Tallahassee - Killearn Kiwanis New Member Orientation

(Kiwanis International History and Killearn Kiwanis Facts)

This Information is current as of October 1, 2001

What is Kiwanis? An international organization of service clubs with
the objectives of helping people and worthwhile causes, of building
better communities, and of improving international relations.

Who can Join? By invitation, anyone 18 years of age or older. We are
blind to gender, race, and creed. Membership is approved by the club
Board of Directors, based upon the recommendation of two members and
occurs through an induction ceremony.

Each club selects its members from the surrounding community. Kiwanis
clubs look for persons who are interested in their community and other
people, and they seek members who can contribute four to six hours a
month for club activities and projects. Classes of membership
available to our club are active, senior (10 years membership and unable
to meet attendance requirements), and honorary (for 1 year--outstanding
public service). Classification of members is by profession he/she
actively pursues or is retired from. We seek classifications of our
members to be representative of the community.

KIWANIS INTERNATIONAL

The seed of Kiwanis was planted in a Detroit tailor shop on
December 7, 1914, when Allen Simpson Browne offered its proprietor,
Joseph G. Prance, a membership in "The Supreme Benevolent Order
Brothers" (BOB). Several members of another unsuccessful club joined
the BOB club, attracted by its emphasis on fellowship and fraternity.

Unhappy with the organization's name, the members adopted Detroit
historian Clarence Burton's suggestion of phrase, "Nunc Keewanis" from
the Otchipew Indian language. Its various interpretations include, "We
have a good time," "We make a noise," "We trade," and "We advertise."
It was shortened to "Kiwanis."

On January 21, 1915, Michigan approved the formal charter of the first
Kiwanis Club. Despite its "We trade" emphasis, the club soon focused
members' talents and resources on serving children and youth, adopting a
five year old boy, giving him the name Walter Kiwanis, and providing for
his needs until his mother could take over his custody again.

From Detroit, Browne moved to Cleveland, OH; Pittsburgh, PA; and
Rochester, NY. Within two years, thirty one clubs had been formed,
including Canada's first at Hamilton, Ontario. In less than ten years,
the new Kiwanians refined their clubs into the organization it
essentially remains today. From the floor of the 1918 Birmingham, AL
convention, attendees contributed $17,500 to "buy" Kiwanis from
Browne. At the 1924 convention in Denver, CO, delegates adopted the six
"Objects," which permanently established service--over mutual business
interest--as the organization's primary purpose. In 1925 Key Club was
born, and Kiwanis had begun its "Kiwanis family."

By 1926, Kiwanis membership neared 100,000. The Great Depression
caused a membership decline by 1933 to 79,589. It subsequently grew to
132,000 by 1944 and added 15,000 in 1946. Circle K was established in
1947. In 1962, expansion beyond the first two nations commenced with a
club in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. Within 12 months there were
clubs in the Bahamas, Austria, Switzerland, and Belgium. By the late
1970's membership approached 300,000. Women were first admitted to
membership in 1987. Builders clubs commenced in 1975, Kiwa-juniors in
1982, and K-kids in 1998.

As of November, 2000, worldwide, Kiwanis has 8,434 clubs, with 294,717
members. Circle K, Key, Builder, K-Kids, and Kiwajuniors (in Europe)
total an additional 292,799. Total family membership in 74 nations
and geographical areas is 587,516.

Kiwanis Motto: "We Build."

Kiwanis' Six Objects:

1. To give primacy to the human and spiritual, rather than to the
material values of life.
2. To encourage the daily living of the Golden Rule in all human
relationships.
3. To promote the adoption and the application of higher social,
business, and professional standards
4. To develop, by precept and example, a more intelligent, aggressive,
and serviceable citizenship
5. To provide, through Kiwanis clubs, a practical means to form
enduring friendships, to render altruistic service, and to build better
communities.
6. To cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion
and high idealism which make possible the increase of righteousness,
justice, patriotism, and goodwill.

KIWANIS INTERNATIONAL OFFICE:

Responsibilities: Provides leadership training materials; publishes
Kiwanis magazine, maintains club and membership records for all clubs;
provides information and guidance for all clubs and districts; creates
and provides administrative supplies, committee support materials,
recognition awards and gift items, assists volunteers in promoting
Kiwanis sponsored activities.

Officers:
President: Brian T. Cunat, McHenry, Illinois
Other Officers: President-Elect, Past President, Vice Presidents (2),
Treasurer, Executive Director, Trustees (13).

Contact: Kiwanis International:
3636 Woodview Trace, Indianapolis, IN
46268-3196; 1-(317)-875-8755; 1-(800)-KIWANIS, FAX: 1-(317)-879-0204;
email: kiwanismail@kiwanis.org.

Principal Worldwide Projects:
Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD): Kiwanis kept 6,000,000 infants from
being born mentally deficient since 1998. Each year the IDD effort will save even
more lives.

Young Children Priority One (YCP1): A variety of efforts (e.g. our
Nesting Room at TMH) to help young children.

FLORIDA DISTRICT

Officers: District Governor: Wade Shrack, Wilton Manors, Florida. Secretary: George F. Langguth
Governor-Elect, Immediate Past Governor, Past Governor (2),
Treasurer

Board of Trustees: The 26 Lt. Governors of the Florida District.

Contact:
5545 Benchmark Lane, Sanford, FL 32773-8116
1-(407)-324-9800; FAX 1-(407)-324-9900;
Email, click here.

Responsibilities: The purpose of the District is primarily educational
and promotional, not legislative but cooperative. The District Board
of Trustees has full administrative responsibility, the District
Governor is the chief executive officer, and the District Secretary is
the chief administrative officer.

Objectives: To promote participation of District clubs in the general
objectives, programs, and policies of the District and of Kiwanis
International; to increase the fellowship and cooperative efforts of
District clubs, and to help build new clubs and to strengthen existing
clubs.

The District sponsors annual competitions in cogent areas, generally
reflecting the club committees. For these competitions, clubs are
divided into groups according to number or members. Winners are
determined mostly by monthly reports submitted to the District Office
by Club Secretaries, and he/she obtains report data from committee
chairpersons. Timely submission of club reports counts in the
competitions. So do the content of club committee chairpersons'
reports.

DIVISIONS OF THE FLORIDA DISTRICT

The twenty six divisions of the Florida District are administrative arms
of the District. The Lt. Governors, elected annually from division
clubs (alphabetically rotated) are also Trustees of the Florida
Division. The Division Council consists of the President,
President Elect, Secretary, and Interclub Chairperson of each club in
the Division--plus the Lt. Governor, Lt. Governor-Elect, and Division
Secretary/Treasurer.

The Killearn Kiwanis Club is in Florida Division Three (3). Past Lt.
Governors from our club are Charles Nuzum and Robert Bull. Also, a
past member of our club, Frank Stephenson, had been a Lt. Governor of a
South Florida Division before joining us. Our current Division 3 Lt.
Governor is Ben Fuller of the Tallahassee-Killearn Club.

Other clubs in Division 3 are Greensboro, Havana, Lake Jackson, Madison, Monticello,
Perry, Quincy, Tallahassee, Tallahassee-Killearn, The Capital City Club and
Tallahassee-Northside. These comprise the clubs in the following counties:
Gadsden, Liberty, Franklin, Leon, Jefferson, Taylor, and Madison.

Past Division Projects have included "World's Largest Baby Shower,"
"Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD)," and The Ralph Davis Kiwanis Scholarship
House at Florida State University in conjunction with the Southern Scholarship Foundation.

KILLEARN KIWANIS CLUB

Meeting: Time/Place: 7:00 - 8:00 AM, 19th Hole, Killearn CC & Inn

Pre-Meeting: Sign in on sheet on table to right of front 19th hole
door. Breakfast serving commences at about 6:45 AM. Committee meetings
sometimes held before (or after) meeting.

Meeting Badge: Kept in numbered slot in black carrying case on the table
at front door. Be sure to wear badges. (Some of our members have
"senior moments" concerning memory of names, etc.)

Basic Meeting Agenda: (7:15-8:00) Pledge, Song, Prayer, Visitors,
Committee Reports, Announcements, Speaker, Drawing. We ALWAYS adjourn
a regular meeting by 8:00 A.M.

Weekly Drawing: Voluntary. $1 for a ticket (on table at front
door). Winner gets half; Administrative Fund, half.

Early Departure: Permissible. As a courtesy try to mention it to speaker before
the meeting starts. Leave by the rear door.

"Round Table": Held whenever we do not hold the regular Thursday A.M. meeting.
(e.g., when holiday is on a Thursday.) It enables "make-ups" for our
and other club members. It is normally held at a different location
than the "Nineteenth Hole" which is always announced in advance.

Meeting Attendance: 100% is encouraged. "Make-up" can occur within
plus or minus 30 days. Attendance at Club Board meetings, round
tables, Division Council meetings, other Kiwanis club regular meetings,
regular meetings of aKtion Club, Circle K, Key Club, Builders Club, or
Golden K clubs, or participation in scheduled club projects. Member
notifies Club Secretary when a make-up is accomplished.

OUR CLUB HISTORY.

Founded August 26, 1982, by the Tallahassee Kiwanis Club. Has met in
the Oakview Room or 19th Hole except for a few months in 1985 (19th
hole rebuilt) and in 1997 (pricing). Membership has varied from 15 to
36. As of 9/30/01 (the end of the past Kiwanis year) we had 28
members. A current membership list is available.

Individual Awards:

--Nine (9) Hixson Fellowships [Art Core (deceased), Chuck Walter, Bob Bull, Ben Fuller, Johnnye Luebkemann, Jim Thomas, Bernie Higgnis, George Sweat, and Earl Bufton]
--One (1) "Distinguished Lt. Governor" [Bull] out of 2
--One (1) "Distinguished Florida Foundation Trustee" (Colmery) out of 1.
--Nine (9) "Distinguished Club President" [Host (1984), Robbins (85),
Nuzum (87), Bull (88), Hinton (89), Walter (91), Banks (93), Colmery
(94), Fuller (98), Luebkemann (99), Jim Thomas (00)] out of 18 total.
--A "Distinguished Club." Eleven (11) years out of seventeen (18))
--Three (3) "Distinguished Club Secretary" [Core (4 times), Easterbook
(4)] Kerwin (2)] out of 3 total. Same years as Distinguished President.]
--Ten (10) "Distinguished Kiwanians" (Colmery (2), Bull, Fuller, Kerwin,
Luebkemann (2), Nuzum, Walter, Johnson, Downing)
--One (1) "Legion of Honor" (25-year service award) (Stephenson).
--Three (3) "Ruby K" Award (Host, Walter, Colmery)
--Six (6) Ring of Honor (Robbins, Johnson, Kerwin, Nuzum, Luebkemann
(2), Bull)
--One (1) FL District Service Award: (Bob Bull (99)).

Kiwanis International Club Awards:
--Young Children Priority One (YCP1)--1993, 94, 95, 98, 99
--New Club Sponsor--Wakulla (94), Tallahassee-Leon (98)
--Key Club Sponsor--00
--Kiwanis Int. Foundation--1984, 85, 87. 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94,
95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 00
--Diamond Growth--94, 99
--Multiple Service--91
--Worldwide IDD--97, 98, 99

Florida District Awards:
--Administration--97, 98, 99
--Winner, Young Children Priority One--92
--Honorable Mention, Outstanding Club Bulletin--98.
--Major Emphasis Achievement, Double Services--84 Single Services--87
--Youth Services--85.
--Special Olympics--94
--Florida Kiwanis Foundation--82, 84, 86, 00.
--100% Interclub Participation--91, 98, 99
--Interclub Relations--98 , 99
--aKtion Club Sponsor--91
--Membership Growth--98, 99
--Community Service (Honorable Mention)--98
--Service--98
--aKtion Club, second place, Florida District--99
--aKtion Club, co-winner, Florida District--00

Civic Awards:
--Nominated three (3) times, Tallahassee Volunteer of the Year,
--aKtion Club was Leon County, Environmental Club of Year, 95
--aKtioin Club was 2001 Tallahassee Democrat Volunteer of The Year in the Non-Profit category.
--Three (3) times, Volunteer of the Year, Leon Association of Retarded
Citizens.

One of earliest service clubs to have a Web page on the Internet. Our
address: http://www.nxus.com/~cwalt/

MEMBER PRIVILEGES:
Wearing of Kiwanis pin; displaying of member window/bumper stickers.
Attendance at other Kiwanis club meetings. Personal involvement in
club activities. Social interaction. Attendance at regular club board
meetings. Participation in Interclub visits. Voting for officers and
directors. Participative management of board and committees.
Opportunity to exercise leadership skills. Attendance at district and
international conventions and conferences. Sponsorship of new members.

GOVERNANCE:

Club ByLaws: Rules by which the club operates. Sets up the club
organization, including officers and committees, and prescribes the
duties, responsibilities, and authority of each. Sets forth the
election procedures. Last revised in July, 1999.

Officers and the Board: Officers are elected for one-year terms. The
President, President Elect, and Treasurer elected by a majority vote of
the membership. The Immediate Past President serves in the year
following his/her Presidency. The Secretary is nominated and selected
annually by the Board. The Board consists of these five officers plus
five directors elected by the membership for staggered two-year terms.

Procedures: In April, President appoints Nominations Committee of
five, three of which are past presidents. By the second meeting in April,
Committee presents a proposed slate of officers (less the Secretary) and
board members. One week later, President requests nominations from the
floor (Nominees must previously have agreed to serve). At the last
meeting of April, the club members elect the new officers.. (The current
President-elect still is voted on for President.) After the officers
and other board members have been elected, they elect a Secretary.
Results are submitted to the Florida District Office in our May monthly
report.

In the event of a vacancy during an electee's term, the Board of
Directors nominates a replacement for the remainder of the term.
Membership may nominate from the floor. The members elect the
replacement.

The newly elected officers and board members term runs for the Kiwanis
year, October 1st to September 30th. The lead time from May enables
new officers to attend training sessions for individual positions held
in different geographical areas and also at the Annual Kiwanis District
Convention in late August - early September.

Committee Structure: Our club has the following standing committees:

Club Meetings (Programs)
Human and Spiritual Aims
Youth Services
Sponsored Youth
Community Service
Fund Raising (Golf)
Worldwide Service Project
Killearn Kiwanis Charities Foundation
Membership/Education
Interclub
Bulletin
Publicity
Young Children Priority One
aKtion Club

In early to mid-summer, the incoming President appoints the chairperson
and members of each committee--giving consideration to a member's
wishes. In case of new members, the President requests the new members
preference, which is desired no later than two weeks after induction..

CLUB PROGRAMS:
Tallahassee Memorial Hospital.
--Newborn Intensive Care Unit
--Nesting Room (Maintenance)
--New Nesting Room for New TMH Pediatric Ward
--Starter Kits
--Post-Discharge Instruction Booklet
--Lactation Room
--Milwaukee Cribs (for twins)
--Isolette Covers
--Youth Intensive Care
--Medical equipment (tympanic themometers)
--Recliners (for parents) by each bed.
--Special clocks
--Room decorations
--Ambulances
--equipment for emergency care for infants and young children
(We funded part; the Kiwanis Florida Foundation funded part with
a grant.)
--Young Children's Acute Care Psychiatric Unit
(led effort which raised $11,000+ to establish this unit. Furnished
beds, computers, decorations, padded rooms, and more.)

Key Club at Lawton Chiles High School. Chartered in 1999 and built up to over
130 members in 2001 with an ambitious and enthusiastic community service program.

aKtion Club for cognitively - challenged adults. We founded this
community service club in March, 1991. One of perhaps 300 such clubs
world-wide and similar to a Kiwanis Club, except membership limited to
cognitively - challenged adults, club has twice-monthly meetings with
programs and regular service programs (adopt-a-road, car washes
fund raisers, dog washes, fund raising for IDD, Thanksgiving and Christmas
support of a Caring Connection family, preschool cleanup.) Our club also sponsors
picnics, attendance at FSU baseball and basketball games, banquets, and
attendance at the Florida District aKtion Club Convention.

Gretchen Everhart (Leon school for developmentally - disabled).
--assist in annual Easter Egg Hunt, Christmas Party, Appreciation
Banquet for teachers, fund-raisers.
--plant trees, shrubs,
--build picnic benches, swings; installed sidewalks for wheelchairs.
--collect Campbell Food labels and General Mills coupons.

--Thanksgiving Baskets. Thanksgiving Dinner for the families of (usually)
four Gretchen Everhart students
--Collections of Clothing, Toys, and Equipment: For World's Largest Baby
Shower; for Pregnancy Help and Information Center; for Pediatric Ward
of TMC, for Senior Citizens Center, for Refuge House, and for others.
--Quarterly "Adopt A Road" Timberlane Road Cleanup
--Assistance in Fund raising: For Salvation Army: Christmas
Bell ringing at Publix; for Big Bend Hospice: "Tree of Remembrance"
project at Tallahassee Mall; for FSU TV: answering telephones for
on-air fund raisers
--Kid's Vote: Set up, all-day manning, and disassembly of a precinct
booth.
--Partners in Excellence: DeSoto Trails Elementary School: Science Fair
judging, constructed numerous custom bulletin boards and picnic tables,
furnished athletic equipment storage building.
--Ronald McDonald House: yard maintenance, go-cart race officiating.
--Habitat for Humanity: home building
--Annual Donations: Southern Scholarship Foundation , Ralph Davis
Scholarship House (Kiwanis sponsored FSU housing), Circle K
International, Lighthouse Children's Home ("Adopt A Teen" and
operational funding), Florida Kiwanis Foundation, Kiwanis
International Foundation, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

FINANCING

Membership Initiation Fee: One-time, $30.00 (Reduced for former
Kiwanians.) $15 goes to International, $5 to the Florida District, and
$10 to our club to cover pins, baseball caps, and the cost of guests'
meals.

Monthly Member Dues: $42.00, due first day of month. (The
Treasurer wearing his hat at a meeting is a hint that dues are
payable.) About $40 /month is for meals. The remainder goes to the
club's Administrative Fund (see below), to the Kiwanis District, and to
Kiwanis International, including the monthly Florida Kiwanis newspaper
and monthly Kiwanis Magazine. Meal prices for absentees goes to the
Club's Administrative funds.

Fund Raising: Club's source of Project funds (See below) is its annual
golf tournament at the Killearn CC & Inn, usually in May. A decade ago,
we had little competition. Now, a plethora of charitable organizations
and service clubs have golf tournament fund raisers. We have met this
competition by having a well-run tournament offering every contestant a
worthwhile door prize, valuable prizes for flight and overall winners,
an excellent set of hole-in-one awards, and a fun day including a good
lunch. In 2000 we introduced the "MILLION DOLLAR SHOT" where one player
is selected by random drawing to shoot for a hole-in-one to win 1 million dollars.
Our funds derive from entry fees (usually less than those of other tournaments),
tournament sponsorship, green and tee sponsorships (ranging from $100 to $300),
and "mulligan tickets" ($5 each, maximumof 4). A tournament-within-a-tournament
is a competition among Kiwanis Club teams for a trophy; we won in 1997, 1998 and 2000.

Starting in November, we contact prior players, sponsors and donors (businesses,
professionals, individuals) to budget next-year's funds to donate to our event.
In about February we implement a plan to solicit, involving several successive steps.
Typically, we net $5,500+ and use all of those funds for our service projects.

The Iodine Deficiency Disorder Project (IDD) is a Kiwanis world-wide
effort to abolish this third-world dietary problem. IDD leads to millions of children
with mental retardation, goiter, cretinism, mental and physical disabilities, deafness,
and paralysis resulting from a low-iodine diet. Our club pledged to raise $5,250
between 1997-2001. We have contributed over $4900 to date with a goal
of $250 more in 2001. Each dollar contributed prevents mental retardation in
20 newborns. We have asked members to save their pocket change
at the end of the day and turn the savings in at the end of each month. This is a
strictly voluntary program.  Individual members are encouraged to make donations
to receive acknowledgement pins from Kiwanis International.

The "Blarney Sheet", our weekly club bulletin, is partially funded through advertisements
which pay for much of the printing and postage.

Administrative and Project Accounts. Kiwanis requires its clubs to
maintain separate accounts: (Administrative and Project). Administrative pays
for routine stationery, postage, and the like; membership pins and such awards;
members' and guests' meals at club meetings; a small part of officers' personal
expenses, and the club's division, district and international administrative expenses.
The sources of administrative funds are members' dues and the weekly drawing.
When a member brings a potential member, the meal fee is paid by the club
the first time.

Administrative funds may be transferred to Project Accounts, but not vice versa.

The Project Account funds services which Killearn Kiwanis provides to the community.

OUR COMMUNITY SERVICE:

"Service Club" - An organization donating funds, material, and/or
manpower to accomplish its objectives. Incidentally, it provides the
personal satisfaction of hands-on service, fellowship, networking, and
opportunities to exercise leadership skills.. Basically, we improve our
community using our skills and efforts and funds raised from others..

Expected Member Involvement in Service: Projects normally are
scheduled at times and places convenient to members. Members are
expected to support club projects at the rate of about four man hours/month.
(Transportation time counts toward project hours.)

How Funds and Manpower are Used. Each year Administrative and Project
annual budgets/schedules are prepared in August and September and approved by the
Board of Directors in late September. They are guidelines for expenditures and
are modified by the Board to meet specific project needs as the year unfolds.

Project Development Process:

--Individual members make a proposal to the appropriate Committee
Chairperson, with as much detail as possible.
--Committee Chairperson assigns a committee member to work up as much
detail as possible. Committee evaluates monetary and manpower
requirements. If deemed feasible, committee recommends project to Board
of Directors.
--Board of Directors makes the decision to adopt (or not) and passes it
back to the committee. Normally, most projects are specified in the
annual budget issued in October. Contingency funds are set aside for
arising projects.
--Committee organizes, schedules, and implements the project.
--Members are encouraged to participate in all possible projects.

SPECIAL EVENTS:

Activities Involving Spouses:

Spouse on the House: Members are encouraged to bring his/her
spouse/significant other to a club meeting or project. The club pays
for the spouse's meal on a limited basis.

Club Dinner Event: In 1998 we reinstated our annual club social event
with a dinner at the Killearn CC & Inn and continued at other locations
twice each year thereafter. In 2001 we again hope to have two social events.

Community Service Activities: Spouses/significant others are encouraged
to participate in our club activities and many do.

Governor's Official Visit: In the past, the Florida Governor and his
wife visited each Florida Kiwanis Division, and events included a banquet
as well as visits to various major projects within the Division. The schedule
for these visits is normally given in the October issue of the Florida Kiwanian.

Other Annual Events:

Joint Civic Club Luncheon: A committee of local civic clubs annually
sponsors a luncheon for all Tallahassee area Civic Clubs (Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions,
etc.). Held at the Fairgrounds on the opening day of the North Florida
Fair, with good speakers and good food. It replaces our regular meeting
that week. Members' meals are paid from our Administrative Fund.
.
KIWANIS FOUNDATIONS:

Two non-profit tax-free foundations of interest are the Kiwanis
International Foundation and the Florida Kiwanis Foundation.
Each funds portions of their respective administrative expenses for the "family"
of sponsored clubs [(Circle K, Key, Builder, K-Kids, AKtion (Florida
expenses, only), and Kiwajuniors (Europe expenses, only)]. They also
fund their respective service projects.

Killearn Kiwanis has established The Killearn Kiwanis Charities Foundation, as a non profit corporation.

CONCLUSION
In summary, Killearn Kiwanis members donate personal talents, time, and
effort to organize and carry out community service projects, and to
raise funds to be donated to such worthy projects.

Member's Obligations:

-Financial: initiation, $30.00; dues, $42.00/month.
-Attendance at regular club breakfast meetings: 1 hour/week (Thursday
holidays excepted)
-Participation in monthly service projects: About 4 hours/month

The internal feelings of personal satisfaction and well-being in helping others
can be extremely rewarding. There is also the fellowship among the members
with whom strong bonds are made. The breakfast buffet is usually excellent,
and the weekly meeting programs are interesting, timely, and entertaining.

A more complete portrayal of our club is given here in the other sections of our Website.
Bookmark it at http://nxus.com/~cwalt/.

We hope you will have a continuing interest in our club. We need
members attracted by our "Six Objects" who can help with our service
programs. We want members who like people and like to have fun.


You too can experience the joy and personal satisfaction of rewarding community service with Killearn Kiwanis. See for yourself. Come visit next week for a breakfast on us and an interesting program. For more information call Marvin Doyal at 668-4429 or Email.

Kiwanis Weekly Speaker Schedule and Bulletin Excerpts.

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