Greetings, fellow Pennsylvania Kiwanians,
We welcomed the Summer season last Friday. Spring in the Northeast was cold, wet, and generally very un-spring like. We will feel the heat in Pittsburgh this week as we attend ICON. Early weather forecast for convention week is for temperatures in the high 80’s and chances for scattered thunderstorms later in the week. Hopefully our plans for the Friday night baseball game outing will not be affected. But at least it will be seasonally warm weather to look forward to.
Not much to report since my last blog spot. The newly-chartered Kiwanis Club of Greater Northampton Area is eager to serve their community! Their first club meeting will be held on July 9. Region 6 Trustee Tiffany Callaio will be training their officers later today. And one of their members, Linda Macnamara will be representing them at ICON this week. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Latrobe is also full of energy, and will be represented at convention by Bailey Noel, their club Secretary. This past weekend, the club participated in the annual SHOP ‘n SAVE Westmoreland County Airshow at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe. They had a tent set up along with the giant inflatable Kiwanis sign, with games for the kids and information about Kiwanis and membership in their club. With thousands of visitors from the county and beyond, this was a wonderful way to introduce their new Kiwanis Club to the community.
Last Wednesday, the Hazleton New Club Opening Team had a “kickoff” meeting on Zoom. We plan to build a new Kiwanis Club in Hazleton the week of July 20. Present at the meeting were Mike Coolbaugh, our District Membership Chair; Miranda Burton, KI Club Opening Specialist; Peg Harp of the Allentown Kiwanis Club who will be helping out with Facebook leads; Conrad Schlesinger; Barb Carter; John Cara, Secretary for The Valley, Conyngham Club, which will be the new club sponsor; and myself. PLUS, Kiwanis International President Lee Kuan Yong joined us from Malaysia, 12 hours in the future! Other members of our team will be Region 4 Trustee Allan Schappert, New Club Opening Co-Chair Cathy Szymanski, Division 14 Lt. Governor Kevin Yurkanin, and The Valley, Conyngham President Danielle Matarella. There will be many more joining our effort from both the District and KI. We look forward to opening our District’s third new Kiwanis Club this summer!
I jumped the gun in my last blog by previewing 2025 ICON. So I will not repeat it here. Only to state that after years of preparation, the moment has finally arrived! Final convention reports from Kiwanis show that a total of 1,755 people are registered for ICON ‘25. The Ohio District leads the way with a total of 165 registrations. Our District is second with 147. Combined, our two Districts account for 18% of total attendance! Kiwanis ICON ’25 will be one of the most highly-attended conventions in years.
Some of us will be on the road tomorrow. Many others later in the week. As the Host District, we look forward to greeting visitors from around the world, and providing them
with real Pennsylvania hospitality. The Keystone State is home to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, the Liberty Bell, the Battle of Gettysburg, Pat’s and Geno’s cheesesteaks and Primanti Brothers “sammies.” Our industries forged a nation and helped win two world wars. We are blessed with outdoor beauty in the Appalachian mountain range and the Allegheny forest. We have awesome attractions like Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. We are home to the “Sweetest Place on Earth” – Hershey, and marshmallow Peeps. We are a true “melting pot” of America. Every nationality is represented in our communities, as well as the Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish. Our GNP is 6th highest in the U.S. and we are home to 23 of the top Fortune 500 companies. Our population of 13,011,844 is 5th highest in the nation. As a lifelong Pennsylvania resident I am, and will always be, “Pennsylvania Proud.” As well as a huge fan of Penn State sports. WE ARE….!
As you mingle with convention attendees from other Districts, demonstrate YOUR Pennsylvania pride, and welcome them like they are family, because they are. Kiwanis IS a family. They are visiting our “home” and we will treat them warmly like dear relatives. And when convention is over, we hope that they will come back to visit our beautiful Commonwealth in the future. Tell them “don’t be a stranger, you are welcome back any time.” Let’s not just “Forge the Future” but “Forge Friendships” at this year’s convention.
I look forward to seeing many of you this week. Have a safe journey to the ‘Burgh!
Best wishes,
Governor Tom
Pennsylvania District Governor
Last Updated: June 23, 2025 by pennsylvaniakiwanis
Summer in the City!
Greetings, fellow Pennsylvania Kiwanians,
We welcomed the Summer season last Friday. Spring in the Northeast was cold, wet, and generally very un-spring like. We will feel the heat in Pittsburgh this week as we attend ICON. Early weather forecast for convention week is for temperatures in the high 80’s and chances for scattered thunderstorms later in the week. Hopefully our plans for the Friday night baseball game outing will not be affected. But at least it will be seasonally warm weather to look forward to.
Not much to report since my last blog spot. The newly-chartered Kiwanis Club of Greater Northampton Area is eager to serve their community! Their first club meeting will be held on July 9. Region 6 Trustee Tiffany Callaio will be training their officers later today. And one of their members, Linda Macnamara will be representing them at ICON this week. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Latrobe is also full of energy, and will be represented at convention by Bailey Noel, their club Secretary. This past weekend, the club participated in the annual SHOP ‘n SAVE Westmoreland County Airshow at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe. They had a tent set up along with the giant inflatable Kiwanis sign, with games for the kids and information about Kiwanis and membership in their club. With thousands of visitors from the county and beyond, this was a wonderful way to introduce their new Kiwanis Club to the community.
Last Wednesday, the Hazleton New Club Opening Team had a “kickoff” meeting on Zoom. We plan to build a new Kiwanis Club in Hazleton the week of July 20. Present at the meeting were Mike Coolbaugh, our District Membership Chair; Miranda Burton, KI Club Opening Specialist; Peg Harp of the Allentown Kiwanis Club who will be helping out with Facebook leads; Conrad Schlesinger; Barb Carter; John Cara, Secretary for The Valley, Conyngham Club, which will be the new club sponsor; and myself. PLUS, Kiwanis International President Lee Kuan Yong joined us from Malaysia, 12 hours in the future! Other members of our team will be Region 4 Trustee Allan Schappert, New Club Opening Co-Chair Cathy Szymanski, Division 14 Lt. Governor Kevin Yurkanin, and The Valley, Conyngham President Danielle Matarella. There will be many more joining our effort from both the District and KI. We look forward to opening our District’s third new Kiwanis Club this summer!
I jumped the gun in my last blog by previewing 2025 ICON. So I will not repeat it here. Only to state that after years of preparation, the moment has finally arrived! Final convention reports from Kiwanis show that a total of 1,755 people are registered for ICON ‘25. The Ohio District leads the way with a total of 165 registrations. Our District is second with 147. Combined, our two Districts account for 18% of total attendance! Kiwanis ICON ’25 will be one of the most highly-attended conventions in years.
Some of us will be on the road tomorrow. Many others later in the week. As the Host District, we look forward to greeting visitors from around the world, and providing them
with real Pennsylvania hospitality. The Keystone State is home to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, the Liberty Bell, the Battle of Gettysburg, Pat’s and Geno’s cheesesteaks and Primanti Brothers “sammies.” Our industries forged a nation and helped win two world wars. We are blessed with outdoor beauty in the Appalachian mountain range and the Allegheny forest. We have awesome attractions like Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. We are home to the “Sweetest Place on Earth” – Hershey, and marshmallow Peeps. We are a true “melting pot” of America. Every nationality is represented in our communities, as well as the Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish. Our GNP is 6th highest in the U.S. and we are home to 23 of the top Fortune 500 companies. Our population of 13,011,844 is 5th highest in the nation. As a lifelong Pennsylvania resident I am, and will always be, “Pennsylvania Proud.” As well as a huge fan of Penn State sports. WE ARE….!
As you mingle with convention attendees from other Districts, demonstrate YOUR Pennsylvania pride, and welcome them like they are family, because they are. Kiwanis IS a family. They are visiting our “home” and we will treat them warmly like dear relatives. And when convention is over, we hope that they will come back to visit our beautiful Commonwealth in the future. Tell them “don’t be a stranger, you are welcome back any time.” Let’s not just “Forge the Future” but “Forge Friendships” at this year’s convention.
I look forward to seeing many of you this week. Have a safe journey to the ‘Burgh!
Best wishes,
Governor Tom
Pennsylvania District Governor
Category: Governor Blog
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