Gov. Tom's Message

by Gov. Tom Varner

Happy New Year to everyone in our Kiwanis Family and their famlies.

When you read this, we will be in the first year of the second decade of the 21st century. What is significant about the first of the calendar year in Kiwanis? Our year starts on October 1 and everyone goes full out for three months. Then, Kiwanis typically hits the low time of the Kiwanis Year. That is, there is less service and fund raising done in the first three months of the calendar year than in any of the other three quarters.

We are resolved not to let that happen this year. There is too much dedication, too much leadership at the Club level to have a low time. With everyone's help, the Captial District will make great strides in this quarter just as we will in the other three in 2010 - 2011.

The first of the month, I will be sending each Club President and Secretary the beginning of a process to move their clubs forward. Each Club will start with where we are and move to where they want to be. Our first areas will be in improving and increasing our Service Leadership Programs. We have an outstanding Service Leadership Program program in the Capital District, but there is always room for improvement. How many elementary, middle, and high schools are in your area of influence? How many of these schools have a Kiwanis Kids (Kiwanis-Kids, Bring Up Grades, and Terrific Kids), Builders Club, or Key Club program? How many opportunities exist for your Club? Will you make the effort to put a program into these schools? This is the first step in moving forward.

At the Kiwanis International Convention in Geneva, the official launch of the ELIMINATE program will take place. Plans are now being made for this major worldwide project. The District needs to appoint a Chair for this project. It is a three-year commitment and International is requesting this Kiwanian does not hold any other position in Kiwanis during their tenure. If you are interested in this position or know someone who might be, contact either Governor-Elect Jeff Wolff or myself.

We need to increase our effort to elect our Club and Division officers for the 2011 - 2012 year. Right now, the Governor-Elect Jeff will be holding his Lieutenant Governor Conference the last weekend in April. The education for the Club Officers will be in May and June.

Why is there a delay? First, the District must wait for Kiwanis International to complete the Training package for Club Leaders. Effective, October 1, 2010, all Districts will be using a Kiwanis International developed and approved program. If your do not have your Club Officers, now is the time to get next year's officers lined up and elected.

In two weeks, we will begin the Regional Midwinter season. Seven of the eight are scheduled and the last one has to look for either a new date or a new location. At the end of this article is my schedule that has the dates of the Midwinters. A new feature will be an Open Forum with Governor-Elect Jeff and me to answer your questions and to receive your suggestions for the future of the Captial District. District Risk Manger Mike Rind concerning the District's Sexual Harassment Policy will lead a second forum in all the Midwinters. This will be important for all members who work with Service Leadership Programs. You also may consider inviting your Faculty Advisors to attend this forum.

Why is there a delay? The District must wait for Kiwanis International to complete its new Training program for Club Leaders. Effective October 1, 2010, all Districts were to have been using this Kiwanis International developed and approved program, but the program will now not be available until late January or early February 2011. If you do not yet have Club Officers for 2011-2012, now is the time to get them lined up and elected so they will be ready to be trained when the program is ready.

You see there is a lot to do in the next three months. Let us all get busy and work for Kiwanis.

Tom Varner
Governor

Here is my calendar for January 2011 through April 2011:

January 14	Division 17 Official Visit	Leisure World
January 15	NOVA Midwinter	Manassas VA
January 22	DelMarVa Midwinter	Millsboro DE
January 27-30	Governor's Council	Indianapolis
February 5	District Board	Fredericksburg
Februarys 5	Lt. Governor Council	Fredericksburg
Februarys 11	Dr John Button	Hampton Roads
February 12	HR Midwinter	Old Dominion University
February 12	Dr. John Button	Division 4
Feb. 18-10	CKI DCON	Crystal City
February 19	Instructor Training	Crystal City
Februarys 26	HOV Midwinter	Richmond
March 5	Potomac Midwinter	?
March 12	Mason Dixon Midwinter	Columbia
March 25-27	Key Club DCON	Crystal City
April 2	Presidential Midwinter	Blue Ridge CC
April 9 (?)	SWV Midwinter	?
April 15-17	Key Leader	Jamestown
April 29- May 1	Lieutenant Governor Conf	?