Capital Courier
Volume 53 I Issue 1 I May 2014
Table of Contents Page 3 - Governor’s Message Page 4 - Introduction to the 2014-2015 Capital District Board Page 9 - Key Club Governor’s Message Page 10 - Kiwanis Governor’s Message Page 11 - District Administrator Jen’s Message Page 12 - Message from the Sub-Region F International Trustee Page 13 - CKI Leadership Academy Page 14 - International Convention Page 16 - Capital District Kiwanis Family News Page 17 - News from around Capital District CKI Page 24 - District Committees Page 26 - 2014-2015 Capital District Goals Page 27 - The Eliminate Project Update Page 28 - Save the Dates Page 29 - Contact Information
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Greetings from your District Governor Ben Romano Greetings Capital Crabs! My name is Ben Romano, and I have the pleasure of serving as the 2014-2015 Capital District Governor. I am extremely excited, and can’t wait to share this experience with all of the members of our Kiwanis Family. We have a great year ahead of us, and I hope you all are as excited as I am. little about me: I am finishing my sophomore year at Virginia Tech, down in the far southwest of our District. I am studying Chemical Engineering, and hope to go into medical applications when I graduate. I originally come from New Jersey, but have come to call the Capital District my home. Hopefully all of you have survived the end of the semester! I know finals can be a rough time, but you’ve made it through the worst. Now it’s time for the summer, we can all take a break from school! However, even though it’s summer time, I really encourage you to keep in mind why you dedicate your time to the spirit of service that Circle K promotes. We all come back each year for different reasons, but the results are the same; we better our communities and have a positive impact on the world around us. In April, the District Board met for our District Officer Training Conference, to make sure that our board is better prepared to serve you and the entire District. While we were there, we decided on our District Goals. Many of the goals are quite ambitious, but there were created with the ideas of the entire district in mind. We created goals to take us back to the roots of Circle K; increased service hours, high fundraising totals, and strong clubs. Capital District is amazing, and I expect great things out of all of you. Please check out the goals later in this edition of the Capital Courier. As a District Board, we hope that every member will do their part to help us achieve our goals. As District Governor, I really hope to be able to work with as many member of our district as possible. My number one goal is to increase fellowship in our District by encouraging interclub activities. I will be working with your Lt. Governors to help offer a larger number of divisional and district events, but I also strongly encourage you to take this upon yourself. Circle K is the only organization of its kind because of the fact that it extends far beyond the club level. Your new best friend may be in a neighboring Circle K club! So take a chance, and organize an interclub with some of the surrounding clubs. I promise you won’t regret it. I look forward to an amazing year serving as your District Governor. I know we can and will do extraordinary things. Yours in Service,
Benjamin Romano Capital District Governor
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Introducing the 2014-2015 District Board
Nicole Tardif
Cory Fore
District Secretary-Treasurer
District Editor
Hello Capital District! My name is Nicole Tardif and I am your new District Secretary -Treasurer. This is my third year in Circle K and seventh in the Kiwanis Family. Last year I served as the CDCKI Kiwanis Family Relations and Sister Districts Committee Chair. I am also currently still serving as the K-Kids Ambassador on the Kiwanis Family Relations International Committee. I am a junior at the University of Mary Washington double majoring in Business Administration and Political Science. As DST, I hope to provide helpful resources on fundraising for clubs and improve monthly report forms accuracy and timeliness for the district. These goals will best be met through creating a meaningful relationship with my Kiwanis and Key Club counterparts to provide joint resources for all of Capital. If anyone has any questions or concerns, I am always available!
Hello Capital Crabs! My name is Cory Fore and I am excited and proud to serve as the 20142015 District Editor. I am no stranger to the Kiwanis Family as I was in Key Club for four years in high school . I was even on the Key Club District Board right here in Capital! I am currently a Freshmen at RandolphMacon College in the Metro-Richmond Division! I am majoring in Communication Studies and minoring in Asian Studies. Throughout my term as District Editor, I want to publish five informative and visually appealing Capital Couriers, and serve as a resource for the Club Editors and other Club officers. I also want to increase collaboration with my Kiwanis and Key Club counterparts to help create a more unified Capital District Kiwanis Family! 4
Sarah Sakany
Calvin Charles
LTG Tidewater
LTG Foothills
Hello Capital District! I am Sarah Sakany, the Tidewater Lt. Governor. I am a rising junior at the College of William and Mary and have loved being a part of CKI since I joined at the beginning of last year. The Tidewater region includes the fantastic clubs of Christopher Newport University, William and Mary, Tidewater Community College- Portsmouth, and Old Dominion University. My major goal for the upcoming year is to promote unity within the division, by holding divisionals and joint events, so that each club can benefit from the strengths of the others. In addition, I hope to strengthen Kiwanis Family Bonds within the division by increasing communication and collaboration with all members of the K-family. By achieving these goals, the Tidewater division will be positioned to contribute to the larger district goals, with particular emphasis placed on successfully concluding the Eliminate Project. I am looking forward to a great year and am excited to work with everyone in the Capital District!
Hello, My name is Calvin J Charles III. I am a rising junior at Hampden-Sydney College. I am an Economics and Business Major, with a minor in public service. I will be the Lt. Governor of the Foothills division for the 2013-2015 school year. I am approachable and very easy going. I am open minded and prepared to help the clubs in any way that I can. I hope to grow a personal relationship with as many clubs as possible. My main goal for this year is to increase the amount of interaction between the clubs within my division. I would like to see the clubs relationships with one another grow further than interclub service. I would also like to make sure I visit every club that I can, in and out of my division. I truly hope that this will be a fun year, full of fellowship, service, and leadership. I look forward to having a great year with you all.
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Josie Grant
Tippy Tongvichit
LTG Presidential
LTG Metro-Richmond
Hi, Capital District! I had a blast getting to know some of you at Spring Officer Training! for those of you who I did not meet, I am Josie Grant and am excited to be serving as the Presidential Lieutenant Governor! I am currently a rising sophomore at Shenandoah University in Winchester, majoring in nursing! But, I am from Maryland. The Kiwanis family, especially Capital District Kiwanis family, has been very near and dear to my heart since I was a freshman in high school. During my senior year in high school, I was Division 9 Lieutenant Governor serving 15 Key Clubs in Western Maryland. A little bit about myself outside of Kiwanis: I started my own foundation benefiting pediatric patients at my local hospital, Carroll Hospital Center: Josie’s Smiles for Pediatrics, raising donations of over $31,000! Both Key Club and Kiwanis had a HUGE part of helping my foundation grow to benefit Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore, MD, by gathering another $8,000 for their young patients and families. I love providing service in many other ways, too, from breast cancer walks to volunteering at a nursing home, and more! Additionally, I work part-time as a Med-Surg Patient Care Tech at my local hospital. Some of my goals this year are to help increase K-Family relations and increase membership. My main goal is to make a difference in your life while watching you make a difference in others’ lives. Thank you so much for all that you already do, I can’t wait to work and meet with all of you this year!
Hello Capital District! My name is Tippy Tongvichit and I will be serving as the MetroRichmond Division Lieutenant Governor this year! I am from Fredericksburg, Virginia where I spend most of my summers volunteering at my local hospital and cuddling with my puppy. My secondary home is Virginia Commonwealth University where I will be a senior this fall. I am a Clinical Laboratory Sciences major (the folks that do your blood work!) on a pre-medical track. As an aspiring neonatologist, I have truly hit the jackpot with some of CKI’s preferred charities being March of Dimes and the Eliminate Project! My favorite service activities are ones where I get to make children’s lives a little better! I love the events my CKI club puts on for our K-kids who attend a private, donation-funded school for low-income children in the Greater Richmond area because I know we are able to provide them with a fun experience they may not have gotten at home otherwise. I have also had the privilege to volunteer with these same K-kids through the Teach UNICEF program with the award -winning UNICEF@VCU club where I got to help plan and lead after-school enrichment classes that taught the students everything from world culture to water conservation through fun activities and games. My favorite things are my puppy, Chipotle, and warm hugs. When I am not studying my brains out or volunteering, I am most likely watching Netflix while cuddling a Chipotle burrito bowl. Every now and then I try to make my friends cuddle me but we usually end up watching Netflix and eating pizza sans cuddles. If I’m feeling adventurous, you can find me on Belle Isle being one with the James river. I also love arts and crafts, especially knitting! From my very first day in the Kiwanis family, I knew I had joined a very special organization full of friendly, compassionate people and it has made me want to make bettering myself and serving others a priority throughout my college experience. I’ve met my very best college friends in CKI and I have loved getting to meet members in the capital district (and giving them hugs!) as well as making CKI friends across the globe. This year will be my fourth and final year as a CKI member and I am looking to make it the best one yet!
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Diane Corish
Vy Tran
LTG NoVA
LTG Battlefield
My name is Diane Corish and I will be the NoVA Lieutenant Governor for the 2014-2015 CKI Year. I am very new to CKI, but I chose to dive into this organization because of the wonderful people I met within the first month and the joy from serving. My major is Communication and I study at George Mason University. I am interested in career in Human Resources upon graduating next spring. My family and friends mean everything to me and are a large part of my life. I can be rather introverted so some of my favorite things include listening to music, watching movies (particularly sci-fi), reading, doing outdoor activities, or being an amateur guitar player. This absolutely does not mean that I don’t like socializing and I look forward to meeting as many people in CKI as possible. My goals for this year include, strengthening the clubs in the NoVA division to the best of my ability. To do this, I plan to help clubs utilize their school’s resources such as welcome weeks or other events where they can promote their club. I also plan to make the division more cohesive through divisionals. I would like to do community service outdoors so as to accommodate for as many people who would want to come. Something that I want to keep in mind this whole year is that I am here to help the clubs achieve their goals. I want them to thrive, but it is important not to step on toes and to be there for them as a resource for important information. To do this I will write a monthly newsletter. Another thing that will help me achieve this is open communication.
Hi everyone! I am currently a student attending the University of Maryland, College Park with pursuits to study Finance. I have held an eclectic variety of leadership positions in the past, delivered my high school graduation speech at DAR Constitution Hall, and worked 3 jobs concurrently. I joined Circle K International after being a member of Key Club for 3 years. I joined because it honestly makes me happy to generate happiness in others. I absolutely love community service, family, and friends! My friends describe me as being hardworking and bubbly. I'm very friendly and approachable, so please never hesitate to say hello! As the Battlefield Division Lieutenant Governor for the 2014-2015 CKI year, I intend to support the CKI chapters of my division (University of Maryland, Anne Arundel Community College, and Hood College) in every way that I possibly can. However, I also intend to reach out to other clubs and support them to the best of my ability; after all, we are all a family. As for goals during my term, I intend to improve the communication between me and individual chapters in order to provide them with guidance and necessary resources to be successful. I strive to increase membership, provide many interclub and K-Family opportunities, and most importantly, to promote service.
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Sara Case
Allee Clark
LTG Susquehanna
LTG Potomac
Hi Capital Crabs! My name is Sara Case, and I am the 2014-2015 Lieutenant Governor of the brand new Susquehanna Division of our wonderful Capital District, which includes Towson University, University of Delaware, and John's Hopkins University. I am a nursing student from the University of Delaware, and am so excited to serve as an LTG this year. In the upcoming I am hoping to have at least two interdivisional events a semester. I would also like to be a resource for anyone in the division who needs me! Susquehanna is a new division, so we need to show our CKI pride. This year we want all of our clubs to increase their membership and service hours, as well as Kiwanis Family hours. To insure that is happening I will be visiting your clubs and helping out with these goals in any way I can! Please feel free to contact me any time, and let me know if you are having a summer planning meeting so I can try to make it! Looking forward to working with you all!
I was born and raised in Philadelphia and I am currently a student at Howard University working towards becoming a Software Engineer. From there I want to attend Law school in hopes to become a Patent Attorney. During High school, my activities were many. I participated in National Youth Leadership Forum, Sports Car Club of America, my local church’s Deacon Board, and I served as a Judge for my schools Supreme Court. Despite many of my interests, I pride myself on being a self-professed foodie. Beginning of my sophomore year in college, my best friend introduced me to Circle K International were I immediately found interest and love. My favorite Circle K activities at Howard include hosting a food drive for the homeless or participating at KEEN DC, helping kids with disabilities staying fit and active. When I am not volunteering, or at school, I enjoy spending my time traveling or listening to music. I also spend a great deal of time mentoring my younger cousin. My goals for term as LT. Governor of the Potomac Division include promoting and increasing more participation in K family events. Another goal I have is to raise more money for The Eliminate Project this year. Last but not least increasing leadership for the District.
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Key Club District Governor Anastasia Slepukhova Hey there Capital CKIers! My name is Anastasia Slepukhova and I am ecstatic to be able to serve the Capital District of Key Club International as Governor for the 2014-2015 service year. I make Burke, Virginia my home where I attend Lake Braddock Secondary and play lacrosse and shoot an air rifle. I have been with the Kiwanis Family for two years and I am constantly amazed by the individuals I have met. We are truly a unique organization because no matter where in life an individual is- they have the opportunity to serve a unique role in their community and in the Kiwanis family. This year, the Capital District Key Club Board is determined to make this the best service year the District has ever seen, but we can’t do it alone! Your District Governor, Ben Romano and I have been working very closely to increase the family relations this year, and we are making it one of our top priorities. From attending your DCON this year, I know just how much spirit you all have, I am proud to say that Key Clubbers are just as passionate and twice as loud! Can you imagine what great things would come out if we worked alongside each other? I certainly can! This service year I challenge each of you to work with local Key Clubs around you and plan events together! Take the opportunity to get to know them and build friendships. You would be surprised just how much influence you can have on a high schooler. At this age we tend to not listen nor connect with the older adults that resemble our parents so having college aged kids as our mentors can be really helpful! You would also be doing some great service to Circle K International by influencing them to join in college! As an added bonus good relationships with your corresponding Kiwanis Family counterparts can help you get nominated for the Dale Larson Kiwanis Family Award at your Annual District Convention. You can start today by applying for a Key Club Pen Pal here http://goo.gl/9pDxWJ! Aside from doing service projects together and volunteering, there will be plenty of opportunities throughout the year to relax and have fun! One of the biggest and most exciting events we have planned for this service year is the Annual Key Club Fall Rally. This year we are going to be gathering at Kings Dominion Amusement Park on October 18- save the date! You are also welcome to attend the Nationals game vs the Atlanta Braves which will take place June 20th at 7:30pm. Tickets are only $20, four of which will go directly to the Eliminate Project! You can order your tickets here http://goo.gl/0w7WWx by May 15th. Hope to see you there! The Capital District Key Club Board has officially set our District Project to be Eliminate, and we made a goal of $80,000. This might seem ambitious, but who doesn't like a good challenge? We are determined to save the connection between mothers and babies but we can’t do it alone. We need to work together with the entire Kiwanis Family to make it happen! Let’s give the 100th year anniversary of Kiwanis International a meaning- a warm family welcome.
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Kiwanis District Governor Brian Bell Hi, I am Brian Bell, Capital District Governor Elect for 2013-14. I welcome this opportunity to introduce myself and talk about the exciting year coming up for all of us. In 2014-15, Kiwanis will celebrate its 100th Anniversary of service and commitment to our communities and our youth. Kiwanis was founded on January 21, 1915, and became an international organization in 1916 with the addition of the Kiwanis Club of Hamilton, Ontario. However, Kiwanis limited its membership to the United States and Canada until 1962, when worldwide expansion was approved. (Incidentally, I was then in Key Club.) Until 1987, Kiwanis was a male-only organization, but after years of debate and growing support, women’s membership was received overwhelmingly. Kiwanis now has over 230,000 adult members in over 8,300 clubs in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. When we add the nearly 350,000 Service Leadership Program (SLP) members, the Kiwanis family swells to over 580,000 members. Each year Kiwanis clubs raise more than $100 million and provide more than 6 million hours of service. CKI, of course, is the premier university service organization in the world with over 13,000 members in 17 nations worldwide, providing more than 500,000 service hours annually. I had the privilege of attending your Capital District DCON in February and installing your officers and board. You have a fantastic leadership team led by Governor Ben Romano. I know that Ben brings great enthusiasm, spirit and initiative to his role as Capital District CKI Governor, and I look forward to working with Ben and your District Board. I have some exciting news. At their April meeting, the Kiwanis International Board accepted a recommendation from the Bridge the Gap committee that affects those students leaving our Service Leadership Programs. All members of Key Club International and Circle K International who are 18 years and older will become associate Kiwanis members upon completion of their time with KCI or CKI. You will automatically be enrolled into the Key Club or Circle K alumni groups. You previously had to opt in to join the groups. There is no cost to be an associate member, but the benefit to the Kiwanis global network of service will be immense. As associate members, you will receive special invitations to participate in service projects and attend certain events. We hope this strengthened connection to Kiwanis will encourage you to continue a life of service with our organization. Regarding my District Goals for 2014-15, our theme will be “Celebrate: Reflect, Refresh. Renew”. We should reflect on 100 years of Kiwanis service and our past accomplishments. There is a lot to celebrate. However, we also need to refresh our approach to building and strengthening our organization, and we need to renew our commitment to meaningful community service and Service Leadership Programs. We also want to celebrate the “Power of One: One Can Make a Difference”. Think about what one member can accomplish in their club, what one club can accomplish in their division and district, and what we can all achieve together. I am asking each Kiwanis club with an SLP to add at least one new SLP activity to their program. I am also asking each Kiwanis Club currently without an SLP to sponsor one. Our goal for The Eliminate Project is to reach the cumulative number of lives saved per member of 690 (which equates to a Zeller or $1,250). Finally, I am encouraging each club and each division to have a celebration event for our 100th anniversary. I hope each SLP will find opportunities to celebrate this milestone as well. Best wishes for a year to remember in Kiwanis and CKI service! Brian Bell Capital District Governor Elect
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District Administrator Jen Wolff Greetings from the Administrator Hi Capital! I’m Jen Wolff, your District Administrator, and my job is to be your link to Kiwanis and the Circle K International office! I first began my journey with the Kiwanis Family in CKI at Towson University (GO TIGERS!). I graduated from Towson with a degree in Communications with a specialization in Graphic Design. After college I relocated to Northern Virginia, where I live with my husband Jeff and our daughters Charlotte & Audrey. Jeff and I are both members of the Kiwanis Club of Tysons Corner/McLean, VA. I look forward to working with all you this year! If you have any questions or need any help, please contact me at administrator@cdcki.org. Your Partnership with Kiwanis Advanced Budget Planning and Kiwanis District Convention · Make life easier on you and your Kiwanis Club--ask for funding for this year’s upcoming events in advance… BEFORE your Kiwanis Club approves their budget for the year. If they have a heads up of funding you need, you may be more likely to get it. Most Kiwanis Clubs plan their budgets in August. Events that you may need assistance with: -Fall Membership Rally (October 24-25, 2014 – Front Royal, VA) Last year’s cost: $35/member* (includes room and meals) -Capital District CKI District Convention (February 20-22, 2015 – Fairfax, VA) We will be merging hotel rooms in with registration this year, so it will be roughly $175-200/ person. -Spring Officer Training Conference (March 27-28, 2015 – Fredericksburg, VA) Last year’s cost: $50* (includes room and meals) -2015 CKI International Convention (June 2015 – Indianapolis) Last year’s cost: $295/member* (registration); $165++/night* (hotel room sleeps 4) *The costs above are from last year, and are subject to change. Prices do not change dramatically year to year.
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Sub-Region F International Trustee Danielle Sammut Greetings, Capital Crabs! Over the past month or so, I have been working alongside fellow members from my home club of The College of New Jersey Circle K, Rider University Circe K (of the NJ District), and the Kiwanis Clubs of Trenton and Ewing to charter a new Aktion Club at the Arc of Mercer County. For those of you who do not know, Aktion Club is a service-leadership program for adults with disabilities. Aktion Club became an official Kiwanis program in 2000 and currently serves over 11,000 members in over 500 clubs world-wide. People who join Aktion Club do so because they believe that development has no disability: they want to make a difference in their communities! The first step to charter an Aktion Club is to find an organization that support individuals with disabilities (Arc, Allies, Inc.), as well as churches, libraries, YMCAs, lodges or similar facilities. Next, you need to find a Kiwanis Club that is willing to sponsor the Aktion Club (partially or fully). This club needs to be willing to have a Kiwanis advisor who attends all meetings and provides guidance to the governing club board. Circle K clubs may co-sponsor an Aktion Club with a Kiwanis Club. What does this mean you may ask? If a CKI club co-sponsors an Aktion Club, their club will help financially support the Aktion Club. Just like the sponsoring Kiwanis Club, the CKI club will need to choose a liaison (preferably someone with experience working with individuals with special needs) that will attend meetings and assist Aktion Clubs with service opportunities. Once you’ve established the support for the Aktion Club, set up a meeting with prospective members and provide a presentation about Aktion Club-tell them all about the exciting opportunities they have to do community service, inside and outside of their home/facility. The next stage is to elect a club board, establish club bylaws, submit paperwork to international, and then get ready to set up some service projects to keep members interested. Personally, Aktion Club is one of my favorite branches of the Kiwanis Family because they are some of the most passionate and selfless people I know. Despite their various levels of disabilities, each person brings their own personality, skill, and dedication to grow their club and improve the community. My fondest memory working with Aktion Club is attending a Halloween Party, along with 3 other branches of the Kiwanis Family. Aktion Club members danced the night away in costumes, not for a moment feeling different from anyone else. I will never forget being twirled around by a man who said that he has not danced like this in years (a moment later he said he never even went to prom and does not actually remember dancing with anyone before). As individuals with disabilities, they face fundamental borders due to physical and/or developmental challenges, and are often told that they “cannot make a difference” and “are so different from everyone else.” Well, world, Aktion Club is different, indeed, and they are actively serving their community with their heart and soul. To all CKI members, I highly recommend getting involved with an Aktion Club or starting one in your community. I promise it will be one of the most inspiring and worth-while adventures of your Circle K experience. Yours in service and smiles, Danielle Sammut
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July 27th- August 1st 2014 CKI Leadership Academy is a week long program all about leadership. This week long event takes place in Indianapolis, Indiana and is a great opportunity for all CKI members. There is a $195 registration fee for all attendees. However, the Capital District offers one scholarship to a member in the Capital District that covers registration all you have to pay for is travel. To be considered for the scholarship please apply by June 1st. You can apply for this scholarship at http:// www.formstack.com/forms/Kiwanis-2014ckileadershipacademyapplication You do not want to miss this great opportunity!
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International Convention CKIx -The Ultimate Six Day Experience Hey Capital Crabs! I hope everyone is off to a great summer, or will be soon! For many of you summer brings work, internships, summer classes, trips to the beach, and maybe even a study abroad opportunity. Summer also brings the biggest CKI event of the year: International Convention, aka ICON. This year ICON has been combined with the Large Scale Service Project (LSSP) to create CKIx. CKIx will be an amazing six-day experience from June 17-22 at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. Combining LSSP and ICON will allow attendees to get involved in helping the local area through a variety of service projects, as well as attend amazing general sessions, vote for next year's international officers (we even have our very own Matthew Johnson running for Subregion F Trustee!), listen to great speakers and entertainment, and enjoy a convention with Circle K members from all over the world! As Capital Crabs, we will also have a "Crabby Bash in Nash" Spirit Pack which will contain t-shirts, a trip together, and wonderful Crabby gear to show your Capital pride! If all of that wasn't enough to get you excited about attending ICON-- and it should have been- Nashville, aka Music City USA, is an amazing city. Nashville is home to the Bonnaroo Music Festival, wonderful restaurants, tons of museums and historical landmarks, and countless musicians of all genres. There is so much to do that I've spent hours combing through guides to the city, so if you have any questions, please ask me. Ultimately, ICON, aka CKIx, will be a memorable and life-changing experience for those who are able to go. I loved attending last year, and this year proves to be even better with such a great location and the significantly larger number of attendees. As of now, regular registration is $395 until June 1st, when it jumps to $495. If you're worried about financing your trip, talk to your home club officers, school, and local Kiwanis club about perhaps getting some financial support. We already have a good number of members going from Capital, and we will work with you to ensure that you have roommates for your hotel room, and possibly even people to carpool with since Nashville is so close. 14
So, if you have any questions, please contact me at OTIC@cdcki.org, or if you want more general information about the event, please visit http://circlek.org/Leadership/Conventions/ InternationalConvention/Nashville2014.aspx
I hope to see you there! In Service,
Ben Durham 2014-2015 OTIC Chair, IP Capital D
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What’s New in the Capital District Kiwanis Family
Capital District Kiwanis will host their annual District Convention August 22nd—24th in Reston, VA. Kiwanis Family Weekend will be in September.
The Kiwanis, CKI, and Key Club District Boards will come together for a weekend of fellowship and Kiwanis Family Bonding.
Capital District Key Club will hold their annual District Convention March 20th-22nd, 2015 in Baltimore, MD.
The Capital District Kiwanis Family is pretty busy with much excitement and service. Thanks for all you do for the Capital District Kiwanis Family.
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Metro-Richmond Divisional Metro-Richmond Division Recently helped out at the Maymont Park Easter Festival! By Tippy Tongvichit The Metro-Richmond Division held our first divisional service project of the service year at the Family Easter event at Maymont Park in Richmond, Virginia. Maymont Park is a beautiful park that features themed gardens and an educational wildlife reserve that is free to enjoy yearround. By helping out at their Family Easter event this April, we were not only able to help put smiles on the faces of the hundreds of Richmond families that came out to the event that day, we had a hand in helping to keep the park free so anyone can find their smiles in the park any day of the year. CKI members from Virginia Commonwealth University and University of Richmond were there to help to keep the swarms of tiny people eager to expel their Easter candy energy in the inflatable castles under control. Meanwhile, volunteers from Randolph-Macon College were able to put their artistic skills to test painting bunnies and superhero masks on smiling faces. Although we were spread far across the 100 acre park, that couldn’t stop us from catching a break together for some cute pictures and some serious interclub hugging. 17
What’s New in Capital District CKI University of Delaware CKI Works with Freedom Hills Therapeutic Riding Program By Richard Gallo In the month of April, the CKI at the University of Delaware volunteered with Freedom Hills Therapeutic Riding Program in Port Deposit, MD. They offer equine facilitated therapy to individuals with physical and/or emotional challenges, as well as kids at risk and military veterans. Personally, we volunteered at their church’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt and their Family Day on the Farm. Restore Church threw the Easter egg hunt at Perryville High School on April 19 and we were given the opportunity to give pony rides to a crowd of a total of 5,000. The sun was shining down, the line was wrapping all the way down the football field, and we quickly developed a system of getting the kids on and off the ponies as timely and safely as possible. It was a great opportunity where we also interacted with another local organization, Kohl’s Cares, which is run through the latter’s department store. Family Day on the Farm was the second event we volunteered at which was on April 27 hosted on location of their program at Rolling Hills Ranch. We put our pony ride giving skills to test again as well as running games for the children. CKI has been working with Freedom Hills since October 2013 and members really love it doing so we continue to do events with them. This is the first animal related service event the UDCKI has participated in. Member of the month for April, Alicia Walls, said “I love the smell of the horses so this is perfect event for me. I could do this all day.” We couldn’t agree with her more and hope to see more new members drawn in by this selfless organization - Freedom Hills.
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More Capital District CKI News Liberty’s Spring Festival with Big Brothers Big Sisters By Gaothajying Her As the warm weather began to emerge, Liberty University Circle K Club teamed up with Big Brothers Big Sisters in our Second annual Spring Festival. With over 50 people in attendance, this was a very successful event. Circle K members prepared and facilitated in crafts and activities involving balloon-painting, sack races, and nail painting. Other activities included an Easter egg hunt, an egg toss competition, drawings for prizes and lunch. Circle K member Susie Perez said, “ The kids really enjoyed getting their face painted and having their own arts and crafts. It was an overall great experience. The kids felt special.� At the end of the day, the children left with their big brother or big sister with an Easter basket filled with treats, egg remains from the egg toss and a smile on their face.
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More News from Capital District CKI Randolph College CKI’s Joy Prom By Katherine McCallister Joy Prom is an event that began when one of our members, Meredith Daugherty (‘15), saw that people in the Lynchburg community who had special needs were being overlooked and set out to create a unique celebration just for them. Last year, she organized our first ever Joy Prom, where members of the community were invited to come and enjoy various festivities. This event was such a booming success that we decided to do it again this year--On April 11th, approximately 30 guests arrived at Randolph College, where student volunteers ushered them to the Alice Ashley Jack Room in Smith Hall and introduced them one by one as they walked down the red carpet, as part of this year’s theme of “A Night in Hollywood.” The guests were treated like celebrities; the women were given tiaras and the men were given crowns, allowing each guest to be a Prom Queen or Prom King for the night. Our guests spent the night dancing to the Chicken Dance, being photographed by student paparazzi, and receiving manicures from CKI volunteers. The volunteers and the guests all left the night with a smile and some great new memories--memories, I think, that may last a lifetime.
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Nature, Service, and Bluegrass with UMD CKI! By Molly Timmins This month we attended continuing service project at Kingman and Heritage Island Park in DC. On April 19th Exec VP Molly Timmins and PR Chair Yi Chen went on an adventure to help remove invasive species along the Anacostia River. Armed with clippers and handsaws, these CKI members clipped, pulled up, and removed the Honeysuckle plant, an invasive species from Japan first introduced to the US over a century ago for use as a decorative lawn plant. Now it takes over local soil preventing native species from thriving. These lovely ladies had a blast with their fellow volunteers and definitely lived up to the slogan on their t-shirts “Get Dirty!� Molly had a blast crawling through the brambles in order to get to the root of the problem, and while she walked away with a few scratches, felt a sense of accomplishment with the task. The next weekend Jose Castro, Social Chair Nunu Onibatedo, and Exec VP Molly Timmins attended the Kingman Island Bluegrass Music Festival. On April 26th amazing bluegrass bands from all over the country came together in an event to raise money for the Living Classrooms Foundation, which takes place at this park on the Anacostia River. This program teaches students, and adults, who are in high-risk neighborhoods, about the environment and life skills, and provides workforce preparation and community development. Our CKI volunteers helped to keep the park clean while listening to great music from bands such as the Sligo Creek Stompers. This was a great event to combine service for an amazing cause while having fun, and awakening a love for bluegrass in Molly!
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Capital District CKIers Have Been Busy! JMU CKI Members Volunteer at a 5K Race for Autism By Mary Nichols On Saturday morning, April 5th, a bunch of CKI volunteers woke up early to help set up the Autism 5K race at Eastern Mennonite University. As a volunteer, I was pretty tired but still really excited to be a part of such a great cause, especially since both of my best friend’s brothers have Asperger’s Syndrome. Not only was I volunteering with food, water, and registration, but I also decided to run in the race. It was a beautiful day outside, and jogging alongside some of my good friends from CKI as well as having other people on the side of the road cheering me on made the morning even better. It was really great to see people who had autism and people who didn’t all running together in support of raising awareness. I was very fortunate to be a part of this wonderful and important race!
JMU CKI Member finds a easy way to help out! By Simona Lourekas After hearing about the UNICEF Tap Project mentioned at our Circle K meeting, I immediately went home to read more about it. Knowing all I needed to participate was a smart phone, there was no way I could deny the opportunity. UNICEF's new Tap Project challenges participants to go without using their phone in order to provide clean and safe drinking water for a child in need. Every ten minutes that the website senses a phone has not been used, a child is guaranteed one day of fresh, clean water. I decided to take part by going to UnicefTapProject.com during an afternoon of studying, when my phone would only be an unwanted distraction! With a click of a button, my screen was showing me statistics and interesting information about the availability of water in other parts of the world as well as graphics to view while my phone stayed untouched on the table. It was such a simple way to help out, and I know I got more studying done because of it! I was very happy to know that by not touching my smartphone, I was helping out those in need! 22
UMD CKI Supports GWU CKI by Attending Lost in DC! By Molly Timmins Get Lost in DC!! That’s precisely what Service VP Kristy Vo and Exec VP Molly Timmins did on April on April 12th. These super awesome UMD CKI members attended George Washington University CKI’s Lost in DC event for some inter-club bonding. They were able to enjoy the gorgeous Japanese cherry Blossoms in full bloom while running around DC chasing down clues all over the place from the Capital building to the MLK Memorial to the statue of the unofficial mascot of GWU, the Hippo. Kristy and Molly had the opportunity to bond with members of GWU’s CKI as well as from Howard University, along with some DC Key clubbers and Kiwanis members. This was a great experience for all involved as can be seen in an exclusive video featuring Molly along with Potomac LTG Alee Clark, and Amsley Pietranton singing “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow” on the lawn of the White House. The tourists who filmed the unlikely chorus were both bewildered and amused. The race through DC was a super fun way to see the beauty and history of the capitol, and is always a super exciting event for UMD CKI to participate in. Participants in Lost in DC received festive GWU CKI Tshirts and were treated to a Chipotle lunch. The event culminated in a victory by The Scandalous Scavengers (consisting of Molly, Alee, Amsley, a Key Club member,
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2014-2015 District Committees and Committee Chairs
Conferences and Conventions Committee - Chairman Richard Gallo
The Con-Con Committee is tasked with the planning of Fall Membership Rally and District Convention (DCON).
Kiwanis Family Relations and Sister District Committee - ChairwomanHeather Howell
This committee is tasked with improving relations within the Kiwanis Family and between Sister Districts.
Club Building and Revitalization - Chairman Matthew Johnson
The CBR Committee is tasked with assisting with the building of new clubs and revitalizing suspended or inactive clubs.
Service Committee - Chairwoman Kelly Griffith
The Service Committee is tasked with planning District Large Scale Service Project (DLSSP) and other service opportunities.
Membership Development Committee - Chairwoman Caitlin Francis
The Membership Development Committee is tasked with educating members on all things CKI or Kiwanis Family related.
Technology Committee - Chairman Brian Elliot
The Technology Committee is tasked with updating the District website and Social Media.
On-To-International Convention Committee- Chairman Ben Durham
The OTIC Committee is tasked with planning the ICON District Tour and Spirit Pack. 24
District Committees and Committee Chairs Cont.
Laws, Regulations, and Awards Committee - Chairman Joey Sarver
The LRA Committee is tasked with submit changes to the District Bylaws, Policy Code, and Awards.
Public Relations Committee - Chairman Position is available
The Public Relations Committee is tasked with updating Social Media of the District and with general Public Relations of the District.
Long Range Planning Committee - Chairman Position is Available
The Long Range Planning Committee is tasked with working with the Strategic Plan of the District and helping to accomplish the items in the Strategic Plan.
Historian Committee - Chairman Cezar Bagonton
The Historian Committee is tasked with photographing District events and maintaining photos for the District records.
If you want to get more involved with the District Committees, then apply for the open Chairman positions of Public Relations and Long Range Planning. Contact Governor Ben Romano at governor@cdcki.org for more information.
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The Eliminate Project Update This year is the last year of The Eliminate Project so we need to keep going strong to reach the campaign goal of $110 Million! Circle K International has so far raised a fundraising total US$223,322.70! As of May 11, 2014, Kiwanis-family Service Leadership Programs have raised US$2,891,003.53 in total funds. As of April 2014, Kiwanis-family Service Leadership Programs have raised US$543,994.90 in total funds for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. Keep working hard to help save mothers and babies from the terrible Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus!
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Save the Date for Upcoming District Events
Fall Membership Rally October 24th-25th, 2014 Front Royal, Virginia
Capital District Convention (DCON) February 19th-22nd, 2015 Fairfax, Virginia
Spring Officer Training Conference March 27th-28th, 2015 Fredericksburg, VA
District events are a great way to build fellowship throughout the Crabtastic Capital District and you can also meet many new friends at district events!
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Hello CKI! As a fellow graduate of the class of 2014, I am writing this article celebrate EACH AND EVERY amazing CKI member graduating this year! We have all worked so hard to get good grades, and we have all put our heart and souls into service, leadership and fellowship. It just goes to show that the class of 2014 has truly put their everything into their college experience! Congrats to all the graduates out there! Good luck on all your future endeavors. Never forget what you have done for CKI, yourself and the future of the children.
Battlefield Lt. Governor
Presidential Lt. Governor
Vy Tran
Josie Grant
2014-2015
Battlefield-ltg@cdcki.org
Presidential-ltg@cdcki.org
District Board
Foothills Lt. Governor
Susquehanna Lt. Governor
Calvin Charles
Sara Case
Foothills-ltg@cdcki.org
Susquehanna-ltg@cdcki.org
NoVa Lt. Governor
Tidewater Lt. Governor
Diane Corish
Sarah Sakany
Nova-ltg@cdcki.org
Tidewater-ltg@cdcki.org
Potomac Lt. Governor
District Administrator
Allee Clark
Jennifer Wolff
Potomac-ltg@cdcki.org
administrator@cdcki.org
Editor
Metro –Richmond Lt. Governor
Assistant District Administrator
Cory Fore
Tippy Tongvichit
Derek Dupuis
editor@cdcki.org
Metrorichmond-ltg@cdcki.org
asst-adminstrator@cdcki.org
Contact the
Governor
Ben Romano governor@cdcki.org
Secretary-Treasurer
Nicole Tardif Sec-treas@cdcki.org
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Capital Courier A Capital District CKI Publication