Capital Courier Volume 53 I Issue 1 I May 2014

Table of Contents

2

Page 3 - Governor’s Message

Page 4 - Introduction to the 2014-2015 Capital District Board

Page 9 - Key Club Governor’s Message

Page 10 - Kiwanis Governor’s Message

Page 11 - District Administrator Jen’s Message

Page 12 - Message from the Sub-Region F International Trustee

Page 13 - CKI Leadership Academy

Page 14 - International Convention

Page 16 - Capital District Kiwanis Family News

Page 17 - News from around Capital District CKI

Page 24 - District Committees

Page 26 - 2014-2015 Capital District Goals

Page 27 - The Eliminate Project Update

Page 28 - Save the Dates

Page 29 - Contact Information

Greetings from your District Governor Ben Romano

Greetings Capital Crabs! My name is Ben Romano, and I have the pleasure of serving as the 2014-2015 Capital District Governor. I am extremely excited, and can’t wait to share this experience with all of the members of our Kiwanis Family. We have a great year ahead of us, and I hope you all are as excited as I am. little about me: I am finishing my sophomore year at Virginia Tech, down in the far southwest of our District. I am studying Chemical Engineer-ing, and hope to go into medical applications when I graduate. I originally come from New Jersey, but have come to call the Capital District my home. Hopefully all of you have survived the end of the semester! I know finals can be a rough time, but you’ve made it through the worst. Now it’s

time for the summer, we can all take a break from school! However, even though it’s summer time, I really encourage you to keep in mind why you dedicate your time to the spirit of service that Circle K pro-motes. We all come back each year for different reasons, but the results are the same; we better our com-munities and have a positive impact on the world around us. In April, the District Board met for our District Officer Training Conference, to make sure that our board is better prepared to serve you and the entire District. While we were there, we decided on our Dis-trict Goals. Many of the goals are quite ambitious, but there were created with the ideas of the entire dis-trict in mind. We created goals to take us back to the roots of Circle K; increased service hours, high fund-raising totals, and strong clubs. Capital District is amazing, and I expect great things out of all of you. Please check out the goals later in this edition of the Capital Courier. As a District Board, we hope that every mem-ber will do their part to help us achieve our goals. As District Governor, I really hope to be able to work with as many member of our district as possi-ble. My number one goal is to increase fellowship in our District by encouraging interclub activities. I will be working with your Lt. Governors to help offer a larger number of divisional and district events, but I also strongly encourage you to take this upon yourself. Circle K is the only organization of its kind because of the fact that it extends far beyond the club level. Your new best friend may be in a neighboring Circle K club! So take a chance, and organize an interclub with some of the surrounding clubs. I promise you won’t regret it. I look forward to an amazing year serving as your District Governor. I know we can and will do ex-traordinary things. Yours in Service,

Benjamin Romano Capital District Governor

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Introducing the 2014-2015 District Board

Nicole Tardif

District Secretary-Treasurer

Cory Fore

District Editor

Hello Capital Dis-trict! My name is Nicole Tardif and I am your new District Secretary-Treasurer. This is my third year in Circle K and sev-enth in the Kiwa-

nis Family. Last year I served as the CDCKI Kiwanis Family Relations and Sister Dis-tricts Committee Chair. I am also currently still serving as the K-Kids Ambassador on the Kiwanis Family Relations International Committee. I am a junior at the University of Mary Washington double majoring in Business Administration and Political Sci-ence. As DST, I hope to provide helpful resources on fundraising for clubs and im-prove monthly report forms accuracy and timeliness for the district. These goals will best be met through creating a meaning-ful relationship with my Kiwanis and Key Club counterparts to provide joint re-sources for all of Capital. If anyone has any questions or concerns, I am always available!

Hello Capital

Crabs! My

name is Cory

Fore and I am

excited and

proud to serve

as the 2014-

2015 District

Editor. I am no stranger to the Kiwanis

Family as I was in Key Club for four years

in high school . I was even on the Key

Club District Board right here in Capital! I

am currently a Freshmen at Randolph-

Macon College in the Metro-Richmond

Division! I am majoring in Communica-

tion Studies and minoring in Asian Stud-

ies. Throughout my term as District Edi-

tor, I want to publish five informative

and visually appealing Capital Couriers,

and serve as a resource for the Club Edi-

tors and other Club officers. I also want

to increase collaboration with my Kiwanis

and Key Club counterparts to help create

a more unified Capital District Kiwanis

Family!

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Sarah Sakany

LTG Tidewater

Calvin Charles

LTG Foothills

Hello Capital District! I am Sarah Sakany, the Tidewater Lt. Governor. I am a ris-ing junior at the Col-lege of William and Mary and have loved being a part of CKI

since I joined at the beginning of last year. The Tidewater region includes the fantastic clubs of Christopher Newport University, William and Mary, Tidewater Community College- Portsmouth, and Old Dominion Uni-versity. My major goal for the upcoming year is to promote unity within the division, by holding divisionals and joint events, so that each club can benefit from the strengths of the others. In addition, I hope to strengthen Kiwanis Family Bonds within the division by increasing communication and collaboration with all members of the K-family. By achiev-ing these goals, the Tidewater division will be positioned to contribute to the larger dis-trict goals, with particular emphasis placed on successfully concluding the Eliminate Pro-ject. I am looking forward to a great year and am excited to work with everyone in the Capital District!

Hello,

My name is Calvin J

Charles III. I am a ris-

ing junior at Hamp-

den-Sydney College.

I am an Economics

and Business Major, with a minor in public

service. I will be the Lt. Governor of the

Foothills division for the 2013-2015 school

year. I am approachable and very easy go-

ing. I am open minded and prepared to

help the clubs in any way that I can. I hope

to grow a personal relationship with as

many clubs as possible.

My main goal for this year is to increase

the amount of interaction between the

clubs within my division. I would like to

see the clubs relationships with one an-

other grow further than interclub service. I

would also like to make sure I visit every

club that I can, in and out of my division. I

truly hope that this will be a fun year, full

of fellowship, service, and leadership. I

look forward to having a great year with

you all.

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Josie Grant

LTG Presidential

Tippy Tongvichit

LTG Metro-Richmond

Hi, Capital District!

I had a blast getting to

know some of you at

Spring Officer Training! for

those of you who I did not

meet, I am Josie Grant and

am excited to be serving as

the Presidential Lieutenant

Governor! I am currently a rising sophomore at Shen-

andoah University in Winchester, majoring in nursing!

But, I am from Maryland. The Kiwanis family, especial-

ly Capital District Kiwanis family, has been very near

and dear to my heart since I was a freshman in high

school. During my senior year in high school, I was Di-

vision 9 Lieutenant Governor serving 15 Key Clubs in

Western Maryland. A little bit about myself outside of

Kiwanis: I started my own foundation benefiting pedi-

atric patients at my local hospital, Carroll Hospital Cen-

ter: Josie’s Smiles for Pediatrics, raising donations of

over $31,000! Both Key Club and Kiwanis had a HUGE

part of helping my foundation grow to benefit Johns

Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore, MD, by gather-

ing another $8,000 for their young patients and fami-

lies. I love providing service in many other ways, too,

from breast cancer walks to volunteering at a nursing

home, and more! Additionally, I work part-time as a

Med-Surg Patient Care Tech at my local hospital.

Some of my goals this year are to help increase

K-Family relations and increase membership. My main

goal is to make a difference in your life while watching

you make a difference in others’ lives.

Thank you so much for all that you already do, I can’t

wait to work and meet with all of you this year!

Hello Capital District!

My name is Tippy Tongvichit and I will be serving as the Metro-Richmond Division Lieutenant Gov-ernor this year! I am from Freder-icksburg, Virginia where I spend most of my summers volunteering at my local hospital and cuddling with my puppy. My secondary home is Virginia Commonwealth

University where I will be a senior this fall. I am a Clinical Labor-atory Sciences major (the folks that do your blood work!) on a pre-medical track. As an aspiring neonatologist, I have truly hit the jackpot with some of CKI’s preferred charities being March of Dimes and the Eliminate Project! My favorite service activities are ones where I get to make children’s lives a little better! I love the events my CKI club puts on for our K-kids who attend a pri-vate, donation-funded school for low-income children in the Greater Richmond area because I know we are able to provide them with a fun experience they may not have gotten at home otherwise. I have also had the privilege to volunteer with these same K-kids through the Teach UNICEF program with the award -winning UNICEF@VCU club where I got to help plan and lead after-school enrichment classes that taught the students every-thing from world culture to water conservation through fun ac-tivities and games.

My favorite things are my puppy, Chipotle, and warm hugs. When I am not studying my brains out or volunteering, I am most likely watching Netflix while cuddling a Chipotle burrito bowl. Every now and then I try to make my friends cuddle me but we usually end up watching Netflix and eating pizza sans cuddles. If I’m feeling adventurous, you can find me on Belle Isle being one with the James river. I also love arts and crafts, espe-cially knitting!

From my very first day in the Kiwanis family, I knew I had joined a very special organization full of friendly, compassionate peo-ple and it has made me want to make bettering myself and serv-ing others a priority throughout my college experience. I’ve met my very best college friends in CKI and I have loved getting to meet members in the capital district (and giving them hugs!) as well as making CKI friends across the globe. This year will be my fourth and final year as a CKI member and I am looking to make it the best one yet!

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Diane Corish

LTG NoVA

Vy Tran

LTG Battlefield

Hi everyone!

I am currently a stu-dent attending the University of Mary-land, College Park with pursuits to study Fi-nance. I have held an eclectic variety of leadership positions in

the past, delivered my high school graduation speech at DAR Constitution Hall, and worked 3 jobs concurrently.

I joined Circle K International after being a member of Key Club for 3 years. I joined because it honestly makes me happy to generate happiness in others. I absolutely love community service, family, and friends! My friends describe me as being hardwork-ing and bubbly. I'm very friendly and approachable, so please never hesitate to say hello!

As the Battlefield Division Lieutenant Governor for the 2014-2015 CKI year, I intend to support the CKI chapters of my division (University of Maryland, Anne Arundel Community College, and Hood Col-lege) in every way that I possibly can. However, I also intend to reach out to other clubs and support them to the best of my ability; after all, we are all a family.

As for goals during my term, I intend to improve the communication between me and individual chapters in order to provide them with guidance and necessary resources to be successful. I strive to increase membership, provide many interclub and K-Family opportunities, and most importantly, to promote service.

My name is Diane Corish and I will be the NoVA Lieutenant Gover-nor for the 2014-2015 CKI Year. I am very new to CKI, but I chose to dive into this organiza-tion because of the wonderful people I met within the first month

and the joy from serving. My major is Communication and I study at George Mason University. I am interest-ed in career in Human Resources upon graduating next spring. My family and friends mean everything to me and are a large part of my life. I can be rather in-troverted so some of my favorite things include listen-ing to music, watching movies (particularly sci-fi), reading, doing outdoor activities, or being an amateur guitar player. This absolutely does not mean that I don’t like socializing and I look forward to meeting as many people in CKI as possible.

My goals for this year include, strengthening the clubs in the NoVA division to the best of my abil-ity. To do this, I plan to help clubs utilize their school’s resources such as welcome weeks or other events where they can promote their club. I also plan to make the division more cohesive through divisionals. I would like to do community service outdoors so as to accommodate for as many people who would want to come. Something that I want to keep in mind this whole year is that I am here to help the clubs achieve their goals. I want them to thrive, but it is important not to step on toes and to be there for them as a re-source for important information. To do this I will write a monthly newsletter. Another thing that will help me achieve this is open communication.

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Sara Case

LTG Susquehanna

Allee Clark

LTG Potomac

Hi Capital Crabs! My

name is Sara Case, and

I am the 2014-2015

Lieutenant Governor of

the brand new Susque-

hanna Division of our

wonderful Capital Dis-

trict, which includes

Towson University,

University of Delaware, and John's Hopkins Uni-

versity. I am a nursing student from the Universi-

ty of Delaware, and am so excited to serve as an

LTG this year. In the upcoming I am hoping to

have at least two interdivisional events a semes-

ter. I would also like to be a resource for anyone

in the division who needs me! Susquehanna is a

new division, so we need to show our CKI pride.

This year we want all of our clubs to increase

their membership and service hours, as well as

Kiwanis Family hours. To insure that is happen-

ing I will be visiting your clubs and helping out

with these goals in any way I can! Please feel

free to contact me any time, and let me know if

you are having a summer planning meeting so I

can try to make it! Looking forward to working

with you all!

I was born and raised in

Philadelphia and I am

currently a student at

Howard University

working towards be-

coming a Software Engi-

neer. From there I want

to attend Law school in

hopes to become a Patent Attorney. During High

school, my activities were many. I participated in

National Youth Leadership Forum, Sports Car Club

of America, my local church’s Deacon Board, and I

served as a Judge for my schools Supreme Court.

Despite many of my interests, I pride myself on

being a self-professed foodie. Beginning of my

sophomore year in college, my best friend intro-

duced me to Circle K International were I immedi-

ately found interest and love. My favorite Circle K

activities at Howard include hosting a food drive

for the homeless or participating at KEEN DC, help-

ing kids with disabilities staying fit and active.

When I am not volunteering, or at school, I enjoy

spending my time traveling or listening to music. I

also spend a great deal of time mentoring my

younger cousin. My goals for term as LT. Governor

of the Potomac Division include promoting and

increasing more participation in K family events.

Another goal I have is to raise more money for The

Eliminate Project this year. Last but not least in-

creasing leadership for the District.

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Key Club District Governor Anastasia Slepukhova Hey there Capital CKIers! My name is Anastasia Slepukhova and I am ecstatic to be able to serve the Capi-

tal District of Key Club International as Governor for the 2014-2015 service year. I make Burke, Virginia

my home where I attend Lake Braddock Secondary and play lacrosse and shoot an air rifle. I have been

with the Kiwanis Family for two years and I am constantly amazed by the individuals I have met. We are

truly a unique organization because no matter where in life an individual is- they have the opportunity to

serve a unique role in their community and in the Kiwanis family.

This year, the Capital District Key Club Board is determined to make this the best service year the District

has ever seen, but we can’t do it alone! Your District Governor, Ben Romano and I have been working

very closely to increase the family relations this year, and we are making it one of our top priorities. From

attending your DCON this year, I know just how much spirit you all have, I am proud to say that Key Club-

bers are just as passionate and twice as loud! Can you imagine what great things would come out if we

worked alongside each other? I certainly can!

This service year I challenge each of you to work with local Key Clubs around you and plan events togeth-

er! Take the opportunity to get to know them and build friendships. You would be surprised just how

much influence you can have on a high schooler. At this age we tend to not listen nor connect with the

older adults that resemble our parents so having college aged kids as our mentors can be really helpful!

You would also be doing some great service to Circle K International by influencing them to join in col-

lege! As an added bonus good relationships with your corresponding Kiwanis Family counterparts can

help you get nominated for the Dale Larson Kiwanis Family Award at your Annual District Convention.

You can start today by applying for a Key Club Pen Pal here http://goo.gl/9pDxWJ!

Aside from doing service projects together and volunteering, there will be plenty of opportunities

throughout the year to relax and have fun! One of the biggest and most exciting events we have planned

for this service year is the Annual Key Club Fall Rally. This year we are going to be gathering at Kings Do-

minion Amusement Park on October 18- save the date! You are also welcome to attend the Nationals

game vs the Atlanta Braves which will take place June 20th at 7:30pm. Tickets are only $20, four of which

will go directly to the Eliminate Project! You can order your tickets

here http://goo.gl/0w7WWx by May 15th. Hope to see you there!

The Capital District Key Club Board has officially set our District Pro-

ject to be Eliminate, and we made a goal of $80,000. This might

seem ambitious, but who doesn't like a good challenge? We are de-

termined to save the connection between mothers and babies but

we can’t do it alone. We need to work together with the entire Ki-

wanis Family to make it happen! Let’s give the 100th year anniver-

sary of Kiwanis International a meaning- a warm family welcome.

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Kiwanis District Governor Brian Bell Hi, I am Brian Bell, Capital District Governor Elect for 2013-14. I welcome this opportunity to introduce myself and

talk about the exciting year coming up for all of us. In 2014-15, Kiwanis will celebrate its 100th Anniversary of ser-

vice and commitment to our communities and our youth. Kiwanis was founded on January 21, 1915, and became

an international organization in 1916 with the addition of the Kiwanis Club of Hamilton, Ontario. However, Kiwa-

nis limited its membership to the United States and Canada until 1962, when worldwide expansion was ap-

proved. (Incidentally, I was then in Key Club.) Until 1987, Kiwanis was a male-only organization, but after years of

debate and growing support, women’s membership was received overwhelmingly. Kiwanis now has over 230,000

adult members in over 8,300 clubs in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. When we add the nearly

350,000 Service Leadership Program (SLP) members, the Kiwanis family swells to over 580,000 members. Each

year Kiwanis clubs raise more than $100 million and provide more than 6 million hours of service.

CKI, of course, is the premier university service organization in the world with over 13,000 members in 17 nations

worldwide, providing more than 500,000 service hours annually. I had the privilege of attending your Capital Dis-

trict DCON in February and installing your officers and board. You have a fantastic leadership team led by Gover-

nor Ben Romano. I know that Ben brings great enthusiasm, spirit and initiative to his role as Capital District CKI

Governor, and I look forward to working with Ben and your District Board.

I have some exciting news. At their April meeting, the Kiwanis International Board accepted a recommendation

from the Bridge the Gap committee that affects those students leaving our Service Leadership Programs. All mem-

bers of Key Club International and Circle K International who are 18 years and older will become associate Kiwanis

members upon completion of their time with KCI or CKI. You will automatically be enrolled into the Key Club or

Circle K alumni groups. You previously had to opt in to join the groups. There is no cost to be an associate mem-

ber, but the benefit to the Kiwanis global network of service will be immense. As associate members, you will re-

ceive special invitations to participate in service projects and attend certain events. We hope this strengthened

connection to Kiwanis will encourage you to continue a life of service with our organization.

Regarding my District Goals for 2014-15, our theme will be “Celebrate: Reflect, Refresh. Renew”. We should re-

flect on 100 years of Kiwanis service and our past accomplishments. There is a lot to celebrate. However, we also

need to refresh our approach to building and strengthening our organization, and we need to renew our commit-

ment to meaningful community service and Service Leadership Programs. We also want to celebrate the “Power

of One: One Can Make a Difference”. Think about what one member can accomplish in their club, what one club

can accomplish in their division and district, and what we can all achieve together.

I am asking each Kiwanis club with an SLP to add at least one new SLP activity to their program. I am also asking

each Kiwanis Club currently without an SLP to sponsor one. Our goal for The Eliminate Project is to reach the cu-

mulative number of lives saved per member of 690 (which equates to a Zeller or $1,250). Finally, I am encouraging

each club and each division to have a celebration event for our 100th anniversary. I hope each SLP will find oppor-

tunities to celebrate this milestone as well.

Best wishes for a year to remember in Kiwanis and CKI service!

Brian Bell

Capital District Governor Elect

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District Administrator Jen Wolff Greetings from the Administrator

Hi Capital! I’m Jen Wolff, your District Administrator, and my

job is to be your link to Kiwanis and the Circle K International

office! I first began my journey with the Kiwanis Family in CKI

at Towson University (GO TIGERS!). I graduated from Towson

with a degree in Communications with a specialization in

Graphic Design. After college I relocated to Northern Virginia,

where I live with my husband Jeff and our daughters Charlotte

& Audrey. Jeff and I are both members of the Kiwanis Club of

Tysons Corner/McLean, VA. I look forward to working with all you this year! If you have any

questions or need any help, please contact me at administrator@cdcki.org.

Your Partnership with Kiwanis

Advanced Budget Planning and Kiwanis District Convention

· Make life easier on you and your Kiwanis Club--ask for funding for this year’s upcoming

events in advance… BEFORE your Kiwanis Club approves their budget for the year. If they

have a heads up of funding you need, you may be more likely to get it. Most Kiwanis Clubs

plan their budgets in August.

Events that you may need assistance with:

-Fall Membership Rally (October 24-25, 2014 – Front Royal, VA)

Last year’s cost: $35/member* (includes room and meals)

-Capital District CKI District Convention (February 20-22, 2015 – Fairfax, VA)

We will be merging hotel rooms in with registration this year, so it will be roughly $175-200/

person.

-Spring Officer Training Conference (March 27-28, 2015 – Fredericksburg, VA)

Last year’s cost: $50* (includes room and meals)

-2015 CKI International Convention (June 2015 – Indianapolis)

Last year’s cost: $295/member* (registration); $165++/night* (hotel room sleeps 4)

*The costs above are from last year, and are subject to change. Prices do not change dra-

matically year to year.

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Sub-Region F International Trustee Danielle Sammut

Greetings, Capital Crabs!

Over the past month or so, I have been working alongside fellow members from

my home club of The College of New Jersey Circle K, Rider University Circe K (of

the NJ District), and the Kiwanis Clubs of Trenton and Ewing to charter a new Ak-

tion Club at the Arc of Mercer County. For those of you who do not know, Aktion

Club is a service-leadership program for adults with disabilities. Aktion Club be-

came an official Kiwanis program in 2000 and currently serves over 11,000 mem-

bers in over 500 clubs world-wide. People who join Aktion Club do so because they

believe that development has no disability: they want to make a difference in their

communities!

The first step to charter an Aktion Club is to find an organization that support individuals with disabilities (Arc, Allies,

Inc.), as well as churches, libraries, YMCAs, lodges or similar facilities. Next, you need to find a Kiwanis Club that is

willing to sponsor the Aktion Club (partially or fully). This club needs to be willing to have a Kiwanis advisor who

attends all meetings and provides guidance to the governing club board. Circle K clubs may co-sponsor an Aktion Club

with a Kiwanis Club. What does this mean you may ask? If a CKI club co-sponsors an Aktion Club, their club will help

financially support the Aktion Club. Just like the sponsoring Kiwanis Club, the CKI club will need to choose a liaison

(preferably someone with experience working with individuals with special needs) that will attend meetings and as-

sist Aktion Clubs with service opportunities. Once you’ve established the support for the Aktion Club, set up a

meeting with prospective members and provide a presentation about Aktion Club-tell them all about the exciting

opportunities they have to do community service, inside and outside of their home/facility. The next stage is to elect

a club board, establish club bylaws, submit paperwork to international, and then get ready to set up some service

projects to keep members interested.

Personally, Aktion Club is one of my favorite branches of the Kiwanis Family because they are some of the most pas-

sionate and selfless people I know. Despite their various levels of disabilities, each person brings their own personali-

ty, skill, and dedication to grow their club and improve the community. My fondest memory working with Aktion

Club is attending a Halloween Party, along with 3 other branches of the Kiwanis Family. Aktion Club members danced

the night away in costumes, not for a moment feeling different from anyone else. I will never forget being twirled

around by a man who said that he has not danced like this in years (a moment later he said he never even went to

prom and does not actually remember dancing with anyone before). As individuals with disabilities, they face funda-

mental borders due to physical and/or developmental challenges, and are often told that they “cannot make a differ-

ence” and “are so different from everyone else.” Well, world, Aktion Club is different, indeed, and they are actively

serving their community with their heart and soul. To all CKI members, I highly recommend getting involved with an

Aktion Club or starting one in your community. I promise it will be one of the most inspiring and worth-while adven-

tures of your Circle K experience.

Yours in service and smiles,

Danielle Sammut

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July 27th- August 1st 2014

CKI Leadership Academy is a week long program all about leadership. This

week long event takes place in Indianapolis, Indiana and is a great opportunity

for all CKI members.

There is a $195 registration fee for all attendees. However, the Capital District

offers one scholarship to a member in the Capital District that covers registra-

tion all you have to pay for is travel. To be considered for the scholarship please

apply by June 1st. You can apply for this scholarship at http://

www.formstack.com/forms/Kiwanis-2014ckileadershipacademyapplication

You do not want to miss this great opportunity!

International Convention

CKIx -The Ultimate Six Day Experience Hey Capital Crabs!

I hope everyone is off to a great summer, or will be soon! For many of you summer brings

work, internships, summer classes, trips to the beach, and maybe even a study abroad oppor-

tunity. Summer also brings the biggest CKI event of the year: International Convention, aka

ICON.

This year ICON has been combined with the Large Scale Service Project (LSSP) to create CKIx.

CKIx will be an amazing six-day experience from June 17-22 at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel in

Nashville, Tennessee. Combining LSSP and ICON will allow attendees to get involved in helping

the local area through a variety of service projects, as well as attend amazing general sessions,

vote for next year's international officers (we even have our very own Matthew Johnson run-

ning for Subregion F Trustee!), listen to great speakers and entertainment, and enjoy a con-

vention with Circle K members from all over the world! As Capital Crabs, we will also have a

"Crabby Bash in Nash" Spirit Pack which will contain t-shirts, a trip together, and wonderful

Crabby gear to show your Capital pride!

If all of that wasn't enough to get you excited about attending ICON-- and it should have been-

- Nashville, aka Music City USA, is an amazing city. Nashville is home to the Bonnaroo Music

Festival, wonderful restaurants, tons of museums and historical landmarks, and countless mu-

sicians of all genres. There is so much to do that I've spent hours combing through guides to

the city, so if you have any questions, please ask me.

Ultimately, ICON, aka CKIx, will be a memorable and life-changing experience for those who

are able to go. I loved attending last year, and this year proves to be even better with such a

great location and the significantly larger number of attendees. As of now, regular registration

is $395 until June 1st, when it jumps to $495. If you're worried about financing your trip, talk

to your home club officers, school, and local Kiwanis club about perhaps getting some finan-

cial support. We already have a good number of members going from Capital, and we will

work with you to ensure that you have roommates for your hotel room, and possibly even

people to carpool with since Nashville is so close.

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So, if you have any questions, please contact me at OTIC@cdcki.org, or if you want more

general information about the event, please visit http://circlek.org/Leadership/Conventions/

InternationalConvention/Nashville2014.aspx

I hope to see you there!

In Service,

Ben Durham

2014-2015 OTIC Chair, IP Capital D

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What’s New in the Capital District Kiwanis Family

16

Capital District Kiwanis will host their annual District Con-

vention August 22nd—24th in Reston, VA.

Kiwanis Family Weekend will be in September.

The Kiwanis, CKI, and Key Club District Boards will come

together for a weekend of fellowship and Kiwanis Family

Bonding.

Capital District Key Club will hold their annual District Con-

vention March 20th-22nd, 2015 in Baltimore, MD.

The Capital District Kiwanis Family is pretty busy with much

excitement and service. Thanks for all you do for the Capital

District Kiwanis Family.

Metro-Richmond Divisional

The Metro-Richmond Division held our first divisional service project of

the service year at the Family Easter event at Maymont Park in Rich-

mond, Virginia. Maymont Park is a beautiful park that features themed

gardens and an educational wildlife reserve that is free to enjoy year-

round. By helping out at their Family Easter event this April, we were

not only able to help put smiles on the faces of the hundreds of Rich-

mond families that came out to the event that day, we had a hand in

helping to keep the park free so anyone can find their smiles in the park

any day of the year.

CKI members from Virginia Commonwealth University and University of

Richmond were there to help to keep the swarms of tiny people eager

to expel their Easter candy energy in the inflatable castles under con-

trol. Meanwhile, volunteers from Randolph-Macon College were able to

put their artistic skills to test painting

bunnies and superhero masks on smil-

ing faces. Although we were spread far

across the 100 acre park, that couldn’t

stop us from catching a break together

for some cute pictures and some seri-

ous interclub hugging.

Metro-Richmond Division Recently helped out at the Maymont

Park Easter Festival!

By Tippy Tongvichit

17

What’s New in Capital District CKI

University of Delaware CKI Works with Freedom Hills Therapeutic Riding Program

By Richard Gallo

In the month of April, the CKI at the University of Delaware volunteered with Freedom Hills

Therapeutic Riding Program in Port Deposit, MD. They offer equine facilitated therapy to

individuals with physical and/or emotional challenges, as well as kids at risk and military

veterans. Personally, we volunteered at their church’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt and their

Family Day on the Farm. Restore Church threw the Easter egg hunt at Perryville High School

on April 19 and we were given the opportunity to give pony rides to a crowd of a total of

5,000. The sun was shining down, the line was wrapping all the way down the football field,

and we quickly developed a system of getting the kids on and off the ponies as timely and

safely as possible. It was a great opportunity where we also interacted with another local

organization, Kohl’s Cares, which is run through the latter’s department store. Family Day

on the Farm was the second event we volunteered at which was on April 27 hosted on loca-

tion of their program at Rolling Hills Ranch. We put our pony ride giving skills to test again

as well as running games for the children. CKI has been working with Freedom Hills since

October 2013 and members really love it doing so we continue to do events with them.

This is the first animal related service event the UDCKI has participated in. Member of the

month for April, Alicia Walls, said “I love the smell of the horses so this is perfect event for

me. I could do this all day.” We couldn’t agree with her more and hope to see more new

members drawn in by this selfless organization - Freedom Hills.

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University of Delaware CKI Works with Freedom Hills Therapeutic Riding Program

By Richard Gallo

More Capital District CKI News

As the warm weather began to emerge, Liberty University Circle K Club teamed up with Big

Brothers Big Sisters in our Second annual Spring Festival. With over 50 people in attend-

ance, this was a very successful event. Circle K members prepared and facilitated in crafts

and activities involving balloon-painting, sack races, and nail painting. Other activities in-

cluded an Easter egg hunt, an egg toss competition, drawings for prizes and lunch. Circle K

member Susie Perez said, “ The kids really enjoyed getting their face painted and having

their own arts and crafts. It was an overall great experience. The kids felt special.” At the

end of the day, the children left with their big brother or big sister with an Easter basket

filled with treats, egg remains from the egg toss and a smile on their face.

Liberty’s Spring Festival with Big Brothers Big Sisters

By Gaothajying Her

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More News from Capital District CKI

Randolph College CKI’s Joy Prom

By Katherine McCallister

Joy Prom is an event that began when one of our members, Meredith Daugherty

(‘15), saw that people in the Lynchburg community who had special needs were

being overlooked and set out to create a unique celebration just for them. Last

year, she organized our first ever Joy Prom, where members of the community

were invited to come and enjoy various festivities. This event was such a booming

success that we decided to do it again this year--On April 11th, approximately 30

guests arrived at Randolph College, where student volunteers ushered them to

the Alice Ashley Jack Room in Smith Hall and introduced them one by one as they

walked down the red carpet, as part of this year’s theme of “A Night in Holly-

wood.” The guests were treated like celebrities; the women were given tiaras and

the men were given crowns, allowing each guest to be a Prom Queen or Prom

King for the night. Our guests spent the night dancing to the Chicken Dance, be-

ing photographed by student paparazzi, and receiving manicures from CKI volun-

teers. The volunteers and the guests all left the night with a smile and some great

new memories--memories, I think, that may last a lifetime.

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Nature, Service, and Bluegrass with UMD CKI!

By Molly Timmins

This month we attended continuing service project at Kingman and Heritage Island Park in

DC. On April 19th Exec VP Molly Timmins and PR Chair Yi Chen went on an adventure to

help remove invasive species along the Anacostia River. Armed with clippers and handsaws,

these CKI members clipped, pulled up, and removed the Honeysuckle plant, an invasive

species from Japan first introduced to the US over a century ago for use as a decorative

lawn plant. Now it takes over local soil preventing native species from thriving. These lovely

ladies had a blast with their fellow volunteers and definitely lived up to the slogan on their

t-shirts “Get Dirty!” Molly had a blast crawling through the brambles in order to get to the

root of the problem, and while she walked away with a few scratches, felt a sense of ac-

complishment with the task.

The next weekend Jose Castro, Social Chair Nunu Onibatedo, and Exec VP Molly Timmins

attended the Kingman Island Bluegrass Music Festival. On April 26th amazing bluegrass

bands from all over the country came together in an event to raise money for the Living

Classrooms Foundation, which takes place at this park on the Anacostia River. This program

teaches students, and adults, who are in high-risk neighborhoods, about the environment

and life skills, and provides workforce preparation and community development. Our CKI

volunteers helped to keep the park clean while listening to great music from bands such as

the Sligo Creek Stompers. This was a great event to combine service for an amazing cause

while having fun, and awakening a love for bluegrass in Molly!

21

Capital District CKIers Have Been Busy!

JMU CKI Members Volunteer at a 5K Race for Autism

By Mary Nichols

On Saturday morning, April 5th, a bunch of CKI volunteers woke up early to help

set up the Autism 5K race at Eastern Mennonite University. As a volunteer, I was

pretty tired but still really excited to be a part of such a great cause, especially

since both of my best friend’s brothers have Asperger’s Syndrome. Not only was I

volunteering with food, water, and registration, but I also decided to run in the

race. It was a beautiful day outside, and jogging alongside some of my good

friends from CKI as well as having other people on the side of the road cheering

me on made the morning even better. It was really great to see people who had

autism and people who didn’t all running together in support of raising aware-

ness. I was very fortunate to be a part of this wonderful and important race!

JMU CKI Member finds a easy way to help out!

By Simona Lourekas After hearing about the UNICEF Tap Project mentioned at our Circle K meeting, I immediately

went home to read more about it. Knowing all I needed to participate was a smart phone,

there was no way I could deny the opportunity. UNICEF's new Tap Project challenges partici-

pants to go without using their phone in order to provide clean and safe drinking water for a

child in need. Every ten minutes that the website senses a phone has not been used, a child is

guaranteed one day of fresh, clean water. I decided to take part by going to UnicefTapPro-

ject.com during an afternoon of studying, when my phone would only be an unwanted dis-

traction! With a click of a button, my screen was showing me statistics and interesting infor-

mation about the availability of water in other parts of the world as well as graphics to view

while my phone stayed untouched on the table. It was such a simple way to help out, and I

know I got more studying done because of it! I was very happy to know that by not touching

my smartphone, I was helping out those in need!

22

UMD CKI Supports GWU CKI by Attending Lost in DC!

By Molly Timmins

Get Lost in DC!! That’s precisely what Service VP

Kristy Vo and Exec VP Molly Timmins did on April

on April 12th. These super awesome UMD CKI

members attended George Washington University

CKI’s Lost in DC event for some inter-club bonding.

They were able to enjoy the gorgeous Japanese

cherry Blossoms in full bloom while running

around DC chasing down clues all over the place

from the Capital building to the MLK Memorial to

the statue of the unofficial mascot of GWU, the Hippo. Kristy and Molly had the opportunity

to bond with members of GWU’s CKI as well as from Howard University, along with some DC

Key clubbers and Kiwanis members.

This was a great experience for all involved as can be seen in an exclusive video featuring Mol-

ly along with Potomac LTG Alee Clark, and Amsley Pietranton singing “The Sun Will Come Out

Tomorrow” on the lawn of the White House. The tourists who filmed the unlikely chorus were

both bewildered and amused. The race through DC was a

super fun way to see the beauty and history of the capi-

tol, and is always a super exciting event for UMD CKI to

participate in.

Participants in Lost in DC received festive GWU CKI T-

shirts and were treated to a Chipotle lunch. The event cul-

minated in a victory by The Scandalous Scavengers

(consisting of Molly, Alee, Amsley, a Key Club member,

23

2014-2015 District Committees and Committee Chairs

Conferences and Conventions Committee - Chairman Richard Gallo

The Con-Con Committee is tasked with the planning of Fall Membership

Rally and District Convention (DCON).

Kiwanis Family Relations and Sister District Committee - Chairwoman-

Heather Howell

This committee is tasked with improving relations within the Kiwanis

Family and between Sister Districts.

Club Building and Revitalization - Chairman Matthew Johnson

The CBR Committee is tasked with assisting with the building of new

clubs and revitalizing suspended or inactive clubs.

Service Committee - Chairwoman Kelly Griffith

The Service Committee is tasked with planning District Large Scale Ser-

vice Project (DLSSP) and other service opportunities.

Membership Development Committee - Chairwoman Caitlin Francis

The Membership Development Committee is tasked with educating

members on all things CKI or Kiwanis Family related.

Technology Committee - Chairman Brian Elliot

The Technology Committee is tasked with updating the District website

and Social Media.

On-To-International Convention Committee- Chairman Ben Durham

The OTIC Committee is tasked with planning the ICON District Tour and

Spirit Pack.

24

District Committees and Committee Chairs Cont.

Laws, Regulations, and Awards Committee - Chairman Joey Sarver

The LRA Committee is tasked with submit changes to the District Bylaws,

Policy Code, and Awards.

Public Relations Committee - Chairman Position is available

The Public Relations Committee is tasked with updating Social Media of

the District and with general Public Relations of the District.

Long Range Planning Committee - Chairman Position is Available

The Long Range Planning Committee is tasked with working with the Stra-

tegic Plan of the District and helping to accomplish the items in the Strategic

Plan.

Historian Committee - Chairman Cezar Bagonton

The Historian Committee is tasked with photographing District events and

maintaining photos for the District records.

If you want to get more involved with the District Com-

mittees, then apply for the open Chairman positions of Public

Relations and Long Range Planning. Contact Governor Ben Ro-

mano at governor@cdcki.org for more information.

25

26

27

The Eliminate Project Update

This year is the last year of The Eliminate Project so we need to

keep going strong to reach the campaign goal of $110 Million!

Circle K International has so far raised a fundraising total

US$223,322.70!

As of May 11, 2014, Kiwanis-family Service Leadership Pro-

grams have raised US$2,891,003.53 in total funds.

As of April 2014, Kiwanis-family Service Leadership Programs

have raised US$543,994.90 in total funds for Trick-or-Treat for

UNICEF.

Keep working hard to help save mothers and babies from the

terrible Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus!

Save the Date for Upcoming District Events

Fall Membership Rally

October 24th-25th, 2014

Front Royal, Virginia

Capital District Convention (DCON)

February 19th-22nd, 2015

Fairfax, Virginia

Spring Officer Training Conference

March 27th-28th, 2015

Fredericksburg, VA

District events are a great way to build fellowship throughout the Crabtastic

Capital District and you can also meet many new friends at district events!

28

Contact the

2014-2015

District Board

Battlefield Lt. Governor

Vy Tran

Battlefield-ltg@cdcki.org

Foothills Lt. Governor

Calvin Charles

Foothills-ltg@cdcki.org

NoVa Lt. Governor

Diane Corish

Nova-ltg@cdcki.org

Potomac Lt. Governor

Allee Clark

Potomac-ltg@cdcki.org

Metro –Richmond Lt. Governor

Tippy Tongvichit

Metrorichmond-ltg@cdcki.org

Presidential Lt. Governor

Josie Grant

Presidential-ltg@cdcki.org

Susquehanna Lt. Governor

Sara Case

Susquehanna-ltg@cdcki.org

Tidewater Lt. Governor

Sarah Sakany

Tidewater-ltg@cdcki.org

District Administrator

Jennifer Wolff

administrator@cdcki.org

Assistant District Administrator

Derek Dupuis

asst-adminstrator@cdcki.org

Governor

Ben Romano

governor@cdcki.org

Secretary-Treasurer

Nicole Tardif

Sec-treas@cdcki.org

Editor

Cory Fore

editor@cdcki.org

Hello CKI! As a fellow graduate of the class of 2014, I am writing

this article celebrate EACH AND EVERY amazing CKI member gradu-

ating this year! We have all worked so hard to get good grades, and

we have all put our heart and souls into service, leadership and fel-

lowship. It just goes to show that the class of 2014 has truly put

their everything into their college experience! Congrats to all the

graduates out there! Good luck on all your future endeavors. Never

forget what you have done for CKI, yourself and the future of the

children.

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Capital Courier

A Capital District CKI Publication