September ended and October began with an exciting opportunity to strengthen the Kiwanis presence in Western Pennsylvania through a three-club blitz in the Pittsburgh region. Before sharing the results of this incredible effort, I want to extend my sincere thanks to all our Kiwanis members who stepped forward to make phone calls, schedule appointments, and help open doors within the communities we visited. Having appointments already in place set the stage for meaningful conversations and allowed us to effectively share the Kiwanis story.
I also want to express our deep appreciation to Kiwanis International for its commitment to this initiative. Their support and partnership were instrumental in making the blitz a success. We were honored to be joined by Kiwanis International President Hope Marks, President-Elect Cathy Szymanski, International Trustee Taka Ogata, Club Opening Manager Kendra Morris, Club Opening Specialists Angie Dudit and Miranda Burton, along with six current District Governors. Of course, Past Governor, Barb Carter, Governor Elect and Membership Chair, Mike Coolbaugh, Past Governors, Tom Harp and Conrad Schlesinger, and many local Kiwanians who volunteered their time and talents.
What made this event truly special was the collective passion and commitment of everyone involved. Participants traveled from around the world and across North America with one shared goal: to expand the Kiwanis mission and bring the promise of serving children to new communities. Long days led to long conversations. New friendships were formed. Ideas were exchanged, strategies were refined, and teams worked together to overcome challenges.
One of the most important lessons learned during the blitz was the value of preparation. While our enthusiasm was high, we also recognized that understanding each community’s unique needs and opportunities is essential to building strong, sustainable clubs. Everyone came prepared to contribute, adapt, and work toward success.
Our goal was to help establish three new Kiwanis clubs in Western Pennsylvania. While the work is not yet complete, we are encouraged by the progress that has been made. The Irwin-North Huntingdon club is very close to organizing, while Monroeville and West Newton continue to move forward. At this point, two of the three clubs may be successfully launched, with continued efforts focused on completing the third. Club building is never easy, and building multiple clubs simultaneously requires extraordinary teamwork, dedication, and persistence.
The individuals who have stepped forward in Irwin-North Huntingdon represent some of the very best people in their community. They are community-minded leaders who are passionate about making a difference. Their dedication, vision, and commitment to service position them to accomplish great things for the children and families they will serve.
No new Kiwanis club is built alone. We extend our sincere gratitude to the sponsoring clubs that have invested their time, talent, and resources into making these efforts possible. Special thanks also go to our “boots on the ground” team whose commitment and hard work helped move these projects forward. We are especially grateful to Pennsylvania District Trustee Janine Surmick, Brian Root, President of the Pennsylvania Kiwanis Foundation, Jim Janosik, Pennsylvania District Marketing Chair, and Maureen Reynolds, Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Sheraden. Their leadership, experience, and willingness to serve have been invaluable throughout this process.
As we celebrate progress made in Western Pennsylvania, we are already looking ahead to our next opportunity. The Upper Bucks rebuild is now on our agenda, and plans are beginning to take shape. Former Governors Tom Harp and Barb Carter will be lending their expertise and support, along with many other dedicated members from across the district. We also want to thank Val Rose for her preliminary work and Lieutenant Governor Bonnie Houpt for helping coordinate the rebuild effort.
All of us want to see Kiwanis grow. More importantly, all of us understand that growth requires intentional action. Strong clubs do not happen by accident. They are built by people who believe in service, who are willing to invest their time, and who understand the power of community.
One of the most effective tools we have for growth is sharing our stories. Every service project, every fundraiser, every scholarship, every mentoring opportunity, and every child impacted by Kiwanis creates a story worth telling. When we share those stories, we inspire others to join us in our mission.
The relationships formed, the conversations held, and the seeds planted during this blitz will continue to grow long after our visit ended. That is what Kiwanis does best: bringing people together around a common purpose and empowering them to create lasting change in their communities.
To everyone who made calls, attended meetings, hosted conversations, traveled long distances, and invested their time in this effort, thank you. Your commitment is helping build the future of Kiwanis in Pennsylvania, one community at a time.
Mission Possible: Sharing Stories of Service
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Last Updated: October 26, 2026 by pennsylvaniakiwanis
Building Kiwanis in Western Pennsylvania: A Remarkable Three-Club Blitz
September ended and October began with an exciting opportunity to strengthen the Kiwanis presence in Western Pennsylvania through a three-club blitz in the Pittsburgh region. Before sharing the results of this incredible effort, I want to extend my sincere thanks to all our Kiwanis members who stepped forward to make phone calls, schedule appointments, and help open doors within the communities we visited. Having appointments already in place set the stage for meaningful conversations and allowed us to effectively share the Kiwanis story.
I also want to express our deep appreciation to Kiwanis International for its commitment to this initiative. Their support and partnership were instrumental in making the blitz a success. We were honored to be joined by Kiwanis International President Hope Marks, President-Elect Cathy Szymanski, International Trustee Taka Ogata, Club Opening Manager Kendra Morris, Club Opening Specialists Angie Dudit and Miranda Burton, along with six current District Governors. Of course, Past Governor, Barb Carter, Governor Elect and Membership Chair, Mike Coolbaugh, Past Governors, Tom Harp and Conrad Schlesinger, and many local Kiwanians who volunteered their time and talents.
What made this event truly special was the collective passion and commitment of everyone involved. Participants traveled from around the world and across North America with one shared goal: to expand the Kiwanis mission and bring the promise of serving children to new communities. Long days led to long conversations. New friendships were formed. Ideas were exchanged, strategies were refined, and teams worked together to overcome challenges.
One of the most important lessons learned during the blitz was the value of preparation. While our enthusiasm was high, we also recognized that understanding each community’s unique needs and opportunities is essential to building strong, sustainable clubs. Everyone came prepared to contribute, adapt, and work toward success.
Our goal was to help establish three new Kiwanis clubs in Western Pennsylvania. While the work is not yet complete, we are encouraged by the progress that has been made. The Irwin-North Huntingdon club is very close to organizing, while Monroeville and West Newton continue to move forward. At this point, two of the three clubs may be successfully launched, with continued efforts focused on completing the third. Club building is never easy, and building multiple clubs simultaneously requires extraordinary teamwork, dedication, and persistence.
The individuals who have stepped forward in Irwin-North Huntingdon represent some of the very best people in their community. They are community-minded leaders who are passionate about making a difference. Their dedication, vision, and commitment to service position them to accomplish great things for the children and families they will serve.
No new Kiwanis club is built alone. We extend our sincere gratitude to the sponsoring clubs that have invested their time, talent, and resources into making these efforts possible. Special thanks also go to our “boots on the ground” team whose commitment and hard work helped move these projects forward. We are especially grateful to Pennsylvania District Trustee Janine Surmick, Brian Root, President of the Pennsylvania Kiwanis Foundation, Jim Janosik, Pennsylvania District Marketing Chair, and Maureen Reynolds, Past President of the Kiwanis Club of Sheraden. Their leadership, experience, and willingness to serve have been invaluable throughout this process.
As we celebrate progress made in Western Pennsylvania, we are already looking ahead to our next opportunity. The Upper Bucks rebuild is now on our agenda, and plans are beginning to take shape. Former Governors Tom Harp and Barb Carter will be lending their expertise and support, along with many other dedicated members from across the district. We also want to thank Val Rose for her preliminary work and Lieutenant Governor Bonnie Houpt for helping coordinate the rebuild effort.
All of us want to see Kiwanis grow. More importantly, all of us understand that growth requires intentional action. Strong clubs do not happen by accident. They are built by people who believe in service, who are willing to invest their time, and who understand the power of community.
One of the most effective tools we have for growth is sharing our stories. Every service project, every fundraiser, every scholarship, every mentoring opportunity, and every child impacted by Kiwanis creates a story worth telling. When we share those stories, we inspire others to join us in our mission.
The relationships formed, the conversations held, and the seeds planted during this blitz will continue to grow long after our visit ended. That is what Kiwanis does best: bringing people together around a common purpose and empowering them to create lasting change in their communities.
To everyone who made calls, attended meetings, hosted conversations, traveled long distances, and invested their time in this effort, thank you. Your commitment is helping build the future of Kiwanis in Pennsylvania, one community at a time.
Mission Possible: Sharing Stories of Service
Category: Governor Blog