New Club Opening

2017-18 was a fantastic year in new club opening as we opened 10 new clubs under the leadership of Past Gov. Candace Corsaro, Candie's Team of lieutenant governors and The Formula Team.
It is only the fourth time that we have hit double digits in new club opening since 1989. Prior to 1989, we opened numerous new clubs. In 1986-87 and 1988-89 we opened 20 clubs both years, but for nearly the last 30 years we lost our way a bit. It has taken a while to get back on track and we are now there!
So, let us keep the momentum going as Gov. Hank Baker and Hank's Helping Hands' lieutenant governors have a goal of 10 new clubs as well for 2018-19.
The Gift of Membership to someone can change his/her life and an entire community.
The concept of The Formula has ended by the ideas behind it have not. I will be heading up New Club Opening with a team of Zone Chairs and Division Chairs.
There will be some overlap between Membership and New Club Opening, but that is not a problem but an advantage. We need to grow our great organization with new members, former members and with new clubs. Watch for details especially on the district web site.
We found that we were somewhat successful in recruiting former Service Leadership Program members to join new clubs in the past year. Key Clubbers and Circle Kers joining for the FIRST time get the $65 new member add fee waived and International  and district dues for the following two administrative years. They only thing they would pay for is the Kiwanis International magazine, liability officers insurance totaling $25. Clubs may want to absorb that cost as well as an incentive to get former SLP members to join for the first time.
After the first quarter of the 2018-19 year, we have two new clubs (The Big Apple, formed by Lt. Gov. Sandy Liew in Queens East, and Fairview-Greenburgh formed by Distinguished Past Lt. Gov. Laura Prange in Hudson Tri-County). Our goal is ten new clubs again. If you have a possible site, please contact me a soon as possible. The district is a net gain of +145 so far, which leads the northeast region of Kiwanis International.
We will have a New Club Opening Forum on Friday, Feb. 15, at 4:30 p.m. at the Mid-Winter Conference.
I look forward to working with all of you to spread Kiwanis into new communities or communities that used to have Kiwanis Clubs. My email is pepster@aol.com. My cell is (315) 436-2157.

Column Posted on Web Site January 22, 2019