August 28th - Kiwanis News Notes

This issue of the newsletter has no one main story, but several items
that are of interest to the membership as we lurch into our busiest
season.
The first and most urgent issue is our Dinner Auction, which Kathy
Kwierant has nobly taken in hand with the help of Judi Doan. Kathy has
called a meeting of the auction chair-people for 1:30 p.m. on August
31st (Tuesday) at the Old Rectory Building, where North Country Bank is
located. Kathy still needs a couple volunteers for the auction: one to
co-ordinate and oversee the gathering of prizes and auction items, and
another volunteer to design the “packages” of items to make them more
appealing at auction.
She also needs a table set-up person for the day of the auction. She
mentioned that Theresa Fame was going to see about arranging music, but
hasn’t heard from her. How about it, Theresa? Do we have music?
For the rest of us: gather auction items, sell dinner tickets, and,
when they’re available, sell raffle tickets!! As they say at Nike,
“Just Do It!”


KIWANIS OF GAYLORD WEBSITE UP AND RUNNING
Yes, it’s happened, we have a website. It’s through the library and
under the watchful eye of Chris Knight, our local webmaster. Rick
LaRouche has been most responsible for getting it all done. Now we
need some pictures of Kiwanians “doing good” to display on the website
for PR purposes. The newsletter will be posted there as well at each
occasional publication date. Oh. You want the address? It’s
www.otsego.org/gaylordkiwanis


Remember the “Dog and Draft” Picnic for members AND SPOUSES on Sept.
2nd, a regular meeting night. The affair, modeled on our last Beer and
Brat Fest held at the County Park, is an administrative fund-raiser.
Minimum cost of dinner at the Picnic is $8 per head, but, of course
additional contributions to the fund will be graciously accepted.
John Hatzl will be our host at the last event held at El Rancho
Stevens before the resort changes hands. El Rancho Stevens is off
McCoy Rd. heading east off Old 27 So. The aim is to start the picnic
at 6:15, our regular meeting time.
At the August 26th regular meeting, the assembled membership agreed
that it was going to be necessary to have an emergency board meeting,
since the “noon board meeting” concept had not yielded a quorum for
some three months. Highlighted in the discussion was the club’s
growing communication problem that started at the beginning of the
summer. This board meeting will take place sometime during the picnic
or maybe a little after . . . anyway, it will be, I think the word is
CRUCIAL, to have board members in attendance at the picnic. See you
there!


“SOCK-IT-TO-ME” EVOLVES
This year’s “Sock-It-To-Me” event, which signals the beginning of
the club’s Christmas efforts, will move from the Kiwanis tent on Arby’s
parking lot to the School Board Building where the Christmas baskets
are packed. And everything will be handled within the building - no
tent will be necessary. Howard Cheney and Tami Phillips are already
beginning the push to gather socks for kids and will gather them on
October 23rd at the School Board Building.
In the meantime start planning your method for providing good socks
for kids who don’t have them (new ones only, please). Either find some
bargains at local retail outlets or provide Howard with the cash to
shop for them. No cold feet in Otsego County this year!


CLUB NOTES
The Harbor Springs club had an interclub contingent at the Aug. 26th
meeting. It was great to see them and they were generous with their
advice, interest, and experience in thinking through some of the
problems we’re facing.

Bob Miller will be leaving early this week for the sunny South and
wife, Jane. We didn’t see enough of Jane this summer . . . maybe next
year. Of course that meant that Bob didn’t either, but then he sees
her all winter. We’ll miss you guys. See you next Spring!

Sept. 1st marks the beginning of the club’s “Nut Sale” under the
direction of Rick LaRouche. Orders for the $20 cans of Gourmet nuts
for the Holiday season can be taken anytime after 9/1, but must all be
in by Nov. 1. This nut mix is simply the best in terms of quality and
freshness, and the cans make great gifts for family, friends,
employees, and that peculiar uncle you never know how to buy for . . .
what was his name again? Rick will have more info for us in the near
future.

Bring a guest or two or three to the “Dog and Draft” picnic ---- or
to a regular meeting. As the club shrinks we lose more momentum and
have fewer hands to help with traditional club projects. Look around!
Recruit!


ACTIVITY CALENDAR (CLIP AND SAVE)

August 31 - Meeting of Dinner Auction
Chair-people at the Old Rectory
Building at 1:30 p.m.

September 2 - “Dog and Draft” Club Picnic
at El Rancho Stevens at the
regular meeting time.
A Board Meeting will be part of the picnic --
(maybe during, maybe after) instead of at
noon as originally scheduled

October 16 - 26th Annual Lee LaCross Dinner
Auction, 6 p.m. at the Treetops
Resort Convention Center

October 23 - “Sock-it-to-Me” time at the
School Board Building