Kiwanis Public News

Club secretaries: Have you checked your KiwanisOne dashboard lately?

Scott Smith — Tue, 29 May 2012 15:43:00 GMT

The secretary dashboard in KiwanisOne (club secretaries see when logged in) gives an invaluable snapshot of your club when arriving in the system to manage tasks.

There are nine areas of key data for your club displayed on your dashboard. Learn what those nine areas are and the edits you can make on your own in the April issue of the Club Resource newsletter, under Club Management 101.

Club secretaries should check their KiwanisOne dashboard every time they log in. For more need-to-knows like this one, subscribe to the Club Resource newsletter at www.kiwanis.org/subscribe.

Web workshops are popular. Reserve your seat now for the 5 sessions offered in New Orleans!

Scott Smith — Tue, 29 May 2012 15:41:00 GMT

Please join the Kiwanis International IT/Web team for the following international convention workshops:

Creating a club website using KiwanisOne | Thursday, June 28 or Saturday, June 30
Find what you’re looking for on KiwanisOne | Thursday, June 28
Online reporting 101 | Friday, June 29
Online reporting 102 | Friday, June 29
Best practices for your website | Saturday, June 30

For a list of all convention workshops, go to www.KiwanisOne.org/convention/myschedule and click on All Events. Login to reserve your seat at all the workshops you plan to attend. You also may reserve seats for your guests.

Reminder: Online and postmarked registration ends June 1. We hope to see you there! Stop by the IT booth in the exhibit hall to learn about the latest improvements and what’s on the radar or ask questions.

Women in Kiwanis featured in June 2012 Kiwanis magazine

Scott Smith — Fri, 25 May 2012 18:47:00 GMT

On May 6, 1921, Leah Slaughter became an honorary member of the Kiwanis Club of Goldsboro, North Carolina. The club reported that it had taken this action because Slaughter “so successfully assisted with its musical and social programs.” According to the “Goldsboro News-Artist,” Slaughter had earned the distinction as “the only lady Kiwanian in Goldsboro.”

Twenty-five years ago, Kiwanis officially opened its membership to women. The June issue of Kiwanis magazine will celebrate that decision with a feature about the history of women in Kiwanis, including Leah Slaughter's story.

Help for the club secretary drowning in to-dos

Scott Smith — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:33:00 GMT

Each club is allowed to give one other person in the club the same online KiwanisOne access as the club secretary. We call this option ‘secretary assist’ and it can prove to be a valuable addition to your club management. It takes some of the pressure off the secretary who is typically the only one in the club doing the monthly reporting, member management, website updating and other duties.

This assistant’s role will have an end date just like any other officer role and runs to the end of the Kiwanis year regardless of start date. Remember that someone designated as ‘secretary assist’ has all the same rights and access as the club secretary (member management, club officer updates, etc.). This is different from the specific club-assigned roles available with the full version of the Club Management System. It’s more of an all-access pass.

To request ‘secretary assist’ for another member, the current club president or secretary must email kiwanisone@kiwanis.org or memberservices@kiwanis.org stating their approval for the request, the person’s name and email.

Don't be invisible

Scott Smith — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:31:00 GMT

Have you Googled your club name lately? If you search and find that your club’s website link is not as high in the search results as you think it should be (or worse, missing!), there are steps you can take to improve that.

Aim for a spot at the top—read the search engine optimization (SEO) tutorial in the new KiwanisOne Knowledgebase at www.KiwanisOne.org/websiteSEO.

Watch the action: The Eliminate Project's Worldwide Report Day is May 22

Scott Smith — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:48:00 GMT

Experience the excitement, in real time, as strides are made toward achieving our US$110 million goal with The Eliminate Project’s first Worldwide Report Day. Worldwide Report Day is scheduled for May 22, 2012. This day will consist of phone calls from district coordinators from around the world to the campaign chairman. The Eliminate Project website will feature a special page to publicize report totals live and celebrate each district. Join in the thrill of witnessing progress, district by district by visiting the Worldwide Report Day webpage at www.theeliminateproject.org/WWRD.

May is Membership Month: KiwanisOne for beginners

Scott Smith — Mon, 21 May 2012 15:44:00 GMT

Help your new members feel welcome, informed and inspired. Start by helping them navigate online member resources at www.KiwanisOne.org. Why not give a refresher to all club members once a year?

Key areas for newbies include:

Announcements on the home page
About Kiwanis (find your district and more)
Training—self-paced including New Member Orientation
Webinars
Videos and Kiwanis magazine

All new Kiwanis members should have received a special welcome email from the International Office that provides a link to a hidden section of KiwanisOne. Here they get:

A video welcome message from the International President
An overview of our programs
Links to The Eliminate Project
A coupon for their first Kiwanis store purchase
An offer for free registration to their first year’s International Convention
An official ID card to print out, and
A getting-to-know-you survey.

If someone has not received this special link, contact memberservices@kiwanis.org.

K-Kids combat bullying

Scott Smith — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:27:00 GMT

Bullying is a real-life problem for kids around the globe. K-Kids are joining forces to help reduce bullying. Check out the new “bully prevention” resources at www.kkids.org/bullyprevention. Ideas range from a bully awareness day to handing out bully-free zone bookmarks that list great prevention resources. Looking for other initiatives? Additional service areas include “service to others,” “character building” and “literacy.”

Start planning for your K-Kids club’s service area project today!

Experience The Big Easy! What to expect at convention

Scott Smith — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:22:00 GMT

Tuesday, May 22, 2012, 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM EDT

Get a preview of the Kiwanis International convention in New Orleans and an opportunity to ask questions before the big event. You’ll also have a chance to share your favorite experiences—both from ICON and New Orleans. Let’s make it fun!

See the entire listing of webinars we’ll offer during the next few months at www.KiwanisOne.org/webinars.

Model club motivation

Scott Smith — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:20:00 GMT

Model Clubs make a huge impact on The Eliminate Project fundraising progress, and three districts in particular stand out for their extraordinary Model Club participation to date. The Ohio and Australia districts have generated great excitement in their districts with nine Model Clubs each. The Carolinas district currently leads the way worldwide with 11 Model Clubs, as well as three 100k Clubs.

The success in these districts is a great source of inspiration in helping us achieve our goal of securing more than 300 Model Clubs by the end of the Kiwanis International convention and beyond. Model Clubs pledge to raise an average of US$750 per member over up to five years; each member helps save or protect more than 416 lives.

Your club can be a Model Club, too! Find more information and updates on Model Club and fundraising development on The Eliminate Project progress page.

Successful project management for fundraising and service

Scott Smith — Fri, 11 May 2012 18:39:00 GMT

Tuesday, May 15, 2012, 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM EDT

“Let's just shoot—and whatever we hit, let's call it the target.” And when that doesn’t work, try a simple but structured approach to fundraising and service. Participate in this webinar to find out how.

See the entire listing of webinars we’ll offer during the next few months at www.KiwanisOne.org/webinars.

New K-Kids video: Kids can lead too

Scott Smith — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:50:00 GMT

Service isn’t limited by our age. Both young and old can make a difference and help those in need. In the spirit of creating the next generation of leaders via Kiwanis Kids, a new video is available, “Kids can lead, too.” One version of the inspirational video is targeted at Kiwanis volunteers, and the other is for school and community leaders. Share the exciting work and unique needs of K-Kids with your club today!

Dues amendment proposed

Scott Smith — Thu, 03 May 2012 18:31:00 GMT

The Kiwanis International Board will propose a US$15 dues increase when the House of Delegates convenes at the 97th Annual Kiwanis International Convention in New Orleans, June 28–July 1. Kiwanis dues have remained unchanged for nearly a decade. Several factors impact Kiwanis’ financial status, including:

Inflation: With today’s dollar, Kiwanis would need more than $53 to continue doing business at the same level as 2003 when delegates set dues at $42.

Kiwanis membership: The primary source of Kiwanis International revenue is members’ dues. Since 2003–04, our membership has declined from 264,464 to 226,929 at the end of the 2010–11 year, and revenue from dues and fees has fallen from $10.6 million to $8.7 million.

Stewardship: Every year, Kiwanis has cut expenses in various ways, including measures that have reduced services to our adult and youth clubs. As a result, the organization is operating efficiently and lean and has maintained an operating surplus every year since 2003—until last year. In order to return to fiscal stability, a dues increase is needed.

Kiwanis also would like to take advantage of additional opportunities, such as:

Education: New technology is available to improve the member experience through online education and club administration and support.

Program growth: For each of the past four years, Aktion Club, CKI, Key Club and Builders Club set all time membership records. K-Kids also has set membership records in all but one of these years. Kiwanis needs to maintain financial stability in order to continue its investment in these youth and adult programs.

Nations with a per-capita income between US$5,000 and $10,000 would see a $10 increase to their dues, and nations with a per-capita income below $5,000 would see a $7 increase.

For more information, visit www.KiwanisOne.org/dues.

Get your 2012 Kiwanis retail catalog!

Scott Smith — Thu, 03 May 2012 15:50:00 GMT

This month, the 2012 Kiwanis retail catalog debuts. You’ll find many new items in the catalog, which is mailed to club secretaries in May. Want a sneak peek? Visit the Kiwanis Store at www.KiwanisOne.org/store to find a wide variety of Kiwanis-family items—from apparel and jewelry to gifts and marketing materials. There’s something for everyone!

55 club websites capture the spotlight. Is your district represented?

Scott Smith — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:27:00 GMT

More and more Kiwanis clubs, like the Gig Harbor Kiwanis club in Washington (U.S.), are getting their online first impression in top shape. They are creating and maintaining a great club website using the Club Management System in KiwanisOne. Some of the best examples are now showcased on Flickr at www.KiwanisOne.org/clubgallery. Need ideas? Go see what other clubs are doing!

Is your club ready for the spotlight too? Get help at www.KiwanisOne.org/idealsite. This live example is updated regularly just like your site should be. See what an ideal home page should look like. Get layout and content ideas. Feel free to mimic and borrow from this site. Need fresh news, ads or photos to post? Go to www.KiwanisOne.org/readytorun.