Issue #2: 2Q 2021-22
FL District Newsletter
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A MESSAGE FROM
2021-2022 Governor Harvey White
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Hi to The Mighty Florida District. We (Harvey and first daughter Abby) hope you all had a happy holiday season and first quarter of the Kiwanis year.
The Florida District did a great first quarter in growth this year. We chartered two new Kiwanis Clubs, four Key Clubs and two K-Kids Clubs. Plus we grew by 181 new club members. We still have a ways to go. Peter (the Kiwanis International President) wants to have nine new clubs this year.
If Joe Myers or your Lt. Governor gives you a call please give them a hand. I saw a lot of great service projects the first quarter in both Kiwanis Clubs as well as the SLPs. Kiwanis Clubs - please reach out to your SLPs to see if they need your help.
Remember, the Kiwanis International Convention is in June in Indianapolis. If your club does something great, please let Lew Matusow, District PR Chair or Ricky Reynolds, District Social Media Chair know so that they can let the world know.
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See you next quarter. Best regards from Harvey and Abby.
Sincerely,
Governor Harvey
561.262.4093
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FOLLOW EXPERIENCE
This is about Wil Blechman, a great Kiwanian!
Almost thirty years ago I was a Lt. Governor – Designate and I asked Wil for some advice. I asked him to give me one piece of advice as an incoming Lt. Governor. He gave me a piece of advice and I took that advice, used it, and it paid off many times over that year.
About a decade later I used the same bit of advice as Governor-Elect of the Florida District and again It paid off in spades, overwhelmingly.
Kiwanis leaders, seek successful leaders and ask for advice. Wil Blechman set a great example for all of us to follow.
‘DOING FOR OTHERS’
Bill Rushing
Governor of the Florida District of Kiwanis 2004-2005
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CARING CORNER:
Creating Tomorrow's Leaders
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This year’s Florida Kiwanis District Convention will be here before you know it. With it comes educational workshops; inspirational speakers, friends from near and far; and, of course, the Caring Corner.
This annual fundraiser directly supports our Service Leadership Programs here in the Florida District. We wish to maintain quality programs for the thousands of kids and adults in Aktion Club, CKI, Key Club, Builders Club and K-Kids by raising at least $50,000. Your club’s donation of $250 or more is key to the success of this event.
This year we introduced 3 levels of giving:
- Junior Builder ($250)
- Apprentice Builder ($500)
- Master Builder ($1000+)
Each club that contributes at least the $250 assessment will receive a Caring Corner banner patch based on their level of giving. Look for the invoice sent to your club or ask your Lieutenant Governor (LTG) for details.
Additionally, each LTG is challenged with assembling a basket from their Division for the Caring Corner showcase at the District Convention. If you have any in-kind items or donations you would like to contribute towards a basket, please share them with your LTG. These 30 to 40 prizes will be raffled or auctioned during the convention.
Yours in Service,
Jeremy and Prairy Riehl
2022 Caring Corner Chairs
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CBLECHMAN FUND REACHES FIRST MILESTONE
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FKF, Wil and Rachel Blechman Fund
celebrate, thanks donors
in reaching first milestone!
The Florida Kiwanis Foundation (FloridaKiwanisFoundation.org) is celebrating—and thanking countless donors—as it reached one of its key milestones for the Wil and Rachel Blechman Fund with more than $100,000 raised.
The fund, which supports Kiwanis projects which focus on children in the 0-5 age group, is named after former Kiwanis International President Dr. Wil Blechman who passed away in the Fall of 2021, and his wife, Rachel, two early childhood visionaries.
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The late Dr. Wil Blechman, former Kiwanis International President left, and his wife Rachel, right, have seen overwhelming support for the Florida Kiwanis Foundation’s Wil and Rachel Blechman Fund. In the Fund’s first full year, more than $100,000 was raised.
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“Our world changed rapidly the last two years as the Florida Kiwanis Foundation (FKF) launched the Wil and Rachel Blechman Fund, making our Florida Kiwanis community even more acutely aware of supporting early childhood initiatives,” said Florida Kiwanis Foundation Executive Director Alison Lauer. “With this in mind, FKF has witnessed an overwhelming amount of support of the Wil and Rachel Blechman Fund dedicated to Young Children Priority One and early childhood programs within the state of Florida. We are excited to announce that we broke the $100,000 mark which was one of our top goals.
“But to maintain our momentum and be able to provide more grants—and benefit more children—we still need the assistance of Kiwanians around the world.”
During its first year the fund provided three grants totaling more than $4,300 with that number expected to increase significantly in 2022. The grants were for: Play with Purpose Zoom Hands-On Workshop (Kiwanis Club of Melbourne), Community Library Project (Kiwanis Club of Lakeland), and Young Children Priority One Care Kits (Kiwanis Club of Big Lagoon Pensacola).
“When Wil and I began this fund, we wanted to make certain that it would have a solid financial footing for the future,” said Rachel Blechman. “We thought that $100,000 was needed to do that and I want to thank the donors—Kiwanians and non-Kiwanians alike—who have made this happen. Wil would have been thrilled with this milestone.”
“The Wil and Rachel Blechman Fund is what Kiwanis is all about and should be supported by Kiwanians, clubs and divisions throughout the District,” said Florida District Governor Harvey White. “Afterall, Kiwanis’ mission is helping kids and what better way than through the Florida Kiwanis Foundation and the Wil and Rachel Blechman Fund.”
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FLORIDA KIWANIS FOUNDATION
CELEBRATES ITS 50th ANNIVERSARY
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News From Your District Chairs |
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Greetings Florida Kiwanians!
I am excited to invite all of you to experience our Florida Key Club District Education and Leadership Conference (DCON) on April 21-24 in Daytona Beach, FL. This is an amazing 4-day event where over 2000 Key Club members and advisors come from all over the district.
If you have not been to a Key Club DCON, I highly recommend you come! We will have workshop sessions for our faculty and Kiwanis advisors.
You can register for the full conference at http://floridakeyclub.org/dcon. We are also offering a Kiwanis One Day pass for Saturday, April 23rd which includes access to all the sessions throughout the day, Lunch, and a ticket to our Governor's Banquet. The cost is $75. You can sign up for that option here: https://forms.gle/qE26kLynjY9vvTDF9.
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If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our DCON team at dcon@floridakeyclub.org. Hope to see you in April at Daytona!
Thank you for your service.
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Kiwanis Club of Lakeland
launches five unique ‘Kiwanis Learning Libraries’
with help from Blechman Fund
The Kiwanis Club of Lakeland, one of Central Florida’s most active community service organizations, recently launched five unique ‘Kiwanis Learning Libraries’ at Title 1 and At Risk schools in their area, thanks—in part—to a grant from the Florida Kiwanis Foundation’s Wil and Rachel Blechman Fund.
The program consists of five eye-catching, branded boxes—each holding 20-25 books—strategically placed throughout areas of need as identified by the Children’s Home Society. The message on the boxes is simple but strong: ‘Today a reader, tomorrow a leader.’
And the program is simple; kids just walk up to the ‘libraries’ and take a book home to read.
“We’re so proud of the program,” said Kiwanis Club of Lakeland’s Immediate Past President Jackye Maxey. “We’ve worked on this for a year, since I became president, and the additional funds ($1,500) from the Blechman Fund—and our unique partnership with the CHS—made it happen. We can now put books in the hands of the kids who need it the most.”
In addition to identifying areas of need for the Kiwanis Learning Libraries, including pre-schools, elementary schools and a location across the street from an affordable housing project, the Children’s Home Society will replenish books in each ‘library.’
The Kiwanis Club of Lakeland put in matching funds to help with the program and then added another ‘partner’ to the mix: USBorne Books and More who was helpful in identifying appropriate books for the program and made the club’s money go even further through its matching program. For clubs and organizations that purchase $250 or more worth of books, USBorne matches that amount in additional books.
One of the hurdles that faced the Lakeland club was its location—central Florida and its rain and humidity.
“We spent quite a bit of time testing and coming up with the right materials that would last in our climate,” said Kiwanis Club of Lakeland President Adam Hartley. “This program will be part of our club’s legacy in Central Florida for years to come.”
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Blake Elementary Principal, Dr. Myra Richardson, shows her students the first Kiwanis Learning Library.
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Kids from Blake Elementary proudly show their books they got from the Kiwanis Learning Library. With the students are members of the Blake administration, Children’s Home Society, and Kiwanis Club of Lakeland President Adam Hartley (third from right), and the club’s Immediate Past President, Jackye Maxey (second from right).
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According to Florida Kiwanis Foundation Executive Director Alison Lauer, the Lakeland club’s use of strategic partners should serve as a role model for other clubs.
“Lakeland did it right,” said Lauer. “They partnered with key organizations in Central Florida to help them execute the program perfectly. They found an organization that helped them identify areas of needs and was willing to restock the ‘libraries’, thus taking the burden off of club members. They also found a way to stretch their grant money and make it go further. They simply did it right.”
For more information on the Kiwanis Club of Lakeland’s Kiwanis Learning Library program, contact Maxey at jackyemaxey@gmail.com. |
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The Kiwanis Children’s Fund is the Kiwanis International foundation with a mission to develop resources that transform the goodwill and vision of Kiwanians into programs that serve the children of the world. We do this through raising funds, granting funds, providing services and resources to the clubs throughout the world. You may be familiar with the very successful IDD and Eliminate (MNT) programs, services for both continue globally.
The Children’s Fund is a resource for you. We can help you develop fundraising strategies, manage district and club foundations, apply for grants and more. We offer club and district grants that can benefit children in your community. We work in conjunction with our Florida Kiwanis Foundation, not in competition.
The Children’ Fund returns a percentage of annual, gift giving back to the District every year. This has funded the extremely popular Large Scale Service Project at District Convention, the food packaging, over the past few years.
We are extremely grateful for all donations. We especially thank all the clubs that have continuously budgeted their annual donations. For simplicity in the future, the Children’s Fund is in the process of changing to a per club suggested donation of $365, but we realize you may have budgeted as in the past and are happy with whatever amount works for your club. Please note: This year, International President Peter Mancuso has included a $10 per member donation in his distinguished criteria.
Please mail all donations to Allen Yergovich, District Chair
433 76th Avenue
St Pete Beach, FL 33706
Or give to your Lt Governor or Florida Foundation Trustee for bulk mailing.
Thank you all for all that you do!
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Cypress Lake Middle School’s leadership club, Kiwanis Builders Club, recently held a Toy Drive for Golisano Children’s Hospital and donated over 250 toys! The students held a class contest for collecting the most toys, and Ms. Wendland’s class was declared the winner! Mrs. Farwa Ahmed is the school’s Builders Club Faculty Advisor, and Barbara Hartman is the Kiwanis Advisor from the Fort Myers Metro-McGregor Kiwanis Club in Florida. |
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FEBRUARY
1 Kiwanis Children's Fund scholarship deadline - Key Club & CKI students
1 Legacy of Play H2O contest opens
21-25 K-Kids Week
25 Registration for Kiwanis Amplify closes
MARCH
7-11 Aktion Club Week
21-25 Builders Club Week
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