Governor Elect

Welcome to a New Kiwanis year, the perfect time to reflect on our past year.
First and foremost Helene and I would like to thank each and every Kiwanian for your support at District Convention. We pledge to work tirelessly for you, your club, your division and this great district over the next three years.
I would like to take a moment to thank Immediate Past Gov. Joe Aiello and First Lady Carole (Cookie) for their dedication and relentless enthusiasm in bringing in 1,059 new members. THAT IS OUTSTANDING. It is now incumbent on all of us to engage and keep them; a busy Kiwanian is a happy Kiwanian. There is no better way than to do projects that directly impact the community YOU serve - no one knows your club and your community better then you.
2014-15 promises to be an exciting year. Kiwanis will be celebrating 100 years of service to our communities. There will be many parties and celebrations. Please take the time to enjoy them while keeping in mind that Kiwanis is at its finest when we do heartwarming projects cut from at-times heart-wrenching situations. It's often not pretty but it's what we do and why we are KIWANIANS. I call it KIWANERGY it's the ability to help - that child - that senior - that veteran - your neighbor - your friend - your friend's friend. Get involved, get your club involved, get your division involved.
Many of us sent a child to Kamp. Now would be a great time to follow up on that child. Do they need a warm coat - a pair of jeans-winter boots. Do they have a safe place to Trick or Treat, do they have a costume? Are Kiwanians or Key Clubbers available to take them?
Thanksgiving is coming. Do they have something to be thankful for, can your club provide a meal or basket a place at a table.
At your meeting please consider a collection for Pediatric Lyme Disease. These kids are ill and can't afford treatment.
The Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Center provides trauma kits to hospitals and first responders. A collection for any of these goes along way to helping and/or saving CHILDREN. It's what we do - WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN.
So 2014-15 is under way. Get your Builders, Key Clubbers and Circle K'ers involved. Show our kids why they are "terrific" even if no one else does. Teach them about Kiwanis. We only have them for a few years let's ensure their future and ours and turn them into Kiwanians. Engage our Aktion clubs. They are vital and relevant to ALL the communities they serve. We are proud to serve with them as KIWANIANS.
Finally, Helene and I are off to Indianapolis. We are looking forward to meeting the other governor-elects and bragging about The New York District. We look forward to seeing many of you at Tri-K in November and many more throughout this year.
Good luck Gov. Eric and this year's board. Thank you Joe Aiello and the 2013-14 board simply put EXTRAORDINARY.
Happy Fall Everyone!
 

Column Posted on Web Site November 1, 2014