As we head to the KI Convention in Las Vegas and our mission to elect Tom DeJulio International V-P, let us not lose sight in our "mission." Our mission is to expand Kiwanis to all parts of New York State because we are the BEST service organization with the BEST chance children from elementary school to college to make community service part of their moral fiber.
Many 2009-10 Lt. Governors are working on sites to build new clubs in their divisions and they need your help ... volunteer to help them. We have only one new club-to Date: East Greenbush in the Van Rensselear Division. Congratulations to Lt. Gov Noreen Barrett and Gov. David Booker for their hard work. Our governor is leading by example ... it is time to follow him!
It is a fact that growth in our district has little chance to take place without new club building. There is NO guarantee with new club building, but without it, it rarely happens. Since 1990, we had growth four times, but only had real significant growth twice.
Every community DESERVES Kiwanis and all of the Service Leadership organizations that we offer. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem of being complacent. However, it is not just BUILDING new clubs, it is the support of them by the sponsoring club(s) for 2-3 years that is critical. Who would leave an infant to fend for himself for the first 2-3 years? NO ONE! Then, a new club should not be a left alone either! To give you an example, during 1999-2000, when I was Governor, 11 clubs were built. Only 6 are here this year to celebrate their 10th anniversary! Why? The sponsoring clubs and the division left the "infant" alone in the formative years and the infant perished or ran away from home or found someone else to care for them. We MUST not let that happen when we build clubs. We also talk about revitalizing clubs, but most of the time we just give lip service to the process. Every under-charter-strength club should have a goal to get back to 25 members and should NOT be afraid to ask clubs in their division to help. We are a family and families need to help other family members. The process is the SAME as if we were building a new club. ASK people to join and assign them things to do.
I have been in Kiwanis 32 years and working on some form of membership for the last 25 at the District and International level ... growth does not happen without hard work. I was Membership Growth Chair in 1986-87 when we grew to 14,000 members and built 20 clubs. We have allowed ourselves to let the "fire" burn out in expanding our organization as we hover around 8,000 members. Let's get the "fire" burning again.
So, we have three and a half months left in the year to finish the new clubs that are trying to be built by Bookers Builders. Will you help your lt. governor accomplish his/her objective? More clubs means more service to help the "children of the world." Let's all do our part!
Column Posted on Web Site June 11, 2010
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated