MAGAZINE
INSIDE THIS ISSUE PRESIDENT JONES’ YEAR | 3 CIRC UPDATE | 5 JR CIVITAN SPOTLIGHT | 6 50 YEARS IN EUROPE | 10 CLUB NEWS | 11
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FROM THE PRESIDENT BOB JONES INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT Hello Civitans, As I write the last letter as President of the best service organization in the world, I do so with mixed emotions. This has been one of the most incredible journeys of my life. I have had the opportunity to serve an organization that believes in serving others. I have met so many wonderful people who care about others from all around the world and have made so many new lifelong friends. During my journey I have witnessed our members using their hands to make a difference in the world. They may have been building a wheelchair ramp, serving meals, packing bookbags with school supplies for those who may not have them, cheering on athletes at Special Olympics events or just being there when needed. Our members have made a difference. This has also been a year of change. We have seen changes in some of our events,but these changes are going to make our organization strong for the future. As our world changes we must adapt to these changes as we continue to serve others. As we move forward into the new, Civitan year I encourage each of you to continue your support. I am excited about the direction our organization is moving. I believe this coming year will be an exciting time for Civitan as we continue to be Champions of Service. As we transition into new leadership, I encourage you to support your new President, Patsy Perkal, as she will lead us to achieve new goals of being the best service organization in the world. Your continued support is vital to our success as we focus more on our mission than ourselves. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to serve Civitan and may God bless each and every one of you. Sincerely,
Bob Jones Civitan International President 2018-2019
CIVITAN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER TOOLKIT ITEMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN SUPPLY HOUSE
Be sure to visit Supply House for new brochures and booklets to share at your next meeting or event!
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CIVITAN MAGAZINE VOL. 99, No. 5 ISSN 0914-5785 EDITOR IN CHIEF Amy Natsumi Roberts CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Meredith Binkley Jenny Ely Emily Kicker Mary Luck Megan Mindel Amy Natsumi Roberts Louis Stephens Scarlet Thompson 2018-19 INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS President: Bob Jones, Concord, NC President Elect: Patsy Perkal, Aurora, CO Immediate Past President: Kendyl Massey, Maryville, TN International Directors: Julia Floyd, Cullman, AL; Dianne Hansard, Cumming, GA; Tony Workman, Greensboro, NC; Carol Wolters, Columbus, OH; Bill Lawrence, Almonte, Ontario, CA; Marta Ford, Eaton Rapids, MI; Fred Matthies, Franktown, CO; Ann McCarty, Pocatello, ID; Mogens Brun, Ă…lbĂŚk, Denmark Junior Civitan International President: Danni Jo Grider Huntsville, AL; Executive Vice President: Scarlet Thompson, Birmingham, AL Civitan Magazine, like the organization it represents, is dedicated to service. The magazine will, at all times, emphasize the high ideals and purposes of the organization, disseminate ideas for greater service, and carry authorized announcements and notices regarding the activities of the organization. The magazine is an official Civitan International publication. Civitan International does not endorse or imply endorsement of any product and/or company by selling advertising space in this publication. Editorial opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Civitan International, its officers, or staff.
Telephone: (205) 591-8910 FAX: (205) 592-6307 Email: civitan@civitan.org Website: www.civitan.org MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Civitan worldwide is to build good citizenship by providing a volunteer organization of clubs dedicated to serving individual and community needs with an emphasis on helping people with developmental disabilities. 1.800.CIVITAN
A LOOK BACK AT OUR YEAR WITH PRESIDENT JONES
Civitan International has seen many developments and changes over this past year, all under the steady leadership of President Bob Jones. From starting the year building the first new club of 2018-2019, to adopting new technologies to keep leadership connected, President Jones has made several achievements in his year as the Civitan International President. Thank you for your service and devotion to Civitan International, Bob.
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NEWS FROM WORLD HEADQUARTERS From the Desk of Scarlet Thompson | Executive Vice President
Two years have gone by fast since the staff leadership transition at Civitan International and much has been accomplished to ensure the organization has a strong future. These achievements include: • Significant cost cutting measures that have affected staff, the International board, and district leadership • Creating the organization’s first official operating reserve • Restructured debt that existed since early 2000s • Implemented purchasing controls • Initiated risk management procedures, some for the first time – including a guidebook to help clubs protect vulnerable communities • Created a toolkit for clubs to use to promote the Civitan International Research Center • Increased attendance at the Junior Civitan International Convention • Instituted grant program to help Junior Civitan clubs with projects and club building • Lowered fundraising expense ratios on all events, with three of them seeing a fundraising expense ratio of less than 15%, the industry gold standard • Tripled corporate sponsorship • Revamped the website There are many more to be shared, but what’s ahead is most important. At the recent International Convention’s business session, the Renew by 22 effort was announced. It’s a conscious, internal effort of Civitan International to “renew” the organization to center on increasing its viability over the next three years and ensuring its sustainability for years to come. The effort includes 3 pillars of progress over that 3-year span: 1) Achieve Financial Stability – Make solid and informed financial decisions that put our influence and impact above ourselves while equipping the organization to handle any possible financial storms of the future. 2) Evolve Our Membership – Open up opportunities for all generations to serve through Civitan in a changing world by being innovative yet supportive of efforts that have worked over time. 3) Focus on Mission – Recommit ourselves to our cause, putting it first and foremost in everything we do. Part of Renew by 22 is a board decision to put the world headquarters building on the market, due to the fact only 1/3 of the building is currently used. In addition, the building has some maintenance issues that were not taken care of during the recent restoration. The board’s vote demonstrates a commitment to being good stewards, like putting more of the resources the organization is given to the mission rather than brick and mortar facilities. Several Past International Presidents support this effort, which you can read more about by visiting www.renewby22.com.
Mark your calendars! September 30th is the deadline for any membership adds or deletes for clubs. Any forms that are sent in by mail or email and received after that date will count toward the next Civitan year. If you have any questions, contact growth@civitan.org.
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CIVITAN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CENTER UPDATE
BY AMY ROBERTS
PARKINSON’S RESEARCH WITH DR. LAURA VOLPICELLI-DALEY Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects nearly 1 million people in the United States and more than 6 million people worldwide. While Parkinson’s disease is most widely known to be a motor disorder causing individuals to experience rigidity and difficulty moving, there are many other symptoms including digestive issues, sleep problems, and mood changes. With a growing interest in Parkinson’s disease, we spoke with Dr. Laura Volpicelli-Daley, Civitan researcher and assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at UAB. Since bringing her lab to the Civitan International Research Center in 2012, Dr. Volpicelli-Daley has focused mainly on a protein called alpha-synuclein. Parkinson’s disease patients have Lewy bodies, which are globs of synuclein, that form in their brains. Dr. Volpicelli-Daley believes that by preventing the formation of these Lewy bodies, we can prevent Parkinson’s disease from developing in an individual. While Dr. Volpicelli-Daley’s connection to neurodegenerative disorders is a personal one that stems from her mother living with dementia, her interest in neurodegenerative disease took hold as a graduate student in the lab of Allan Levey, MD,PhD and Chairman of Neurology at Emory University. As a senior scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, Volpicelli-Daley discovered how to recapitulate synuclein aggregation in neurons in a dish. This led to her being able to study the aggregates more closely and identify drug
treatments that could prevent their formation.
“Now I’m working on the intersection of Parkinson’s disease and some of the cognitive changes that occur in Parkinson’s disease,” explains Dr. Volpicelli-Daley. “While a cure or treatment has yet to be discovered for Parkinson’s, there are some symptomatic treatments currently on the market. Drugs like Sinemet help alleviate some of the motor symptoms, however it cannot stop the progression of the disease. After long term use, some patients may experience “off periods” where the drug is ineffective, and like any medication there are side effects, like abnormal movements. There’s no way to slow the progression of the disease. There’s no way to treat the cognitive changes and that is what makes you, you, and I think that is the scariest potential symptom.” Lewy bodies in Parkinson’s disease were first described over 100 years ago. Up until twenty to thirty years ago, researchers believed that Parkinson’s disease was in no way related to an individual’s genetic makeup. Mutations in alpha-synuclein were discovered in 1997 that cause Parkinson’s disease. It was also discovered that alpha-synuclein was the main component of Lewy bodies. Genome wide association studies that look at small changes in DNA have led to the discovery that even small increases in alpha-synuclein can cause Parkinson’s disease. Treatment strategies are now being developed that target alpha-synuclein.
As with any disorder, early detection is key to better understanding the disease and its development to hopefully identify treatments to prevent the disease and slow its progression. The Michael J. Fox Foundation, a major supporter of Dr. Volpicelli-Daley’s lab, has taken a great interest in identifying early warning signs of Parkinson’s. Reduced hyposmia, constipation, and REM sleep behavioral disorder are some of the huge predictors of Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Volpicelli-Daley’s lab believes in the potential of stopping the progression of the disease by identifying Parkinson’s early on in a patient. This would prevent individuals with Parkinson’s from developing more severe motor symptoms or cognitive changes related to the disease. The Volpicelli-Daley lab believes the excellent basic science being conducted in the field of Parkinson’s disease by outstanding scientists across the world will lead to new clinical therapeutic developments to prevent the progression of PD, hopefully in the very near future. To learn more about Dr. Volpicelli-Daley and her research on Parkinson’s disease, visit labs.uab.edu/volpicel/.
CONVENTION HIGHLIGHT During the philanthropy session at International Convention in Greenville, SC, Dr. Craig Powell, Director of the International Research Center, shared some exciting updates with our Civitans. Dr. Powell spoke about the CIRC’s work on autism. According to Dr. Powell, many casual genes from autism have been identified. Several years ago, his lab was involved in creating a genetic mouse model of autism caused by mutations in the PTEN gene. They did identify a treatment for the mice with PTEN mutations and successfully treated the mice with this drug. Because this drug was already FDA-approved for use in humans, there is not a pilot clinicaltrial to determine the safety of using the drug in children with autism/intellectual disability and a mutation in this gene (PTEN). Don’t miss out on this exciting time at Convention to hear from Dr. Powell next July at the Civitan International Convention in Milwaukee! WWW.CIVITAN.ORG SEPTEMBER 2019 5
JUNIOR CIVITAN SPOTLIGHT BY EMILY KICKER
Since joining Junior Civitan as a sixth grader, Taylor Albertia has served her school, community, district, and international in several ways. The sixteen-year-old high school junior has gone above and beyond as a volunteer and a fundraiser. This year, Taylor raised a total of $9,375 for the Civitan International Research Center (CIRC) through Sno-Do and Dance-a-thon combined. Her $4,275 she raised for Dance-a-thon earned her the spot as the event’s top fundraiser. Let’s learn a little more about Taylor and why she’s so passionate about our organization. Why is raising money for the CIRC so important to you? Both of my parents have careers where their primary job is to help those with disabilities. As a result, I’ve been around a lot of people who have special needs and fell in love with helping them and seeing them smile. With that said, I believe the work done by the CIRC can either help to improve the lives of those with disabilities or help find cures for their disabilities. Your fundraising success over the years is off the charts. What tips and encouragement can you share with others? The most successful way to fundraise is to talk with everyone you know – especially family, friends, your parent’s coworkers, or businesses your family frequently visits. Always be sweet and appreciative for even the smallest donation. I think the best words of encouragement I could offer someone planning to fundraise is to simply share your passion for the cause/organization or help the donor find a way to relate to the cause or organization. For example, when talking about the CIRC, it’s easy to ask people if they know someone who has Down Syndrome or Alzheimer’s and then tell them how the scientists at the CIRC are conducting various experiments to find cures for both, but need our financial support to continue their research. Once they understand your passion or find their connection, they are much more likely to donate. Why are you a Junior Civitan and how would you encourage others to join? I am a Junior Civitan because I simply love the organization, its mission, and its traditions. If someone were to ask me why they should join Junior Civitan, I would simply say, “It’s a place where everyone can belong.” You don’t have be academically gifted, a musician, a drama diva, or a superstar athlete – simply come as you are and make the world a better place. As a member of Junior Civitan, what has been your favorite service project to complete? One of my favorite service projects to participate in was done last year at our winter district meeting. We made over 150 blessing bags for police officers. They were filled with water bottles, instant coffee, granola bars, candy, gum, air fresheners, etc. As governor, I had the opportunity to personally deliver them to our local police station. They were so appreciative! In addition to Junior Civitan, Taylor is also a member of her school’s yearbook staff, National Honor Society, National Society of High School Scholars, a student ambassador for Student-2-Student, and very active in her church and community. After graduating from Clarksville High School in 2021, she plans to attend Austin Peay State University with the hopes of pursuing a career in the medical field. Taylor has earned many awards and accolades over the years and most recently was recognized as a Gold Level President’s Volunteer Service Award winner in her community for completing over 300 hours of volunteer service within a single calendar year. Most of those hours were spent completing activities in the name of Junior Civitan! We are thankful for Taylor for her dedication to serving through Junior Civitan and excited to see more of that in the years to come! 6
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JUNIOR CIVITAN UPDATE BY EMILY KICKER
MEET THE JUNIOR BOARD
The voting delegates of the 2019 Junior Civitan International convention elected their new international officers who will guide the program during the 2019-2020 year. Pictured L to R: Director Rachel Stripp: Burlington, ON (Canadian West) Director Ethan Jeffus: Minden, LA (Magnolia) President Victoria Bailey: Cooleemee, NC (NCDW) Vice President Ethan Fabian: Tampa, FL (Florida) Director Dylan Kegeris: Gold Hill, NC (NCDW) Not pictured: Chairs Representative Carmen Gorby, Glen Burnie, MD (Chesapeake) and Board Representative Ann McCarty, Pocatello, ID (Heart of the West).
Their first board meeting was held on August 17th in Birmingham, AL where the board had productive discussions and made impactful decisions for the program. Some exciting things are coming down the pipeline for Junior Civitan that you don’t want to miss! The meeting minutes will be available no later than September 27, 2019. Contact emily@civitan.org if you are interested in obtaining a copy. JUNIOR/SENIOR JOINT COMMITTEE Last spring, President Bob Jones appointed International Director Tony Workman to chair a committee comprised of both Civitans and Junior Civitans in an effort to brainstorm ideas to work more effectively together. The committee met once over the summer before the rush of convention season and is planning to meet again in the coming months. Some topics discussed ranged from having a more extensive checklist for adult clubs before they are approved to sponsor a Junior Civitan club, emphasizing the importance for both groups to work together, highlighting the benefits that both groups can receive from working together, etc. The committee will be getting feedback from various groups of Civitans by way of a survey soon. Should you have any feedback to provide, you can do so by contacting emily@civitan.org. THANK YOU “ALL IN” SUMMIT DONORS Thank you to those who are supporting Junior Civitan district governors and board officers as they fundraise to attend the All In Summit in Birmingham, Alabama. • Minden Civitan Club • Stan and Deborah Senft • Donna Thompson • Christy Hopkins • Bob Jones • C. Wayne Mullis •Teresa Honeycutt • Charles and Lorraine Markland • North Cobb Civitan Club • Red Cross Civitan Club • Kelli Holston • Barbara Woodward • Sheila Bates • Sharon Shelton • Arlene Campbell • Roger Grubbs • Margie Barnett • Blanca Lee • Gailyn Hockenhull • Janet Tolleson • Clayton Guidry • Roberta Duplantis • JoAnn Kirkpatrick • Albert Young • Wayne Taylor • Doug Knapp • Jewel Stewart • Mike Bishop • Kim Moore Support your district representative today and receive matching Helm credit! Donation can be mailed to Civitan headquarters or made online at www.civitanallin.com. WWW.CIVITAN.ORG
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BETTERING CIVITAN’S LEGACY THROUGH GIVING BY JENNY ELY
National Guardian Life is an important part of our Civitan Legacy Program. This unique initiative allows members to give back to Civitan through a monthly life insurance policy. The pay out from the policy benefits Civitan upon the member’s death. Payments can be tailored to any budget and the member gets a yearly tax benefit for the contribution. We recently spoke with Leigh Wilkinson about her membership in National Guardian Life. Wilkinson is a former Civitan International Board member and is currently a member of the Tryon Civitan Club in North Carolina, where she served as governor of North Carolina District East around eight years ago. How long have you been a Legacy Society member? I joined day one! Andy Leggette rolled out this program when he was governor and I signed up immediately. Why was the NGL program a good fit for you? I had done a similar program with another organization, where I was paying every month, but I wasn’t getting any benefits. I like that I get a current tax benefit with this program and Civitan gets the long term benefit of the policy pay out. What does the Legacy program mean to you? NGL makes it easy to give a significant gift to Civitan. You’re going to die, and this is an easy to give back to an organization you love. How would you like your Legacy gift to support Civitan? Do it! Truly, if you are interested in making a gift and you think that you can’t because of limited funds, you should look into NGL. It breaks it up the gift and makes easy to support Civitan upon your death. What advice would you give to other Civitans considering a gift of this type? Do it! Truly, if you are interested in making a gift and you think that you can’t because of limited funds, you should look into NGL. It breaks up the gift and makes it easy to support Civitan upon your death. If you’re interested in taking Leigh’s advice, there are several ways to support Civitan through legacy giving. Besides the National Guardian Life program, the philanthropy team can help you decide what’s best for you and your family. You can reach out to 1-800-CIVITAN, extension 109 for more information or visit the giving link of the member resources center on www.civitan.org. Civitan International thanks your for your consideration of this program and appreciates its current donors who give in this way.
PROTECTING VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES Throughout the past year, the Civitan International Board of Directors has been addressing a much-needed process of the organization’s protection of vulnerable communities. These groups currently include youth (including Junior Civitans) as well as individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD). In this process, the International Board approved new international policy 0506 identifying specific volunteers now required to have National Background Checks and in some instances Motor Vehicle Record Checks if regularly transporting these communities. The Junior Civitan International Board of Directors also approved new international policy 0121 in its governance to mirror the Civitan policy. In a further effort to protect the vulnerable communities that we serve, staff has developed an accompanying document supported by the International Board. Guidebook: Protecting Vulnerable Communities has been created for use when working with these groups. The guidebook was developed in consultation with Civitan International’s legal counsel and is very much in line with other organizations serving similar communities. If your club works with youth (including Junior Civitans) or those with I/DD, you are strongly encouraged to review this guidebook. Visit www.civitan.org, access the Member Center, navigate to either Governance or Junior Civitan, then select Protecting Vulnerable Communities to download a copy. 8
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GET READY TO GO ALL IN WITH JUNIOR CIVITAN The All In Summit is a fresh, new twist on a traditional fundraising event for Junior Civitan leaders. The weekend will focus on building fellowship, leadership training, and community service. Every Junior Civitan governor and international director is invited to fundraise in order to attend the inaugural event in Birmingham, Alabama. Funds raised from the All In Summit support life-changing research at the Civitan International Research Center located at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Junior Civitan has a long-standing history of supporting the Civitan International Research Center through its many philanthropic efforts. The All In Summit was designed with a focus on three essential building blocks: fellowship, education, and service. Each focus builds on top of the one preceding it, with fellowship being the foundation. Junior Civitan leadership will come together to share and learn from one another during the Governors Update, build lasting relationships, and serve the Birmingham community through a half-day service event called Benefit BHM. Support your Junior governor today by donating at www.civitanallin.com. To learn more about the event and how you can support our Junior Civitans contact Amy Roberts at amy@civitan.org.
“Champions of Service� is a theme of Civitan International that was adopted during the International Convention in Greenville, South Carolina. The new logos and messaging guidelines can be found in the General Forms section of the Member Center on the website. For any questions on how to access, download, or use the Champions of Service branding, please contact Amy Roberts, Fundraising and Marketing Specialist, at amy@civitan.org.
Be sure to check out our new CHAMPIONS OF SERVICE merchandise in Supply House! WWW.CIVITAN.ORG
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CLUB AND DISTRICT NEWS
BY LOUIS STEPHENS
EUROPE CELEBRATES 50 YEARS In August,100 Civitans from Switzerland, Denmark, and Norway arrived at the Scandic Lillehammer Hotel to spend the weekend celebrating 50 years of Civitan in Europe. It was a wonderful convention in the spirit of friendship and fellowship.
The meeting started with an opening ceremony on Friday evening where delegates were welcomed by the Mayor of Lillehammer Espen Johnsen and the European Coordinator Mogens Brun. This was followed with entertainment by a brass band consisting of members with intellectual and development disabilities. Next was the presentation of the flags of Europe’s Mother Club and the European Division, three candles were lit for Fellowship, Knowledge, and Service, and the Civitan Creed was recited. The rest of the evening was reserved for dinner and fellowship. Saturday morning began with informative reports and updates of activities in the European Division. European Coordinator Brun conducted a wonderful session on 50 years of Civitan in Europe. The PowerPoint presentation included many memorable pictures of key accomplishments made by Civitan in Europe. Delegates then had free time to discover Lillehammer on Saturday afternoon. Saturday evening the celebration continued with a gala dinner and the presentation of this year’s European Honor Awards. A special medallion pin and certificate were presented to longtime dedicated member, Per Siegel, for his 50 years of service as a
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member of Civitan. After dinner, there was dancing and entertainment which lasted into the wee hours of Sunday morning. The directors of the European Division extend a heart-felt THANK YOU to the ladies in Civitan Club Mesna, Lillehammer, who on a very short notice made this event possible for everyone who attended. Congratulations on 50 years! Cheers to 50 more! MILESTONE DATES FOR CIVITAN IN EUROPE May 30, 1969 - the “mother club of Europe” Civitan Club of Oslo Norway chartered June 1972 - the Oslo-Holmenkollen Civitan Club built a playground for children living with intellectual and developmental disabilities April 1975 - Gjovik II Civitan Club, the first all women club in Europe, chartered 1980 - Thriteen Norwegian Civitan clubs raised over $70,000 USD in four years from the sales of porcelain holiday commemorative plates to support community projects July 1986 - the first International Convention was held outside North America in Oslo, Norway 1991 - European Division opened office May 2010 - Europe’s first Campus Civitan Club, the Premo Primisszima Civitan Club, was chartered in Zsámbék, Hungary May 2016 - the Civitan Club of Seine et Marne, France, was chartered as the first Civitan Club in France
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WRITERS MEREDITH BINKLEY, CLUB AND DISTRICT NEWS CONTRIBUTING JENNY ELY AND MEGAN MINDEL
270 CORRIDOR CIVITAN CLUB
The 270 Corridor Civitan Club will celebrate their first anniversary this month stronger than when they started. Over the past year, they have collected school supplies, assembled Mother’s Day gifts, participated in a Trunk-or-Treat event, and served meals. Charter President Cindy Vargas credits the strength of club leadership with aiding in their success. Vargas joined Civitan because she believed it would be an opportunity to connect with others and serve the community. A highlight for her was the club serving meals to 200 men living in an emergency shelter. The club has worked to establish regular programming, build fundraising initiatives, and develop innovative ways to increase participation. Her advice to new Civitan Clubs is to not give up and be relatable to your members. Club builders Lynn Leitch and Mark Eisinger agree the biggest challenge was recruiting quality members. Leitch’s recommendation for builders is to map out what you want to achieve and look for members who will support that mission, stating the quality of the membership is more important than the quantity of members.
FELLOW AWARD
This past August, Joe Parker was honored as the recipient of the Builders of Good Citizenship Fellow during the North Carolina District East convention in New Bern, NC. Fellows are a wonderful way for Civitans to recognize individuals who are passionate and dedicated to seeing the organization grow and succeed. Marlene Jewel first learned about the newest level of the Fellows program at the 2018 International Convention. It was then that Marlene became determined to find a way to honor Joe Parker with this award. “It means the world to me to be able to honor Joe with this Fellow. When I heard about this new Fellow in Reno, my first thought was that Joe Parker should be the first one to receive this Fellow,” recalls Marlene. “Joe helped me build two clubs when I was governor. He was and is a great mentor to me and many other Civitans throughout the district.” Since becoming a Civitan, Joe Parker has built 20 clubs and sponsored over 180 members. “Joe has done so much for Civitan and we wanted to show our appreciation of him for his efforts,” Marlene continues. “He is Mr. Civitan!” While the Fellows Program offers a special way to honor an individual, it also supports groundbreaking research at the Civitan International Research Center. The benefits the program provides to our flagship project is what excites Joe Parker the most about receiving a fellow. “Every Fellow supports a specific cause or group. Whether it has been to provide scholarships or funding for the Civitan International Research Center, I have been so proud of each Fellow I have received,” said Joe. “Knowing that we are continuing to forge the way in our research of so many developmental disabilities is my favorite part of receiving a Fellow.” If there is someone in your Civitan family you’d like to recognize as a Fellow or to learn more about the Fellows Program, contact the development department at 1-800-CIVITAN ext. 116.
APPALACHIAN DISTRICT CONVENTION
The Appalachian District Convention was held on August 17th in Oak Ridge, TN. The nearly sixty attendees were treated to a keynote speech from Dr. Craig Powell, Director of the Civitan International Research Center. In his first trip to the Appalachian district since stepping into his current role, Dr. Powell energized the crowd with news of current research. Dr. Powell shared updates on new endeavors, including his plan to develop the Civitan Translational Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Research Core. He also talked about the human genome and the advancements that have been developed to help address some of the genetic attributes of certain intellectual and developmental disabilities. Several clubs in the district are now making plans to come visit and tour the CIRC in person or to have one of the many incredible research scientists speak at a meeting via Zoom technology. WWW.CIVITAN.ORG
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CIVITAN INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
MILWAUKEE JULY 26 - 29, 2020
Don’t forget to complete the convention survey to get access to the Greenville Convention album! Surveys were sent to the email address used at the time of registration.