STRONG DELEGATION VISITS TEMPE NUEVO CLUB

Eight members of the Kiwanis Club of Tempe turned out Tuesday for an Interclub with Tempe Nuevo, which also meets at Shalimar. The delegation was twice that needed for an Interclub.

Taking part were Interclub Chairman Dean Plainer, Pam Goronkin, Ralph Packer, Jim Harelson, Sharon Kausal, Mark Richwine, Judy Aldrich and Lawn Griffiths.   They heard Angie Taylor Thornton talk about her work with the East Valley Women’s League, which she led for two years.

TEMPE CARES WILL BE MARCH 3

Since Tempe Leadership launched “Tempe Cares” in 1993 as a way to bring together 200 to 300 volunteers in one day for major improvements to neighborhoods, parks, schools, roadside walls, public and private property, Kiwanis volunteers have been there.   Almost every year, Joe Schmoker has been the Kiwanians recruiting the volunteers.  He was at it on Thursday.

The 20th annual effort will be Saturday March 3. Everyone will meet first at Wood School, 727 W. Cornell Drive. Volunteers will be distributed around a number of sites, with painting as the major kind of work.  There will be painting at both Wood and Getz Elementary nearby, as well as facilities at Clark Park on Roosevelt Street and Celaya Park at Roosevelt and Vaughn.

SOUTHWEST DISTRICT MIDYEAR CONFERENCE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY MARCH 9-10 AT LAS CRUCES, N.M.

Kiwanians are invited to beef up their understanding of our great organization by an educational weekend in the long tradition of the Mid-Year Conference, formerly known as the Mid-Winter Conference.  While Club leaders are especially encourage to attend, it is geared for all Kiwanians. 

The Saturday school includes two dozen workshops:  ELIMINATE; Builders Club; Small Clubs Below Charter Strength; Conflict Resolution; Risk Management; Kiwanis Kids, BUG, Terrific Kids; Young Children Priority One; Expanding Membership; Southwest District Foundation Updates; Key Leader Program; Face-to-Face Recruiting; Secretary Updates Q&A; Past Lt. Governors Association Meeting; Establishing Eliminate Club Coordinators; Aktion Clubs; Open Forum with the Governor; Your Upcoming Role as Club President; Kiwanis International Foundation Grants and Programs; Circle K International-CKI; Circle K International; Membership Retention; Treasurer’s Duties and Responsibilities; Past Governors Association; Service Projects at the Division and Club Level; Key Club; Club Board Member Responsibilities; Playing Your Club’s Success.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Judy Aldrich, who chaired the Homeward Bound Family Christmas effort, said the family wrote a glowing letter of thank you for the bounty of gifts.  That letter will be printed in a forthcoming Bulletin.

The 19th Annual Courage Awards, which Dick Neuheisel founded with the late singing cowboy Gene Autry, one-time Angels baseball owner, will be March 19 at the Buttes., sponsored by the Tempe Sports Authority Foundation. Awards go to athletes who overcame huge odds. Among the four award winners will be 26-year major league pitcher Tommy John, whose name was attached to the revolutionary surgical procedure.   Individual tickets are $175. Our own Judi Yates of 4th of July management is the event organizer.  www.Tempe-Sports-Authority-Foundation.org

KCOT’s own Joseph Lewis, since summer, has produced a formidable local web site that showcases Tempe and that has become an important source of information, commentary, polls and influence around town. Citizens are urged to contribute to it. Joseph’s realty firm, The Real Estate Brokers, have made it possible. Spend some time on www.TempeThoughts.com.

Kiwanians are urged to be at Tempe City Council for its Feb. 16 meeting beginning at 7 p.m. where Mayor Hugh Hallman will read a proclamation to honor KCOT on its 60th birthday that will be Feb. 20.  He will pose for an official photo with all KCOT members on hand. Four of the current seven members of the City Council are in KCOT: Mark Mitchell, Shana Ellis, Corey Woods and Joel Navarro.

Scott Miller of the Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande was elected Div. 10 Lieutenant Governor-Elect for the 2012-13 year. He will succeed Lon Lawrenz of Tempe Nuevo. David Wochner, immediate past lieutenant governor, conducted the election during the Division 10 Council meeting at Coco’s in Mesa.  Also attending from KCOT were President Kathy Stevens and Lawn Griffiths, division ELIMINATE coordinator.

Congratulations to Kiwanian Ed Baker, editor of the College Times, on the newspaper’s 10th anniversary the past week.

KCOT TURNS 60 ON FEB. 20TH

Mayor Hugh Hallman will pay tribute to the Kiwanis Club of Tempe  at the Tempe City Council meeting on Thursday Feb. 16, just four days before the official 60th anniversary (Feb. 20)  of the chartering of the community’s oldest Kiwanis club.  The mayor will also read a proclamation.  We hope that Kiwanians will be on hand for the meeting and the reading of the proclamation.   It will be later read at a KCOT meeting and published in the Bulletin.

A special 60th anniversary event is being eyed for later in the year, as we carry out an official observance along with the completion of a published history on the six decades of KCOT’s presence of service written by Lawn Griffiths.  Jim Harelson is the Club’s only remaining active charter member.