Hello Lisa,

Welcome to The Kiwanian, the newsletter for the Nebraska-Iowa Kiwanis District. Please feel free to share this issue with potential new members or make a copy for those who don't have email. An online link to this newsletter will be made available on the District Website.

QUICK LINKS

I also know some clubs are struggling to grow or to maintain. Please reach out to the district for help.

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to spend a Saturday with the Circle K International (CKI) members at their fall rally in Omaha. It was so uplifting to serve alongside 29 college students at the Open Mission in Omaha. I look forward to more time with our other SLPs as they have activities.

So let’s continue our push to grow our Kiwanis family and show others what it means to serve the children of the world.

Gov. John E. Boltz

Achievement Award Applications Due Dec. 1

Applications for the 2023-2024 Achievement Awards (formerly MidYear Awards) are being accepted through Dec. 1. This is the time to get recognized for Exemplary Club, Outstanding Secretary or efforts in Interclub/Fellowship this past Kiwanis year.

These awards are only being accepted electronically this year. Find the criteria and application form at the link above and submit to the district office by email by Dec. 1.

AYYY! WHOA! Registration Open For Pittsburgh

You do not want to miss this year's Kiwanis International Convention in Pittsburgh June 25-28, 2025. In addition to a lot of great education sessions, one of the featured speakers will be Henry Winkler. Yes, the "The Fonz" will be at convention. Not only did Winkler play this still recognizable role on the long-running TV show "Happy Days", he is also an award-winning producer and director of family and children’s programming. 

Other great features of the convention will be Club Stories, Possibility Project, Membership Chair Huddles, Generation XYZ, SLP Showcase, Rooftop Gathering, Annual Business Meeting and Roaring 20s Gala.

Convention registration and hotel reservations (Nebraska-Iowa District's preferred hotel is the Embassy Suites) are now open.

Take a look at the convention information HERE!

Did You Miss It?

The Nebraska-Iowa District kicked off this year's Club Leadership Chats with sessions in both October and November.

The October CLC was general information for all club members. In November, club secretaries gathered virtually for information, education and idea sharing.

If you were not able to attend either of these sessions, or did attend and wanted to review, check out the District's YouTube channel for meeting recordings.

The CLC series will resume in January with a focus on club presidents.

Register for 7 p.m., Jan. 13 Zoom meeting at this LINK

District Foundation Report

By District Foundation Immediate Past President Jody Melcher

This is a report on the last quarterly meeting of the Nebraska-Iowa Kiwanis District Foundation Board. We met on Oct. 9, 2024. We had five grant requests to look at. Three were funded at least partially. The Mason City-River City club was granted funds to wrap a trailer used to transport equipment to activities. It will serve as an advertisement for the club and SLPs. The Kiwanis Club of Southwest Omaha received funding for its Food for the Holidays project. The third grant approved was a joint ask from the two Storm Lake Kiwanis clubs. Funds will be used for a picnic shelter and new basketball standard at Kiwanis Park. 

We discussed training for new members of our Foundation Board and that was scheduled that for Nov. 12.

Financials were also presented and discussed. 

We welcomed new board member Rachel Bly. She is a member of the new Greater Grinnell Kiwanis Club. She will represent Division 10 on the board.  We are so happy to have a trustee in Division 10 again. The position has been open for quite a few years.

Please remember how important it is to have a board trustee from each division. When a club wants to request a grant, it should be shared with the division trustee. If the trustee knows about the grant and has answers to questions that may come up, it helps the rest of the board decide about funding. The trustee can help make sure everything that is supposed to be included is in the request. That person can also tell you if your request fits the parameters of a viable grant. Divisions without a trustee are 2, 5. 24 and 25. If you are a member of one of these divisions, please consider joining us..

The Possibility Project is off to a great start! Thanks to all of your clubs that have welcomed your area Possibility Project champion to your meetings to learn more about this new Kiwanis Children’s Fund project.  

Leadership Directory

The 2024-2025 District Leadership Directory was printed in late October and mailed to club presidents and secretaries. A few additional copies were printed and will be handed out to new clubs as well as made available at district events.

An electronic version of the directory is no longer available on the website, as it was a target for scammers to find district leader email addresses.

A pdf of the directory can be downloaded and saved by clicking on the button below.

Lend A Helping Hand, and Ideas Too

The planning committees for two annual events in the District are being assembled and your ideas can make the difference. More committee members are needed for the March Leadership Retreat and the August District Convention.

The 2025 District Leadership Retreat will be held March 29, 2025 in York, Nebraska at Best Western Hotel and Conference Center. If you are interested in helping to plan and work with this event, contact Committee Chair Jen Barker, bball_husker00@hotmail.com.

The 2025 District Convention will be held Aug. 1 and 2, 2025 in Lincoln, Nebraska at The Graduate. If you would like to lend yourself to this annual event, contact Committee Chair Kathy Schultz, kathys@hastingskiwanis.org

Tomorrow's Leaders Fund

Did you know the Nebraska-Iowa District, in cooperation with the Nebraska-Iowa District Foundation, has a special fund designated to support our leaders of tomorrow?

The Tomorrow's Leaders Fund is not a new fund, but one that has been in existence for many years. It is a resource for our Service Leadership Programs (SLPs).

SLP clubs are important to the Kiwanis family, and this fund is a way that Kiwanis clubs can show their support, even if they can't sponsor a SLP.

Each Kiwanis club in the District that does not sponsor a K-Kids Club, Builders Club, Key Club, or Circle K International (CKI) club is asked to contribute one dollar ($1) per member every year to the Tomorrow’s Leaders Fund.

Any other clubs who wish to assist the District’s Service Leadership Programs are likewise encouraged to donate.

Contributions to Tomorrow's Leaders Fund go to the District Foundation.

The Foundation maintains this fund as a separate account/line item. 

When the administrators of K-Kids, Builders Clubs, Key Clubs, or CKI clubs find financial resources are needed, he or she can make a request to the Nebraska-Iowa District governor for funds from the Tomorrow’s Leaders Fund. Upon approval by the governor, the Nebraska-Iowa Kiwanis District Foundation may disburse the authorized funds.

Kiwanis clubs that contribute to the Tomorrow's Leader Fund will be given credit for the support of Service Leadership Programs.

Contributions may be sent to Foundation Treasurer Lonnie Shumate, with a note designating the money for the Tomorrow’s Leaders Fund.

NEBRASKA-IOWA KIWANIS DISTRICT

402-430-9647

nikiwanisdistrict@gmail.com