Bonus DCON Edition - March 2014 by Taryn Grisham

Circle of Sharing

Official Bulletin of the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District

Volume 20

Issue 13

DCON Edition

District Convention award winners announced >> Pages 6-8

Governor Lena’s Farewell PAGES 4-5

Meet the 2014-2015 District Board PAGE 9

Letter from the District Bulletin Editor PAGES 12-13

In this issue…

A ‘thank you’ from DCON Chairwoman Sara Hujar.……..…Page 3 Governor Lena Scheibengraber’s Farewell. ………...…....Pages 4-5 DCON Award Winners Announced……………………………..Pages 6-8 Meet the 2014-2015 W-UM District Board..……..................Page 9 DCON Photo Spread: Friday/Saturday Night.…………Pages 10-11 Farewell Letter from the Editor...................................Pages 12-13 Set your sights to the future with CKI……………………….….Page 14 District Goals Update: March 2014..………………....…..Pages 15-17 2013-2014 W-UM District Board Farewell...…..……..………Page 18 Want to be featured in next month’s issue? E-mail all inquiries to District Bulletin EditorElect Marissa Blackmore at marissabmore@gmail.com!

DCON 2014 To the best Circle K district internationally, It’s taken me a few days to unwind from all of the excitement of district convention, but it still feels surreal that the weekend has come and gone. After spending about a year planning one of my favorite Circle K events, I am so incredibly grateful for all of those who attended. I know that many of you were sacrificing days of your Spring Breaks to attend so I truly hope you had a WUMderful weekend with your Circle K friends and maybe even some new friends! I’d also like to take the time to thank everyone who was there to help me throughout the year (especially after I gracefully tumbled off a stage while at convention). To the District Board: Thank you for voicing your opinions and offering to help at every step of the DCON planning process. Additionally, thank you for rocking DCON out while Janet and I were rapidly texting you all from the Urgent Care Center in Green Bay. I’m pretty sure I was texting in between every X-ray they took. To the Administrators: Thank you for keeping me sane and always taking the time to make sure I was doing okay. I apologize for any episodes of excessive emailing that I might’ve gone through. I tried to refrain from blowing up your inboxes, but you know how that goes. To the Kiwanis guests and Advisors, Faculty Advisors, guests and speakers: Thank you for always supporting WUM Circle K. Whether it be by attending events, supporting clubs, or just providing words of wisdom, you all rock and I am so glad that you are a part of my Circle K family. To the WUM Members: Thank you for being you. Honestly, I have never met a more impressive group of individuals. You all inspire me and I cannot wait to serve as your District Treasurer in the 2014-2015 year. Lastly, I just wanted to thank everyone again for making DCON such a memorable time for me. Things might not rolled out as I had expected, but I think you all deserve gold medals. I do not think there was a single person who did not ask me if I needed any help or if I was okay after injuring myself, and that leaves me completely speechless. You all have such big hearts and I cannot wait to spend another year getting to know all of you better. I especially hope to see you next year at DCON! P.S. I’ve accepted my new K-Family nickname. Peace, love, service,

Sara “Hot Wheels” Hujar

GOVERNOR LENA’S FAREWELL

Dearest WUM Members, It is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye to you all. It seems like only yesterday that I was elected as your Governor. I was scared, felt unprepared, but I came into it with much more knowledge than I gave myself credit for. After serving on the district board for two years prior, I was ready to lead this district to greatness. The year started off with a bang, but I quickly found that as with any district, there were great challenges ahead. This year, we tried a lot of new things for the benefit of the membership. All of you were generally open to these changes, which I thank you for. Some things worked out far better than I had expected, while others fell flat. Yes, I wish I could go back and fix every snag we hit- but that wouldn’t make us any better. Hardships are there to challenge us and to make us realize our full potential. Without struggles, we would become complacent. We would think that we are doing the best we can, even if we are not. We rode the rollercoaster of success, with many ups and downs. Throughout the entire journey, you all were there to inspire me, to lift me up, and to make me strive to be better than I was the day before. Being Governor while in graduate school and working a full time job is not easy, as I didn’t expect it to be. Governor is a very involved position and something that you can make into what you want. This position shouldn’t be easy, and if it is, you’re doing it wrong. You all have offered so much support and given me so much slack when I came up short- something I truly appreciate. I didn’t accomplish everything I wanted to, but I don’t think any governor does. But I know that even with me falling short on some of my personal goals, I have grown. You all have pushed me to serve better, to open my ears more, to speak softer, and to be 100% transparent. Now, while I can stay in Circle K next year, I have chosen to move on to Kiwanis. This is an exciting step, and it also means that I get to close us out with some advice. To the next district board: remember who you work for and where you come from. Yes, the district board is an amazing place to meet people and to have fun, but you also run the risk of focusing too much on yourself. Remind yourselves that you work for the membership, and at the end of the day, you are a member of Circle K. So be a member of your home club. Support them, don’t try and run them. Offer guidance and love, but don’t overstep your bounds. Remember that the best example of servant leadership is getting out there and showing people you are doing service- not supervising. You are in a service organization. We are here to produce

meaningful projects to better our communities, fundraisers to support great causes, and social opportunities to become friends with those we serve alongside. You cannot avoid drama. As I told my board members at New Board Training last year, drama is the forth tenant of Circle K. When you have different kinds of people- even if they are all amazing leaders- personalities don’t always mesh. Address the drama head-on, even if that means admitting that you are wrong. Some people take the leadership training that is provided by CKI and use it to promote themselves. It turns into a popularity contest and let’s them focus on how funny they are, how many friends they have, how great of a leader they areeven if they don’t lift a finger. Others take that training and do the opposite. To me, leadership is about putting others first, being open to both celebrations and criticisms. It’s about supporting others and making sure they realize their potentialeven if that means you don’t accomplish everything you want to. A good leader will build others up, not tear them down to make themselves feel more important. I came into office this year with one concrete goal: to change the perception of leadership in this district. I wanted to make sure that members understood that the district board is not some special clique of people who sits around, twiddling our thumbs. I wanted to prove to our members that you don’t have to be the loudest, the most popular, or the one with the best acronym or slogan to win. I wanted to remind all of you that being a member in this organization is special, and whether you are on e-board, district board, or international board, we don’t stop being members. I am not lying when I say that you, the members, are the most important part of Circle K. It might not feel like it sometimes, especially when you meet people with fancy titles or those who have many more years of Kiwanis Family experience than you. But don’t ever think you’re not important or ever let other people make you feel that way. Last year I told you I would focus on service and lead you with love. There is not a day that goes by that I do not celebrate the accomplishments of our members- from service projects to club growth, to small, everyday, personal or academic feats. I have been truly blessed to have worked with such an outstanding group of people- thank you for all you have given me. I love you more than you know, and will keep supporting the Circle K members of this district until I die. Thank you for trusting me with your district. I hope I have served you well. Yours in service, dedication and love,

Lena Scheibengraber

AND THE WINNER IS….

Club Growth Awards Alverno College Marquette University Ripon College St. Norbert College UW-Eau Claire UW-La Crosse UW-Madison UW-Oshkosh UW-Platteville UW-Waukesha UW-Whitewater

Convention Awards Convention Attendance Award: UW-Platteville Impromptu Essay Contest: Alec Brooks, Marquette University Oratorical Contest: Jacob Krakauer, Marquette University Scrapbook Award: UW-Platteville Spirit Award: UW-Platteville

Club & “Outstanding” Individual Awards Club Achievement Award: Edgewood College & UW-Madison Interclub Award: UW-Madison Member Mile Award: UW-Madison Most Improved Club Award: Edgewood College Preferred Charities Award: UW-Madison Robert S. Wilson Single Service Award: UW-Eau Claire Outstanding Divisional Unity: Capital Division Outstanding Club Fundraiser: UW-Whitewater Outstanding Club Newsletter: UW-Platteville Outstanding Club Social: Edgewood College Outstanding Club T-Shirt: Alverno College Outstanding Club Webpage: UW-Platteville Outstanding Club Member: Joey Palzewicz, Milwaukee School of Engineering Outstanding Freshman Member: Sean Kenny, Northern Michigan University Outstanding New Club Member: Julie Salentine, Alverno College Outstanding Club Faculty Advisor: Marie Schoeppach, Alverno College Outstanding Committee Member: Stephanie Van Kampen, UW-Madison Outstanding Club Bulletin Editor: Sarah Dreifke, UW-Madison Outstanding Club Treasurer: Taylor Shuster, UW-Madison Outstanding Club Secretary: Megan Laufenberg, Edgewood College Outstanding Club Vice President: Laura Killingsworth, UW-Madison Outstanding Club President: Ashley DeFazio, UW-Platteville

Kiwanis Family Awards Distinguished Circle K Alumni: Jackie Erzinger, Edgewood College Outstanding Kiwanis Family Relations: UW-Madison Outstanding Kiwanis Advisor Award: Irene Potocki, UW-Whitewater Outstanding Kiwanis Support: Kiwanis Club of Greater Green Bay and Allouez, UW-Green Bay sponsor

District Board Awards Outstanding Committee Chair: Kelly Kloth, UW-Milwaukee Outstanding Lieutenant Governor: Monica Wang, UW-Madison Outstanding Executive Board Member: Taryn Grisham, UW-Madison Outstanding Board Member: Taryn Grisham, UW-Madison Michael J. Pierski Golden Gavel Leadership Award: Taryn Grisham, UW-Madison Sparkplug Motivator Award: Lizzie Anderson, Marquette University Sparkplug Motivator Award: Laura Killingsworth, UW-Madison

Induction to the Society of Distinguished Collegians Taryn Grisham, UW-Madison Laura Killingsworth, UW-Madison

Walter Zeller Fellowship Recipient Janet DeGroot, District Administator

ELIMINATE Project Elimidalion Recipient Lena Scheibengraber, District Governor

Carthage-Pullman Society Induction Lena Scheibengraber, District Governor

Congratulations to all individuals, clubs and Kiwanis Family members who were award recipients at the 51st Annual Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District Convention! We are so proud of everything that you have accomplished this year, and can’t wait to see even more WUMderful things come out of 2014-2015!

Meet the 2014-2015 W-UM District Board!

Executive Board District Governor: Teasha Kirkwood, Alverno College District Secretary: Megan Laufenberg, Edgewood College District Treasurer: Sara Hujar, Northern Michigan University District Bulletin Editor: Marissa Blackmore, Edgewood College

Lieutenant Governors Capital Division: Ashley DeFazio, UW-Platteville Chippewa Division: VACANT Lakes Division: Taylor Moret, UW-Oshkosh Metro Division: Jim Tammen, Marquette University Southeast Division: VACANT Superior Division: Sean Kenny, Northern Michigan University

Chair Positions Awards, Regulations and History: Kayla Ahrens, UW-Platteville District Convention: Samantha Robinson, Alverno College ELIMINATE Project Coordinator: Casey Scheibengraber, Alverno College Kiwanis Family & Outreach: Monica Wang, UW-Madison Membership, Development & Growth: Jordan Grapentine, UW-Green Bay Service: Matthew Bowe, UW-Eau Claire Co-Special Events Chairwomen: Lizzy Johnson, UW-Oshkosh & Emily Krueger, UW-Whitewater

Be sure to congratulate all of these individuals on their elections and appointments! We look forward to having them lead the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District to new heights in 2014-2015!

DCON: FRIDAY NIGHT FUN

DCON: SATURDAY NIGHT

EDITOR TARYN’S FAREWELL

Dearest WUM District, It’s hard to believe that one of the greatest chapters of my life (up to this point) is coming to an end. When I sat down to write this farewell, I found myself continuously crossing out strings of words on the page. Apparently it’s really difficult to say goodbye to an organization and the people who have made the greatest impact on your college years. Four years ago, I was a mixture of excited and scared as I left home and everything that I knew to live out my dream of becoming a Badger. It goes without saying that UW-Madison is a big school, but being a part of Circle K made it seem so much smaller. In high school, I was the charter president of Key Club. While this leadership role was one of many that I held during high school, it’s proven to be the best stepping stone imaginable. Circle K has provided me so many opportunities for growth and success. I’d like to thank all of the people who have come along on this fantastic four-year journey with me. To my parents, thank you for providing me continuous support, being patient and taking the time to listen as I talked about my successes, failures and dreams. While I know that Circle K and Kiwanis family are some things that you don’t necessarily understand, I can’t thank you enough for attending district convention the past two years. It’s meant so much to me, and I’m so glad that you were able to witness me win quite a few awards too. To the 2013-2014 District Board, thank you for contributing to my efforts of restoring our district bulletin, the Circle of Sharing. Without your submissions (and those from your clubs), the goals I established for myself would’ve been impossible. I know that there were times when I got a little crazy with the E-Mails and Facebook notifications when the issues were released, but I can’t express my gratitude to you all for sharing the issues with your clubs. Working with you this past year has been spectacular. You are all so incredibly hard working and there is no doubt in my mind that you will all go far in life. Don’t be strangers, either! Madison isn’t too far away for most of you to get to, and I’d love to hang out! To UW-Madison Circle K, thank you for becoming my second family. You are some of the brightest, most hard working and most fun people that I know. Without such an amazing club behind me, I don’t know what my college experience would’ve really been like. You all have been my support system through the past few years. I’ve truly enjoyed getting to know so many of you through service projects, club meetings and socials. You each bring so much fun and so many great ideas to all of our events, and I can’t thank you enough for that. While I’m sad that my time with you all is coming to an end, I can’t

wait to see where our club goes in the years to come. You are a powerhouse! To Lena, Janet and Justin, thank you for dealing with all of my E-Mails and always believing in my ability to produce something informative and worthwhile. Your suggestions have been incredibly helpful to me all year. The three of you have done so much for our board, but also for me. It’s been a pleasure to serve alongside the three of you for the past two years. While certain aspects of the board did change in that time, it was nice to have consistency in the three of you. I’ll miss you all so much next year. To Laura, thank you for being the best successor and friend I could possibly imagine. You’ve been by my side since the very beginning. Freshman year DCON may have been one of the strangest weekends of my Circle K career, but I’m so glad that I met my best friend out of it. While my future is totally uncertain at this point, I know one thing for sure: whatever happens, you’ll be there. Even though you might have slightly been joking about us being in our forties, taking fitness classes at a YMCA, you have no idea how badly I hope that’s the case. I know for a fact that you are a forever friend, and I am so unbelievably lucky to have met you through my involvement with Circle K. Our year on board may soon be over, but I know that the Jason Derulo dance parties (and a concert on the night that we graduate from UW-Madison!!) and Plaza nights are just beginning. But seriously, let’s go to the Plaza this week. To UW-Platteville Circle K, thank you for being the crazy fun club that you are. I’m so lucky that you’ve opened up to me in the past year. I’ve loved venturing out to PVegas (for interclubs!), getting to know you all so much more in the process. I can’t even express how happy I am to have been able to see your growth and success this past year. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: you are a force to be reckoned with. To the fabulous WUM members, thank you for giving my job purpose and for all that you do for Circle K. It’s truly inspiring hearing your stories and I feel so fortunate to have been able to serve alongside many of you at events spanning the past four years. While I will transition into Kiwanis in just a few weeks, you better believe that you will all continue to hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for all of the amazing memories. I’m so lucky to have something that makes saying ‘goodbye’ so hard. Yours in service, dedication and love, Taryn Grisham

Set your sights to the future with CKI

CKI Service Week Worldwide March 30 – April 5, 2014

Circle K International New Year! Worldwide April 1, 2014

UW-Madison’s Shake, Rattle & Roll: A Benefit for Babies Concert Madison, WI April 3, 2014

MARCH SECRETARY AND TREASURER MRFS DUE! April 3, 2014, 11:59 PM (CST)

2014-15 New Board Training Camp Wawbeek April 4-6, 2014

Kiwanis One Day Celebration Worldwide April 5, 2014

Spring Fling Camp Wawbeek April 25-27, 2014 CKIx Early Bird Registration Deadline Worldwide May 1, 2014

Kiwanis International President Visit Milwaukee, WI May 2, 2014

UW-Green Bay’s Benefit for Kanisha Flemming Green Bay, WI May 3, 2014

Kiwanis International President Visit Madison, WI May 3, 2014 CKIx (formerly LSSP + ICON) Nashville, TN June 17-22, 2014

2013-14 Wisconsin-Upper Michigan Circle K

District Goals Update – March 2014

CURRENT: 619 members 88% of our goal

MEMBERSHIP

CURRENT: 13,393.85 hours 76.54% of our goal

SERVICE

CURRENT: $486.15 38.89% of our goal

CAMP BAYCLIFF

CAMP WAWBEEK

CURRENT: $5,069.32 92.17% of our goal

ELIMINATE PROJECT 15

CURRENT: $5,710 63.44% of our goal

“OTHER” (INCLUDES PREFERRED CHARITIES)

CURRENT: $3,831 69.65% of our goal

2013-14 Wisconsin-Upper Michigan Circle K

District Goals Update – March 2014

GOAL: 130 attendees

GOAL: 15 attendees

ACTUAL: 113 attendees

ACTUAL: 13 attendees

87% of our goal

SPRING FLING

LSSP (LARGE SCALE

ICON (INTERNATIONAL

SERVICE PROJECT)

CONVENTION)

GOAL: 50 attendees

GOAL: 175 attendees

GOAL: 150 attendees

ACTUAL: 37 attendees

ACTUAL: 62 attendees

ACTUAL: 93 attendees

74% of our goal

35% of our goal

62% of our goal

MERP (MEMBERSHIP

KFBG (KIWANIS FAMILY

MAC (MEMBERSHIP

EDUCATION RECRUITMENT PROGRAM)

BASEBALL GAME)

AWARENESSS CONFERENCE)

2013-14 Wisconsin-Upper Michigan Circle K

District Goals Update – March 2014

GOAL: 150 attendees

GOAL: 35 attendees

ACTUAL: 78 attendees

ACTUAL: 213 attendees

ACTUAL: 37 attendees

52% of our goal

142% of our goal

106% of our goal

KFSD (KIWANIS

KFHN (KIWANIS

WWG (WINTER

FAMILY SERVICE DAY)

FAMILY HOCKEY NIGHT)

WEEKEND GETAWAY)

GOAL: 200 attendees ACTUAL: 168 84% of our goal

DCON (DISTRICT CONVENTION)

Happy CKI New Year from the 2013-2014 W-UM District Board! May all of your clubs experience greatness in 2014-2015!