December 2022 KI Notes

Letter From KI Trustee pg.28 ISSUE NO. 26 Membership and Growth Pg.22 A Publication of the Texas-Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International F.L.A.G. Program pg.6 KI-NOTES Togetherness December 2022 A Time of 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. Texas Oklahoma Kiwanis DCON The next district convention will be in Granbury, Texas, August 3rd-6th, 2023. Hotel and event registration will begin in March 2023! Save the Date 3 Save the Date 4 Governor's Greeting 6 F.L.A.G. Program 8 Events 10 A Look at Clubs 18 M & M Team Rolls Out New "Kiwanis Serving Here" Package! 20 Fundraising with Microsoft Bing Rewards 22 Membership and Growth 24 25 Quick and Easy Marketing Tools for your Kiwanis Club! 28 Letter from Kiwanis International Trustee 29 ICON Update 30 Children Services Programs 2022-2023 32 Annual Club Gift to the Kiwanis Children’s Fund 33 In Loving Memory 34 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 texas oklahoma district www.facebook.com/texasoklahomakiwanis Texas Oklahoma Kiwanis District  Governor's Greeting Patrick McCage Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to each and every one of our 5088 members and families of the Texas-Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International. As of this writing, we’re finishing up our Thanksgiving holiday. I witnessed and participated with Kiwanians and Key Clubs across our states in hosting food drives and packing and delivering boxes of food. From my perspective, it was heartwarming and fulfilling to see the involvement of Kiwanians making an impact in their community and surrounding area. The men, women, and children of this most precious organization, Kiwanis, exemplifies the meaning of being a Kiwanian: we serve! Not only did I witness food drives, but I also experienced the leadership of several Kiwanis Clubs delivering emergency backpacks from Kiwanians to Kiwanians. It was my honor to deliver one of these district backpacks to people recently impacted by tornadoes in the northeast Texas area . This equation, Kiwanis clubs + Kiwanis clubs = impactful hands-on community service. If Kiwanians did not perform this act of service, who would? If you answered with "Well, there’s another organization that would do it," ask yourself, "are you sure they would?" This is why every member who reads this needs to ensure that we, you, and I, can continue helping our fellow neighbors for years to come by inviting your friends, acquaintances, and family members to our family of Kiwanis. Your club and my club needs an extra set of hands for the service we desire to continue. While some clubs did not partake in Thanksgiving food drives, packing boxes, or delivering meals, I saw something else. I saw Kiwanis clubs around Texas and Oklahoma preparing for the upcoming Christmas season. As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s birthday, let us reaffirm our service to one another. Let us all do our part to sponsor "the littlest angels" by purchasing gifts and/or food, or to ensure that these kids wake up on Christmas morning with a Christmas tree and a few gifts under it. If you haven’t before acted in any of these capacities, let’s start now. Let’s step out of our shell; let’s step out of the box. As an example, my home club is going to participate in our local Christmas parade for the first time in 80 years. This is the first year we are standing side-by-side with our local Key Club as we drive down California Street in Gainesville, Texas. This is wonderful exposure to the thousands of people in our community and shows our relevance to it. I challenge you to step outside of your box. Oh, and by the way I like my new club banners, side-by-side with our Key Club banners. Whatever your club decides to do in the name of service this Christmas season, plan it now, perfect it, and act upon it. No matter how small or how big your service is, for one child or many, we will make a lasting impact this year and many years to come. May God Bless you and from my family to yours, Merry Christmas. Patrick McCage Governor, Texas Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International Kiwanis Club of Gainesville Texas 940-736-1603  F.L.A.G. Program Fly Lower and Gather Randall Estes McCage Family Website - http://www.theflagprogram.org/ Facebook – TheFLAGProgram Instagram – theflagprogram Founder – Jim Rodriguez Phone: 860.538.2367 “Our non-profit helps schools create Flag Clubs in schools and instills pride and respect for the United States Flag through an extensive education program for students.” • Teaches students proper respect and treatment of the US Flag • Curriculum used with groups of students (such as K-Kids, Builders Club, Key Club or other small groups); $500 donation materials/membership/scholarships • Minimum of 25 students/school to start the program • Goal is not only teaching students but also for them to have the responsibility of flying and retiring the flag each day • Program active in 59 schools in Texas and in AZ, LA, OK, TN “In the Fall of 2010, Jim Rodriguez was doing like most parents, taking his daughter to school every morning. Day after day, as Jim dropped her off, he could not help but notice the American flag being raised in a manner not befitting this national treasure. The school employee assigned the task was doing his duties to the best of his knowledge and ability but was seen casually rolling up the flag and carrying it under his arm before securing it to the flagpole to be raised for the day. “No one noticed, and no one paused to pay their respect. It had become just a daily routine. “As a retired veteran of the United States Air Force, Jim couldn’t help but shudder, so he took action. He called the principal of the school and proposed an idea to engage the students in restoring the tradition, teaching them the history, the etiquette and proper protocol surrounding the American flag. He enlisted the services of Staff Sergeant Jose Rivera, a United States Army Recruiter, and together they launched the first class of the F.L.A.G. Program. The support they received from Waxahachie I.S.D. and the school’s student council and administrative staff helped to bring this dream to reality and the F.L.A.G. Program officially began.” If you'd like to learn more about the Key Club District Convention please send an email to ledcon@tokeyclub.com. OUR DISTRICT KIWANIS TEXAS-OKLAHOMA DISTRICT   Kiwanis Club of Allen is kicking off Pancakes with Santa December 3rd, 2022, 7 AM-11 AM. All proceeds benefit youth programs in their community. Kiwanis Club of Sun City Georgetown has commenced their annual Holiday Home Tours! There is still time to attend this event this weekend 3rd-4th. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 available at each home during tour weekend. Kiwanis Club of Allen Kiwanis One Day Submitted by Matt Giordano Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene Honoring Veterans Submitted by Lyndel Cook The Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene honored more than 40 veterans at their meeting on November 10. The veterans included past and current members as well as family members of several Greater Abilene Kiwanis members. Posters were created for all the veterans with their name, branch of service, years served, deployment, and family relatives. One of our current members, Joe Marshall, had his poster displayed at the meeting. Joe is a Texas-Oklahoma district past governor, Greater Abilene Kiwanis president, division 35 lieutenant governor, and has held numerous other offices within division 35. Past Greater Abilene Kiwanian Keith Wells was also honored. Keith was a Marine first lieutenant in 1945 and commanded the third platoon, company E, of the second battalion of the 28th Marines that helped secure Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. He was wounded on February 21, 1945, in the battle of Iwo Jima. Wells was wounded on his way up to the summit of Suribachi and was taken to a hospital ship offshore. But his platoon fought their way up the summit of Mount Suribachi and placed the American flag on the summit of the mountain. The first flag was deemed too small, so a second, larger flag was raised and was photographed by Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press, who won a Pulitzer prize for the photo. The Kiwanis Club of greater Abilene took great Honor in recognizing our veteran heroes. The Kiwanis Club of Allen, TX, raised over $8,000 at the 28th Annual Ron Gentry Memorial Golf Tournament. The club would like to thank all of the great sponsors and participants. The event had 57 golfers, great raffle prizes, and a successful silent auction. The winners were Team Barrett, who generously donated back their winnings. Second place went to the Allen Fire Department. All proceeds are invested back into the community to support the many community service activities and Kiwanis Service Leadership Programs sponsored by the club. The Kiwanis Club of Allen would love to invite more Kiwanians to join them next year for this annual Kiwanis event. Kiwanis Club of Allen Annual Ron Gentry Memorial Golf Tournament Submitted by Matt Giordano Creating massive impact one project at a time. The Allen Kiwanis Club joined with the University of Texas at Dallas Circle K and the Allen High School Key Club for the Annual Kiwanis One Day events. On October 22, the Kiwanis Family joined forces to clean up around the community in North Texas and helped pack meals for Send Hope Honduras. Kiwanis One Day is an annual day of service for Kiwanis clubs worldwide to collaborate with other Kiwanis Family Organizations to improve the world, one child and one community at a time. A Look at Clubs Kiwanis Club Robson Ranch Support for TWU Kiwanis Club of Kyle Buda Book Giveaway Submitted by Cynthia Bentley Kiwanis Club of Kyle Buda Book Giveaway Submitted by Cynthia Bentley Kyle Buda Kiwanis Club is a "Star Maker" in the Stars for Our Troops program. Over 2000 "Star Pouches" were distributed to veterans in Kyle, Buda, San Marcos, and south Austin, Texas, for various Veterans Day celebrations. Kyle Buda Kiwanian never misses an opportunity to recruit new members. At the Veterans Day celebration, Kyle Buda Kiwanis gave out books to citizens attending Kyle Market Days. Submitted by Ed Ahrens As all are aware from media reports, the cost of higher education in America has reached unbelievable heights. Millions of students have been forced to obtain loans to achieve their education, and, as reported, the level of debt incurred has exceeded $1.6 trillion. To help deserving students at Texas Woman’s University (TWU), the Kiwanis Club of Robson Ranch has provided scholarships since 2008. During the past 14 years, the club, through its foundation, has provided $36,000 to help 35 students. Scholarships are awarded based on academic performance, service, and leadership development. Jim and Susan Galbraith, club founders, have been the leaders of this program since its inception. At the general meeting on October 21, the club recognized five recipients for the 2022-2023 academic years. Each received a $1,000 scholarship. Those recognized included: • Jacquelyn Anderson, Senior, Flower Mound, Texas, majoring in education • Raynes Islas, Junior, Hemet, California, majoring in kinesiology • Zoe Ngu, Sophomore, Plano, Texas, majoring in kinesiology • Mariah Veloz, Junior, Haltom, Texas, majoring in psychology • Biak Zing, Senior, Lewisville, Texas, majoring in education Each of the recipients shared their personal stories of success in college and expressed their sincere appreciation for the scholarship. Kiwanis Club President, Craig Smith, presented each woman with a special certificate of recognition. Shelby Gould, Executive Director of the TWU Foundation, was present at the meeting and shared some insights about the university and its commitment to providing aquality educational experience for the 16,000 students at the Denton campus. Ms. Gould pointed out that TWU is recognized as one of the most economically positioned public universities in the nation, striving to always keep educational costs as low as possible. She expressed deep appreciation for the Kiwanis Club of Robson Ranch and its commitment to assist deserving students. The Kiwanis Club of Robson Ranch (KCRR) hopes to provide possibly ten scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic years. Kiwanis is an international organization of volunteers found in 80 countries that is committed to building a better world, one child and one community at a time. KCRR meets on the first and third Friday of the month, 9-10 AM, in the Bandera Room of the Club House. Come help us make a difference in this world. Quitman-Lake Fork Kiwanis CluB New K-Kids Submitted by Joanne Wisdom The Quitman-Lake Fork Kiwanis Club chartered a new K-Kids at Quitman Elementary in September. 5th grade teacher Michelle Presley approached the Kiwanis club about starting the K-Kids, because she felt like the school was lacking student involvement in volunteer service. She looked around one day and saw students running off the playground, passing by coats and trash without stopping to pick them up. She believed that students needed to be encouraged to take a moment to look around and consider how they could help their school be better rather than waiting for an adult to do things like pick up trash. She and fellow teachers Hannah Farmer and Emily Strong have done a fantastic job of guiding but also expecting the students to lead. They spent their first meeting brainstorming service projects. They are now in charge of pledges and announcements each morning, have spent time reading to the younger kids, and are actively helping with a canned food drive. Now that things are running smoothly and everyone is engaged in service, they will hold officer campaigns and elections. They are an incredible group of kids with a heart for service, guided by teachers who expect their best. They are destined for greatness! Cindy Moses (Joeris) was our artist in residence The Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene recently held an intriguing program. Dr. Kim Pamplin from Abilene Christian University gave the club some information about the new NEXT Molten Salt Reactors being built at Abilene Christian University. Alli Mae Berry, NEXT Lab research chemist, said that Abilene Christian University’s molten salt nuclear reactor is currently under construction and due to go online in 2025. It will provide clean energy and possibly a cure for cancer. The design uses molten salts rather than water as a coolant. "Molten salt reactors are a safe solution to providing clean energy, clean water, and medical isotopes to the world," Berry said. The Alamo Kiwanis Club recently hosted the 4th annual Clays for Kids fundraiser at the San Antonio Gun Club on October 14th, on a beautiful fall afternoon. A clay shooting competition is always a popular event in Texas, and the club was pleased to have 88 shooters this year. aMembers also enjoyed having a number of non-shooters joined us for dinner. The club strives to keep the event fresh and interesting each year. This year, the club introduced a new “Banker’s Challenge” and had five banks compete in this special category. Here are some of the elements of our event that helped make it successful: The clay shooting competition itself A delicious barbecue dinner provided by the Barbecue Station (barbecuestation.com) Iced tea, margaritas, and other adult beverages A talented artist, Cindy Moses (Joeris), who painted on request during the event The Square Fish Band, featuring members of the Alamo Kiwanis Club (https://www.facebook.com/squarefishband/) A silent auction A live auction, featuring auctioneer Dennis Hathaway In addition to being a fundraiser, the event contributes to membership growth because several attendees expressed interest in joining the club after attending the event. The 4th annual Clays for Kids raised $25,001.01 in net proceeds, which gives the club a great start toward the Club’s goal of raising $85,000 this year for local children’s charities. And everyone had a very pleasant afternoon and evening in south central Texas. If you would like to join in next year, the 5th annual Clays for Kids Sporting Clays Shoot and Social will be on Friday, October 13, 2023. Hope to see you there! Frost Bank won the Banker’s Challenge ALAMO KIWANIS CLUB 4th Annual Clays for Kids Sporting Clays Shoot and Social Submitted by David Gay Kiwanis Club of Lake Granbury demonstrated their gratitude to everyday local heroes on November 10, 2022. All first responders and frontline healthcare workers were invited to have lunch with their local Kiwanis club. Everyone was able to enjoy a delicious meal. The event was sponsored by Granbury Chicken Express, the Kiwanis Club of Lake Granbury, and Granbury Square Plaza. Kiwanis Club of Lake Granbury Supporting Heroes Submitted by Carol Pirkle Our winning team was from Ancira Auto Group Kiwanis Club of Greater Abilene Molten Salt Reactors Submitted by Lyndel Cook Auctioneer Dennis Hathaway led our live auction Photograph by Jeff Forward with The Paris News Lamar County Disaster Relief Kiwanis Club of Texarkana Trunk-or-Treat Submitted by Monty G. Murry Submitted by Denise Kornegay On Friday, November 4, a line of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes raced through northeast Texas and southeast Oklahoma. In Lamar County, an EF-4 tornado stayed on the ground for more than 25 miles and was as wide as three-quarters of a mile at some points, according to reports by The Paris News. Seventy-seven homes suffered either major damage or were destroyed. Thankfully, no deaths were reported, and only 11 people were taken to Paris Regional Medical Center. The Paris Kiwanis Club sprang into action and delivered emergency backpacks to North Lamar ISD and Kiwanian Angela Chadwick, Assistant Superintendent of NLISD, the following morning. According to Chadwick, "Families were so thankful to have emergency supplies that were customized by age and gender to provide support as necessary. North Lamar is thankful to have Kiwanis respond so quickly to the families that were affected." The story of the backpacks started last spring, when then Region 5 Trustee Patrick McCage contacted Division 32 Lt. Governor Denise Kornegay with a challenge to stuff 75 emergency backpacks to have on hand whenever needed. The Paris Kiwanis Club agreed to stuff the backpacks if McCage could store them. A group of volunteers from the club gathered materials and met to pack them in late May. The backpacks were then delivered to McCage in Gainesville for storage. Little did the Paris Kiwanis Club know that they would need those for their area. On Saturday, November 5, Paris Club member Jackson Little met Gov. Patrick McCage and picked up backpacks, which he then delivered to North Lamar ISD. LTG Denise Kornegay met Marshall Kregel, T-O Disaster Relief Coordinator, to get additional backpacks for children in Lamar County. Through these coordinated efforts, every person who needed assistance was able to receive a backpack. For more information about the backpack service project, contact Marshall Kregel at mkregel@hotmail.com. Kiwanis Club of Texarkana’s 2nd Annual Trunk-or-Treat was held on October 29, 2022. Kiwanis Club of North East Dallas County TX-OK Partnership Submitted by Chris Bunkoff The Kiwanis Club of North East Dallas County is proudly serving the cities of Garland, Rowlett, and Sachse, TX, with a variety of service projects to help make a positive impact in our community. One of those projects includes a partnership with TXOK to help provide Disaster Backpacks for adults and kids as well as Flood Buckets that can be used to bless neighbors in need as a result of a tornado, fire, or flood. Just this month, we sent 28 child backpacks to East Texas to help families affected by recent tornadoes. Additionally, to help increase awareness about our Disaster Service Project and increase our effectiveness in the area, we’ve partnered with the Rowlett Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) to ensure they have needed supplies on hand and ready to go. It’s great to see what can be accomplished when the community comes together to serve. To top it off we have T-Shirts for your members. M – XL $10 ea XXL – XXXL $12 ea Shipping will be billed based on weight of order. For More information or to place an order contact the M & M team at TxOkDistrict@gmail.com. Start the new year off right and show your Kiwanis spirit at your events. Be sure to have your members take turn at your Kiwanis table and answer any questions about your club! Happy Holidays From your M & M Team Be sure to advertise outside your event when it is happening! We have these great Kiwanis Yard Signs available for $15 plus shipping. Be sure to order Join Us brochures and informational material on our SLP Programs.These can be ordered from the Kiwanis International Store. You can get two packs of each for free. Yard Sign M & M Team Rolls Out New "Kiwanis Serving Here" Package! Table Runner This Table Runner is perfect for any event you have. Just place a Kiwanis blue tablecloth over a 6- or 8-foot table and this runner goes down the middle. There is a colorful Kiwanis log at each end. Runner is $75 plus shipping. t-shirts So many times we make sure we have everything ready for our fundraisers and service projects, but we forget to share with everyone all about our Kiwanis Club. We have everything you need to get the new year started right! Fundraising with Microsoft Bing Rewards Submitted by Konrad Brandemuhl Computer/cell phone savvy or have kids who are? Use MS Bing to do web searches and gain a few dollars. No purchase required. Go to Microsoft Rewards (https://rewards.bing.com ), create an MS account if you don’t have one. Go to “Give with Bing” and select your non-profit, set ‘ “Give Mode” is ON’. Best to bookmark the rewards page so you can get back to it easily. Each 1,000 points is $1 so you can get anywhere from $5 - $11/month/person. Takes a couple months for funds to reach your account. To maximize your daily points, you want to use both mobile phone searches as well as PC-based searches. To get full points every day, utilize the search terms “cat breeds” or “dog breed” or “people born on November 24”. This will generate a horizontal thumbnail of pictures to click on one by one. Or pick your favorite movie or two and select “cast” button and it will thumbnail all the cast members that can be selected one by one to complete your search quota. MS also has a daily set feature. Perform the daily set every day and get a consecutive streak bonus. They also offer monthly extra points as well as daily points options. This is a gradual process. The funds will come from Benevity. If your club doesn’t have an account on Benevity, create one so you can have the funds EFT to your bank account. https://benevity.com/ Select the “Nonprofits” menu, then select “Nonprofits Solutions” and register. Make sure you register and opt for EFT so additional fees are not deducted. The funds will originate from “The UK Online Giving Foundation (USD)” . Company Project Donation Date Total Donation Acknowledged Microsoft Rewards / Give with Bing KIWANIS CLUB OF BARTLESVILLE FOUNDATION INC 2022-07-25T21:06:42Z 9.96 Microsoft Rewards / Give with Bing KIWANIS CLUB OF BARTLESVILLE FOUNDATION INC 2022-08-24T18:18:56Z 10.34 Totals 20.30 Total Donations (Gross) 20.30 Check Fee 0.00 Net Total Payment 20.30 Club Opening- The Mighty T-O District will be working hard to open new clubs starting in January. Our theme for the beginning of 2023 is “New Year, New Club, New Service!” If there is a location your club, division, or region feels is a potential site for a new Kiwanis club doing new service, please contact Brad or Governor Patrick! We have a great team available to help with the first step of a site survey and laying out the steps to get the new club off the ground! Let’s have more new Kiwanians and new Kiwanis clubs serving in 2023! Two for Two, is KI’s amazing initiative to help all Kiwanis members and Kiwanis clubs be intentional and accountable about growing club membership and the engagement of each member in the process of growth. You can find out all you need here. https://www.kiwanis.org/clubs/membership/two-for- two-membership-strengthening Governor Patrick has made participating in the TWO for TWO program a part of his distinguished club criteria. You can find out more about that criteria here: https://www.txokkiwanis.org/wp- content/uploads/2022/10/2022-2023-DISTINGUISHED-CLUB-CRITERIA.pdf We will have another TWO for TWO training in January as part of our ongoing marketing, media, and membership zoom training. You will not want to miss the amazing tools that Marshall Kregel and Susan Hennum have to offer your club, division, region, and our district! I am currently scheduling meetings with clubs and divisions, either in person or via Zoom, to discuss membership objectives, initiatives, and club opening strategies. LTG’s, please do not hesitate to contact me to set up a time at your next divisional council meeting to share some membership and growth ideas you can use immediately. Club presidents, secretaries, and membership chairs, feel free to schedule me for a time to meet with your club and help connect you to all the great resources we have available in our district! 713-470-8413 bekiwanis1@gmail.com Grow, Serve, Impact, Repeat! #KidsNeedKiwanis #BeKiwanis New Membership Focus EVERY MONTH- An intentional club meeting or service project every month that emphasizes bringing a potential new member to that meeting or event to recruit while having a specific focus on membership. Strive for 5: Each club striving to have + 5 in membership growth for the year. 2nd Quarter Membership Contest: Goal of at least 23 new or reconnect members in each region from Jan 1-March 31. This will be a Regional, Divisional, and Club contest. Region who adds the most: trustee will win a prize Division who adds the most: lieutenant governor will win a prize Club who adds the most: the whole club will win a prize! Rev. B McKenzie Immediate Past Governor Membership and Growth Chair Texas Oklahoma District Kiwanis International 713-470-8415 bekiwanis1@gmail.com MEMBERSHIP AND GROWTH HOMECOMING WEEK January 16- 21, 2023- This is an intentional way to reconnect with members who have dropped out of one of our district’s Kiwanis clubs in the past 36 months. Reach out to and reconnect with members still living in your area who have dropped off your membership rolls in the past couple of years. There will be some resources on the TO District Facebook page on December 1, including great tools from our Marketing and Media Team! 25 Quick and Easy Marketing Tools for your Kiwanis Club! Submitted by Marshall Kregel 1. Keep your club’s Facebook page up to date. Try to apply a new message at least once / week. It does not hurt to have a new message, story, video, or picture every day. If you have a popular post that is getting a lot of shares, consider spending 10 dollars or so to "boost" that post over a few days to your town and areas around it. 2. Other social media platforms that have been successful for clubs are YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. Instagram may someday be larger than Facebook, so seriously consider creating an account for your club. YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine after Google. (Google owns YouTube, so there’s the back story.) It pays to have a club YouTube account with lots of little videos of club activities WITH DESCRIPTIONS. After all, people search YouTube with specific words or names. You can easily link your videos to other social media posts. 3. Use your community Facebook pages to promote your club. Apply to be an editor of your community (public) page, and then you will be able to reach potentially thousands of additional people when you make a post! Some communities may have multiple town or public pages as well as a Mom’s Page. This is where you want to be if you have kids' programs at the local schools. 4. Be a member of your local chamber of commerce and have a presence there each week. Ask a club member to be your representative at each chamber meeting, and that person can build a network of friends, volunteers, and potential new members! 5. Get a club credit card account so that you can take money easily for dues, memberships, donations, ticket sales, raffles, and other activities. Square, Stripe, and PayPal are the biggies here. PayPal is the largest of the three and easily the most popular. It is very secure and has a competitive rate. Venmo is a great little program for making cash transfers between friends or businesses. Venmo is owned by PayPal. 6. Put up a Kiwanis information booth at EVERY club event to hand out brochures and offer club news to folks who attend the event. It doesn’t have to be more than a card table with a tablecloth, brochures, and fun people! A great idea is to ask your local Key Club to step up and volunteer at the booth. 7. Have at least a single page website where you can keep club contact information, links to your social media accounts, and a Donate Now button that leads to the club credit card account that you just created. Between eight and ten dollars a month for a website is a cheap but positive way to promote your club. Plus, having that page be a "landing page" for your ticket sales or donations puts you at a major advantage over other non-profits that are only based on Facebook. 8. Create a QR code that you can put on your business cards, brochures, and posters that leads people to either your website, your Facebook page, or a Donate Now page to support your club's activities. Using the following link, you can create a QR code in about 30 seconds. https://www.qr-code-generator.com/ 9. Collect business cards at each event and ask people if you can add their names to your club’s monthly newsletter. Over 90% of people will say "yes". When you ask people to visit your club, invite them to a service project before inviting them to club meetings. Let them see and participate in a service project as their introduction to the club. 10. Hold a video contest within your local Key Club and allow the members to challenge each other to the best 30-second or 1-minute videos about your Kiwanis club. Give gift cards to the winners. Now, you have an instant library of videos for your new YouTube account! 11. Learn how to quickly create colorful graphics for your social media posts. One of the easiest and most fun programs is Canva. You can create a wonderful, eye-catching infographic in just a few minutes. Canva can also help you create little videos to promote your events. If your club is a 501(c)3, then you can apply for a free Canva account. 12. Host a webinar for parents on a very important subject, like how to use the new food pantry at the local elementary school or how to apply for a scholarship for those high school seniors. Your club can hold a special meeting at a school auditorium or use Zoom to spread the word through all your social media and the local school administration. Providing a few educational classes monthly is a great way to market your club! Ask known experts or licensed people to help with advice for parents of young children. 13. Did you know that Kiwanis International has a long list of videos and podcasts (messages that are radio ready) that are free for each club to use to help promote their programs? Here is the link: https://www.Kiwanis.org/brand Visit this page and have fun! There is lots of great marketing and PR information. 14. Form partnerships with other groups or non-profits and then share links and messages with the public that promote all parts of the partnership. This is a great way to double or triple your exposure to the community and look good at the same time. If your new partner needs funding for their programs, ask them to be a member of your club and serve on the board as part of their commitment to the partnership. In a true partnership, both sides give something of value. 15. Have contests for great prizes! Share the contest rules on all your social media accounts, and have a panel of judges pick the winner. Perhaps you can get local town officials to serve on your panel of judges. People love contests. Be sure to put your brand new QR code on all the official rules and publications about your contest. 16. Use the proper Kiwanis brands on all your club material, T-shirts, give-aways, and tablecloths. The "bird cage" Kiwanis emblem is no longer used. It's time to retire that one. For proper logos and branding, again, go to https://www.kiwanis.org/brand. Your local marketing team keeps a supply of branded items like water bottles, tote bags, backpacks, yard signs, and table runners with the big Kiwanis "K". The marketing team purchases these in bulk (at wholesale prices) and sells them to the clubs at cost plus shipping. Contact your marketing team at TxOkDistrict@gmail.com. 17. Be sure to write articles for your local newspaper. They will probably have an online edition that is accessed by lots of people in town. Plus, the editors are constantly looking for good material. It is a great idea to invite an editor to one of your events so they can see what your club is all about. 18. Join your local "Neighborhood" or "Nextdoor.com" app. It is a great way to reach your local neighborhoods and solicit volunteers or donations. These apps get a lot of attention and are great ways to start conversations. Remember, lots of your neighbors have never heard of Kiwanis, so be sure to mention all the cool stuff we have been doing over the past 107 years! Also include links to your social media as well as that famous QR code that you created a while back. 19. Remember to include your SLP programs in your service projects or fund-raisers. And if you take pictures, be sure to have a photo release signed by the parents if the child is under 18 years old. Photos of kids helping with service projects is a definite way to get noticed by the media. 20. Hold a celebration dinner for first responders. This is a great way to get media attention and provide a service program and a big "Thank You" to people who put their lives on the line for all of us every day. See if your club would like to take this on every year and make it a big event. 21. We have yard signs with the metal "H" stand, for sticking in the ground, close to your service projects. The signs say, "Kiwanis Working Here". 22. Check on the pricing for a fence banner for the local high school playing field. You’ll have people staring at your banner every Friday night during football season. 23. Ask your Key Club or other SLP to create a service project, invite your club to assist, and let the kids run the show. Now, invite the local media to come watch! Sometimes the media can’t show up, so be sure to take plenty of video of the project to send to the news. Your Key Clubbers know how to quickly edit the videos down to a smaller size suitable for online editions of local news, Facebook, or Instagram. 24. Wear your Kiwanis shirts to every event, club meeting, or even to the grocery store. Be proud of this organization that has worked so hard over the years to save lives and be a positive influence on children worldwide. Maybe you have enough funds in your administrative account that you can give a new T-shirt to new members when they join. Your district marketing team may have some T-shirts in stock. Check with us. We sell them at our cost plus whatever mailing costs are involved. 25. Visit the businesses in town and hand out corporate membership information sheets as well as membership applications. For each business that supports a new member to the club, give them a membership decal for the front door of their business. Thousands of these decals have been distributed in Texas and Oklahoma. For information on any of these ideas, to share new ideas, or to inquire about pricing for any of the branded products, contact your marketing team at TxOkDistrict@gmail.com Kiwanis International Trustee (2019-2022) Texas Oklahoma District Counselor (2020-2021) Letter from Kiwanis International Trustee Submitted by Gary “Coop” Cooper District Secretary Al Richard recently visited Minneapolis and scoped out the convention area. Our assigned hotel for the 2023 Kiwanis International Convention will be the Hilton Garden Inn. Staying there is not mandatory, but doing so will give you the chance to more frequently run into fellow T-O delegates as well as Kiwanians from the Montana, Nebraska-Iowa, and Kansas Districts. What questions do you potential first-timers have about this convention, and what ideas do you seasoned attendees have for enhancing our T-O experience? Please reach out to your international convention chair at courtneykiwanis@gmail.com. ICON Update Submitted by Courtney Fallway Check out all the hype around Kiwanis Holiday Lights, a major Kiwanis event in the nearby town of Mankato, MN. This project involves visits with Santa and live reindeer, a partnership with Mankato Brewery, the collection of canned goods, and donations for other Kiwanis programs. Though hosted by Kiwanis, volunteers from more than 60 other organizations are involved with the production. Read more and check out the photo gallery at https://www.kiwanisholidaylights.com/. Meanwhile... Texas-Oklahoma Kiwanis Members, It has been my honor to represent the Carolinas District on the Kiwanis International Board these past three years; it was an experience I will never forget. I was also honored to serve the children with each of you. Although the demands of the Trustee office were great, I was eagerly looking forward to my next level of service. The month following the humbling endorsement of the Carolinas District allowing me to campaign for the office of Kiwanis International Vice-President, I met with my medical team at Duke and advised them of our plans. Following a detailed description of what the next four years would entail if successful, the group strongly recommended that I not take this path. They fear that the stress, long hours, and international travel could undo my progress and pose a significant risk. Serving at the highest level of Kiwanis would have been my greatest honor, but not one I can selfishly consider due to its possible impact on my family, friends, and health. It is for these reasons that I must resign from the campaign. There is still more for me to do as a Kiwanian. I will continue to serve the children through my association with the Fayetteville club, Myrtle Beach area clubs, Moore County clubs, the site of our soon-to-be new home, the Centennial eKiwanis Club, the Cascadia Internet Club and as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Boys & Girls Homes of NC. I cannot thank you enough for your support, and I urge you to re-evaluate your commitment to Kiwanis because the children need us more today than ever. So as I end all communications, Thanks for all you do for Kiwanis and the youth we serve. Coop Why did you join your Kiwanis Club? That is the question that needs to be answered. We want to know WHY you are still a member of Kiwanis. My experience is that “we all’ joined our Kiwanis club to HELP serve our community. Now is the question is; Are you still serving your community or are now a member of the meet, eat and burp group? When was the last time your club leadership presented a community assessment program to the club. No one joins to make a club bigger. The Community Assessment is a helpful tool to keep your club alive and growing. The Kiwanis leadership manuals have copies of the “Community Assessment” sheets. You can do an analysis of your community without the form. The whole idea is to contact your community leaders—the mayor, police chief, superintendent, principal, ministers, and healthcare providers—and then try to figure out what your community needs to be better. What are some of the community issues that your club can help to solve? Kiwanis has many program that can help guide your club members to improve your local communities. In the following T-O newsletters we will try to show some of the thing that other clubs are doing to make their communities BETTER. Young Children Priority One: Young Children Priority One (YCPO) is an ongoing community service program of Kiwanis International that addresses the needs of children ages 0–5. All clubs are encouraged to carry out at least two YCPO projects per calendar year, though many clubs are able to do more—serving children, families and communities. Young Children Priority One focuses on four key areas: •maternal and child health •child care and development •parent education and support •safety and pediatric trauma and *Pregnancy Crisis Centers Schools need assistance: School has started and now is the time that Kiwanians can make a difference in the school life of many, many children. Check with YOUR local school and see what the staff needs that the administration doesn’t purchase. My club bought 2500 band-aids for our elementary school. It is the little things that sometimes makes a difference. Another item the school needed was a simple laminator and laminating sheets for the teachers to make signs for the classrooms ($87.00) Terrific Kids help with attendance and discipline: Terrific Kids is a student recognition program that promotes character development, self-esteem, and perseverance. Students work with their teacher to establish goals to improve behavior, peer relationships, attendance or schoolwork, and to reach their goal during a specific time period. All students reaching their goals are recognized as Terrific Kids! Recognition includes being pinned as a Terrific Kid; a pizza, ice cream, or other food-themed party; and presentation of certificates and other giveaways. Bring Up Grades is another great school program: Bring Up Grades recognizes students who raise their grades to an acceptable range and maintain or continue to raise them from one grading period to the next. Recognition includes being placed on the school's BUG Honor Roll, a food-themed party, Gift cards and presentation of certificates, buttons and other giveaways. Our latest success was 327 of 425 students raised at least one grade, 76.94%. Forty two students raised four grades up. ** This program works well when adapted to Middle school or Jr. Highs. We want to know what YOUR CLUB is doing to make a difference. Let us know WHAT and HOW the program works. Write up the program and its results and email it to: sarah01a@att.net. We want to donate $100 to the club with the most unique and successful program. CHILDREN SERVICES PROGRAMS 2022-2023 Submitted by Sarah A. Augenstein, Annual Club Gift to the Kiwanis Children’s Fund Submitted by Konrad Brandemuhl Year 2021-22 2020-21 2019-20 Amount $31,297 $28,952 $28,735 Clubs 55 68 70 2018-19 $32,717 79 Month Division Club Name October 34 Tyler-Rose City Erby Eikner October 24 Round Rock Kalita Gloria October 16 Ponca City Rager Jane October 8 Durant Mersecchi Roberto November 34 Quitman/Lake Fork Wisdom Ila November 11 Edinburg Garcia Miguel November 5 San Antonio Army Residence Community Golden K McKinley Martin November 40 Jones Allen Jimmie November 5 New Braunfels Young Howard All listed with sympathy and memory. In Loving Memory “A wonderful thing about the holidays is that they encourage us to remember those we love. Even though it may hurt to remember, don’t forget that remembering the past makes hoping for the future possible.” – Alan D. Wolfelt All club presidents and secretaries should have received a mailer from the KCF about club giving. It includes a club donation card (with club name and club number) and postage paid envelope. This is a very quick and simple way to fulfill each club’s KCF club giving effort. Contribution to KCF is also part of the 2022-2023 Distinguished Club criteria: “The club will contribute $5, $10 preferred, per member to the Kiwanis International Children’s Fund 5 points.” As the holiday is upon us and we give thanks for all, we wish to thank the 55 clubs who contributed $31,297 to the KCF during the 2021-2022 fiscal year. Here are the numbers from recent years: These numbers may exclude clubs which may have contributed in the past but have since closed. These are Club gifts and not individual giving. Note: a percentage of these contribution comes back to the District as a District Grant to partially fund SLPs interaction with the District. KCF Club Grant: A club grant helps address an unmet need that affects children in your community or elsewhere — by supporting a project that provides long-term benefits that can be sustained by the club. The first step toward this grant is to submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) using our online grant-making system,Foundant. An LOI provides the Children’s Fund with an overview of how your club plans to meet a need in your community. You will be asked to provide a project overview, timeline, budget, and community needs overview. Funding decisions will now be made twice each year. For a March 1 funding decision, an LOI is due before November 1. LOIs received between November and March 1 will be considered for August 1 funding. Visit our Club Grant Program webpage and review the Guide to Club Grants to learn more. No clubs from TO has taken advantage of this Club Grant program in recent years. Please consider this as part of your activity this year or next. KI Notes submissions can be emailed to txokkiwanis@gmail.com. Texas Oklahoma Kiwanis District  Editor's Message Evelyn Herrera Hello Fellow Kiwanians, We had an amazing turnout for KI Notes for this issue! Thank you to everyone who has submitted content thus far. As everyone enjoys their time with their families this holiday season, remember to hold space for those who no longer receive visits this time of year. Reach out to old friends, check in with the isolated, and aid those in need. No matter what you celebrate or if you don't celebrate at all, I wish everyone good tidings this year. Remember, no matter what time of the year, kindness and consideration are always appreciated! Sincerely, Evelyn Herrera