2010 Circle K International Convention Preview

"Conventions Basics" Guide

Interested in learning more about New York District and Circle K International Conferences and Conventions? Check out our "Conventions Basics" guide put out by New York District Conferences and Conventions Committee by clicking here. We hope to see you in two weeks at DLSSP!

-Governor Michael

Awards and Pictures from LSSP/ICON

Hey NYCKI!

At the International Convention, we had several award winners from the New York District. I won the 2008-2009 Distinguished LTG Award, and LTG Yassin won the 2008-2009 Distinguished Committee Chair Award. Elmira College was also the first-place winner of the GEM Emerald Division Award. Congratulations!

And since the pictures from LSSP/ICON have finally been uploaded...

LTG Angela Cortese, Conferences and Conventions Co-Chair Maggie Bryant, and I assisted with the scraping and painting of a Habitat for Humanity house at LSSP.

Our group, "The Tigers", at Big Brothers Big Sisters, where we volunteered during LSSP.

Distinguished 2008-2009 LTGs (and current Governors) of Sub-Region F with International Representative Eric Hotchkiss. (L-R) Me, International Representative Eric Hotchkiss, Capital District Governor Avanti Kollaram, and New England District Governor Rich Henderson.

"Your Song" - Introducing the Circle K International President One Last Time

Some Quick ICON Updates

Hey Everyone,

I got back from ICON yesterday afternoon, so I'm gradually getting back in the swing of things. I just wanted to quickly update you with election results from ICON. On Friday, Jason Stewart of the Ohio District was elected Circle K International President, and on Saturday, JJ Sadler of the Illinois-Eastern Iowa District was elected Circle K International President. Sub-Region F does not have a new International Representative yet, but we will be following protocol to elect one in the next few weeks.

I also wanted to extend congratulations and thanks to Immediate-Past International President Kristen Reed and Immediate-Past International Representative Eric Hotchkiss, both of our district, on successful terms. Kristen and Eric have been endlessly helpful and supportive of us, and I could neither be more thankful of them nor ask for a better President and Representative. They have served our district and organization well, and I am proud to call them my friends.

In the next few days, I'll try to update you with some more information from LSSP and ICON.

Thanks!

-Governor Michael

Busy Day at ICON

Today, we did the Circle K Amazing Race, the last activity of LSSP. Afterwards, we came back to the hotel, and a few of us went to the CLE (Club Leadership Education) Training (basically training us to be trainers). Kandra Sejas, the CKI Specialist, led this program, and she did a great job and presented us with many good ideas.

After CLE Training, we were able to check into our new hotel rooms. By the time we had managed to check in, we had very little time left before the opening session of ICON, so we quickly rehearsed our district cheer several times. Following this, I went to the rehearsal (and used a teleprompter for the first time in my life!).

Tonight, I also had the honor of carrying the American Flag onto the stage for the singing of the National Anthem.

Following the opening session, I assisted with the STUFH table at the service fair. The New York table looked amazing. LTG Jo did a great job in constructing the bookcase scene to showcase our District Project's focus on the importance of literacy.

We have a lot to do tomorrow morning, including an International Council meeting at 8AM, so I should probably try to get some sleep.

-Governor Michael

On Termites and Transitions

The Circle K International Large Scale Service Project will conclude tomorrow, and the International Convention will be beginning immediately thereafter.

Right now, I am sitting in the lobby of the Sheraton Birmingham (3:22 AM in Central Time), and we've been busy working with Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Birmingham Zoo.

While working with Habitat for Humanity, our weather was less than ideal (by far). We endured a torrential downpour and blistering heat while attempting to scrape and paint a house. Unfortunately, when the rains started (repeatedly), the hard work we had done in painting was quite literally washed away.

While volunteering for Big Brothers Big Sisters, we cleaned out a storage area and helped fold and sort tee-shirts. In the end, I was given five BBBS shirts and a stuffed tiger golf club cover, which was very fitting, as my team name is "The Tigers".

At the Birmingham Zoo, we washed garbage cans, tables, benches, and a number of other surfaces. We also were assigned to dismantle and destroy a shed. I must say that swinging a sledgehammer into the front wall of a shed repeatedly is quite therapeutic, especially after a long day of hard work, but the presence of thousands of termites was definitely a detractor from the experience.

Tomorrow is Fellowship Day (well, at least the first part of the day). We will then be transitioning into ICON, so we've still got a few days left in the sweltering south - er - Magic City.

-Governor Michael

Off to Birmingham!

Greetings NYCKI!

Tomorrow morning, I'll be off to Birmingham for the Circle K Large Scale Service Project and International Convention. It should be a lot of fun. We'll be doing everything from volunteering at a zoo to electing a new International Board. I'll be back on the 9th, but I will try my best to provide an update while I'm away (I'm not saying that's going to happen, but I will try my best if time allows). In any case, I'll let you know all about it when I get back!

-Governor Michael

July Board Meeting Updates

Greetings!

The New York District Board met on Long Island last weekend (July 10^th to 12^th) for its summer board meeting, and we have some exciting updates!

This year's theme for New York Speaking (the weekend of October 30th to November 1st) is "It's A Service Life for Me!" In other words, we’ll be celebrating Halloween with a pirate theme and having a “Masqu-arrr-ade”!

I am also happy to announce that we have selected Charlotte Owens, a New York Circle K alum and a member of the Young Professionals of New York City Kiwanis, as our keynote speaker for New York Speaking. Charlotte is a former NYU Circle K member, a charter member of a Young Professionals Kiwanis, a Kiwanis Advisor to Key Club and Circle K, and an assistant district attorney in Kings County (Brooklyn), helping to keep the community a safer place.

We're still waiting to hear back from Kamp Kiwanis about whether we'll be able to have a clean-up/meeting there in September. Co-Conferences and Conventions Chairs Carolyn Frantz and Maggie Bryant will be looking into that.

We're also going to be placing a lot more focus on NYCKITV, so please continue submitting ideas for videos. If you'd like to make any on your own, please run them by me, and if they work out well, we can upload them to the YouTube channel.

In the next month or so, we'll also begin holding NYCKI online chats, and we'll try to hold them over the course of the year. They will focus on relevant topics over the course of the year.

I have selected LTG/Chair Josephine Lukito to serve as our Western Division Liaison, since she is the closest to the Western Division. She will keep in contact with the division until we find a Lieutenant Governor for the division.

For those attending ICON, our district shirts will cost $10 each, and our pins will be $3 apiece. OTIC Chair Kristen did an amazing job designing them! If you’re not attending ICON, don’t worry. We’ll be selling leftovers at New York Speaking! This is the design for our district pin, which centers around our Governor’s Project, “Neighborhood Nourishment: Feeding Our Friends and Families”:

We had a very successful meeting, and for that, I would like to extend thanks to some of the people who made the weekend possible.

I want to first thank Club Building Chair Kristin Leverone and her family for so graciously putting us up in their house for the weekend (in addition to feeding us dinner on Friday and breakfast on Saturday and Sunday!). I would also like to extend my thanks to LTG Rickie Santer and his family for arranging a meeting room for us at the Levittown Public Library and buying us lunch after the meeting on Saturday!

-Governor Michael

With District Treasurer Allison Jean Carruthers (left) and Club Building Chair Kristin Leverone.

ICON Committee Members

The following members of the New York District have been selected as committee members at this year's Circle K International Convention:

Matthew Carney, Credentials Committee
Jacquie Fable, Elections Committee
Josephine Lukito, Elections Committee
Imran Yassin, Credentials Committee
Michael Zebrowski, Elections Committee

Congratulations to all!

- Governor Michael

Call to ICON

Greetings New York District!

Get out your CKI tee-shirts, cameras, and dust off your dancin’ shoes – Circle K International's 54th Annual Convention is quickly approaching and it's sure to be a blast! Make sure your calendars are marked for August 5-8, 2009 and extend the invitation to all of the Kiwanis Family members you know.

The 2009 CKI Convention will take place in beautiful Birmingham, Alabama at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel. While in Birmingham there are countless attractions in the area including Vulcan Park, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Alabama Adventure, Birmingham Zoo, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, and the Civil Rights District. This year's CKI Convention brings many exciting opportunities for all CKI members to enjoy.

To help us celebrate our 54th Annual Convention we will be entertained and motivated by the vibrant motivational Speaker Scott Greenberg. In addition, every member will have an opportunity to learn more about district projects at the very popular Service Fair with a fantastic MAGIC theme and display school and sport spirit at the second ever CKI Tailgate party! Attendees will also have the opportunity to make a difference in the organization's future by developing leadership skills, learn more about CKI in a series of well planned workshops, vote on amendments to our CKI governing documents, and elect your new 2009-2010 International leaders.

Registration is located on www.circlek.org/convention and there you will find more information about the 3rd Annual CKI Blood Drive, necessary forms, and a promotional brochure with more highlights. Also, don't forget that your club can apply to receive Circle K International Awards!

Looking to do some service in the “Magic” city? You can come early from the 1st – 5th for CKI’s Large Scale Service Project. Some of the projects taking place include working with the Ramp Up Birmingham and the Birmingham Zoo. It's a fantastic opportunity to get to meet Circle K'ers from all over international and join hand in hand to make a difference in the host city for our International Convention. For registration information contact LSSP Chair Lukas Rix at sakul88@msn.com or attend the CKI LSSP Chat on June 21st.

If you need help coming up with fundraising ideas, sample letters to send to Kiwanis clubs, or help locating which Kiwanis Clubs are in your area to ask for funding to help pay for International Convention or LSSP please feel free to contact me anytime!

Pack your bags NYCKI - it's Alabama or bust! I look forward to seeing everyone as CKI unlocks the magic of service in the MAGIC city of Birmingham, Alabama!

Changing the World Together,
Kristen M. Reed
International President, Circle K International
OTIC Chair, New York District Circle K International