Clarion March 8, 2005

Clarion

March 8, 2005
Volume 56, Issue 6

District Governor Beverly Martin Challenges Division Clubs

Meeting at First United Methodist Church’s new fellowship hall on March 1, attendees from eight Division 4 Clubs heard District Gov. Bev Martin of Matthews challenge us with seven important points. These include: to have fun; complete a Young Children’s Priority One project; give books to schools, libraries and young children’s reading projects; support Carolinas District and Kiwanis International Foundations; partner with Safe Kids organizations; support Kiwanis-sponsored Youth Organizations; and create and implement a Kiwanis International Membership Growth Plan.

President Tom Shields gave a brief report on our club’s recent activities.

A number of clubs presented their candidates for the “Quiet Kiwanian” award. This award recognizes those Kiwanians who work faithfully and consistently behind the scenes with minimum recognition. Gov. Martin conferred the Quiet Kiwanian award on our candidate Wendell Cramer, who all agree exemplifies all of the above qualities except being “Quiet”. The candidate himself remarked that he is “only quiet in never saying No to Kiwanis”. Congratulations, Wendell.

Second-year Lt. Gov. Rosemary Mical, a member of the Iredell Golden K Club, performed well in her duties of organizing and presiding over the meeting. We are indebted, too, to FUMC, their staff and volunteers for the splendid meal and use of their excellent new facilities.

Welcome New Member Linda Baker

On February 22 Pres. Tom Shields officially inducted Linda D. Baker into full-fledged Kiwanis membership. As most of us know, Linda has for three years been very actively involved as Faculty Advisor for our club’s newest Sponsored Youth Organization–the Catawba Valley Community College’s Circle K Club.

Linda is a graduate of Lenoir Rhyne College. She is a veteran psychology instructor at CVCC, and lives with her husband Carroll in Hickory. She is sponsored by fellow faculty instructor Tom Shields and former CVCC Board Chairman Dr. Grimes Byerly.

Welcome, Linda, to the Kiwanis Club of Hickory. We are proud to have you as our newest member, and we look forward to a mutually rewarding relationship.

Recent Programs

February 15–Cathy Blackwelder, Program Facilitator for Project Potential, spoke to the club about its mission to break the drop-out cycle among students in the Hickory Public Schools. The privately funded program, working with school guidance counselors and teachers, identifies likely candidates for assistance and provides them with mentors and other support, including $2,500 scholarships for those who wish to attend college.

Our own Ron Simmons is involved with Project Potential as a mentor; he spoke enthusiastically about the program and his personal rewards in working with its students.

Currently, 42 students are participating in the program. Best wishes, Cathy and Sandy Frothingham (an accompanying Project Potential staff volunteer), for success in securing new advocates and scholarship funding.

February 22–Heather Hamby , Miss Hickory 2005, honored the club with her presence. In her presentation she expressed her concern and passion for others, particularly those teenaged victims of HIV/AIDS.

Heather now works at the Randolph County Family Crisis Center, where she is a volunteer children’s services coordinator.

Having grown up in Forsyth County, Heather competed in a number of “Beauty” Pageants, but until recently was always a runner-up. Last fall she entered the Miss Hickory Pageant, which is a so-called open pageant (accepting candidates outside Catawba County). She was thrilled to have won, but was particularly pleased because the scholarship awards will permit her to continue her education in her chosen field.

Heather graciously agreed to sing her upcoming NC Pageant number (without accompanist nor warm-up). She rendered her sad but moving ballad in a very professional manner, and we predict she’ll be a strong contender for the Miss North Carolina award.

Heather was accompanied by her brother Joseph, a junior at Western Forsyth High School.

March 8–Charles Dixon and Landon Lane, Trustees of the Kiwanis Foundation of Hickory, updated the club on the Foundation’s history and current financial and scholarship activities.

Dixon traced the history of the Kiwanis Club’s focus on scholarships back to 1924, three years after its founding. He also noted that the Foundation was approved in 1968 and later amended to include the Western Catawba County and Golden K Clubs.

Lane reported the Foundation is currently underwriting 21 fall- and 19 spring-session scholarships, each predicated on need and merit, for $2,500 annually. Since 1985 the payout has amounted to $500,000. He further reported that as of 12/31/2004 the Foundation’s capital value stood at $634,000. It now uses a 5% payout.

Golf Tournament Notes

Pointing toward the May 13 tournament date, Co-chairman George Hemphill asked members, particularly our non-playing members, to consider making $100 contributions toward the purchase of Odyssey putters to be awarded as individual team prizes.

Richard Thompson, committeeman in charge of hole sponsorships, appealed to all members to secure new hole sponsors as well as to follow up on last year’s renewals. Hole Sponsorships provide an important tournament profit stream with minimum expense to the club, Richard said.

During the next nine weeks prior to the Tournament, the Watchword is “Make It Happen the Kiwanis Way”.

Carolinas District Convention Report

Vice President Helen Devlin gave a consolidated report on the February 4/5 meeting. Included among program and discussion topics were: Ways to achieve membership growth and retention (make programs more interesting, target 18-year olds, women and minorities, and appoint greeters to welcome members and guests); reported the fastest growing area for Kiwanis world-wide: Asian/Pacific Area; and reflections on North Carolina life by principal speaker and author Bill Thompson as portrayed in his Sweet Tea, Fried Chicken and Lazy Dogs.

Announcements

· George Hemphill was the recipient of Rick Foster’s reverse birthday gift.

· Helen & Tom Devlin and Virginia & George Hemphill recently celebrated their wedding anniversaries–33 and 55 years, respectively.

· Al Lee used a Happy Buck and printed flyers to promote this year’s Random Acts of Kindness week.

· Margaret Sorrell announced our next Interclub meeting with the Western Catawba County Club at the Golden Corral, 12:00 noon Tuesday, March 15.

· Danny Seaver announced the HHS Key Club will attend its District Convention this weekend and compete for honors (the club will report participation in 59 projects and 3,760 service hours.

· Dr. Tom Warren commenced this year’s review of candidates for this summer’s 18 funded 4-H Camper slots.

· Helen Devlin is participating in the Junior Diabetes Society walk and invites your support.

Upcoming Programs and Other Events

March 15– Donna Ballenger speaking on her recent book about life in Washington DC

March 22–Jim Correll, Greater Hickory Classic Golf Tournament

March 29–John Norwood, Boy Scouts

April 5–CVCC Show Choir (to be confirmed)

May 13–Annual Kiwanis Golf Tournament, Brushy Mountain Golf Club, Taylorsville

July 2/6–Kiwanis International Convention, Honolulu, Hawaii

August 19/21–Carolinas Kiwanis District Convention, Charlotte, NC

The Quote:

“Let us so live that when we come to die, even the undertaker will be sorry”

–Mark Twain