International Leadership

At the upcoming Kiwanis International Convention in Toronto, June 23-26, 2016, Past International Foundation President and Distinguished Past Gov. Peter Mancuso will be running for the office of International Trustee.
KI is greatly in need of solid, principled leadership in these very challenging times. There is no one better suited to provide it than Peter. His professional background, Kiwanis experience, and temperament are perfectly suited to the task, and his record of Kiwanis achievements at every level of our organization is exemplary. You will soon be able to learn more about him and what he brings to Kiwanis on his campaign website, which is currently under construction but will be available soon.
We expect this to be a highly competitive race and will need all of your support to elect Peter. Our goal is to have 400 members of our district at the Toronto Convention, 300 of whom will need to be voting club delegates. These delegates will join with many others expected to support Peter from districts across our country. When you're encouraging clubs to send delegates, please don't forget that past lieutenant governors can represent any club in your division, not just their own. We will be watching to see whether any PLG's are registered, but not as delegates. They should all be delegates in Toronto.
If you have never been to an International Convention, it's a wonderful experience at which camaraderie is shared by thousands of Kiwanians from all over the world. Toronto is a fantastic place for a vacation. It is a cosmopolitan city full of great restaurants, culture, and other terrific attractions. To learn more, visit the Toronto Convention page on the KI website (http://www.kiwanis.org/convention/2016).
Please keep in mind that to enter Canada, a passport or an enhanced driver's license are acceptable forms of identification. When returning by air, a valid US passport must be presented. When returning by land or sea a passport or an enhanced driver's license is required. While not open yet, you will be able to register for the convention soon at http://www.kiwanis.org/convention/2016/register.
It is terribly important that we have a strong early registration from our district. These early attendance figures will be watched carefully throughout the Kiwanis world as a sign of the depth of the support that Peter enjoys in his home district. When the time comes to book your travel, please plan to stay for the entire convention. Believe it or not, we have lost races in the past because members scheduled their flight home before the vote in a runoff election in which a tie took place. Also, please make it a point to reach out, if you have friends who are Kiwanians in other districts, perhaps ones who have moved elsewhere because of work or retirement, to share our enthusiasm for Peter's campaign and ask for their support.
Since International Trustees represent all of us, this is not Peter's campaign; instead it is truly all of ours. That's why we have themed this campaign "Together We Can Go the Distance." Thank you again for all that you will be doing over the coming months to support "our" campaign and see to it that the New York District's convention attendance in Toronto is our best ever.
 

Column Posted on Web Site October 25, 2015