WELCOME TO OUR NEW YEAR - 2013!
" KIWANIS IS A GLOBAL ORGANIZATION OF VOLUNTEERS DEDICATED TO CHANGINGTHE WORLD ONE CHILD AND ONE COMMUNITY AT A TIME."
The principle core of the Kiwanis mission is the belief that the most effective way to enhance a community is to enhance its children. When you give a child a chance to learn, experience, dream, and succeed, great things will happen. The three sponsored youth organizations that we sponsor do service for their school, home and community. The Lawrence Avenue K-Kids is the elementary school student organization for children from First (1st) grade to Fourth (4th) grade. The K-Kids meet on Thursdays after school. The Potsdam Key Club is the high school student-led organization for children from Ninth (9th) grade to Twelfth (12th) grade. The Key Club meets every Tuesday after school. And, our Circle K at Clarkson University is the student-led organization for college students, and they meet on Mondays at 7:00 pm. Every one of these organizations work separately, as well as together, to better our community and their school.
The Kiwanis Club of Potsdam started out as the service club that "picked up trash" and today we sponsor three youth organizations (above); we have "adopted a highway" from the P&C Plaza to the Pleasant Valley Road; we give trees to 2nd graders in Potsdam and Parishville Schools; we read and distribute books to the Head Start Program in the Potdsam Head Start, Parishville Head Start and Norwood Head Start; Books for Babies (distribute books to new born babies at Canton-Potsdam Hospital; Potsdam Holiday Fund (we put up the Giving Trees around Potsdam and many of our members are past/present board members); sponsor a Library Magazine; give out a 6th grade Citizenship Award to an AAK Middle School student; sponsor the Rag-A-Muffin Parade and the Santa Claus Parade; Diabetes Awareness program for elementary students; Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts volunteer (leaders and volunteers); food drives for the local food pantries; Coats for Kids (provide coats to any young girl or boy needs a coat); sponsor campers to Kamp Kiwanis, 4-H Camp, and Boy Scouts Camp; Support the Troops program; Summer Festival Fried Dough Booth; various Walk/Runs around the area; sponsorship of a hole for the Potsdam Helping Hands Golf Tournament; volunteer for Potsdam Helping Hands; maintenance of Cubley Park; donations to the Ronald McDonald House; volunteer at the local churchs; among other projects that come up once or twice. Even though the focus of Kiwanis is children, we do many things for the community and we are looking to expand our service into the elderly community.
The needs of young children are Priority One for Kiwanis. But those needs vary from country to country, and from community to community. Kiwanis urges local clubs to identify and act on the needs of young children within their communities. Crucial areas for Young Children:Priority One projects include: parent education and support; safety and pediatric trauma; childcare and development; and maternal and infant care.
Meeting Time
We meet every Tuesday, from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm at the Ponderosa Restaurant. Our board meetings will be the first Tuesday of every month.
HOME OF LT. GOVERNOR FOR ST. LAWRENCE DIVISION TWO YEARS RUNNING
The Kiwanis Club of Potsdam has the honor of being the home of the Lt. Governor for the St. Lawrence Division Kiwanis 2012-2013 under the direction of Richard Fancher. He is a transplant from another division, where her served his first term as Lt. Governor. The New York District Mid Winter Kiwanis Convention will be held in Albany, New York. The Lt. Governor banner will be staying in the Potsdam Kiwanis Club for this coming year.
POTSDAM'S NEW OFFICERS!
Our 2012-2013 officers will be starting their duties effect October 1st, 2012:
President Effa Sullivan
President-Elect Matthew Rollins
Secretary Carla Ingram
Treasurer JoAnn Gilbo
Board Members: Marylee Ballou, Tom Chappell, and Tim Virgil
EVERY DAY HERO
We choose an Every Day Hero - a member of our community who goes above and beyond volunteering and exemplifies the Objects of Kiwanis,
AWARDS
Past President's Award -we will be awarding our President, Dan Fritz a special thank you for serving as our president, but he just loves the job so much, but he is so very excited to have a replacement.
President Dan will be presenting several awards to our members. A few of these may be awarded, but it is up to the committee. Some of the awards are as following:
KIWANIAN OF THE YEAR
This is the most prestigious award given to a Kiwanian at the local level. This is presented to a Kiwanian who worked delegently on the majority of our projects and exemplifies the spirit of Kiwanis.
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
This award is presented to a Kiwanian who serves above and beyond the qualities of a Kiwanian.
SPIRIT OF KIWANIS
This award is presented to a Kiwanis member who upholds the objects of Kiwanis. They work in the background and are responsible for keeping the spirit of Kiwanis in the fore front of our purpose,
PERFECT ATTENDANCEOur Secretary keeps track of everyone's attendance. He/She goes through every meeting and marks everyone's attendance for the year. At the end, he/she counts the number of meetings that were missed and adds up all the projects each member attends and this gives us the perfect attendance award. I know that this does not seem possible , but there are a few of our members that are so devoted (okay - some of us theorize that we get perfect attendance because we have nothing more to do with our lives :o) to Kiwanis that they attend meetings and projects diligently.
LEGION OF MERITLegion of Merit signifies the number of years by 5 year markers for service to Kiwanis. After 25 years of service, it will be the Legion of Honor award.