Grow Our Kiwanis Family
by Rosemary Cummings

Around this Holiday season from Thanksgiving until New Year's Day, much thought is given to and time spent with family, giving gifts, having special meals, and getting together for fun times. For many Kiwanis Clubs, the immediate family comprises the Service Leadership programs each Club supports - whether Key, Builders, K-Kids, CKI or Aktion Clubs, and the extended family includes the many Clubs we work with in our Divisions and Regions. The Holiday Season is a special time for Kiwanis Clubs and our SLP's to work together in the community. The family appeal is natural for Kiwanis, through our work to serve our children locally and throughout the world. Just as our holiday gifts or traditions will come in many forms, our membership appeal will be likewise.

When we invite parents of the younger SLP members to assist with our programs, and they reply affirmatively, have a job ready for them, invite them to a Kiwanis meeting, and e-mail them your Club communications about your upcoming service and fundraising events. They may not come stampeding to your door with an application in hand, however, the parents do respond well to these invitations, and will help with driving, service projects, all planting the seed for future Kiwanis membership. When guests volunteer to work with Clubs or SLP's, take time to explain the Kiwanis mission, do not assume people know about Kiwanis. Often, the positive time you take to describe Kiwanis as you work together, is all the time a person needs to accept your invitation to become a member.

In the extended family when members attend Interclubs, Kiwanis training conferences, and support nearby Club events, they will become acquainted with a wonderful network of service-oriented friends, get new ideas for projects, and have fun, while demonstrating to their communities Kiwanis really does care about children. During this coming year, we should cultivate more opportunities to get to know and work with our entire Kiwanis Family, whether at fundraisers, community service projects, training conferences, or social events. Make it a priority to get to know your Kiwanis family this year. When more communities see Kiwanians in action, more friends and neighbors will want to emulate our commitment and fervor for service and will be prepared to say YES when you invite them to serve with us.