Deerwood Kiwanis Club

Feb 27th Zone Conference in Lake City

Report by Club President Paula Suhey

March 1 - Pete Gentry and I have just returned from the Zone Conference in Lake City held Feb 27th. Kiwanians from Divisions 3, 4, 5, and 6 were present. It was also the official visit of the Governor of Florida District of Kiwanis, Donna Parton.

It was interesting and enlightening and gave us some ideas that we hope to put into place toward the continued success of our club. Special awards were handed out and once more we are a "Distinguished Club" and it is my goal to repeat that for the 2009/2010 Kiwanis year.

Our Governor, Donna Parton, continues to encourage us to celebrate who we are and what can do. She is a great role model.

As a part of Governor Donna's message, we enjoyed a video, "Celebrate what's right with the World". Some breathtaking shots of various people and places in the world, were outstanding examples of who we are and what we can do. They were not people of fame or fortune. They were regular people - just like you and me.

One statement from the video continues to resound in my thoughts.

"It was always there, I just had to be open my eyes enough to see it."

As Kiwanians we all know it's there. And what is IT?

In my mind, IT is opportunity - we have the opportunity to effect a change in the world, one child and one community at a time. And how are we going to do this?

We are going to read to children. We are going to encourage high schoolers. We are going to put forth effort to make our community look better. We are going to work with the developmentally disabled adults to give them opportunity to enrich their lives.

Something else made it to the forefront of my thinking regarding our club. There are six objectives of Kiwanis. At our March 3rd meeting, we distribute these objectives and from that day we will review those objectives -- maybe we will even read them EVERY WEEK - just so we can all be on the same page toward the common goal of reaching others.

There are seven months left in this Kiwanis year. Will you join me in celebrating what we can do?

Paula Suhey
President
Deerwood Kiwanis Club
904-403-5024

• Meeting of 3 February 2010