KiwaNews: Mar. 8, 2007

By: Bob Carpenter, Secretary     941/629-5238    carp813@comcast.net 

 ¨  CLUB RECEIVES SEVERAL HONORS: Last weekend, Joan Greene, Sheryl Flavin and I attended the Kiwanis District Mid-Winter Conference in Plantation. Besides great training sessions, the 2005-06 Kiwanis Awards were presented and our Club did very well; we got:

Distinguished Club, Distinguished President (Jack Welch), and Distinguished Secretary (Bob Carpenter). I am very proud that this is my 19th DS award that no other Secretary in all of Kiwanis has ever achieved, thanks to a great club. We also got First Place in Club Bulletin/Newsletter; Participation in Kiwanis Caring Corner, and Interclub chair Bill Kopp got us 3 honors, 100% Membership Participation, Round Robin (going to every Div-18S club), and First Place in Interclub Relations.

¨  NEW MEMBER: Please welcome Bibi Ullah whose sponsor is Linda Boehm. Bibi was born in London and works at CC YMCA. She has been assigned to YCPO committee. Please add her e-mail to our list which is bullah@charlottecountyymca.com. Bibi’s husband is Farook.

¨  CLUB ELECTIONS APRIL 19; NOMINATIONS NEEDED: I sent members an e-mail this week seeking members interested in being nominated for club Director and Vice President. The VP would join the Board Oct. 1, 2007 and would move up to be President in 2009-10. Directors would serve 3 years starting Oct. 1, 2007. Sheryl Flavin follows Pedro, then Gene Murtha, and then whoever is elected as VP. Please let me know if you are interested in Director or VP position and I’ll pass on to the Nominations Committee. The Board must approve nominations Apr. 3.

¨  SNOW FENCE CREW NEEDS 6 FOR CROWD CONTROL: Bob Naylor reports that we have another easy fund raiser presented to us again. He needs a crew for setup Friday, Mar. 16 at Gilchrist Park to install fencing for the Peace River National Art Festival. Exact times will be announced at the Mar. 15 Kiwanis meeting. This event is being held by the Visual Arts Center of Punta Gorda. See Bob to sign up now. Take down is Sunday, Mar. 18.

¨  MEMBERSHIP DRIVE: Chairwoman Robin Lindecamp will be setting up a Membership Drive table Friday, Mar. 9, from 9am-2pm at the PG Tentatorium. Rose Ramsey said she’d help man the table, and a couple more are needed. Please see Robin or Rose today.

¨  RESIGNATION: We were saddened to learn that Nancy Vollmer has resigned from the Club. She has a weekly conflict with business meetings. She said if and when that situation changes, she’d be ecstatic to become a member again. We’ll miss her.

¨  KIWANIS FAMILY KAR SHOW: Sam Harris says he has tentatively set Feb. 23, 2008 for next years show. It’ll be our 3rd Kar Show and successful fund raiser.

¨  CHS KEY CLUB NEWS: Last week, SY Chair JJ Gerow brought the Key Club Treasurer Luzmayris Cruz. JJ passed the hat to get funds to send Key Clubbers to District Convention and members tossed in around $300.

¨  AQUI ESTA CLEANUP: CS’s cleanup on Aqui Esta is Saturday, Mar. 10. Chair Marilyn Larkin asks members/guests to meet at Bill Klossner’s church at 8:30am. Bring gloves!

¨  CENTRAL FLORIDA TORNADO RELIEF: Last week, Pres. Pedro authorized $500 discretionary funds to the Florida District Kiwanis Foundation to assist counties hit by the killer tornados recently. The FDKF will administer the funds to counties in need. Last weekend, I went to the Mid-Winter Conference in Plantation with Joan and Sheryl and gave the check to FDKF Exec. Dir. Garth and he thanked us for the donation.

¨  REMINDER: Monthly Greeter is John Fersner for March, and Simon Denova signed up for April.

¨  CHECK PRESENTATIONS: Last week Dr. Bob Andrews presented checks to Joan Andrews of HIP and a check to member Marilyn Larkin for another hearing agency. Sorry, I couldn’t write fast enough.

¨  PORT CHARLOTTE KIWANIS FUNDRAISER (INTERCLUB): Port Charlotte Club President Robert Talley told me they’ve sold 150 tickets and 15 were from our club for a special noon meeting Tuesday, Mar. 13 at Outback. Advance tickets ONLY are $10 (none at the door) you get a steak lunch and great fellowship. Sheryl Flavin has tickets which are a must. With 4, you get Interclub!

¨  ANNUAL BOY SCOUT CAMPAIGN: We’d like to wrap up the annual BSA Friends of Scouting fund raiser to help our local Boy Scout Council and support the Scout Camp in Charlotte County. Pledge cards were issued; please send or give to me a check payable to “BSA” (keep the small stub for a tax deduction). Or, return to me your pledge card and mark when you want the Scout Office to send an invoice. We have collected or pledges of 6,180 toward the $7,800 goal.

Those who want to donate directly to local scouting groups instead of the Council campaign, a reserve account was set up with the Youth Services. These funds will be allocated by YS upon request by local scout organizations. Please give your check directly to YS Chair Sam Summers, payable to “ Punta Gorda Kiwanis.”

¨  PNM LIST: Did you bring a PNM to lunch? Chair Robin Lindecamp said the next PNM Education Lunch is Tuesday, Apr. 3, 11:30 a.m. at River City Grille. Applications are needed for Bobby Diehl (Harris); Mark Geach (Ginter) and Julius Palmero (Rooney), Rob Hancock (Naylor) and Ed Miller (Hicks).

¨  DIVISION-18S PRAYER BREAKFAST: This annual event will be held Saturday, April 21, 8am at the Port Charlotte Elks Club.

¨  TODAY’s PROGRAM: CC Red Fish Baseball, speakers are Michelle Greed and Andy.

¨  LAST WEEK: Ass’t Punta Gorda City Manager Kathleen Dailey spoke on the Punta Gorda overview. Great and informative.

¨  SPEAKERS: March co-chairs are Walt Evans and Emily Henson: Mar. 15, Dr. John Moss on “The Eyes of March;” Mar. 22, TBA; Mar. 29, TBA. Speaker Monthly Chairs ahead are: April, Rose Ramsey; May, Marilyn Larkin; June, Robin Lindecamp; July, Kaley Miller; Aug., Gene Murtha; Sept., Bruce Hughes.

¨  BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARYS LAST WEEK: None.

¨  WELCOME BACK LAST WEEK: Eddie Webb, Bethani Shilladay, Mickey Melton, Judy Anderson and Jim Levell. Plus, Snowbird from Lafayette, Indiana, Russ Portman.

¨  GUESTS: Joan Andrews, Carlton Marlow, Bob Miller, Bibi Ullah, Luzmayris Cruz (Key Club) and Russ Portman.

¨  50/50 WINNER: $61, Brad Walden.

¨  PUNTA GORDA POSTER: Ralph Jordan is chair and has a great gift idea. You can get one at Nolan Family Insurance, Cayo Costa Dental, SunTrust (318 Tamiami Tr./Emily’s office), Bill Martin State Farm Insurance, Peace River Wildlife Center, C.C. Chamber (Punta Gorda Office), P.G. Chamber, and Accurate Accounting (Joan Greene’s office). Local artist Ron Bates donated his 16x24 color poster artwork to our Club as a fund raiser.

¨  ALUMINUM CANS: Members are asked by Community Service to bring aluminum cans for The Peace River Wildlife Center. Please double-bagged cans and put in Dan Garrett’s car.

¨  CELL PHONES: Community Service is still collecting used cell phones then given to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. They are deprogrammed and can only call directly to 9-1-1. They are given to groups like CARE and distributed to abused women to get help if the need help. Please bring your phone and charger; give to Roger Enger.