Greetings, fellow Pennsylvania Kiwanians!
Since my last Governor’s blog spot, I have been busy supporting plans to open new Kiwanis Clubs in the District. On Sunday, March 9 I traveled to Latrobe to help open a new club in that community. Latrobe- birthplace of Arnold Palmer, Fred Rogers, and the banana split sundae! I rented an Airbnb for the week, but most of our New Club Opening Team stayed at Springhill Suites, across from the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. This was a great location, central to our visits with new club prospects, and offering a corner of the lobby to meet first thing in the morning and at the end of the day. We had over 150 prospects, with dozens of appointments from Monday through Thursday. We made stops in Latrobe, Greensburg, Derry, and Ligonier. Sightseeing highlights included the campus of St. Vincent College, where the Pittsburgh Steelers hold their training camp, the Fred Rogers Institute, Fort Ligonier, and the Latrobe Cone Zone Ice Cream Parlor. Our team included Mike Coolbaugh, Cathy Szymanski, Miranda Burton, Cathy Pavlic, Janine Surmick, Brian Root, Barb Carter, and Conrad Schlesinger. We went on appointments in pairs, and made “cold call” visits between appointments. By Thursday evening’s informational session at the Latrobe VFW, 7 new members signed up. Since then there have been several additional applicants, to the point that we are now confident that by March 31 we will have the required 15 charter members, and can organize the club. If so, the Kiwanis Club of Latrobe will be the first new club our District has formed since 2023! I am very proud of the efforts of our team members.
But, we are not sitting on our laurels! We are planning another new club opening the week of May 5. This will be in the Borough of Northampton and its surrounding areas. That community is located just north of Allentown. The population of communities within the Northampton Area School District is over 42,000 people. We feel this area has tremendous potential for a Kiwanis Club, as well as Service Leadership Programs in the school district. Our Northampton New Club Opening Team had a “kickoff” meeting on March 18, and will be meeting every two weeks until May 5.
While I was out in Western Pennsylvania, I joined members of the Sheraden Kiwanis Club, and other clubs in the area by participating in the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day parade! The Smith family – Keith, Tracy, and Shawn did most of the prep work for the Kiwanis entry in the parade. We arrived at the staging area around 8 AM and immediately began decorating the Smith pickup truck, trailer, and SUV. The large, inflatable Kiwanis sign was secured to the roof of the truck, while a banner advertising the Kiwanis International Convention in Pittsburgh was attached to the grill. We finally began moving around 11:30 AM down Liberty Avenue. We encountered some rain in the beginning, but overall the weather was clear and comfortable. Thousands of spectators lined the street. Some of us rode in the trailer, waving our hands and shouting out greetings, while others walked alongside handing out small Irish flags, stickers, and pixy sticks. As we passed by the judging stand we were introduced by the PA system and broadcast live on the local TV station. It was quite a rush! And a great advertisement for Kiwanis. After the parade, we stopped by at the oldest family-owned tavern in Sheraden to celebrate St. Patty’s Day in the company of our fellow Kiwanians. After a good night’s sleep, I headed back to Allentown. During this trip, I traveled over 750 miles. But it was worth it. A new Kiwanis club and participation in a memorable parade in downtown Pittsburgh. Life is good!
I now look forward to May 7, when we will be celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the largest student-run organization in the world, Key Club International. I will be attending the annual Key Club District convention in Grantville the weekend of March 29, as well as the Circle K convention the same weekend in State College. This is a month to celebrate all of our Service Leadership Programs, and the impact they have by serving their schools and communities.
The arrival of spring brings fresh optimism and enthusiasm in our mission as members of Kiwanis. After a dreary winter, we all should feel good about GROWTH. Growth of our flower beds and vegetable gardens. And the growth of Kiwanis membership. Let’s all “Rise and Shine for the Kids!”
Best wishes,
Governor Tom
Pennsylvania District Governor
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Last Updated: March 22, 2025 by pennsylvaniakiwanis
Spring Has Arrived!
Greetings, fellow Pennsylvania Kiwanians!
Since my last Governor’s blog spot, I have been busy supporting plans to open new Kiwanis Clubs in the District. On Sunday, March 9 I traveled to Latrobe to help open a new club in that community. Latrobe- birthplace of Arnold Palmer, Fred Rogers, and the banana split sundae! I rented an Airbnb for the week, but most of our New Club Opening Team stayed at Springhill Suites, across from the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. This was a great location, central to our visits with new club prospects, and offering a corner of the lobby to meet first thing in the morning and at the end of the day. We had over 150 prospects, with dozens of appointments from Monday through Thursday. We made stops in Latrobe, Greensburg, Derry, and Ligonier. Sightseeing highlights included the campus of St. Vincent College, where the Pittsburgh Steelers hold their training camp, the Fred Rogers Institute, Fort Ligonier, and the Latrobe Cone Zone Ice Cream Parlor. Our team included Mike Coolbaugh, Cathy Szymanski, Miranda Burton, Cathy Pavlic, Janine Surmick, Brian Root, Barb Carter, and Conrad Schlesinger. We went on appointments in pairs, and made “cold call” visits between appointments. By Thursday evening’s informational session at the Latrobe VFW, 7 new members signed up. Since then there have been several additional applicants, to the point that we are now confident that by March 31 we will have the required 15 charter members, and can organize the club. If so, the Kiwanis Club of Latrobe will be the first new club our District has formed since 2023! I am very proud of the efforts of our team members.
But, we are not sitting on our laurels! We are planning another new club opening the week of May 5. This will be in the Borough of Northampton and its surrounding areas. That community is located just north of Allentown. The population of communities within the Northampton Area School District is over 42,000 people. We feel this area has tremendous potential for a Kiwanis Club, as well as Service Leadership Programs in the school district. Our Northampton New Club Opening Team had a “kickoff” meeting on March 18, and will be meeting every two weeks until May 5.
While I was out in Western Pennsylvania, I joined members of the Sheraden Kiwanis Club, and other clubs in the area by participating in the Pittsburgh St. Patrick’s Day parade! The Smith family – Keith, Tracy, and Shawn did most of the prep work for the Kiwanis entry in the parade. We arrived at the staging area around 8 AM and immediately began decorating the Smith pickup truck, trailer, and SUV. The large, inflatable Kiwanis sign was secured to the roof of the truck, while a banner advertising the Kiwanis International Convention in Pittsburgh was attached to the grill. We finally began moving around 11:30 AM down Liberty Avenue. We encountered some rain in the beginning, but overall the weather was clear and comfortable. Thousands of spectators lined the street. Some of us rode in the trailer, waving our hands and shouting out greetings, while others walked alongside handing out small Irish flags, stickers, and pixy sticks. As we passed by the judging stand we were introduced by the PA system and broadcast live on the local TV station. It was quite a rush! And a great advertisement for Kiwanis. After the parade, we stopped by at the oldest family-owned tavern in Sheraden to celebrate St. Patty’s Day in the company of our fellow Kiwanians. After a good night’s sleep, I headed back to Allentown. During this trip, I traveled over 750 miles. But it was worth it. A new Kiwanis club and participation in a memorable parade in downtown Pittsburgh. Life is good!
I now look forward to May 7, when we will be celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the largest student-run organization in the world, Key Club International. I will be attending the annual Key Club District convention in Grantville the weekend of March 29, as well as the Circle K convention the same weekend in State College. This is a month to celebrate all of our Service Leadership Programs, and the impact they have by serving their schools and communities.
The arrival of spring brings fresh optimism and enthusiasm in our mission as members of Kiwanis. After a dreary winter, we all should feel good about GROWTH. Growth of our flower beds and vegetable gardens. And the growth of Kiwanis membership. Let’s all “Rise and Shine for the Kids!”
Best wishes,
Governor Tom
Pennsylvania District Governor
Category: Governor Blog
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