April 2025

KI-NOTES April 2025 (Issue NO. 40) | A Publication of the Texas-Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International Registration Opens April 7th! Contact us Governor: Bobby Quinten Immediate Past Governor: Dr. Kathy Culbertson OUR STORY 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. 4 Governor's Message 6 A Glimpse at DCON 10 Events 12 A Look at Clubs 22 Foundation Legacy Society 23 PLGA Extra Mile Award 24 I'm Just a Volunteer 25 ICON 26 Key Club Notes 27 Christmas in July 28 In Loving Memory 29 Editor's Message www.instagram.com/texas.oklahoma.kiwanis/ Contents www.txokkiwanis.org https://twitter.com/txokkiwanis 24-25 District Officers Editor: Evelyn Herrera District Marketing Chair: Marshall Kregel txokdist@swbell.net texas oklahoma district www.facebook.com/texasoklahomakiwanis P. O. Box 820945, North Richland Hills, TX 76182 817-640-7711 Texas Oklahoma Kiwanis District  Governor's Message Bobby Quinten THE THREE KEYS TO EVERLASTING KIWANIS GROWTH Kiwanis International adopted a new game plan for membership growth this year called Build – Nurture – Retain. As your Governor, I immediately embedded this initiative into the Mighty T-O District because it is a Mighty framework for Mighty growth. I love Build–Nurture– Retain because the entire Kiwanis experience is embedded in its DNA. ·Build refers to our district building new clubs in communities where Kids Need Kiwanis. ·Nurture refers to providing every existing club with the resources, advice, and networking they need to fulfill their community mission. ·Retain refers to every current Kiwanis member being actively engaged in their club. When we build a new Kiwanis Club, Kiwanis drops anchor in a community and brings our world-class Service Leadership Programs to the schools, local colleges, and special needs residents. When you gather 15-20 passionate individuals truly committed to improving their community one child at a time, give them proven resources to find gaps and fill them, train them, and then turn them loose, great things happen! The opportunities for Kiwanis Clubs in new communities are seemingly endless. Over 200 county seats in Texas have no Kiwanis Club, with another 30+ county seat towns in Oklahoma. The district has some holes in West Texas, Southeast Texas, Eastern Oklahoma, and in the Rio Grande Valley, where I know Kiwanis can be powerful for children and families. As long as we have Sponsor Clubs, Club Coaches, and Kiwanian volunteer time, we can spread pure Kiwanis Goodness for years to come. No matter the size, every Kiwanis Club needs nurturing from time to time! By nurturing existing clubs, clubs have the resources to accomplish their mission impactfully wherever the needs are. Lieutenant governors provide leadership, guidance, and wisdom. The outstanding Achieving Club Excellence (ACE) tools assist clubs to know where the needs are in the community and make a robust plan to meet those needs. By retaining current members, Kiwanians stay engaged in the club’s mission and activities. Club presidents talk to every member to hear what that person’s interests and passions are and then look for ways to help them help others. When clubs onboard new members effectively, when club leaders learn what the members’ skills and talents are, and when the club connects them with the causes they most support, every Kiwanian becomes a mission-centered Kiwanian! Build – Nurture – Retain provides the three keys to everlasting Kiwanis growth in Oklahoma and Texas. This should be an ongoing, robust, immersive membership growth strategy for our district. I encourage every Kiwanian to seek your role in building new clubs, nurturing your club, and retaining your Kiwanis colleagues. Then we remain the Mighty T-O District! Bobby Quinten TX-OK Kiwanis Governor There is so much to experience and enjoy in good ol' Denton, TX. If you are looking to plan your trip around town, check out what Denton has to offer HERE. Gary Weiland - Gary Weiland was a Firefighter in Denton, Texas for 7 years when he experienced a series of very unfortunate events. His leg was amputated just below his knee. Gary decided that this tragedy was not going to end his career and passion for fighting fire. 10 months and 6 days after his amputation, he was back on the Fire Truck, full-duty, no restrictions. Gary’s faith, family, and fortitude were the driving factors in getting back to being a Firefighter. Now he is on a mission to show the world that no matter what happens to you, you can Adapt and Overcome! READ MORE OUR DISTRICT KIWANIS TEXAS-OKLAHOMA DISTRICT   Come out to the Texas-Oklahoma District of Kiwanis "Christmas in July" Arts & Craft Show being held at the Denton Convention Center. July 25th and 26th from 8 am to 4 pm. The region 6 Governor visit and training is set to be held on May 3rd in Abilene, TX from 9 am to 1pm. This meeting is open to Kiwanians from divisions 12, 22, and 35. 26th Annual Big Country Spelling Bee Featuring The Kiwanis Club of Abilene The 26th Annual Big Country Spelling Bee, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Abilene, was held on February 22, 2025, at Hardin-Simmons University. Our club took on the sponsorship of the Spelling Bee when the Abilene Reporter-News discontinued hosting it several years ago, and it is a wonderful opportunity to showcase some of the top students in our community. This year there were 24 spellers who were cheered on by approximately 140 family members, teachers, and friends. There was also a good turnout of Kiwanis Club of Abilene members who helped with greeting, registration, and backstage assistance. Amanda Wiskow was the chair of the Bee. Sariah Titus, a seventh-grade student at Wylie West Junior High School, performed a miraculous feat as she won the Bee for the third year in a row. She will represent Abilene and the Big Country in the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee, which takes place May 28-30 in Washington, D.C. Contestant number 12, three-time Bee winner Sariah Titus, and runner-up number 7, Marleigh Guelker, are each photographed with club president Guy Lucas and Bee chair Amanda Wiskow. Creating massive impact one project at a time. A Look at Clubs The West Plains High School Key Club* recently worked at the Ronald McDonald House in Amarillo, TX. Their community work helps foster leadership among the teens and contributes to the betterment of their community. *Sponsored by the Hi-Plains Kiwanis Club of Amarillo. Kiwanis Club of Texarkana AKtion CLub CHili Cook Off Submitted by Tanya Dunlap Lakewood Dallas Kiwanis Club Challenge Air Fly Day Submitted by Amy Durant The Aktion Club of Texarkana* participated in the Texarkana Homeless Coalition Chili Cookoff on January 24, 2025. Members of the Aktion Club made the chili during their cooking class at Texarkana Resources for the Disabled. Members served the chili in freezing temperatures and walked away with the “People’s Choice” award for the second year in a row. *Sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Texarkana  Members of the Lakewood Dallas Kiwanis Club participated in the Challenge Air Fly Day on Saturday, March 29, 2025. This event was hosted by the Commemorative Air Force at Dallas Executive Airport. Members interacted with the children and their families, playing games as they waited for their flight times. Keisha Jones, president of Lakewood Dallas Kiwanis, assisted with helping the families board and get off of the planes. Challenge Air for Kids & Friends, Inc. exists to build confidence and self-esteem in children and youth with special needs through the gift of flight. Pictured in photo: Standing left to right—Drew Burroughs, Keisha James, Jay Macaulay, Jim Cuzzo Seated—Lee Shuey Hi-Plains Kiwanis Club of Amarillo Ronald McDonald House Submitted by David Pepper Featuring the Kiwanis Club of Arlington Every year, the head of the Teacher of the Year committee, Jannette Workman, works tirelessly to put together a wonderful celebration to honor Arlington, TX educators. This event has been a long-standing tradition dating back to 1962, when AISD Assistant Superintendent Woodrow Counts was president of this Kiwanis Club of Arlington. This year, AISD teachers and representatives gathered with other local Arlington citizens to honor the top teachers from elementary to high schools. The following teachers were recognized with the Teacher of the Year title: Will Floyd from Arlington High School Trey Hyman from Ousley Junior High Jennifer Short from Pearcy STEM Academy Each one of these educators is lauded by their fellow peers and students. They have worked hard to inspire and lead the future leaders of Arlington. Along with them, 9 other teachers received special recognition for their outstanding impact on students. Teacher of the Year Recognizing our public educators The Aktion Club of Texarkana* enjoyed pancakes at the 67th Annual Kiwanis Club of Texarkana Pancake Day on March 1st. After the members filled their bellies with all-you-can-eat pancakes, they volunteered in the dining room, cleaning tables and providing refills, and made everyone feel extra special with their smiles. The club looks forward to pancake day each year, and we certainly could not do it without them. *Sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Texarkana Lakewood Dallas Kiwanis Club Food Pantry AId Submitted by Amy Durant Kiwanis Club of Texarkana Aktion at 67th Annual Pancake Day Submitted by Tanya Dunlap At their Thursday, March 6, 2025, meeting, the Lakewood Dallas Kiwanis Club packed 70 food bags for the Lipscomb Elementary Food Pantry. Members such as Joe Moore, Pat Morris, Ron Burch, Jim Cuzzo, Terry Mitts, Lee Shuey, Jay Macaulay, Jose Alejandro-White, Cindy Maya, Drew Burroughs, and Keisha Jones were in attendance. Chicken, peanut butter, macaroni & cheese, corn, green beans, oatmeal, fruit cups, applesauce, and Pop-Tarts were among the items bought and packed for each bag. These were delivered to the school after the meeting and were ready to be distributed to the students. The Lakewood Dallas Kiwanis has had a partnership with Lipscomb Elementary for over 4 years and has donated food bags for distribution twice a year. Kiwanis Club of Texarkana Hoop Heroes Submitted by Tanya Dunlap The Hoop Heroes team is made up of individuals with disabilities from Texarkana Resources for the Disabled, Inc. The team includes six members of the Texarkana Kiwanis Aktion Club*. The team enjoyed a send-off parade the day before the tourney started. The team qualified and competed in the State Special Olympics Basketball Tournament in March 2025 and earned 1stplace and a gold medal for their skilled game play and teamwork! *Sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Texarkana Kiwanis Club of Plano Abuela Y Yo Recognition Submitted by Jeanette Kelley Highland Lakes Kiwanis Club Market Day on Main Submitted by Kathy van Eeten Kiwanis of Holly Lake Ranch Nomination Submitted by Michael Laurel Kiwanis of Holly Lake Ranch, Big Sandy President Dianne Robinson, has been nominated for Division 34 Lieutenant Governor-Elect for the 2025-2026 year. Her name was put up for nomination at the Division Council Meeting in Gilmer on March 20th. Dianne joined the HLR/Big Sandy club in November 2022, and she became a board member during her first year in the club. She was recognized for her hard work and achievements with the prestigious Women in Kiwanis award in 2024. Dianne rose to the position of club president for the 2024-2025 year. The election for lieutenant governor-elect will take place at the DCM at Holly Lake Ranch in May. Three times a year the Highland Lakes Kiwanis Club hosts "Market Day on Main"! The first Saturday in March, September, and December, Main Street is lined with colorful tents and lots of people. The project originated three years ago when the Marble Falls Chamber of Commerce asked the Kiwanis to take over the event. The event consists of 160-200 vendors displaying and selling products of all kinds! The Kiwanis also invite local non-profits to participate, at no charge. There is live music, food, crafts, woodworking, candles, wreaths, makeup, puppies, and so much fun! In addition to the booth fees, local businesses provide sponsorships, and the event raises approximately $30,000. The Highland Lakes Kiwanis support the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes, Marble Falls Education Foundation, local high school scholarships, athletic boosters, Marble Falls ISD Key Club, choir, band, football, Project Graduation, Marble Falls Back to School Blast, Candlelight Ranch, Harmony School of Creative Arts, and more! Abuela y Yo is a bilingual book created to educate children on what to do in case of emergencies. This club project has gained a lot of recognition and traction from news reports to online media. This book is now set to be showcased at the national convention in Pittsburgh as a part of the Kiwanis Children's Fund's grant session. The project came to fruition under Jeanette Kelley's leadership, Carmen Ramos' story, and Evelyn Herrera's illustrations. I’m just a volunteer At an event recently I heard someone say, “I’m just a volunteer “. I realized the phrase “I’m just a volunteer” is something we’ve probably all said at one time or another. The word JUST in this instance means only or simply. So when we say it, are we downplaying our importance, or do we truly feel working for free is not as important as working for money? Saying “I’m just a volunteer” is the beginning of the end for a volunteer program. Why, you might ask? If you devalue yourself and your efforts, you will soon feel unappreciated and unwanted, and then you’ll slowly quit participating. But I want to remind you that a volunteer is someone who does something, especially to help other people, willingly, without being forced to and without any pay. And isn’t this what Kiwanis is all about? Helping others? Helping Kids? Serving our communities? Why did you join if not to serve and serve gladly? So let’s be proud we are volunteers! A true volunteer is a very rare thing these days. Show off! Shout it from the rooftops! I’m a volunteer for Kiwanis! One more month before registration fees for the 2025 Kiwanis International Convention in Pittsburgh are scheduled to increase! Until May 24, registration for the 3-day convention package is $399 per Kiwanian and $199 per guest. Tickets are still available for a variety of special events, including the Signature Project Breakfast ($40), the Kiwanis Children's Fund Luncheon ($40), and the Kiwanis Roaring 20s Gala ($80). Don't miss this chance to experience the full scale of our great organization, to mingle with fellow members from around the globe, and to collect new ideas to increase your club's community impact. See you June 25-28 as we Forge the Future! Submitted by Kelly Poland Key Club Notes Submitted by Kelly Poland The TX-OK District Key Club is expecting a great LEDCON (Leadership Education District CONference). But it wouldn't be possible without some amazing Kiwanians who have donated to our lieutenant governors and towards the food costs of the conference. While attendees paid for their lunches, the cost was too high and would have made the registration out of reach if we had included the dinners. A wonderful letter from Past Governor Kathy Culbertson was sent to all clubs, and many of you responded and responded in a BIG way. Thank you, thank you, thank you!! At LEDCON, our new Governor, secretary, treasurer, and editor will be elected. The new lieutenant governor 's will be installed along with the new executive officers. I encourage all the current Kiwanis Lt. Governors to reach out to your Key Club Lt. Governor. You can reach out to them by email using ltg??@tokeyclub.com. Simply insert your division number where you see the ??'s. As the newly appointed District Administrator for Key Club, it is a personal goal of mine for Key Club and Kiwanis members to form lasting friendships through service. The Key Club year ends April 30, and we currently have 241 active clubs with a total of 16,163 members. Additionally, there are 16 clubs that are suspended because they have not yet paid their dues, with another 626 members. I fully expect them to pay their dues soon. Now some less happy news. Of these clubs, 59 of them do not have a sponsoring Kiwanis Club. I'm sure I will be working with Governor Bobby and Governor-Elect John in the future to find Kiwanis clubs to sponsor these Key Clubs as well as the new ones that happen at least once a month. (13 new ones since Oct. 1) If you'd like to know if there are unsponsored Key Clubs in your area, please email me at Administrator@tokeyclub.com. As I said above, I will be pushing the Key Club Board to develop relationships with their counterparts. Key Club is the future of Kiwanis! So, reach out to a Key Club today and start recruiting new members today! KI Notes submissions can be emailed to txokkiwanis@gmail.com. In Loving Memory Month Division Club Name March 26 Athens Zachary Pulley March 8 Whitesboro Jerry Warren March 30 Capitol Hill High School Gene Sopher March 35 Abilene Gordon Dowell March 14 Lufkin Sam Pirtle February 1 Fort Worth DONALD ADAMS February 2 Plano Richard Langhammer IN LOVING MEMORY “The song is ended, but the melody lingers on.” – Irving Berlin Texas Oklahoma Kiwanis District  Editor's Message Evelyn Herrera Spring is here! Not only is it a time for new growth, it is also a time for spring cleaning. What would your club clean, you may ask? There is so much; the possibilities are endless. Spring cleaning can be applied to tidying up your club's meeting or storage space, its online filing systems, or even old records. Taking the time to go clean out items that your club no longer uses can help make your club function more effortlessly. Take a club's storage unit, for example. Do you have pancake day supplies stored in a space somewhere—aprons, utensils, stickers, perhaps? What if that space has become overloaded with old and outdated volunteer packets or musty club t-shirts? These things easily pile up and slow you down when you try to get to something you need. Take the time this spring to sort through your club's materials and items and implement an updated system to make your meetings and events go far smoother.