The annual District Convention took place Aug. 13-16 at the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center in Albany.
- Pictures of Brittany Award presentations by the Kiwanis Pediatric Lyme Disease Foundation.
- A list of fund raising ideas from the 2015 District Convention is available.
Foundation President Sal Anelli honored the Long Island South Central Division for sending the most kids to Kamp Kiwanis the year, 87, and the Kiwanis Club of Peninsula (Hewlett) for sending the most from a club, 53.
Treasurer David Vail said the District Foundation would end the year in the black for the second year in a row. He said it was due the efforts of the entire board, but added that he also was proud that "every child who wanted to go to kamp, went to kamp." Kamperships and other donations were used to pay for children who otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford it.
Kamp Executive Director Rebecca Clemence reported the kamp had 63 adults this year, a decrease due to cut backs in funding for recreation by the state Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. There were 582 child weeks, down from 598 in 2014. The goal remains to have 840 child weeks, the maximum the kamp can handle in a season.
There were 37 teens in the teen program, and 7 kampers which required 1:1 staffing. There were 80 kampers with special needs and 39 children of military personnel.
In addition to Peninsula's total of 53 kampers, Clemence also noted that East Meadow sent 35, LaGuardia sent 25 and Staten Island sent 18.
They had 50 staff this year, representing 12 countries.
Kim Scharoff reported that they had a profit of $2,500 from the Mets game in July, selling 200 tickets. The Mets gave Kamp Kiwanis their Spirit Award, and they talked for three minutes on the PA system before the game about what the kamp does, helping to spread the word.
 Aiello |
 Merendino |
 Poccio |
|
There was an election for three seats on the District Foundation Board. Winning the three-year terms were incumbent Anthony Merendino and newcomers Tom Poccio and Immediate Past Distinguished Gov. Joe Aiello. | ||
Two long-term convention and Circle K volunteers were honored as the Convention Honorees, Richard Hall and Alison Mandel, and six others also were honored by Gov. Eric G. Paul: District Secretary/Treasurer Justin Underwood, Assistant Secretary Jack Tetamore, Special Assistance Tricia Ziegler Hook, Parliamentarian Sean P. O'Sullivan, and Executive Assistants Kevin Love and David Morse. Tetamore and Hook were unable to attend the presentation.
 Hall receives his award from Gov. Eric.
|
 Mandel receives her award.
|
 Underwood.
|
 O'Sullivan.
|
 Morse.
|
 Love.
|
After making some jokes about his basketball-player namesake, Ewing, who is the former governor of the Pacific Northwest District and a Canadian, related a story from 2001 when his club responded to a call from Kiwanis International to help care for the children of victims from the 9-11 attacks in New York City.
 Key Club Gov. Hannah Nichols addressing the opening session.
|
 Circle K Gov. Walaa Ahmed reported on progress in Circle K.
|
Before the candidate elections took place, the delegates adopted the new form of District Bylaws as established by Kiwanis International, with little discussion after the delegates voted to replace the bylaws originally submitted with an updated and newly approved wording.
Gov.-Elect Forbes Irvine was elected governor for 2015-16, and then, in a contested race, past Queens West Lt. Gov. Steve Sirgiovanni defeated Past Niagara Frontier North Division Lt. Gov. Candace Corsaro to become the governor-elect for 2015-16.
The delegates also approved several resolutions:
- Honoring the Convention Honorees for their service to Kiwanis.
- Thanking the Convention Committee, including Kevin Love, David Morse, Tricia Hook, Udo Glosch, Justin Underwood and Jack Tetamore, as well as the staff of the Desmond Hotel and Conference Center, for their efforts.
- Thanking Kiwanis International Board Counselor Patrick Ewing for his contributions to the convention
- Committing the district to complete its goal for the Eliminate Project.
- Thanking Gov. Eric G. Paul for his efforts during the 2014-15 Kiwanis Year.
- Supporting the election of Distinguished Past Gov. Peter Mancuso to the Kiwanis International Board of Trustees at the 2016 Kiwanis International Convention in Toronto.
