SOUTHWEST DISTRICT MID-YEAR CONFERENCE IS SET FOR LAS CRUCES, NEW MEXICO

Kiwanians will gather March 9-11 in Las Cruces, N.M., for the 2012 Mid-Year Conference. The meeting, hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Las Cruces, will be held in the Hotel Encanto Las Cruces.

In the Kiwanis world, there are traditionally five “external” outings that individual clubs are requested to take part in:

1) The Kiwanis International Convention, held in June each year, typically in some major U.S. city, but not always: 2) The annual Southwest District Convention, usually in alternate years in the Valley, Tucson, Albuquerque or El Paso, Texas, but not always; 3) the Mid-Year Conference, a largely training weekend in smaller cities across the Southwest District; 4) the “ocial visit” of the Southwest District Governor to one’s division; and the visit to the district of the Kiwanis International President, but not always (because that leader cannot easily get to all 50 districts around the world).

Virtually all the primary activities for Mid-Winter are on Saturday, March 10, according to Bobby Davis, Southwest District Governor of the Zane Gray Country Kiwanis Club in Payson. Registration is 2-6 p.m. on Friday, first-timer orientation at 5:30 p.m. and opening reception at 6 p.m. Saturday will be “Kiwanis Brand Day” with a call to all to wear Kiwanis-promoting garb. Class sessions will be 9:15 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4:45 p.m. There will be 28 classes. Among the topics will be EliMiNaTe Worldwide Service project to end tetanus; “Your Role as a Club President,” CKI, “Service Projects at the Division and Club Level,” “Key Club,” “Positive Kiwanis Image,” “Planning Your Club’s Success,” “Updates for Club Secretaries,” “Kiwanis Kids,” “Aktion Club,” “Young Children Priority One,” and “Expanding Membership.”

The registration fee is $95 by Feb. 7; $110 to Feb. 24: and $125 after that. Tickets for Saturday’s banquet only is $40. Rooms are $87.50 plus 12.6 percent tax until Feb. 22.

While KCOT traditionally underwrites some of, or all, the basic costs for designated leaders to attend, many Kiwanians go to conferences and conventions “unocially” for their own enrichment and growth as Kiwanians. More information: http://kiwanis-southwest.org/public_district/pub_Content. aspx?PageID=2.