Greetings, fellow Pennsylvania Kiwanians!
The month of May has started off with a bang. Two new Kiwanis Clubs in the District under construction. A club’s 50th Anniversary celebration. And much more.
On May 3, I Zoomed in to the Division 16 Council meeting, hosted by Lt. Governor Kyle Butcavage. It was held in the Lititz Public Library. The agenda was packed. 8 out of the 9 clubs in Division 16 were represented at the meeting. They reported on the Division Trivia Contest won by the Kiwanis Club of Greater Reading-Berks that netted a $300 donation to Caitlin’s Smiles. They have planned an annual outing to the Dutch Apple Dinner Theater in Lancaster featuring the “Buddy Holly Story” on Saturday, August 23. Kyle shared information about the KI Convention in Pittsburgh and the District House of Delegates. Membership growth was encouraged. 2 clubs in Division 16 have shown a net gain in membership so far this year, 3 clubs have a net loss, and the others remain the same. Division 16 has a total of 206 members, for an overall net loss of one member. May is Kiwanis Membership Month, and clubs were encouraged to continue to recruit new members. The highlight of the meeting was the election of Kyle Butcavage to continue to serve as Division 16 Lt. Governor in 2025-26. I had the honor of conducting the election, and thanked Kyle for his service.
Later that day, I had the pleasure of attending the Kiwanis Club of Montrose’s 50th Anniversary Dinner. Over 60 people were in attendance, including several charter members. Charter President Edward DeWitt and the others reminisced about the early days of the club. Past Governor Mike Coolbaugh offered some remarks, followed by myself as Keynote Speaker. I mentioned key events of 1974, the year the Montrose club was actually chartered. Those included the Watergate scandal, Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s lifetime home run record, and “The Sting” winning “Best Picture” at the Academy Awards. Also, in January of 1974, the hit comedy series “Happy Days” premiered. This was a segue to promote the Kiwanis International Convention in Pittsburgh, where “The Fonz,” Henry Winkler, will be the Opening Session speaker! I congratulated Montrose on their milestone anniversary, and thanked them for the amazing work they are doing in their community. On the back of their program, in tiny print, was a listing of all of the activities, service projects, and fundraisers that their club is involved with, over 50 and still counting. They sponsor Key Clubs at Montrose and Elk Lake High Schools, as well as a Builders Club and K-Kids Club in the Elk Lake School District. A highlight of their calendar is the annual 4th of July Parade. The Borough of Montrose has only 1,279 residents, but the parade draws over 20,000 people each year. The Montrose club embodies all that is good about Kiwanis. They positively touch the lives of all of their citizens, and are beloved by their community.
On Sunday, May 5, I travelled to East Stroudsburg with Division 17/18 Lt. Governor Janet Owen to attend the Kiwanis Club of Poconos – Daybreak Annual Motorcycle Show. The weather did not cooperate as it rained most of the day. There were no motorcycles on display, although three riders entered photos of their bikes in a contest. We enjoyed a delicious picnic buffet and live music. There were raffle prizes and free home baked items. President Corissa Gehring and other members of the club were very resourceful in hosting the event despite challenging weather conditions.
The following day began the week long effort to open a new Kiwanis Club in Northampton area. Our Northampton New Club Opening Team spent several days beforehand making phone calls to set appointments up for the week of May 5. We ended up with 24 appointments and dozens of “cold calls” in the Boroughs of Northampton and Bath, and surrounding townships. We met with the Mayor and Borough Manager of Northampton and the Principal of the Northampton Area High School. This club will encompass the Northampton Area School District, with a total population of 42,392, and a school population of 5,227 students. There is a high school, middle school and 4 elementary schools with another under construction. It is a large and rapidly growing area. Ideal for a Kiwanis Club! After four days of appointments, we were able to recruit 11 new members, just 4 short of the minimum required for charter strength. We had an informational meeting on May 8, and will be scheduling a follow-up meeting in two weeks at which time we are confident that the club will organize. There is a lot of positive energy with the charter members we have met. My home club, the Kiwanis Club of Allentown is sponsoring the new Northampton club. We are excited about welcoming them into our Pennsylvania District Kiwanis family!
AND… this evening we plan to finally organize the Kiwanis Club of Latrobe! There are now 16 charter members, and every effort has been made to have at least 9 of those members attend tonight’s meeting in person or by Zoom. We would like to once again thank the Kiwanis Club of Greensburg for sponsoring the Latrobe club. I cannot wait to attend that club’s Charter Night!
Finally, we congratulate Key Club International on their 100th Anniversary, which was celebrated last Wednesday, May 7. Key Clubs are the foundation of our Service Leadership Programs, and the pride of Kiwanis.
Thank you for your commitment to “Rise and Shine for the Kids!”
Best wishes,
Governor Tom
Pennsylvania District Governor
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Last Updated: May 13, 2025 by pennsylvaniakiwanis
New Kiwanis Clubs are Blooming!
Greetings, fellow Pennsylvania Kiwanians!
The month of May has started off with a bang. Two new Kiwanis Clubs in the District under construction. A club’s 50th Anniversary celebration. And much more.
On May 3, I Zoomed in to the Division 16 Council meeting, hosted by Lt. Governor Kyle Butcavage. It was held in the Lititz Public Library. The agenda was packed. 8 out of the 9 clubs in Division 16 were represented at the meeting. They reported on the Division Trivia Contest won by the Kiwanis Club of Greater Reading-Berks that netted a $300 donation to Caitlin’s Smiles. They have planned an annual outing to the Dutch Apple Dinner Theater in Lancaster featuring the “Buddy Holly Story” on Saturday, August 23. Kyle shared information about the KI Convention in Pittsburgh and the District House of Delegates. Membership growth was encouraged. 2 clubs in Division 16 have shown a net gain in membership so far this year, 3 clubs have a net loss, and the others remain the same. Division 16 has a total of 206 members, for an overall net loss of one member. May is Kiwanis Membership Month, and clubs were encouraged to continue to recruit new members. The highlight of the meeting was the election of Kyle Butcavage to continue to serve as Division 16 Lt. Governor in 2025-26. I had the honor of conducting the election, and thanked Kyle for his service.
Later that day, I had the pleasure of attending the Kiwanis Club of Montrose’s 50th Anniversary Dinner. Over 60 people were in attendance, including several charter members. Charter President Edward DeWitt and the others reminisced about the early days of the club. Past Governor Mike Coolbaugh offered some remarks, followed by myself as Keynote Speaker. I mentioned key events of 1974, the year the Montrose club was actually chartered. Those included the Watergate scandal, Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s lifetime home run record, and “The Sting” winning “Best Picture” at the Academy Awards. Also, in January of 1974, the hit comedy series “Happy Days” premiered. This was a segue to promote the Kiwanis International Convention in Pittsburgh, where “The Fonz,” Henry Winkler, will be the Opening Session speaker! I congratulated Montrose on their milestone anniversary, and thanked them for the amazing work they are doing in their community. On the back of their program, in tiny print, was a listing of all of the activities, service projects, and fundraisers that their club is involved with, over 50 and still counting. They sponsor Key Clubs at Montrose and Elk Lake High Schools, as well as a Builders Club and K-Kids Club in the Elk Lake School District. A highlight of their calendar is the annual 4th of July Parade. The Borough of Montrose has only 1,279 residents, but the parade draws over 20,000 people each year. The Montrose club embodies all that is good about Kiwanis. They positively touch the lives of all of their citizens, and are beloved by their community.
On Sunday, May 5, I travelled to East Stroudsburg with Division 17/18 Lt. Governor Janet Owen to attend the Kiwanis Club of Poconos – Daybreak Annual Motorcycle Show. The weather did not cooperate as it rained most of the day. There were no motorcycles on display, although three riders entered photos of their bikes in a contest. We enjoyed a delicious picnic buffet and live music. There were raffle prizes and free home baked items. President Corissa Gehring and other members of the club were very resourceful in hosting the event despite challenging weather conditions.
The following day began the week long effort to open a new Kiwanis Club in Northampton area. Our Northampton New Club Opening Team spent several days beforehand making phone calls to set appointments up for the week of May 5. We ended up with 24 appointments and dozens of “cold calls” in the Boroughs of Northampton and Bath, and surrounding townships. We met with the Mayor and Borough Manager of Northampton and the Principal of the Northampton Area High School. This club will encompass the Northampton Area School District, with a total population of 42,392, and a school population of 5,227 students. There is a high school, middle school and 4 elementary schools with another under construction. It is a large and rapidly growing area. Ideal for a Kiwanis Club! After four days of appointments, we were able to recruit 11 new members, just 4 short of the minimum required for charter strength. We had an informational meeting on May 8, and will be scheduling a follow-up meeting in two weeks at which time we are confident that the club will organize. There is a lot of positive energy with the charter members we have met. My home club, the Kiwanis Club of Allentown is sponsoring the new Northampton club. We are excited about welcoming them into our Pennsylvania District Kiwanis family!
AND… this evening we plan to finally organize the Kiwanis Club of Latrobe! There are now 16 charter members, and every effort has been made to have at least 9 of those members attend tonight’s meeting in person or by Zoom. We would like to once again thank the Kiwanis Club of Greensburg for sponsoring the Latrobe club. I cannot wait to attend that club’s Charter Night!
Finally, we congratulate Key Club International on their 100th Anniversary, which was celebrated last Wednesday, May 7. Key Clubs are the foundation of our Service Leadership Programs, and the pride of Kiwanis.
Thank you for your commitment to “Rise and Shine for the Kids!”
Best wishes,
Governor Tom
Pennsylvania District Governor
Category: Governor Blog
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