Governor's Message

by Gov. Don Dudey

As you are reading this article, the time to register for the District Midwinter Conference is now and closing fast.  The Convention Committee has been working very hard to bring you a very outstanding conference - from outstanding speakers, great training session to the really fun stuff like the Friday night casino night and the visiting with the many Kiwanians you have not seen for months or years.  This is truly an outstanding conference for several other reasons too. One, Kiwanis International President Paul Palazzolo will be with us the entire conference, so you can visit with him about Kiwanis as a whole or just your club activities. Two, this is the Capital District's CKI's 50th birthday and since Service Leadership Programs within the Capital District are so important, what better way of showing our support than to attend this Midwinter conference. Third, CKI is conducting their District Conference (DCON) in conjunction with our Midwinter conference, so you can attend the CKI District Convention and see how they conduct theirs compared to our District conferences. You might be surprised in what you see.

I know may of your regions are having their own Regional Training Conferences during the months of January thru March, and they are very important too because it allows many Kiwanians to attend a regional event when they do not attend any other regional or district event.  But, I think that because of the combination of events for the District Midwinter Conference, you should seriously consider coming to the Arlington, Virginia for this event, even if it would only be for one day, say Saturday. We owe it to the District CKI organization in supporting their continued growing within the Capital District.

Changing the subject now, there are two events coming up that I want to have you begin planning on now, as it will take some work to make both a success.

The first is April 10, Kiwanis One Day. Some of you have participated it this event in the past, but there many more that have not. Kiwanis One Day is where Kiwanis world-wide want to have every club conduct some type of service project on this specific day, advertising the event in your community and getting as many Kiwanians, Key Clubs, Cider, Builders Club and even K-Kids involved with this project. Other words, make a "big deal" out of this project, do it on Saturday, April 10 and tell everyone about the project and Kiwanis. Our Community Service District Committee, chaired by Brian Wilson of the Poquoson Club, can help give you information about how to conduct this project, or you can go onto the KI website and search for Kiwanis One Day and find the information too. Whichever way you go, planning for this day needs to start now. This can be a club event or a division event, that is your choice, but whatever way you go, start planning now.

My second change the subject is, Membership Growth Month. KI President Paul Palazzolo has designated the month of May as Membership Growth Month. We are asking every club to plan some type of event during the month of May that your club can do to attract new members. From having a "Special Guest Day" event to having a community awareness program for the whole community. Whatever activity you conduct, the purpose is to bring in prospective members and talk about Kiwanis, what you do in your community and how they can get involved in the activities of your club. This event will take several months to plan so the time to start is now. It is not just the membership chair's responsibility; this is a club event, getting all members involved.  Each of your Division's LTG will be more than happy to attend your meeting and help you design and build this event. That is their major responsibility, helping your club in whatever you need, especially membership growth. This does not mean that we have to stop recruiting now or after the Month of May. Recruiting should be conducted year around, but we want you put special emphasis on membership recruitment during the month of May.  The Club that has the greatest growth percentage for the month of May-June will be recognized and rewarded at the District Convention in Lynchburg, August 2010.

I have been visiting many Divisions and individual clubs these past few months, and I am really impressed on what Kiwanians and their clubs are doing in their communities. This is what Kiwanis is all about "changing the world, one child and one community at a time" Keep up the good work as you change your community and children (and adult) in it.  We just need more "hands" (members) to do the work at hand.

Thanks, and I hope to see you in Arlington, Virginia, Feb 26-28 2010.