Greetings, fellow Pennsylvania Kiwanians!
Later this week, the month of May will arrive, and with it Kiwanis Membership Month. It is a time of the year when flowers begin to bloom and there is a renewal of natural beauty that sooths the soul. It is time when we are energized and want to enjoy the great outdoors and fresh air. In this spirit, May is the perfect month to grow our Kiwanis Clubs.
I have witnessed enthusiasm and momentum in many clubs in our district as they add new members nearly every week to their rosters. Our District Membership Chair Mike Coolbaugh has been encouraging clubs to recruit membership chairs to work with him in promoting the bevy of tools that Kiwanis International provides to help clubs grow. And to develop a club membership plan. 67 out of 125 clubs statewide now have membership chairs. That is progress, but we encourage every club in the district to have one. If your club has yet to identify someone to serve in that capacity, please do so now.
Over the past two weeks, our New Club Opening (NCO) teams have been in full gear. Last Tuesday, I was in Latrobe again to attend what we hoped would be the organizational meeting of a new Kiwanis Club in that community. It was a day of ups and downs. The good news was that we were able to recruit a 15th new member for that club, which allowed us to move forward in organizing it. The bad news was that only 5 of those charter members were able to attend the meeting. Without a quorum, we could not conduct business, including the election of officers. Regardless, the meeting turned out to be very productive. There was a wonderful brainstorming session about service projects and fundraisers that the new club could engage in. There was a refreshing sense of enthusiasm for building the club, and the impact it will have in areas like childhood literacy. There was a discussion about promoting Kiwanis at the annual Latrobe Air Show in June, which draws thousands of spectators. It was obvious that these charter members love their community, and are proud of its traditions. Even when they insist that we pronounce its name as LAY-trobe! The next meeting is scheduled for May 12, at which time we are confident the club will organize. Between now and then, members will be able to review standard Kiwanis Club bylaws and descriptions of the duties and responsibilities of club officers. There is no doubt that this club will be a dynamic member of our Pennsylvania District Kiwanis family.
The Northampton NCO Team is moving full speed ahead for the week of May 5, when we plan to open a new Kiwanis Club in that community, just north of Allentown. We have a long list of appointment prospects that volunteers will be calling this week. A Facebook page has been launched by KI and already we have 9 new member leads! We are looking forward to mobilizing our appointment team in the boroughs of Northampton and Bath, and surrounding townships.
Our Board of Trustees held its 5th official meeting of the 2024-25 administrative year this past Saturday at the DaVinci Science Center in downtown Allentown. Our entire board was in attendance, mostly in-person. We were pleased that newly-elected Key Club Governor Heidi Egerer and Circle K Governor Michael Mullisky were able to join us and offer some opening remarks. The Board Agenda was packed with reports and action items. Mike Coolbaugh, Membership Chair reported that our district currently has 2,511 members and is growing. He also mentioned our efforts to open new clubs in Latrobe and Northampton. Governor-Elect Barb Carter reported on the status of next year’s leadership team. We still do not have a candidate for 2025-26 Governor-Elect and candidates for several Lt. Governor positions. We went over survey results from the 2025 Mid-Year Conference, which were largely favorable. Financially, the conference yielded a profit. We reviewed the status of goals in our 2024-27 Strategic Plan. We began the process of selecting dates and a location for next year’s Mid-Year Conference. We approved modifications to the district’s Life Membership Application. The board approved the agenda for the 2025 District Business Session to be held on June 28 in Pittsburgh. We also approved the district helping to subsidize the cost of a catered lunch just prior to the session, and stipends for specific district leaders and officials for costs relating to their attendance. We approved the hotel contract for the 2026 District Convention in Gettysburg. There were several other orders of business, but the real highlight was the drawing of the “Cooler of Fun” raffle ticket. The winner of the cooler and a $1,000 gift card was Lillian Mateja of the Kiwanis Clubs of Main Line and Conshohocken. Congratulations, Lillian! .
It was an enjoyable weekend, especially for those staying overnight in downtown Allentown. Guests were impressed with the unique décor of the Moxy Hotel. It is very quirky with a circus and amusement park theme throughout. The Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the AAA farm team of the Philadelphia Phillies were in town and on Friday night, I treated Immediate Past-Governor Conrad Schlesinger, Region 2 Trustee Shawn Smith and Division 17/18 Lt. Governor Janet Owen to a game, won by the ‘Pigs 11-3! The following evening I hosted Region 1 Trustee Al Webster and his wife Pat, and Governor-Elect Barb Carter and husband Jeff to a ‘Pigs game which, alas, they lost in extra innings. Earlier in the day, I was a tour guide for Shawn, Barb, Jeff, Al and Pat in the historic city of Bethlehem. After lunch, we stopped by the site of the former Bethlehem Steel plant, where we enjoyed a self-guided tour past immense blast furnaces on an elevated walkway called the Hoover-Mason Trestle. I was an awesome experience! It provided us with a greater appreciation for the legacy of our nation’s steel industry. In its heyday, Bethlehem Steel produced steel for the Golden Gate Bridge, the Empire State and Chrysler buildings in NYC, and for battleships like the USS Missouri. We then drove past the historic Moravian community in downtown Bethlehem, founded in 1741. Highlights were the Central Moravian Church, with its iconic bell tower, the Brothers and Sisters living quarters, and their industrial village. On our return to the hotel, we passed the colonial summer home of William Allen, founder of Allentown. I especially enjoyed sharing the rich history of my native Lehigh Valley with Kiwanians from around the District.
In the weeks ahead, I will be calling Presidents of clubs that I have yet to contact to see how things are going and how they plan to grow their membership. I will also be asking for their input on District operations and how we can be of assistance to them. And, I am looking forward to attending the Kiwanis Club of Montrose 50th Anniversary Dinner this coming Saturday, May 3. Congratulations, Montrose Kiwanis!
And in conclusion, please continue to support my Governor’s theme and “Rise and Shine for the Kids!”
Best wishes,
Governor Tom
Pennsylvania District Governor
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Last Updated: April 28, 2025 by pennsylvaniakiwanis
May Your Club Blossom Next Month!
Greetings, fellow Pennsylvania Kiwanians!
Later this week, the month of May will arrive, and with it Kiwanis Membership Month. It is a time of the year when flowers begin to bloom and there is a renewal of natural beauty that sooths the soul. It is time when we are energized and want to enjoy the great outdoors and fresh air. In this spirit, May is the perfect month to grow our Kiwanis Clubs.
I have witnessed enthusiasm and momentum in many clubs in our district as they add new members nearly every week to their rosters. Our District Membership Chair Mike Coolbaugh has been encouraging clubs to recruit membership chairs to work with him in promoting the bevy of tools that Kiwanis International provides to help clubs grow. And to develop a club membership plan. 67 out of 125 clubs statewide now have membership chairs. That is progress, but we encourage every club in the district to have one. If your club has yet to identify someone to serve in that capacity, please do so now.
Over the past two weeks, our New Club Opening (NCO) teams have been in full gear. Last Tuesday, I was in Latrobe again to attend what we hoped would be the organizational meeting of a new Kiwanis Club in that community. It was a day of ups and downs. The good news was that we were able to recruit a 15th new member for that club, which allowed us to move forward in organizing it. The bad news was that only 5 of those charter members were able to attend the meeting. Without a quorum, we could not conduct business, including the election of officers. Regardless, the meeting turned out to be very productive. There was a wonderful brainstorming session about service projects and fundraisers that the new club could engage in. There was a refreshing sense of enthusiasm for building the club, and the impact it will have in areas like childhood literacy. There was a discussion about promoting Kiwanis at the annual Latrobe Air Show in June, which draws thousands of spectators. It was obvious that these charter members love their community, and are proud of its traditions. Even when they insist that we pronounce its name as LAY-trobe! The next meeting is scheduled for May 12, at which time we are confident the club will organize. Between now and then, members will be able to review standard Kiwanis Club bylaws and descriptions of the duties and responsibilities of club officers. There is no doubt that this club will be a dynamic member of our Pennsylvania District Kiwanis family.
The Northampton NCO Team is moving full speed ahead for the week of May 5, when we plan to open a new Kiwanis Club in that community, just north of Allentown. We have a long list of appointment prospects that volunteers will be calling this week. A Facebook page has been launched by KI and already we have 9 new member leads! We are looking forward to mobilizing our appointment team in the boroughs of Northampton and Bath, and surrounding townships.
Our Board of Trustees held its 5th official meeting of the 2024-25 administrative year this past Saturday at the DaVinci Science Center in downtown Allentown. Our entire board was in attendance, mostly in-person. We were pleased that newly-elected Key Club Governor Heidi Egerer and Circle K Governor Michael Mullisky were able to join us and offer some opening remarks. The Board Agenda was packed with reports and action items. Mike Coolbaugh, Membership Chair reported that our district currently has 2,511 members and is growing. He also mentioned our efforts to open new clubs in Latrobe and Northampton. Governor-Elect Barb Carter reported on the status of next year’s leadership team. We still do not have a candidate for 2025-26 Governor-Elect and candidates for several Lt. Governor positions. We went over survey results from the 2025 Mid-Year Conference, which were largely favorable. Financially, the conference yielded a profit. We reviewed the status of goals in our 2024-27 Strategic Plan. We began the process of selecting dates and a location for next year’s Mid-Year Conference. We approved modifications to the district’s Life Membership Application. The board approved the agenda for the 2025 District Business Session to be held on June 28 in Pittsburgh. We also approved the district helping to subsidize the cost of a catered lunch just prior to the session, and stipends for specific district leaders and officials for costs relating to their attendance. We approved the hotel contract for the 2026 District Convention in Gettysburg. There were several other orders of business, but the real highlight was the drawing of the “Cooler of Fun” raffle ticket. The winner of the cooler and a $1,000 gift card was Lillian Mateja of the Kiwanis Clubs of Main Line and Conshohocken. Congratulations, Lillian! .
It was an enjoyable weekend, especially for those staying overnight in downtown Allentown. Guests were impressed with the unique décor of the Moxy Hotel. It is very quirky with a circus and amusement park theme throughout. The Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the AAA farm team of the Philadelphia Phillies were in town and on Friday night, I treated Immediate Past-Governor Conrad Schlesinger, Region 2 Trustee Shawn Smith and Division 17/18 Lt. Governor Janet Owen to a game, won by the ‘Pigs 11-3! The following evening I hosted Region 1 Trustee Al Webster and his wife Pat, and Governor-Elect Barb Carter and husband Jeff to a ‘Pigs game which, alas, they lost in extra innings. Earlier in the day, I was a tour guide for Shawn, Barb, Jeff, Al and Pat in the historic city of Bethlehem. After lunch, we stopped by the site of the former Bethlehem Steel plant, where we enjoyed a self-guided tour past immense blast furnaces on an elevated walkway called the Hoover-Mason Trestle. I was an awesome experience! It provided us with a greater appreciation for the legacy of our nation’s steel industry. In its heyday, Bethlehem Steel produced steel for the Golden Gate Bridge, the Empire State and Chrysler buildings in NYC, and for battleships like the USS Missouri. We then drove past the historic Moravian community in downtown Bethlehem, founded in 1741. Highlights were the Central Moravian Church, with its iconic bell tower, the Brothers and Sisters living quarters, and their industrial village. On our return to the hotel, we passed the colonial summer home of William Allen, founder of Allentown. I especially enjoyed sharing the rich history of my native Lehigh Valley with Kiwanians from around the District.
In the weeks ahead, I will be calling Presidents of clubs that I have yet to contact to see how things are going and how they plan to grow their membership. I will also be asking for their input on District operations and how we can be of assistance to them. And, I am looking forward to attending the Kiwanis Club of Montrose 50th Anniversary Dinner this coming Saturday, May 3. Congratulations, Montrose Kiwanis!
And in conclusion, please continue to support my Governor’s theme and “Rise and Shine for the Kids!”
Best wishes,
Governor Tom
Pennsylvania District Governor
Category: Governor Blog
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