of every child interacting with a Kiwanian. I will encourage every club to support service leadership programs for all ages. I will drive the creation of more Aktion Clubs, as adults with special needs are a significantly untapped resource in our society. I will support starting new clubs and strengthening existing clubs aggressively. I will encourage district leaders to innovate new clubs for diverse people groups, languages, and locations. I will grow our leadership, talent, and succession pools at all levels. I will lean on past governors for their wisdom, suggestions, and constructive feedback. I will ensure every club has both a local visibility and an international focus, so that all Kiwanians feel a part of what Kiwanis International is accomplishing across the planet. It is my honor and joy to serve as a Kiwanian with you! Thank you for your serious consideration of my candidacy. With your help, we can lead the Mighty T-O District to a better place, where all kinds of people work with all kinds of children in all kinds of service to make their world a better place. See you in Granbury! Enjoy the journey. Bobby Quinten, PCC Division 39 Lieutenant Governor Mansfield, Texas
Bobby Quinten
2023-2024 Governor candidate
Saturday's Luncheon
First Lady Carla McCage will be leading the spouse tours at our upcoming district convention in Lake Granbury. Thursday August 3 12:00pm-4:30pm A trip via trolley to downtown Lake Granbury and lunch. Friday August 4 2:00pm-4:30 pm Our spouses will be taking a trolley tour of Granbury with refreshments at the Silver Saddle. Saturday, August 5 2pm-4pm A tour of historic homes and then the Jail Museum followed by refreshments.
$20.00
Spouse's Tours
Convention shirts
Saturday's luncheon speaker will be Jim Rodriguez, the founder of the F.L.A.G. program. He is a retired master sergeant (E-7), having served for 21 years in the United States Air Force. The F.L.A.G. program was created to instill pride and respect among students towards the United States flag. Red represents hardiness and valor. White represents purity and innocence. Blue represents vigilance.
F.L.A.G. stands for Fly, Lower, and Gather.
T-shirts can be ordered at registration.
OUR DISTRICT KIWANIS TEXAS-OKLAHOMA DISTRICT
Lake Granbury Kiwanis Club will host its 10th annual Firecracker 5K on July 1. This course has been certified by the USATF as an official 5K distance. Race registration and packet pickup is at 7:00 a.m. – 7:45 a.m. at 8:00 a.m. the 5K run/walk begins.
Kiwanis Club of Denton in partnership with city of Denton Parks and Recreation present the Celebration of Freedom Drone Show. The event will take place on Monday July 3 at Denton's Downtown Square. Drone show begins at 9:30PM.
Kiwanis Club of Robson Ranch captivating speaker Submitted by Ed Ahrens
The Kiwanis Club of Baytown held its annual GOSH tournament to raise scholarship funds for local graduates. GOSH is a combination golf (GO) and fishing (SH) tournament held each May. Teams consist of two golfers (who play an 18-hole scramble) and one fisherman (who fishes in the lakes on the golf course). A team's final score is determined by subtracting the number of fish caught from the total score of the golf team. This event raised over $16,000 for our scholarship fund.
On Thursday, the club held its first Kiwanis Kickoff Sip and Support event to raise money for local food pantries. Once a month, D’Vine of Granbury gives 20% of sales from their winery to various entities and makes efforts to help the community with their Sip n Support. This year, on May 18th, Granbury Kiwanis came on board! The club went large and blocked off the street for a family affair. Kettle corn and dance music provided by The Mysterious Scoundrels Band, of which Madam President White is lead vocalist, carried the evening. The club gave away hundreds of dollars' worth of awesome raffle items donated by local businesses and partnered with them for percentages of their profits as well. The club is proud of exceeding its goal of $1500.
At a recent general meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Robson Ranch, members were captivated by a presentation made by Dr. Elizabeth Vaughan, a resident of Robson Ranch. Dr. Vaughn is a well-known ophthalmologist with a practice in Dallas. In addition to her practice here, she is recognized for her efforts to provide eye surgeries to people in regions around the world where the resources are not available. Dr. Vaughn first visited remote areas in China in 1981, when there was very limited access to the country. She discovered a deep fondness for the people who were in such need of help and felt so much of her work was directed by her spiritual faith. Over the years, Dr. Vaughn visited China to do surgeries and often lectured about modern eye surgery. Dr. Vaughn’s work culminated in setting up a partnership with a Chinese national to open the Glory Eye Center in 1998. In 2017, Dr. Vaughn felt a calling to visit Nigeria and surrounding countries to spread her ministry to the needy. A highlight of her venture here was being invited to speak at a Redeemed Christian Church of God event. This event is attended by millions of people, and it was an incredible honor for Dr. Vaughn to speak. She was invited back for next year's event. Dr. Vaughn is a woman of strong faith and believes that her eye surgery work is an instrument in God’s hand. She has won many national awards and been recognized for her service to humanity. All the members were so impressed and uplifted to hear from a woman who has dedicated her life to God and has made this world a better place. Dr. Vaughn’s presentation was part of the Kiwanis Club's Spiritual Aims Program, which touched on the spirituality of humanity. For more information, please see Dr. Vaughn’s website at https://godsinstrument.com/
Kiwanis Club of Granbury Sip & Support Submitted by Elizabeth Schellhorn
Creating massive impact one project at a time.
A Look at Clubs
Kiwanis Club of Baytown Golfing and Fishing For Scholarships Submitted by Al Richard
Kiwanis Club of Silicon Hills Winn Butterfly Experience Submitted by John Cano
The Kiwanis Club of Silicon Hills (Austin-Northeast) partnered with Winn Montessori and the school's PTA for a spring enrollment event and butterfly experience that was held on May 6th from 10am-2pm. Winn Elementary is the first and only Montessori campus in Austin ISD and also has a dual-language curriculum. The school has pre-K3 through 5th grade. The Kiwanis Club's history of involvement with the school goes back almost a decade, and past projects have ranged from classroom reading to teacher recognition and appreciation lunches. The idea for a butterfly experience dates back to 2019, when the club first organized a butterfly festival at Mueller Lake Park in northeast Austin. The concept was inspired by the successful butterfly festival organized by the Kiwanis Club of Northeast Tarrant County. Families involved with Winn loved the festival so much that they asked if the event could be held in the spring of 2020 to bring attention to the school's new Montessori program. Due to the pandemic, those plans were shelved and were not revived until earlier this year. This year the club ordered 224 butterflies in bulk-release boxes at a cost of $640 from Butterfly Release Company and had them ready on 30-day notice. The shipment arrived the day before with simple, easy-to-follow instructions for keeping the butterflies in hibernation with ice packs until it's time to take them out and warm them up after about 30 minutes at room temperature. Bolts of tulle were purchased by the PTA and hung up in the glass-enclosed vestibule to create a temporary exhibit. It took a lot of trial and error to figure out a way to keep it hung up and stable, but it mostly worked! Club members used the Friday evening before the event to ensure the exhibit was set up and ready for the morning of the event. A nectar mixture was used with cotton balls on sticks to help attract the butterflies and provide them with a snack. At 1pm, the exterior doors to the vestibule were opened, and attendees gathered around to watch the butterflies make their way outside. This event was a spring open-house to encourage families to enroll for the new year and boost the school's presence in the neighborhood. The event helped build a stronger community for the school. Club members also served up hot dogs and popcorn provided by the school through Title I funding. Over 150 families visited the event and got to enjoy face painting, face mask crafting, and more, staffed by PTA volunteers. The school also had a full week of butterfly decoration creation and lesson plans on the butterfly life cycle. Members from the Key Club of Manor New Tech High School sold elote cups and other snacks to the hundreds of visitors and represented the Key Club well! The nursery Green 'n Growing in Pflugerville allowed the club to borrow plants for the event. One of the club's newest members is the nursery logistics manager, which gave the club a perfect connection! In terms of lessons learned, the club should have applied for the Kiwanis Children's Fund Microgrant program to offset the cost! Club leaders are planning to utilize the grant for future events. However, the club collected over $300 in donations via Venmo, cash, and PayPal Zettle card readers at the exhibit. It was important to the club and school that all families, regardless of financial means, were able to experience the exhibit, which is why the donation model was used in lieu of a ticketed exhibit. Promotion of the event was accomplished by school flyer distributions (in English and Spanish), Nextdoor posts, and an Eventbrite event. The club is looking forward to many more partnerships like this to improve the lives of kids in the community.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene Ratliff Scholarships Submitted by Lyndel Cook
Kiwanis Club of Baytown Key Club Community Clean-up Submitted by Al Richard
Members of the Ross S. Sterling High School Key Club, one of five Key Clubs sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Baytown, took a recent Saturday to help clean up the Goose Creek Trail. The trail is a 12-mile paved walk/jog/bike path that meanders along Goose Creek and the city parks of Baytown. The RSS Key Club has been actively engaged in community service projects throughout Baytown this past school year.
The Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene gave out four awards for Ratliff Scholarships on May 11, 2023. Each scholarship was for $1500. All scholarship winners are required to participate in athletics at the college level. David Ratliff was a member of the club for many years. He was the club treasurer and was involved with many youth sports in the Abilene area. Congratulations to these students, and best of luck in the future. Audrey Frost is a senior at Clyde High School with a 98.2 GPA who has received her acceptance letter from Concordia University, a private university in Austin affiliated with the Lutheran Church. She plans to play soccer. She also played basketball in high school. She stayed a little busy in her high school years, participating in soccer, basketball, marching band, concert band (where she played flute), the color guard, and held a job at Chick-Fil-A. Her leadership roles included color guard captain for 3 years, HOSA president for 1 year, band historian, basketball captain for 2 years, and soccer captain for 5 years. She was nominated by Mindy Broadfoot, the school counselor. Jaelyn Rivera is a senior at Cooper High School with a GPA of 4 who will most likely go to the University of Texas in Dallas and play varsity basketball. He also plans to participate in varsity track. He expects to major in business management and sports marketing. He is a member and officer of the National Honor Society, was a PALS member, participated as a helper in the Beltway Church food pantry, was a business department honoree, was on the district basketball champions team twice, was offensive MVP, and was a First Team all-district and all-area player. He was nominated by Aaron Roan, the school’s athletic coordinator. Tristen Hall is a senior at Abilene High School with a 91.5 grade point average who has received his acceptance letter and plans to attend McMurry University, major in Kinesiology, and participate in football. He was varsity football captain, a 2023 Fellowship of Christian Athletes all-star, 1st-team all-district in football, defensive lineman of the year, and a senior leader for Young Life Abilene. He was nominated by Tamika Braye who is the school’s college counselor. Karrigan Parrott is a senior at Cooper High School with a 98.8 GPA who has received her acceptance letter from the University of Texas in Dallas, which she says has a beautiful campus. She plans to major in political science and go on to law school. She was active in student council, a member of the National Honor Society, and selected to participate in the Peer Assisted Leadership Service (PALS)—a mentoring program with senior students assisting younger students. She plans to participate in basketball in college. She was nominated by LaQuiera Gantt who is the school’s college counselor.
The Clyde High School Key Club had six members attend the Texas-Oklahoma Key Club convention in Dallas, Texas, on April 14. Clyde High School Key Clubber Dacey Tucker received a $1200 scholarship at the convention. The Key Club has about 30 members and serves the Clyde community by sponsoring Easter egg hunts, a UNICEF fundraiser, a senior adult banquet, and teacher appreciation week. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene sponsors the Key Club and helps them with their fundraising projects. The Key Club raised more than $7000 at their winter formal fundraiser in January. Congratulations to Daisy and the club for such a great year.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene Clyde HS at Ledcon Submitted by Lyndel Cook
Golden K Kiwanis Club of Greenville ASSESSING THE OPERATION/PERFORMANCE OF THE GREENVILLE HS KEY CLUB Submitted by Pat Bowman
As the school year ends, it is time to reflect on what the GHS Key Club (GHSKC) has done for the school and the community, as well as how the club environment has helped develop future leaders and good citizens who realize everyone must give back to their community. During the year, a scorecard on club operation/performance has been maintained at the individual, grade, and club levels. Information from this scorecard has been and is being used to identify individuals who have earned Presidential Volunteer Service Awards (PVSA). Now, any student who earns a PVSA will be authorized to wear a red/white/blue chord at graduation in recognition of their community service. GHSKC has grown significantly in the past several years. The Key Club (KC) now has 66 members and has contributed over 2,300 service hours (still counting) to the community through 42 work projects, with more planned for the summer. KC work projects supported not only the Greenville Golden Kiwanis (KC Sponsor), but the FISH Ministries food distribution, Drug Free Greenville (DFG) prevention efforts, Keep Greenville Beautiful (KGB) trash offs, Rotary Flags, Salvation Army, Mini Libraries/Food Pantries, the Duck Derby Fund Raiser for the United Way of Hunt County, Bed Build for Hunt County Kids, the Greenville Public Library, and several unique Key Club projects at the high school, such as implementing a teacher appreciation process, which was very successful. In addition, the KC members are members of numerous other clubs/organizations at Greenville High School. Out of an additional 27 extracurricular club/organizations/activities identified, the KC has at least one member in all but two: ROTC and D&D Club. To allow members to be active in KC and also in other organizations/activities, the bi-monthly, after school meetings were alternated between Tuesdays and Wednesdays with the requirement that a KC member must attend at least one KC meeting per month. For the first time in club history, GHSKC participated in the KC structure above the club level. This event has become a game changer, and the club wants to continue these efforts. This significant change deserves to be examined in more detail from the perspective of all parties involved in the GHSKC. This changes the way the Kiwanis Sponsor/Advisor Club plans for the next year; the required significant involvement of the GHS Faculty Advisor is essential; the KC members may be selected to attend the Texas-Oklahoma (T-O) District of Key Club International Leadership and Education Convention (LEDCON 23-24) and/or be involved in raising money to fund the expenses of LEDCON participation; and parents of members will be asked to help with funding and to act as chaperones/transportation support. LEDCON 22/23 was a significant change/addition to an already busy year. This all started with an exceptional leader who actively sought and was chosen to be the LTG of T-O Division 32, Mari Wilcock, the Greenville High School valedictorian. During the effort to fund LEDCON participation by the LTG, it became apparent that there were service clubs willing to develop young leaders by helping fund additional student participation in LEDCON. This concept quickly evolved into a plan to send multiple members to LEDCON along with developing funding efforts/decisions to make attendance at LEDCON a reality. Thus, twelve GHSKC members (2 seniors (applying for scholarships at LEDCON), 2 juniors, 5 sophomores, and 3 freshmen) attended the LEDCON held in Dallas, Texas. Within this group, there is the 23/24 Division 32 LTG and three officers elected for next year (President, Treasurer, and Editor). OBSERVATION ABOUT KEY CLUB LEDCON 22/23 FROM KIWANIS CLUB ADVISOR (Patrick Bowman) After reading the inputs from all of the parties below, it is apparent that GHSKC will expect to participate in future LEDCONs. The sponsoring Kiwanis Club Advisor must generate the same enthusiasm and dedication in the sponsoring club as exists in the GHSKC so that it happens. The sponsoring club budgeting process needs to be involved in helping fund LEDCON participation, along with encouraging other service/support organizations to chip in, as was done this year. This means organizing presentations to be given by KC members that show the great value of LEDCON in developing outstanding young leaders and supporters of our community. Now is the time to start working for LEDCON 23/24. OBSERVATIONS ABOUT LEDCON 22/23 FROM THE KEY CLUB FACULTY ADVISOR/CHAPERONE (Natalie Mougia) LEDCON is a convention that focuses on leadership and community service while celebrating all of the achievements of Key Club members across Texas and Oklahoma. Not only did GHS students enjoy the 3-day-long convention, but so did their faculty advisor. LEDCON had panels for teachers, Kiwanis, and students alike to attend, learn more about the organization and their roles, and have fun while networking with others from across the two states. LEDCON left me feeling reinvigorated and so excited for the projects we have in store for the next school year. It left me with inspiration and a deeper understanding of Key Club International on a global scale. I cannot wait to return next year with more GHS students. It was an unforgettable experience, and one in which I am grateful we had the opportunity to participate. OBSERVATIONS ABOUT LEDCON 22/23 FROM A FRESHMAN GHSKC MEMBER (Sophia Kailukaitis) Attending LEDCON was well worth the time and money I invested in it. LEDCON gave me the opportunity to meet many important Key Club members and officers. The classes that I attended taught me important lessons, one such lesson was about parliamentary procedures. Attending the House of Delegates gave me insight into the Key Club bylaws. Everyone who spoke at LEDCON gave me very interesting insights into life. I learned more about Key Club that I did not know before attending LEDCON. The lessons I learned at LEDCON will stick with me throughout the rest of my Key Club career. Due to attending LEDCON, I have come up with a service project. I appreciated the opportunity to attend LEDCON. OBSERVATIONS ABOUT LEDCON 22/23 FROM A SOPHMORE GHSKC MEMBER (Nadenka Hallonquist) If I had to use one word to describe LEDCON, it would be inspiring. Seeing the faces of people dedicated to Key Club and what it stands for made me realize that what I do is more than just volunteering. It’s fostering a community and letting it blossom to much farther reaches than just Key Club. Such a diverse group of clubs has taught our upcoming officers exactly what it takes to lead: dedication, creativity, and care. Moving forward, LEDCON has pushed me to want to be much more involved in the inner workings of Key Club as one of its members. To answer the question of whether it was worth it, yes. It provided so much enrichment and service project ideas that it would be unfathomable for me to answer any other way. Overall, LEDCON is an event that I would urge every dedicated member or officer to attend if given the chance. OBSERVATIONS ABOUT LEDCON 22/23 FROM A GRADUATING SENIOR/LTG OF DIVISION 32 (Mari Wilcock) The Greenville High School’s appearance at LEDCON was a huge success. This was our very first time at a district event, and it was clear right off the bat that everyone was already having fun and enjoying themselves. However, fun wasn’t the only thing that GHS students experienced over the 4-day convention. While we do celebrate the year of service with our peers and other T-O Key Club members, LEDCON is an educational moment. Attendees were able to attend a variety of forums, ranging from Key Club 101 to public speaking to specific club officer forums. Additionally, some of our club members were able to participate in the T-O District’s House of Delegates, where they learned how parliamentary procedure works and passed changes to our bylaws. We even cast our vote in electing the new district board. As LTG, I worked with the rest of the T-O District Board on running the convention, so I wasn’t with the rest of my club. Instead, I hosted forums, greeted attendees, and helped run caucuses for the elections. However, it was clear to me that the GHS Key Club was making their mark on the T-O District, and though we didn’t bring home any awards, we certainly brought back new knowledge, happy memories, and a surge of motivation to serve our home, school, and community. OBSERVATIONS ABOUT LEDCON 22/23 FROM A PARENT/CHAPERONE/BUS DRIVER (LCDR Larry Wilcock) Note: The information below comes from a military veteran who is also the Commandant of the Navy Jr. ROTC program at GHS. He has lots of experience understanding and motivating students and assessing their actions. He was also the male chaperone and drove the school vehicle to transport the KC members to and from LEDCON. I am the father of two students who recently attended the 74th annual Key Club Leadership and Education District Conference (LEDCON) in Dallas at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. I was fortunate to witness many of the proceedings at LEDCON and was amazed at the energy, drive, and spirit of so many young leaders. During the 3-day conference, Key Club members participated in a number of events, forums, caucuses, and other sessions designed to teach various skills, promote leadership abilities, and allow members to learn about ways to improve their local organizations. As a parent, it is important to me that students are taught about service to their communities and the rewards that come from that service, both internal and external. In watching the proceedings, it was clear to me that the vast majority of these young people have already learned those lessons and are passing them on to the younger generation of Key Club members. My oldest daughter began Key Club as a freshman and has grown to be a leader, not just in the club but in her school and even in her community. My younger, freshman daughter is now taking up the mantle and is already on her own path towards success in Key Club and beyond. Key Club has provided both my daughters with an outlet to allow them to shine and make their community better while at the same time learning important life and leadership lessons. This was on full display at this year’s LEDCON, and I am so very proud of all the students who participated. OVERALL ASSESSMENT GHSKC 22/23 Bottom line, this has been a banner year for GHSKC. The reasons for this unprecedented level of success are; the outstanding leadership qualities and experience of our officers and upper class students, being willing to work new tasks and to effectively accomplish them displayed by almost all members, the dedication of our Faculty Advisor and the rapport she has developed with all of our members, the intense camaraderie developed among the members, excellent support from GHS and GISD leadership, some interested and hardworking parents, and the maintenance of a score card which provided continuous feedback on progress and identified areas for improvement. Participating in LEDCON 22/23 was the cherry on top of the sundae. NEXT YEAR Looking ahead for the 23/24 school year, we will still have all of the above features for success, plus a more mature membership at the start of the year. After graduation and weeding out the few students that didn’t participate in KC, we will start with 42 members (12 Seniors, 18 Juniors and 12 Sophomores) as our returning crew. We can expect 14 to 18 new freshmen members for which we will provide some upper class mentoring to develop knowledgeable, hardworking members rather than just by chance achieving this goal. The GHSKC score card proved effective and will be maintained and improved. More education on the use and maintenance must be provided to individual members. In general, communications between the club and the Kiwanis Advisor can be improved with more emphasis on using the school email system. The Remind Me Apt has also been a great tool and the club will be constantly learning how to use it more effectively. Finally, we are already way ahead of planning for LEDCON 23/24, and our experience gained in this year’s LEDCON will pay big dividends in funding, selecting representatives, educating those representatives, and in actual accomplishments in attending of LEDCON 23/24.
Golden K Kiwanis Club of Greenville Bed Build for Hunt County Kids Submitted by Pat Bowman
When the SLP clubs are around, there’s always a lot of fun going on. It all started when the Mineola Kiwanis gave a pizza party to the Mineola Middle School Builder’s Club. This group sold gourmet popcorn and donated $500 to the Kiwanis Sails for the Civic Center Water Park, among their other projects. Next, the Jarvis Christian University CKI officers came for lunch and updated on their service projects for the year. They helped with the Mineola Kiwanis Chili Cook Off back in February. They are an impressive group of young adults. Though they are not technically SLPs, the Mineola Primary Terrific Kids were treated to a juice and cookie party after completing their program for the year. One hundred forty-four students received their completion certificates, and ten of those were recognized by the Mineola School Board as "Students of the Month" during the year.
Golden K Kiwanis Club of Greenville Partnership with Drug Free Greenville Submitted by Pat Bowman
THE KIWANIS CLUB OF GREATER ABILENE KIDS NEED KIWANIS GOLF FUNDRAISER TOTALS ARE IN!!!! Golf Chair Daena Lloyd gave a golf tournament report, but first had the members of the golf committee come forward to be recognized. The club gives a big THANK-YOU to their golf committee and to all the club members who helped at the tournament! This year, their 3rd Annual Kids Need Kiwanis Golf Tournament grossed: $85,395! The net profit was: $68,404! AMAZING TOTALS! A big THANK-YOU to all of the golf sponsors!! The tournament was conducted on April 14, and more than 130 golfers participated in the event. The club had approximately 30 members help out during the day. Thanks to Golf Pro and Kiwanian Brian Nagy, the Abilene Country Club staff, and the Abilene Country Club Board. The Abilene Country Club is the best country club in the known universe! They go above and beyond to make this tournament a success!!
Kiwanis CluB of Mineola Mineola SLP Clubs Submitted by Joyce Curry
The GGK and the Greenville High School Key Club are making great progress at finishing the second set of beds being built for Hunt County Kids. These beds will help needy families meet the requirements of Texas Child Protective Services that each child must have their own bed. The bed frame itself is only one part of the great work being done by HCK. Mattresses, bedding, and pillows are also furnished through generous donations. Feel free to join the effort to help make a better life for some needy kids and donate to Hunt County Kids. Send checks to Hunt County Kids (put beds in the memo line), PO Box 1645, Quinlan, Texas 75474. An alternative is to go to the web site huntcountkids.org, scroll down to the Donate Now block, and use PayPal to donate.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene GOLF FUNDRAISER Submitted by Lyndel cook
The Greenville Golden Kiwanis has had a partnership with Drug Free Greenville to operate a kite hospital during the DFG annual kite fly activity for many years. This event has lots of community support, from government agencies to private citizens. The Kite Hospital always has lots of business during this activity.
Financial Advisor Expression of Interest
From the Texas-Oklahoma Kiwanis Foundation Submitted by Konrad Brandemuhl & Monty Murry
Fill Out Form
Scholarship
Recipient
High School
Beverly Starkey
C. Long
Hawthorn
Nevin Starkey
G. Cunningham
MacArthur
3 Governors
A. Mandviwalla
Denton
Mary Cowart
Y. Mofor
Cypress Ridge
Mel Cowart
J. Tarno
Quitman
Bill Freeman
W. Padilla
Garland
Eli Mize
K. Oparaji
Boyd Mize
E. Zhang
Mayde Creek
Keith-Bippus
S.Kishore
Allen
Tyler Conv Supp with Curry & Eikner and Spouses
K. Farnham
John Schief
E. Marion
Mansfield Legacy
Gene and Renee Jantzen
T. Tran
Cypress Creek
Nancy Miller
S. Gupta
Mansfield
Stephen Sapaugh
Z. Leddy
Mansfield Lake Ridge
Ruth Parker
J. Ramirez
Nacadoghes
Doyle Stalcup
S. Smith
Jack & Sherry Carlton
D. Tucker
Clyde
Krishna Suthar
C. Hernandez
Summit
William & Ann Gay Bishop
A. Goli
Galan W. Freise
L. Thai
A. Hoang
Mustang
On April 15, the Foundation awarded 21 scholarships totaling $31,500 to Key Club seniors in attendance at LEDCON in Dallas. The top three recipients, with continued good grades, have the option of another $15,000 in awards. There were 69 applicants interviewed over a three day period. The Foundation Trustees conducting the interviews were President Konrad Brandemuhl, Courtney Harris, John Curlee, and Jerry Ward. The recipients were as follows:
The Foundation has been with our current investment firm for over 25 years. The Foundation is looking to see if the current provider is the best provider for our current needs. At the present time, we are seeking contact information for those who might be interested in responding to a future RFP. In the event we decide to move our financial activities to another firm, the Foundation wants to ensure that all interested (Kiwanian) have an opportunity to participate. We will only select the entity that is the best fit for the Foundation, and there is no guarantee that we will move our accounts. Currently, the Foundation has over $3 mil in our accounts. To participate, click on the button below or scan the QR Code for an expression of interest form.
LedCON scholarships
The Texas-Oklahoma Kiwanis District's leadership team has been working tirelessly to promote the district's growth. Through the cooperation between the growth and marketing teams, new clubs are forming; some are under development, and others are celebrating their start. On June 3rd, Governor Patrick (far left) visited a brand new club getting started in Conroe, Texas! What a great group of people! The trustee of the region where the club is forming is Daniel Pruitt, on the far right. We're looking forward to all the great things this club will do in the years ahead. On June 3rd, Cypress club organizers Buck Lally (back row in red), Sylvia Maly (front row, 2nd from right), and trustee Daniel Pruitt (front row, far right) welcomed District Governor Patrick McCage and District Membership Chair Brad McKenzie to their club charter celebration! Awesome picture of such a wonderful group of people! The Cypress Club has lots of service projects planned for the community and is offering support to a number of Key Clubs in the area. A lot of heroes in this picture! This picture shows a group of community members who have come together at a local fire station in Aubrey, Texas, to listen to Kiwanis leaders talk about starting a new club. More than 15 people joined up, and the new Aubrey Kiwanis Club is having a charter celebration on June 9th! International President Bert West is coming to town to participate in the celebration. Thank you to Kiwanis member Kelly Steck-James, who moved to Aubrey from Colorado and wanted a new club in her adopted town. We are proud of these folks!
Our annual Kiwanis International Convention is right around the corner! Don't worry; If you haven't registered yet, there's still time. Current registration prices are $475 for in-person attendance and $79 for virtual attendance will hold through June 19. Immediate online access will be available for $99 June 22-24, and Saturday's business session, including the House of Delegates, will stream live for all Kiwanians to watch. For those attending in person, the T-O District Caucus will take place Friday morning at 8:00am. We will be gathering in the Lake Harrett Room at the Hilton Garden Inn. This session lasts under an hour, and it gives our attendees a chance to discuss questions or new information they have regarding the dues amendment, the policy document amendment, and the election. Our goal is to have as many registered T-O members involved in this conversation as possible. We hope that everyone in Minneapolis will participate in our Tri-District Social on Friday night. Horderves will be served alongside a cash bar. Tickets to attend are $20 per person, and RSVPs and payments should be sent to District Secretary Al Richard by June 4. Big thanks to Governor McCage for sponsoring this event! Delegate forms that have not already been submitted, including those for anyone who decides to register in person between now and the convention, may be turned in on-site on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Delegate forms will not be accepted on Saturday before or during the House of Delegates. Be on the lookout for pictures and updates online during the convention and in our next newsletter!
ICON Registration awaits!
A Growing District Submitted by Marshall Kregel
Aubrey
Cypress
Conroe
Many Kiwanis clubs ask themselves, Why are Kiwanis K-Kids and Builders Clubs important or relevant? To answer this question, I will ask another question. What other student-led organizations exist for these youth? Do those organizations provide community service, teach leadership, or provide adult mentoring? In most cases, you will find that Kiwanis is one of the few, if not the only, organization that offers this to this group of children. These also provide a path to Kiwanis Key Club, CKI, and Kiwanis. For a little motivation to continue reading, watch the following two short videos. Start a K-Kids club today on Vimeo. Start a Builders Club today on Vimeo. Where would you want to build a Kiwanis K-Kids or Builders Club? The first obvious choice is in elementary and middle schools. But think outside the box. How about looking at special needs schools, home schools, charter schools, facilities for youth that have been abused or mistreated, or any place that has youth of the correct age (i.e., Boys and Girls Clubs)? Starting the clubs is easy. Since the sponsoring club usually pays the charter fee and annual dues, all you need is an advisor from the school or facility, a Kiwanis Cub advisor, and kids. Kiwanis International has improved their Service Leadership website to be easier to navigate as well as answer questions. If you go to the Kiwanis International web sites below and select "Discover," you will find a checklist for starting the clubs. . K-Kids: https://www.kiwaniskids.org/ Builders Club: https://www.buildersclub.org/ Now you have your Kiwanis K-Kids and Builders Club. How do you maintain them? Like all of our Kiwanis Service Leadership Programs, you must be interactive!!! You need to visit the clubs. Help with their projects or fundraisers, and invite them to your projects/fundraisers. Invite them to visit your club just to visit or have a meal. Present awards!!! Let them know how fantastic it is that they are making a difference. Use the resources section of the Kiwanis International web site to get ideas! Make a plan at the start of the year about how the year will go and what awards you want to earn. Have a special program to install their officers. And worth saying again. Be interactive!!! How can we fund projects, and what are some good projects? Some clubs have told me that the local Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. will usually give the faculty advisor big discounts on materials if they speak to the manager and explain that this is to teach the young children community service and leadership. Below is a list of some potential projects. • Handmade cards for the fall for nursing homes, retirement centers, and veterans • Handmade non-slip socks for nursing homes, retirement centers, and veterans • Handmade Christmas ornaments and cards for nursing homes, retirement centers, and veterans • Practice presentation and retirement of the colors. • Present a Veterans Day assembly: invite veterans to come be honored at an assembly (it works great if the whole school turns out). K-Kids run the entire event to include posting and retiring colors. • Host an ugly Christmas sweater dance. • Visit a nursing home, retirement center, or veteran's home (especially appreciated during the holidays). • Make Valentine's Day cards for nursing homes, retirement centers, and veterans. • Make Valentine's Day baskets to deliver to local businesses to show appreciation for their support. • Paint small clay pots and put flowers in them for teacher appreciation. • Give a certificate to teachers, redeemable for 1 or 2 K-Kids to help clean the classroom (great for the end of the school year). • Trash pickup in parks, schools, etc. • Plant native plants in city planters and care for them (you need city permission). • Create goodie bags and present them to teachers. • Plant flowers in areas around the school or perform other beatification tasks. • Let the older K-Kids and Builders Club help with grant writing. • Mentoring projects • Provide a school-wide popcorn day (monthly, quarterly, etc.) • Food and clothes pantry for school (great K-Family event) • Support the local food pantry (again, a great K-Family event). • Collect for charities (United Way, Children’s Miracle Network, etc.).
K-Kids & Builders Club: The Beginning, Our Future Submitted by Paul Heinz
https://txokcki.square.site/
Marketing Team receives grant Submitted by Susan Hennum
2021-2022 Distinguished Club Awards
1st graders at Cooper Elementary receive packets.
K-Kids Members at Stafford Elementary in Abilene delivered packets to Kindergartners.
Congratulations to the following clubs!
he Durant High Key Club filled bags for Washington Irving Elementary School.
Div
Reg
Club
President
1
Lake Granbury
Eva Gregory
5
3
New Braunfels
Valerie Acevedo
Texas Hill Country
Michael Clark
8
Gainesville
Andrea Grangruth
Kristy Emberton
13
7
Texarkana
Monty Murry
Lauren Layne
24
10
Austin - Northeast
Raymond Miller
Giovanna Alanis-Vega
25
Sapulpa
Joseph Hardzog
Sandra Howard
33
4
Borger
George Long
Mary Kay Phelan
34
Mineola
Rebecca Moore
Joyce Curry
Quitman-Lake Fork
Katrina Davis
Joanne Wisdom
35
6
Abilene
Alexander Morotini
Janis Thompson
Greater Abilene
Steven Leggett
Nancy Baker
40
9
Jones
Preston Wilson
Gayle Hoag
Secretary
Carol Pirkle
Thomas Wibert
Cynthia Clark
The TX-OK Kiwanis District marketing team recently received a grant from the Kiwanis International Children's Fund. The grant is to fund Governor Patrick's program, Cratering Cavities. This program has now served over 700 children. Three Oklahoma cities and three Texas cities received kits to be distributed to schools in low income areas.
Distinguished Club Criteria Complete 10 out of 12 1. Complete ACE Tool - Forms are found HERE. 2. At least 1 member of club attend Governor’s Visit 3. Full Delegation of 3 delegates at District Convention (2 of whom should be President and President-Elect) 4. At least 1 member attend ICON 5. Have net gain of 5 in membership 6. Sponsor/Support at least 1 SLP 7. 2 Interclub (with at least 2 members) to Kiwanis Club meeting 8. 2 Interclub (with at least 2 members) to a SLP meeting 9. Officer Training complete by Current and Elect Officers 10. Participate in at least 12 “Play-N-Plug” service projects 11. Give $10 per member to both TX-OK Foundation and Int’l Children’s Fund 12. At least 2 members attend 75% of Divisional Council Meetings (in person or by Zoom) Extra Credit with Certificate of Appreciation from Governor 13. Sponsor or Co-Sponsor New Club A club must complete 10 out of 12 items listed above, the club will receive the distinguished club banner patch, a distinguished lapel button for the president and secretary, and will be recognized during the 2023 Texas-Oklahoma District Convention.
KI Notes submissions can be emailed to txokkiwanis@gmail.com.
Month
Division
Name
April
16
Alva
Troy Smith
Bonham
Shonda Magness
Dennis Tarrant
2
Dorothy Bennett
May
18
University, Wichita Falls
Dan Shine
Hide-A-Way Lake
Emery Crane
28
Galveston
Charles Kaufmann
Denton, Breakfast, Denton
Roy Watson
32
Wolfe City
Mary Thornton
Glen Williams
June
Nelson Wilson
All listed with sympathy and memory.
In Loving Memory
"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard." — Winnie the Pooh
Texas Oklahoma Kiwanis District Editor's Message Evelyn Herrera
Ah, summer time, how you bring the youth to life! The heat may be scorching down south, but it is never enough to stop us from having fun. This bright, warm season is a fantastic time to join the youth in celebrating freedom. School's out, so let's enjoy the extra time with the kids. As children look forward to visiting the pool and running on the playground, let's remember that summertime is a prime time to support the children in our community. From fun programs to supplying necessities, there is a lot your club can do. Did you know that oftentimes summer can be difficult for low-income children? Some children depend on school for their daily meals. For disadvantaged families, school supplements daycare needs for working parents; summertime can put them in quite a bind. This is the prime time for clubs to create summer meal programs for children or even free day camp events that help working families catch a break. If you are looking for big fun opportunities, the summer is also chock full of them! Imagine partnering with the city for a 4th of July fireworks display. Picture your club guiding SLPs on float building for the local pride parade. Envision a community cookout to celebrate your local dads. The summer brings endless fun and various opportunities to uplift your community. The best time is always now!