dcon 2023 pg 6.
LT. Gov & Trustee Training pg.3
April 2023 (Issue NO. 28)
KI-NOTES
A Publication of the Texas-Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International
Service Worth Telling About! pg 30
TX-OK DCON 2023
Granbury, TX
Contact us
Governor: Patrick McCage Governor-elect: Kathy Culbertson Immediate Past Governor: Brad McKenzie
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.
Attention all incoming Lt. Govs and Trustees!
3 LT. Gov & Trustee Training 4 Governor's Greeting 6 DCON 2023 12 Events 14 A Look at Clubs 28 From the Texas-Oklahoma Kiwanis Foundation 30 Greenville Golden Kiwanis – Service Worth Telling About! 33 ICON: Register Now! 34 In Loving Memory 35 Editor's Message
www.instagram.com/texas.oklahoma.kiwanis/
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
Your training for the 2023-2024 year begins on Thursday, August 3rd, during the convention. Lt. Govs will meet at 8am and will have a full day of training, lots of guest speakers, lunch, and we will be done by 5pm. With all the presenters that you will meet, the class will be a lot of fun. This will be the start of training and we will continue with 2 additional meetings via Zoom later in August and in September. Trustees will also have training on this Thursday starting after lunch.
texas oklahoma district
www.facebook.com/texasoklahomakiwanis
Texas Oklahoma Kiwanis District Governor's Greeting Patrick McCage
We made it halfway. We did it! We made it halfway through our Kiwanis calendar year. And I would just like to say thank you to you all! Thank you all for the many positive, worthwhile, and impactful service projects that you undertake in your community. Thank you for doing your part in your club's fundraisers to ensure the kids we serve are able to receive dental bags, books, scholarships, and so much more. Thank you to each and every one of you for the service projects that touch the livelihood of your citizens, like building wheelchair ramps for those in need, building beds for children and families, and installing playgrounds and making playground repairs in order for the kids to have just plain simple FUN. Thank you to the clubs that host clothes drives and those that create on-campus clothing closets. Those who provide backpacks for our children who may be homeless and who are in desperate need of basic necessities Thank you to our Aktion Club Administrators for ensuring a sense of purpose and value to our fellow Kiwanians. Thank you to the members who sit in small chairs in elementary school classrooms reading and handing out books to our children. Thank you to those who host and help facilitate Easter egg hunts throughout Texas and Oklahoma. You all have been doing this for years, and for the past six months, my heart has been overflowing with pride, admiration, and love due to everyone’s generosity. We are not done. We have six more months to make an even larger impact, with your continued generosity, compassion, and empathy. We will soar, and I will continue to assist your club in any way possible to help make this happen. THANK YOU. I would like to touch on a few pressing topics for our communities and districts. Membership and club growth I’m so excited to announce that we have over 5100 members in our district. If you recall, this year’s goal was to strive for 1000 new members for our TO district. We could still get there because spring is in the air. The positivity that I can witness with my own eyes should be shared in every aspect of your community. Doing so will amplify your Kiwanis Club meaning, efforts, and passion. This amplification of Kiwanis goodness will be seen and backed up when you’re in the recruiting phase for new members. Ask your friend, coworker, or church group that we need more hands to continue our service to the community. Remind them that it’s not just one, two, or three new members that we're looking for. It takes two, four, or six more hands to help us serve. We all love to see and witness the positivity in our club. Express that when you write down your club's goals. Then share it! And then attack! New clubs We are very pleased by the efforts of our District Lieutenant Governors and our Club Opening Team in providing input on potential new club openings. Our membership/club opening teams are targeting eight locations to open new Kiwanis Clubs. More than a possibility, we are on the cusp of opening a new Kiwanis Club in the cities of Mineola, Texas, and Cypress, Texas. I want to thank the strong leadership of Kiwanians in these two areas who are identifying community needs and securing new club members to address them. To keep everyone in the loop and ask for your assistance as well, our club opening team has identified additional areas we are targeting, which are Aubrey, Texas; Pearland, Texas; Caddo Mills, Texas; Sugarland, Texas; Newcastle, Oklahoma; and possibly Yukon, Oklahoma. We would appreciate any input from you for additional contacts in and around these named locations. As you can tell, this is a team effort, and we are all on the same team. I would be remiss if I did not mention our upcoming LEDCON, which is to take place next week. It’s still not too late to assist our district Key Club with your club to help sponsor this awesome event. Adrian Thompson has done a phenomenal job taking the reins and organizing this upcoming Key Club Convention. This weekend will be so impactful for our young adults; they are destined to be wonderful Kiwanis leaders. Please reach out to Adrian if you can help. administrator@tokeyclub.com And I’m so looking forward to having the opportunity to visit with our district leadership and many other TO members who are in attendance. Many thanks to Susan Hennum and Marshall Kregel for their efforts to develop a K-family gathering alongside our Key Club convention. I hope to see a lot of you there next week. Governors Projects Cratering Cavities I would like to thank Susan Hennum, part of the T-O District Marketing Team, for securing a grant to help six Kiwanis clubs fund the building of dental packs. If you recall, I "borrowed" this idea from the Denton, TX, Kiwanis Club. Dental hygiene packs and dental goody bags packed with dental necessities are then handed out to our kids at school. With Kiwanis clubs supplying these packs, every child in your community will benefit in more than one way. Our children should be able to attend school with pain-free teeth. I’ve been told that kids with less pain and or discomfort will greatly enhance their studying and learning ability. And we all want our community's children to strive within their education. The F.L.A.G Program No, this is not a "stick the flag and pole in the ground program". The acronym F.L.A.G. stands for "Fly, Lower, and Gather". Kiwanis’ SLPs are heavily involved in the schools, and this program is a brief curriculum that will educate and instill pride and respect for the United States flag. If we do not educate our children about the meaning of the symbolism of our flag, WHO WILL? Not all schools provide education about patriotism, possibly lacking a pathway for teaching patriotism to our kids. It would be grand for Kiwanis to assist in instilling patriotism back into the schools. My goal is to have your Kiwanis Club partner with F.L.A.G. founder Jim Rodrigues and offer this to our school districts. And your local Kiwanis club leading the way. Who could say no to patriotism? Thank you again for the meaningful service projects you provide and the lives you are changing in the name of Kiwanis. On behalf of the Texas-Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International, I say thank you! Patrick McCage Governor, Texas Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International Kiwanis Club of Gainesville Texas 940-736-1603
ATtention all Kiwanians DCON 2023 is right around the corner!
Governor Patrick McCage Invites you to join us !
Governor Patrick McCage would like to invite you to the 2023 Texas-Oklahoma District Convention to be held in Lake Granbury at the Lake Granbury Convention Center. Registration will open up on Monday, April 17 so be sure to watch your email for the link and a listing of the hotels. We have an amazing learning experience in store for our members. Governor-Elect Kathy has been busy getting forums set up for your clubs. You will see information all throughout Ki-Notes on the different events. We are very excited to announce the return of the Spouse’s trips. Please be sure your spouse sees all the things we have planned. (And yes, that includes male spouses too!) A big thank you to Kiwanis member Jacque Stone, who underwrote the Spouse’s Tour. Our hotels will be the Hilton, Best Western, and Comfort Suites. Links to hotel registration will also be coming on April 17. We have an awesome convention t-shirt that you will also be able to order with your registration. We will start off the convention with training for the 2023/2024 Lt. Governor and Trustees on Thursday, and then Thursday evening there will be a reception in the hotel lobby for everyone with Governor Patrick and First Lady Carla. We hope you will come early and join us for that. The Convention Committee and our M&M Team would like to thank the PLGA for their sponsorship of our Friday luncheon. We are pleased to have Chief Gary Batton of the Choctaw Nation as our guest. Saturday will be a special Governor’s Luncheon with retired Master Sergeant of the United States Air Force Jim Rodriguez as our guest speaker. Jim is the founder of the F.L.A.G. program, which is an excellent service project for our schools. We have already had some clubs partner with local elementary and middle schools to implement this program. Governor Patrick has prepared a video of updates, so please click here to watch Thank you for all you and your club are doing to serve the community!
View Agenda
Agenda
First Lady Carla McCage will be leading the spouse tours at our upcoming district convention in Lake Granbury. The Convention Committee has some great fun planned for our male and female spouses who are not Kiwanis members ....yet! Thursday August 3 12:00pm-4:30pm Spouses of Lt. Governors and Trustees are invited to take a trip via trolley to downtown Lake Granbury and enjoy lunch. Friday August 4 You are invited to join us for our morning session to kick off the 2023 District Convention. Lunch will be at the Convention Center. Our host for the Friday lunch is our own T/O Past Lt. Governors Association. Our program is led by Chief Gary Batton of the Choctaw Nation. Tickets for lunch can be purchased at the time of registration. 2:00p-4:30 pm, Our spouses will be taking a trolley tour of Granbury with refreshments at the Silver Saddle. Saturday, August 5 You are invited to join us for a fantastic lunch featuring retired Master Sgt. Jim Rodriguez, founder of the F.L.A.G. program. After lunch from 2pm-4pm we have a fun afternoon in store. A tour of historic homes and then the Jail Museum followed by refreshments. The Spouse Tours are underwritten by Kiwanis Member Jacque Stone.
It's almost that time of year! Remember to save the date and set aside all other plans. This year, our convention is being held in Granbury, Texas. The convention will be held at the Lake Granbury Conference Center. There will be three hotels available for reservations: Hilton Garden Inn Hotel in Granbury, Texas Best Western Granbury Inn Comfort Suites in Granbury, TX You can now book hotels through the above links.
Spouse's Tours
save the date
Location
August 3th, 2023-August 6th, 2023
DISTRICT CONVENTION 2023 Granbury
Like always, our convention will be sporting fun and educational activities! From CLE training to workshops, there is plenty to keep you busy. Some of our featured workshops focus on exciting fundraisers such as car shows, golf tournaments, and haunted houses! This year, we are especially excited to host a spouse's tour. This tour is sure to keep your significant other engaged and excited. Our beloved First Lady Carla McCage will be the one to lead this amazing tour around Granbury. To see more on what's on the agenda, click below!
Guest Speakers
Gary Batton is the 47th Chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, the third-largest Indian tribe in the United States. He was sworn into office on April 28, 2014, upon Chief Gregory E. Pyle’s retirement. Batton began working for his tribe in 1987. Upon graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business management in 1989, he accepted the position of Deputy Director at the Choctaw Nation Housing Authority. In 1997, he was appointed to the position of Executive Director of Health, where he oversaw the construction of the first tribally funded health facility in the U.S. In May 2007, he was appointed Assistant Chief. Batton is involved in the growth of the entire Choctaw Nation and continuously looks for ways to develop programs and services that will benefit tribal citizens. He and his wife, Angie, reside in Clayton, Oklahoma. They have two children and two grandchildren.
Jimmy Rodriguez
Registration
Chief Gary Batton
Convention shirts
Jim Rodriguez is the president and 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. He has 40 years of combined managerial/supervisory and teaching/training experience, and a wide variety of experience in creating instructional training and motivational classes.
This year's guest speakers are Chief Gary Batton and Jimmy Rodriguez. Chief Gary Batton will be our guest speaker on Friday, and Jimmy Rodriguez will be our guest speaker for Saturday's lunch.
Governor Patrick’s shirt reflects his strong support of his Governor’s Project, F.L.A.G. F.L.A.G. stands for Fly, Lower, and Gather. This is a great project for our younger SLP programs such as K-Kids and Builders. T-shirts can be ordered at registration for a cost of $20.
Registration will be opening soon. Expect to see updates on April 17, 2023. Keep an eye out on our website and social media feeds for updates!
OUR DISTRICT KIWANIS TEXAS-OKLAHOMA DISTRICT
Kiwanis Club of Gainesville encourages you to show your patriotism! Now is the time to renew your American Flag through Kiwanis. If you have questions, or if your flag needs repair, please text or call Jim Smith (972)896-9908.
Heart of Oklahoma Kiwanis is hosting their annual Easter Egg hunt this Saturday April 8, 2023 at 9:30AM.
Kiwanis Club of Mineola Mineola Waterpark Sails Submitted by Joyce Curry
Greg Smith, the Vice President of the McKinney Parks Foundation, is our guest speaker today. The foundation was formed in 2017 to partner with the city to enhance the beautification and maintenance of McKinney’s parks and open spaces, promote community involvement, and provide education about the wonderful natural spaces in our city. It is a non-profit organization that is completely volunteer-based. They have 1,369 volunteers who have put in over 4,000 volunteer hours. They have planted tons of trees and made a huge impact on our beautiful city.
On a recent Saturday morning, the Key Club, Builder’s Club, and Kiwanis Club of Cleburne got busy painting at the local Salvation Army. The group was eager and more than adequate to complete the job. Some members found other chores that needed attention. They are looking forward to another opportunity to help at the Cleburne location.
Mineola, Texas, built a civic center almost fifty years ago, which hosts community and out-of-area group events. It recently added the Jack and Peggy Jones pavilion and a water park. Mineola Kiwanis has always supported the civic center financially. They also host their Back to School event at the pavilion, where children receive health checks, backpacks with school supplies, and hot dogs with all the fixings. Afterward, they enjoy the waterpark. Members of the Mineola Kiwanis Club noticed the lack of shade in the park, which gets very warm in the summer. Becky Moore, the 2021–22 President, decided to instigate a project of erecting sails to shade the park, knowing how dangerous the sun can be for both children and adults. The club applied for and received a grant from Kiwanis International. They have received donations from the Mineola Civic Center and others, including $500 from the Mineola Middle School Builders Club. The rest of the $30,000 project will be funded by the Mineola Kiwanis through various fundraisers. Yellowjacket Welding did all the metal work and will be placing the Kiwanis symbol on both front corners of the fence. A grand opening is planned for Memorial Day with officials from the Mineola Chamber of Commerce and the city. A local snow cone company will help with a fundraiser on that day.
Kiwanis Club of Cleburne Painting Salvatin Army's Kitchen Submitted by Marlene Gatewood
Creating massive impact one project at a time.
Kiwanis Club of Kerrville Dental Bags Submitted by Diana Comuzzie
A Look at Clubs
Kiwanis Club of McKinney McKinney February Meeting Submitted by Shannon Patterson
Kerrville Kiwanians, Curtis Findlay and Rey Hernandez, delivered dental bags to one of our local elementary schools. Happy Smiles from them to you!
It was to be a normal RIF (Reading is Fundamental) session for first graders at Bonham Academy in San Antonio. This time our club was able to insert a new twist. We enlisted the assistance of a dental clinic not far from Bonham to pack enough dental hygiene kits for the class that we usually read to. The school nurse agreed to come to the class and give a short message to the kids on the value of taking proper care of their teeth. The nurse asked the class how many brushed their teeth at least once every day. A number of little hands went up. How many brushed twice a day? Not quite as many hands The nurse made it interesting for the kids; they seemed excited to receive the dental hygiene kits and rushed to get them from their teacher as the class let out for the day. Our club members have always known that our very appearance in the class on reading day evokes an excited stir in the classroom when we show up. Our very presence seems to show them that even faces they don’t see very often show an interest in them. Offering dental hygiene kits is additional information for them to feel that the school and Kiwanians care for them and to take good care of their teeth.
Kiwanis Club of Paris, TX Kiwanis Pancake Days 2023 Submitted by Allan Hubbard
Kiwanis Club of Texas Hill Country “The Stars at Night are big and bright….” especially for the Kiwanis Club of Texas Hill Country!!! Submitted by Glenda Rast
Several Texas Hill Country Kiwanis Club members received awards and well-deserved recognition at the Bulverde Spring Branch Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Banquet on February 11, 2023. The Community Volunteer of the Year Award went to the Smithson Valley HS Key Club, chartered in February 2020, which exemplified service in our community by, among many other things, helping at community events and writing pen pal letters to residents in a local long-term care facility. Two of our corporate members, co-owners of Massage Heights, were also recognized for their continued support of our community. Chamber Volunteer of the Year and Rookie Ambassador of the Year Awards went to Heather Huber, who is very active in the Chamber, both as an ambassador and serving on the Board, as well as participating in and sponsoring many THKC events and activities. Anytime we need help, Heather is there with a smile! Her mother, Holly Huber, was recognized as the Ambassador of the Year for her consistent dedication to the Chamber Ambassador program by supporting new businesses. If a local business has a ribbon-cutting ceremony or there is a THC event, you’ll find Holly there. Another corporate member, Angie Moreno, owner of Cleangie Professional Cleaning and Services, received the Chamber Business of the Year Award for sponsoring many Chamber events and helping the Chamber and other businesses in so many ways. Finally, corporate member Leatine Fasano (Noah’s Ark Self Storage) was also nominated for Chamber Business of the Year. Additionally, Jennifer Meachum of Physician’s Premier Emergency Room, a corporate member who supports the THC Kiwanis Club in many ways, sponsored the awards banquet. The Texas Hill Country Kiwanis Club is proud of these members, as we are of all our members, who serve our community in so many ways. It’s a great day to #BeKiwanis!!!
Kiwanis CluB of San Antonio-Bexar 2 Goals in 1 Submitted by Ken Brodeen
Sam Nichols presents program on Basketball Smiles
Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene Daddy Daughter Dance Submitted by Lyndel Cook
The Clyde High School Key Club Winter Formal fundraiser was a success! The Clyde High School Key Club also had its winter formal on January 21. More than 300 high school students and sponsors attended the event, and this fundraiser brought in more than $7700. Several members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene helped the students set up for the event on Saturday morning, January 21st, at the Mesquite Event Center, in downtown Abilene.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene Winter Formal Submitted by Lyndel Cook
Submitted by Lyndel Cook
Sam Nichols, chief meteorologist at KTAB-TV in Abilene, Texas, and founder and president of Basketball Smiles, presented a program about his nonprofit. Basketball Smiles conducts free basketball camps and life-skills programs for children in the poorest and most at-risk areas of the Bahamas. The program has now been active for over 21 years. In 2007, Sam retired after 33 years of coaching women’s basketball. He was the all-time winningest women’s basketball coach at McMurry University in Abilene, Texas, and was inducted into the McMurry University Athletic Hall of Honor. About 12,000 kids are enrolled in this program during the summer. Seven coaches have volunteered to help teach these kids. Not only do they learn about basketball, but they are also taught life skills, non-violence resolution, ways to avoid or remove themselves from gangs, and how to recover from making bad choices. Sam promotes a "Lace ‘Em Up" program for boys and girls to receive new $80 shoes—at no cost! For years, it has grieved the coaches to see so many of our campers participate in camp barefoot or with inadequate footwear. Children would come to camp wearing shower slides, flip-flops, shoes that were too small, or no shoes at all. That’s just the world they live in; they had no choice. Last year, we were able to provide new shoes for our campers. These students have a difficult life. Some have no electricity in their homes; others have no running water. When the 26th child registers for camp this year, we will have given 12,000 boys and girls in the poorest area of The Bahamas a chance at a better life.
The Clyde High School Key Club, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene, had their Father and Daughter Dance and fundraiser on February 18, 6–8 p.m., at the Clyde High School Gym. This dance is for the Clyde intermediate school kids. Also, several members and sponsors from the Key Club will be heading to the Texas-Oklahoma District Key Club Convention on April 13–16. The event will be conducted at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. Some of the Key Club service projects include cleaning the stands after football games, hosting a fundraiser for UNICEF, and organizing the Clyde Easter Egg Hunt. They also host a senior adult banquet and teacher appreciation week. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene donated $1300 to The Key Club to help with expenses for the convention.
Golden K Kiwanis Club of Greenville GHS KIWANIS KEY CLUB Submitted by Pat Bowman
The 22/23 edition of the Greenville High School (GHS) Key Club (KC) has sixty-six dues-paying members and meets twice a month on alternating Tuesdays and Wednesdays after school. There are five club elected officers: President (Sebastian Gonzalez), Vice President (Savannah Wardlow), Secretary (Aaralyn Wright), Treasurer (Nicholas Just), and Editor (Lizzie Cavett). In addition, the Key Club Division 32 of the Texas-Oklahoma District elects a Lt. Governor (LTG), and Mari Wilcock, our past President in 21/22, holds that position. The next LTG is KC member Ian Kowalczyk, who will take that office for the 23/24 year. The faculty advisor for the Key Club is Mrs. Natalie Mougia, who teaches US history at the eleventh-grade level. The Greenville Golden Kiwanis (GGK) is the sponsoring Kiwanis Club, and GGK member Patrick Bowman is the GGK KC advisor. The GHS offers students many opportunities to participate in activities other than scholastic ones (sports, band, and many other clubs and organizations), most of which occur after school. There is often a conflict where students belong to several activities that have an event/meeting at the same time. Many members of the KC are in that boat. In an effort to give our members some flexibility, with a membership requirement of attending at least one KC meeting per month, the alternating meeting day concept (Tuesday/Wednesday) was established. Shown in the first picture is the Tuesday group, with 35 of the sixty-six KC members shown. On the front row are the officers that could make the meeting/ photo, from left to right: Mari, Sebastian, Savannah, and Lizzie. Note that Savannah is holding a phone picture of Nicholas Just, the club treasurer, while Lizzie is holding a picture of Aaralyn Wright, the club secretary, who was not able to make this meeting/photo due to other commitments. There are fourteen freshmen, twenty sophomores, fifteen juniors, and seventeen seniors in the membership. There are seventeen gentlemen and forty-nine women. The photo on the left has one addition in the lower right, and that is Mrs. Mougia. This is her first full year as the KC faculty advisor, and everyone in the club would agree that she is doing a super job. The members trust and have confidence in her. As a result, she is able to provide the right motivation for the best overall results. She will be chaperoning twelve KC members that will be attending the annual Texas-Oklahoma Key Club International Convention in April at the Anatole Hotel in Dallas. This is the first time that the GHS Key Club has been represented at this prestigious event. So far this school year, the Key Club has had eleven meetings, participated with other service organizations in twenty projects, and had several internal project/volunteer efforts. The twenty project efforts include supporting the Rotary Flag Program, which also raises funds for the club, participating in Greenville Golden Kiwanis (GGK-sponsoring Kiwanis Club) projects such as ramp building for the disabled, delivering Meals on Wheels to needy folks, working on painting United Way of Hunt County mini-libraries or food pantries, helping build beds for Hunt County Kids, and supporting the Salvation Army Red Kettle/Bell Ringing Campaign at Christmas. Club members also participated in the FISH Ministries packing of food for the needy for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The internal efforts included collecting clothes and packing food for the needy, as well as some innovative money-making projects. As of 2-21-23, forty-nine members have accrued seven hundred ninety-seven service hours. There are lots of very talented individuals in the Key Club. Many of the KC folks are members of the GHS Band, and they recently competed in a University Interscholastic League (UIL) event. The UIL is an organization that creates rules for and administers almost all athletic, musical, and academic contests for public primary and secondary schools in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the largest organization of its type in the world. The UIL musical contest was recently held in North Garland. There were nine members of the GHS Key Club/GHS Band that went to compete. Six of those nine were selected to compete for the state band. Those chosen were Mari (Marimba Solo), Sebastian (French Horn Solo), Aaralyn (Clarinet Quartet), Noah Daugherty (Marimba Solo), Amy Guerrero (Flute Quartet), and Gina Rodriguez (Clarinet Solo).
Kiwanis Club of Bartlesville Christmas at the movies Submitted by Konrad Brandemuhl
The 24th Annual Big Country Spelling Bee was held on Saturday, February 25th, at the Paramount Theatre in Abilene, Texas. Originally held by the local newspaper annually, the Kiwanis Club of Abilene picked up the torch to support the spelling bee in 2019, making this the fifth year for the club to host the event. What an incredible time as twenty-four spellers from the Big Country participated. Kiwanians Amanda Wiskow and Suzy Kehret co-chaired this annual event, and a host of fellow Kiwanians helped make certain everything ran smoothly. A “pre-spelling bee” party was held on the Tuesday prior to the spelling bee to congratulate the students and help them learn what to expect on the big day. Kiwanians served Chick-Fil-A to students, their families, and teachers. Abilene news reporter Ronald W. Erdrich wrote, "While some spellers paused, chewed lips, or had momentary flashes of consternation upon hearing their words, Sariah Titus met each of her challenges with unflappable attitude. First, to start in the lineup, she was the last to finish with her championship word, 'Harrumph'." In the end, No. 1 was No. 1. Ten-year-old Sariah, a fifth grader from Ortiz Elementary School, was the winner besting twenty-three other local student spellers from the Big Country area. As the winner from the Kiwanis Club of Abilene, Sariah will receive a trip in May 2023 to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., and a six-night stay at the Bee’s official hotel in National Harbor, Maryland, for her and a parent or guardian. In addition, she received a beautiful trophy, a Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a 2023 U.S. Mint Proof Set donated by Jay Sugarman, and a one-year membership to Online Premium Encyclopedia Britannica.
Kiwanis Club of Sapulpa Working Together Submitted by Kathy Berryhill
Occasionally, fortune shines upon a club and it lucks into a new member with artistic and graphic flair. Such was the case with Bartlesville's Kyle Margerum, a local realtor. He is leading the club's effort to improve the graphics on all their events as well as revamping their website. It has also allowed the club to branch into videos. Below is the logo theme for the 2023 Christmas Parade that will be used to solicit sponsorships and a video Kyle produced to introduce the theme to the community. Note: Since the club has a few corporate floats (created by professionals), giving the community advanced notice of the theme is important for the community to plan for their floats.
Kiwanis Club of Abilene Big Country Spelling Bee Submitted by Faye Dodson
Sapulpa Junior High Builders Club members Ella Davis and Peyton Stanley worked alongside Kiwanian Kathy Berryhill to install pavers at the Creek County Demonstration Garden. The young leaders honed their gardening skills while earning community service hours. The garden is located in front of the Creek County OSU extension office and features plants that grow well in Oklahoma.
Golden K Kiwanis Club of Greenville Kiwanis Lakes Regional Aktion CluB and the Hunt COunty Fair Submitted by Pat Bowman
On March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, the Kiwanis Lakes Regional Aktion Club (LRAC) advisor and 13 members (all wearing something green) began assembling 6,500 coloring books, flyers, and HCF tickets to support the fair, which starts on April 21 and closes on April 30. This is the third year the LRAC has had this responsibility, and they are efficient in accomplishing the task. They received the materials on March 16, with a completion date of April 7, so that the books could be distributed to local schools. The goal is to provide the assembled coloring books to all elementary students in Hunt County. Hopefully, this effort will generate a record of HCF attendance. HUNT COUNTY FAIR 21- 30 April One very important task that is accomplished prior to the fair is the preparation and distribution of coloring books for all elementary schools in Hunt County. These books are given to the children, and they include a flyer and ticket to the Hunt County Fair. Hopefully, this motivates children to encourage their parents to take them to the fair. For the past three years, the responsibility for putting the tickets, flyers, and coloring books together has been given to the Kiwanis Lakes Regional Aktion Club. As shown in the following picture/word description, the AC handles the task very effectively. MATERIALS PROVIDED BY THE HCF ORGANIZATION On March 16, the AC received 12 boxes of coloring books, with 500 books per box. There were the same number of tickets and flyers in the delivery. The task is to assemble the materials and deliver them by no later than April 7 so that they can be distributed to the schools well in advance of the HCF start date. BOOKS AND ASSEMBLY Shown beside are the two different coloring books provided and how the final assembly looks on one of the books. TICKET PREPARATION The tickets are attached in pairs, so they must be separated. The AC Lakes Regional Advisor, Cheree Harris, takes on this task as shown above. After the tickets are separated, they are distributed to the table workstations. WORKSTATIONS There are 10 workstations in the AC setup, two per worktable. Each station has coloring books, flyers, tickets, and a stapler. As books are assembled, they are stacked at each station to be collected. RUNNERS There are two AC members assigned the job of the runner. These are the folks standing in the above pictures. They are constantly bringing tickets as each station runs out, and they are picking up the completed books and repacking them in the original boxes. COMPLETED PRODUCT All of the coloring books were assembled by March 20, well ahead of schedule. There were some books not assembled because there were not enough tickets. LOADING/DELIVERY OF THE BOOKS On March 22, Jennifer Crumpton, Hunt County Fair Manager, took delivery of the books as AC members helped carry out/load the boxes of books in Jennifer's vehicle. JOB WELL DONE/HUNT COUNTY FAIR THANKS Jennifer was very appreciative of the work and the quick response and thanked Cherre Harris, Lakes Regional supervisor and AC Advisor of the AC. She gave tickets to the fair to AC members and offered to bring lunch. She was pleased to hear that some of the AC members want to help with parking at the fair and she provided the information to make that happen.
Kiwanis Club of Van, TX Small Group-Big Impact Submitted by Cathy Wheeler
Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene Chartered K-Kids CLUB ON WED. FEB. 15TH Submitted by Lyndel Cook
Kiwanis Club of Texas Hill Country We Are Family: CLubs team up Submitted by Glenda Rast
Continuing a Central Texas Kiwanis tradition that began in 2019, the Kiwanis Clubs of Texas Hill Country and New Braunfels joined forces to collect diapers and wipes in February. By the end of the month, the clubs, supported by local citizens, businesses, and Key Clubs, had collected 15,859 diapers and 27,338 wipes. These diapers and wipes will benefit over 1200 children supported by three local nonprofits: SJRC Texas (caring for "children and families affected by trauma, abuse, and neglect"), The Share Center (providing "free pregnancy... and sexual health services"), and The Crisis Center of Comal County (providing "crisis and prevention services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault"). A special "shout out" to Texas Hill Country’s newest Key Club, Pieper HS (charter ceremony TBD), who collected 3,246 diapers and 6,638 wipes, beating out their rival high school. Since 2019, a total of 77,634 diapers and 110,853 wipes have been collected.
The charter meeting for the new K-Kids Club at Stafford Elementary was at noon on Wednesday, February 15th. Five Greater Abilene Kiwanis members attended along with Division 35 Lieutenant Governor Randy Roewe. There are fifteen highly motivated students—five fourth graders and 10 fifth graders. Kiwanian Debbie Taubert and 5th-grade teacher Mary Cathryn Timpner will be the on-campus sponsors. President Lyndel introduced the kids to the K-Kids Pledge and the objects and values of the club. He read the mission of K-Kids: K-Kids is an international student-led organization that provides members with opportunities to perform service, build character, and develop leadership. The kids have already come up with some great ideas for fundraising and service projects. One project will include a teacher appreciation breakfast for the teachers at Stafford Elementary. They will meet once a month during lunch break. Lt. Governor Randy Roewe and Greater Abilene Kiwanians Harlan Owen, Susan Reid, Gail Jay, Debbie Taubert, and President Lyndel Cook attended the charter meeting of the Stafford Elementary K-Kids Club.
Small-town clubs can still make a difference, and Van, Texas, Kiwanis is proof. At one time, the club had 30+ members but had dwindled down significantly to the point of considering disbanding. With only 4-5 people attending our monthly lunch meetings after COVID, it was determined that we weren’t ready to give up. The main goal was to have regular programs focusing solely on the Kiwanis' motto of serving children and adding members regularly. Each year, two $1000 scholarships are provided to high school seniors. The school nurses have our number on speed dial for any child in need of eye exams, glasses, health, clothing, etc. The local FCA receives donations. We’ve even hosted a large Division Council meeting. All this is provided by one ongoing fundraiser: Flags. With a different slant on a more common method of subscription, we now sell, install, and maintain flag poles with American and/or Texas Armed Services flags and lights. In less than 2 years, over 50 flags are now flying proudly in our community. Don’t ever think you need big numbers to have a successful club. With only 14 members, Kiwanis is flying high in Van, TX.
Financial Advisor Expression of Interest
From the Texas-Oklahoma Kiwanis Foundation Submitted by Konrad Brandemuhl
Institution
Scholarships
The University of Texas at Dallas
6
Oklahoma City University
3
Cameron University
2
Hardin-Simmons University
University of Oklahoma
1
Fill Out Form
T-O Kiwanis Foundation was at CKI DCON conducting scholarship interviews. The Foundation awarded a total of $15,000 to 14 recipients. Pictured above are the recipients. Thank you to the Foundation Trustees who assisted with the interview process: Jerry Ward, John Curlee, Denise Reed, Claude Cunningham, and Randy Delay. Recipients were from the following institutions:
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.
CKI Dcon scholarships
Is your club a small one with lots going on, but you're not sure how to tell your community about it? The Greenville, Texas, Golden Kiwanis (GGK) club has adopted a simple process to publicize what we do. Unlike clubs that focus on a couple of large fundraisers or service projects each year, GGK has instead emphasized year-round involvement in a wide variety of service activities, many conducted in partnership with the two service leadership programs (SLPs) we sponsor, Greenville High School Key Club and Lakes Regional Aktion Club. Our publicity chair uses Google links as a simple, primary means to document and share what we do, keeping Kiwanis visible in the community. The GGK is a very active organization of approximately 30 people, all over the age of 65, who focus on supporting the community with hands-on labor. Although there is a pancake breakfast fund-raising effort annually, most of the year is spent in volunteering hours to such efforts as the Texas Ramp Project building handicap ramps; the United Way of Hunt County Mini Library/Food Pantry refurbishment to support literacy and fight hunger; Bed Kit Building for Hunt County Kids to provide individual beds for children entering foster care; the FISH (Hunt County Food Pantry) Marginally at Risk Kids (MARK) Program which provides weekend food for school children on reduced or free meals; delivering over 70 meals each week in the Meals on Wheels (MOW) Program for the Greenville Senior Resource Center and Public Transit (SCRPT) organization; assisting the local community’s annual Tools For School (TFS) effort to provide free school supplies; bell-ringing for the Salvation Army’s annual Christmas drive; and answering the occasional one-time request for help such as installing window unit air conditioners during summer heat waves. Individual members are also encouraged to join, volunteer, and support other community organizations such as the Patriot Guard Riders, veterans’ organizations, the Rotary Club, and the Lions Club. GGK meets weekly and typically reviews the status of ongoing projects and hears from an invited speaker. Speakers include local government leaders, public safety officials, and representatives of other non-profit organizations. The Lakes Regional Aktion Club (LRAC) comes to all our GGK meetings as well as our banquets and awards programs, and they have their own monthly meeting. In addition to supporting GGK through projects such as painting the United Way mini-libraries and pantries, and ringing the Salvation Army bells, LRAC has a route in the local Rotary Club neighborhood flag fly program. They also repair flags for the Rotary. LRAC prepares over 5,000 coloring books for the annual Hunt County Fair, supports community clean-up efforts, and works with nursing homes during the holiday season to provide gifts to patients and serenade them with Christmas carols. The Greenville High School Key Club has 66 members. They are active in the collection of food and clothes for the needy. They also have a Rotary flag route, assist in flag repair, support community clean-ups, and work with Drug-Free Greenville. The KC has also committed to providing labor support to the Greenville Public Library and the Audie Murphy American Museum over spring break and during the summer. Individual members are encouraged to volunteer to help teachers, school administration, and other community organizations. With the above description of community support given by these three organizations, it is easy to see that there is a wealth of opportunity to spread the word about Kiwanis. There is the traditional method of submitting articles to various applicable publications, and given that they are published, the organization is given public recognition. Our GGK historical record for this year so far in this type of publicity is shown in the first link below. Out of 28 submissions, there have been 16 articles published on GGK/LRAC/GHSKC events/projects (57+%). GGK/AC/KC/NK PUBLICITY FOR KIWANIS YEAR 22/23 - A second type of publicity is done through the links made for signature projects. These links are easy to send via email, and they are living links that are updated as new work is accomplished. The email distribution is to a large group of folks including friends of GGK and the leaders of service and community-oriented organizations that GGK works with or supports. An example of this kind of effort, our ramp builds, is shown in the second link below. GGK RAMP BUILDS FOR KIWANIS YEAR 22/23 - A third type of publicity, also using links, is to document a specific event or project. The distribution of these links is expanded to the widest possible audience, focusing on those who took part. A great deal of goodwill is developed with individuals who work in the trenches, and who love having a way to show their friends what they do in their volunteer work. An example is shown in the third link below. KIWANIS PARTICIPATION IN TOOLS FOR SCHOOL 2022 - Simple to create, maintain, and distribute, Google links have become the GGK’s go-to tool for publicity, recruiting, historical records, and the integration of new members across a wide variety of ongoing activities. Try it and see if it works for your club!
Greenville Golden Kiwanis – Service Worth Telling About! Submitted by Pat Bowman
Registration fees for this convention are scheduled to increase after May 15, so be sure to get signed up before that. Don't forget to register delegates on behalf of your club. Take time during one of your upcoming club meetings to discuss proposed amendments and candidates to help those delegates vote on your behalf. Make plans to attend the regional social too! The menu is expected to include chicken tenders, veggie spring rolls, a fruit tray, and more. This will be a fun opportunity to reconnect with old friends from Texas-Oklahoma and to make new friends from the Kansas and Nebraska-Iowa districts. Sponsorship Opportunity If your business is seeking a way to spend those excess donor funds, consider being a sponsor for the Texas-Oklahoma reception at the Kiwanis International Convention! A $100 contribution will earn you recognition in all district publications; $500 will additionally earn you printed recognition at the reception itself. We will be joining the Nebraska-Iowa and Kansas districts to hold this event, so your business and generosity will be spread throughout the region. For more information about this opportunity, please contact Al Richard at 713-299-4886 or lsufan1@comcast.net.
ICON: Register Now!
KI Notes submissions can be emailed to txokkiwanis@gmail.com.
Month
Division
Club
Name
February
31
Poteau
Benjamin Curtis
9
Woodlands (The)/South Montgomery County
Steve Montgomery
March
12
West Angelo, San Angelo
Karl Bookter
34
Tyler-Rose City
Daniel Wells
23
West
Timothy Jaska
33
Amarillo
Jack Wiles
Hide-A-Way Lake
Joy Hagg
April
35
Abilene
Tammi Ellison
16
Stillwater Golden K
Wayne Muller
8
Gainesville
Ned Newman
All listed with sympathy and memory.
In Loving Memory
“Friends come into our lives and friends leave our lives. But friends never leave our hearts. And best friends always get to stay in the best places in our hearts.” ― John M. Simmons, The Marvelous Journey Home
Texas Oklahoma Kiwanis District Editor's Message Evelyn Herrera
WHOA! Did you notice how time has been flying by lately? It's almost time for DCON again! Our leadership team has been working feverishly to smooth out the details and bring everything together. I've heard whispers of some exciting things yet to come. Keep an eye out next week for new details on registration and updates on the agenda. Now is the time to start making arrangements and planning out what you want to do while in Granbury, Texas! This year's attendees are in for a treat as we are offering Spouses' Tours to engage our partners in the fun that Granbury has to offer. If you are unable to make it to this year's convention, not all hope is lost! See if any of your friends are able to take some notes on workshops that interest you. Contact our team to see if any of the presentations are available for your viewing at home. Our district is all about engaging and educating our members. Even if you can't make it in person to this year's convention, we want all of our members to have the opportunity to flourish.
