Kiwanis Club of Columbia

April 2020 Volume 47, Number 7

Newsletter Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.

Club Achieves “Distinguished” Status

While attending the MO-ARK Mid-year Education Day in St. Louis on March 7, President Elect, Dale Metcalf, received several items from the MO-ARK District in recognition of the Distinguished Status achieved by our club for the 2019-20 Kiwanis year. Dale is pictured, during the March 3 meeting, presenting our Past-President, Molly Delgado, with banner patches and certificate recognizing our Distinguished Club sta-tus. Molly was also honored as a Distinguished President for her out-standing leadership and service during the year, as was our hard-working Secretary, James Powell, who was also recognized as Distin-guished. Over the years, our Columbia club has been honored with this service distinction a number of times. There are several steps and levels of performance which must be achieved during the year to be so recognized, including training, membership growth, SLP programs and community involvement, just to name a few. A big “congratulations” is extend-ed to Molly and James for their untiring service and dedication to the Kiwanis mission. Of course, there were many others working behind the scenes to help make this happen. A big pat on the back to all of us. It feels good, doesn’t it.

Kiwanis International Cancels Meetings

Less than three weeks ago, frequent meetings were being held within our club and between the leaders of the four Kiwanis clubs in Columbia in preparation for the annual citywide Kiwanis Pancake Day. Ticket sales were soaring and corporate sponsorship arrangements pursed. Routine operational club functions were ongoing. Committee meeting were sched-uled, interclub visits planned, speakers booked. In other words, it was business as usual for our Columbia Kiwanis club. However, a new concern had recently entered our global uni-verse and nation which was of growing significance—Coronavirus, or COVID-19. Drastic measures were being taken in our largest cities on both coasts to address this dangerous, life threatening spreading virus. Businesses were closing, large assem-blies cancelled, travel curtailed and schools dismissed. All too quickly, Columbia, Missouri was forced to follow suit. Our routine meeting schedule and operations came to a screeching halt on March 16, when President Valerie received guidance from Kiwanis International that all Kiwanis meetings and activities were to be canceled through April. Immediate actions were taken to close down all Pancake Day operations and activities for the following Saturday. Club meetings and activities were cancelled for the remainder of March and April. A successful board meeting was held on Tuesday, March 24, using ZOOM video conferencing. Because of the optimistic success of this online conferencing program, President Valerie sched-uled an attempt to hold a ZOOM club meeting at noon on Tuesday, March 31. Instructional connection guidance was emailed to the membership for this new and innovative remote club meeting. This is sure to be an interesting adventure and possible solution as to how we can remain connected as a club, without assembling in person. In the meantime, prayers are that we and our loved ones all remain safe and healthy during this challenging period of time. God bless and stay well.

Plans for 68th Pancake Day

Modified

With the COVID-19 virus crisis on its way and, acting on Kiwanis International guidance, the Pres-idents’ Council made the difficult, but reasonable, decision on March 16, to cancel the Kiwanis Pan-cake Day event scheduled for the following Satur-day, March 21. This decision set in motion a scramble to arrange for the cancellation of all per-ishable food orders, scheduled entertainment and Columbia College facility commitments. Ticket sales and corporate sponsorships were addressed on an individual basis. The event committee placed an ad in both the Columbia News Tribune and The Missourian the next weekend, thanking our loyal patrons and corporate sponsors for their support and understanding. Additional details and guidance will be discussed with the club members by President Valerie as details are finalized. In the meantime, hopes are still alive that the event may be rescheduled sometime in the next six months. If not, we will observe Pancake Day the following year, 2021. Thanks to John Cassels, the event treasurer, for providing this information.

Lucas Redburn 4-13 Norma Fair 4-18 Jill Brown 4-20

Jason Simmons 4-28

Mark your Calendar 4/4 98th anniversary of Columbia Kiwanis Club 4/21 Board meeting (ZOOM online) 5/5 Annual Club Meeting 5/12 Clergy Day 6/TBA Annual Club Picnic, Kiwanis Park

Robert & Patricia Nelson 4-3

Molly & Oliver Delgado 4-15

Gene & Pat Gerke 4-20

Love And

Marriage

April Celebrations

of

Kiwanis Club of Columbia & Kiwanis Club Foundation Conference Audio/Video-Call Board Meeting Minutes March 24, 2020 The meeting was called to order by President Valerie Shaw. Other board members who were present on the conference call were: Janet Schisser, James Powell, Jack Miles, Ron Miller, Christine Kastens, Ernest Hilder-brand, and Dale Metcalf. Also present were: Jack Meinzenbach, Virginia Law, and Carmen Kindling. Minutes: In advance, James Powell sent to the board members the minutes of the February 18 board meeting and the March 10 emergency board meet-ing. Without any additions or corrections, Ernest Hilderbrand moved ap-proval of both minutes, and Janet Schisser offered a second. The motion passed. Financial Reports: Prior to the meeting, Janet Schisser, Treasurer, sent out the Club and Foundation reports for February. Ron Miller moved approval of the reports and Dale Metcalf offered a second. The reports were ap-proved by acclamation. They will be placed in the secretary’s file. Memorial Trust Fund Treasurer, Dale Metcalf, presented the February re-port. In February the fund’s total value lost $11,497.26 bringing the fiscal year’s value loss to $498.47. Ernest Hilderbrand moved approval of the report, and Janet Schisser offered a second. The report was approved by acclamation They will be placed in the secretary’s file. Administrative Items: Changes in By-Laws Needed: President Valerie pointed out that changes in the Club’s by-laws regarding: (1) canceling weekly meetings and (2) the requirement of a minimum of 48-hours notice for calling a meeting of the board. President Valerie will ask Jason Simmons to draw up wording for these proposed changes. The new wording will be presented at the next board meeting. Website Proposal: The current website for our Club was established and controlled by Jennifer Roberts, who has dropped out of our Club. Clyde Bentley recommended setting up a new website. The cost for a 5-year do-main would be $72.95, or a 10-year domain would cost $147.90. Janet Schisser moved that we authorize Clyde to purchase and set up the 10-year domain. Ron Miller gave a second to the motion, and the motion passed by acclamation. Disposal of Benton K-Kids Restricted Funds: When the Little Dixie Club came in to the Columbia Club, they gifted $6,000 to our Foundation, with the restriction that this gift would be used for three years to meet the expenses of Benton K-Kids. Furthermore, if there is any remaining money in the fund by May 31, 2020, it “. . . shall be distributed outright. . .for the use in the discretion of the Principal of Benton Elementary for the benefit of Benton students, faculty or staff. . .” . With the expectation that there will be some funds remaining in the K-Kids account by the end of this school year, Janet Schisser moved that a representative(s) from our Club will arrange to have a discussion before March 31st with the Principal of Benton Elemen-tary to determine the way these excess funds will be distributed. Dale Metcalf seconded the motion and it passed by acclamation. Other items: Electronic Meeting of the Club: President Valerie expressed a desire to have a conference call of the entire Club next Tuesday, March 31st, and she would be willing to set up this call. James Powell moved to accept President Valerie’s offer, and Ernest Hilderbrand provided a second. The motion passed by acclamation. Clergy Day: May 12 is designated annual clergy day. A guest clergy is asked to present a program to the club. Janet Schisser is arranging for The Rev. Dr. Valori Mulvey Sherer, Interim Rector of Calvary Episcopal Church, to be our speaker for that occasion. Meeting Adjourned Respectfully submitted, James Powell, secretary Next Official Board Meeting: April 21

Editor’s Comments… The preceding minutes have been selectively summarized, re-formatted or edited for this publication. There have been no changes made to the official proceedings.

A Note From President Valerie Greetings My Fellow Kiwanians! I miss seeing you in person, but understand our need to stay in and stay safe. This COVID-19 is like nothing most of us have ever seen. I made up my mind not to complain, since so many people have it worse than me. Considering there are many that have no home to stay in, I can’t complain about the “stay in place” order. My prayers go out to those working essential jobs and especially first responders and those in health care. I’m sure many of us have family members who are unable to work from home and I include them in my prayers for sure. I refuse to call this the new normal. Instead, I say for me, it’s the new temporary. I’m thankful to those board members who experienced our first ZOOM Board Meeting. It went smoothly, considering it was new and a technical test for us. By now you’ve gotten the minutes and can see we successfully addressed quite a bit of business. Postponing Pancake Day was a challenge for all Clubs. I’m grate-ful to the those working on various committees and activities for their ability to quickly shift gears, reduce our exposure to loss and get the word out to the community in rapid fire. Amazing! Since we’re all at home staying in place and many members are in the “at risk” category, remember to reach out to Kiwanis members to be sure they are doing ok. Keeping our Kiwanis Family in touch and relationships strong is a priority for me during this down time. I look forward to seeing you in person, but in the meantime, take care, stay healthy and keep in touch. Valerie

Columbia Kiwanis Club

2019-2020 Officers

Valerie Shaw President

(573) 356-6353

Dale Metcalf President Elect

(Vacancy) Vice President

James Powell Secretary

(573) 814-0425

Janet Schisser Treasurer

Molly Delgado Immediate Past President

Board of Directors

Jack Miles (1)* Ron Miller (1)

Ernest Hilderbrand(2) Christine Kastens (2)

Carmon Camp(3) Lynn Limback(3)

(*)Denotes term years

Newspaper Editor

John Haralson (573) 443-8995

jjharalson@mchsi.com

Meetings

Every Tuesday at noon The Broadway Hotel

(Lower Level Events Center)

1111 East Broadway Downtown Columbia

(573) 875-7000

Contact

P. O. Box 158

Columbia, Mo 65205

Or visit our website www.comokiwanis.org

Columbia Kiwanis Club of Missouri

April Programs

(Sally Robinson, Coordinator) (No formal programs are scheduled for April. Opportunities for brief online presentations are being explored )

Aktion Club Holds Only Meeting In March

It has been a difficult time for our club to host the members of Aktion Club during the months of February and March. Both meetings in February were cancelled, due to severe weather conditions. Their meeting on March 3 was held at the Forum Boulevard Christian Church, with some 25 members and sponsors in attendance. A short business meeting was con-ducted under the guidance of their sponsor, Jim Ho-gan (pictured on the far right). A number of events and special activi-ties were planned for the next few months, but, unfor-tunately, most will probably have to be cancelled. Sally Robinson presented the program

for their meeting, which was centered around a birthday celebration for the creator and author of the Dr. Seuss series of books. Almost all of the members had several favorite Dr. Seuss books and could follow along, as Sally read one of their favorites, “Green Eggs and Ham”. John Haralson provided refreshments for the members. This was the first time the club had met in over a month, so there was plenty of greetings and visiting going on. One of the final busi-ness actions was the signing of a “thank you” note to be sent to Jack Meinzenbach. It seems Jack recently made a donation to the Aktion club to cover the cost of their mem-bers’ fees for an upcoming golf tournament at the Midway miniature golf course. The members were excited about this event and anxious to sign the card. A special thanks to Jack for his thoughtfulness and support of their members.

As like all of the clubs, there is an uncertainty about future meeting dates. Sally will work closely with their sponsor and advise our club of any meetings which can be scheduled through the month of May, which is the final month of our sponsorship this year.

Club Meets On Line For First Time It may not have been historical, but it was certainly a new experience for our 98 year old club. For the first time, our Tuesday meeting on March 31 was held online, using Zoom video and audio conferencing. Twenty two members joined President Valerie for an hour packed meet-ing of greetings, discussions, committee updates and a short program by Ernie Lee. Sure there were visual and audio problems, but none of that seemed to matter. They were simply attributed to the learning curve common to any new experiment or venture. As Valerie stated, this online arrangement will be the norm for the next month or so, depending on how quickly the community recovers from the COVID-19 shutdown. Once the meeting schedule is final-ized, the membership will be notified through Portal buzz. Procedures and required infor-mation for joining the Zoom meeting will be provided each time in advance. These are changing times and will be a new and memorable experience in our Kiwanis association.

Interclub On The Move

It was an unusually pretty day on Thursday, March 5, when eight club members visited the Columbia Golden K club for their weekly meeting in the Nifong Hy-Vee assembly room. This was the largest Columbia Kiwanis del-egation to participate in an interclub visit in several years. Those attending included Valerie Shaw, Dale Metcalf, Sally Robinson, Charlie Lee, John Cassels, Eric Cun-ningham, Clyde Bentley and John Haralson. Their meeting was modified because of a last-minute cancella-tion by their guest speaker, which allowed for a very en-joyable interchange of ideas and project update discus-sions. These two clubs have a very close connection and lasting friendships. It’s always a pleasure to visit with their members.

Select Teachers Honored

The select pair of teachers honored by our club on March 10 were from the West Boule-vard Elementary School. Principal, Dr. Melissa Galloway (second from left), made the nominations. First to be introduced was Nancy Truesdell, (left), a Kindergarten teacher with 36 years of teaching experience. As described by her Principal, she “has a heart for teaching kindergarten. Her soft voice and hugs make the students in her classroom feel safe”. Jacqueline Tapp-Cody, a Special Education Learning Specialist teacher, with 26 years of experience in the classroom, was next to be introduced. Principal Galloway stated that “Mrs. Cody’s love for her stu-dents is evident. When you enter her classroom, not only is she meeting the academic needs of her students, she is meeting their basic needs also.” Both of these outstanding teachers plan to retire at the end of this school year. Chairman Jack Miles pre-sented the honorees with the club’s certificate of appreciation and $50 gift certificates. Dr. Galloway is in the second year of Kiwanis membership in our club and is becoming active, de-spite the time demands of her school administrative position. Congratulations to these outstanding educators.

Normally our Teachers Recognition committee would have a couple more months to honor outstanding teachers from the Co-lumbia Public Schools. However, because of the COVID-19 virus crisis and closure of all the schools through most of April, there may not be any further teacher recognitions for the dura-tion of the school year.

Clergy Day Arrangements Underway

This year’s chairman of the Human and Spiritual Values committee, Sally Robinson, is planning to hold our annual Clergy Day on May12. Arrangements have been made for the guest speaker and, because of the cancellation of club meetings, nominations will be solicited by email, starting in mid/late April. Guidelines for nominations under the general umbrella of “human and spiritual values” will be

included with the nominations request. Each year our members exhibit a number of actions or service performance which clearly warrant such recognition. Only through your nomination can they be rec-ognized.

Article Featured in Kiwanis Magazine

For several years, our former president and active member, Jack Meinzenbach, has passionately promoted various issues regarding protecting the environment and climate change. He was partic-ularly focused on how air and water pollution, global warming and climate change posed a great threat to the children of the world. His well researched and thought provoking article, titled “The Greatest Threat”, was featured in the centerfold of the April/May 2020 Kiwanis International magazine. This particular issue of the magazine focused on protecting the planet for generations to come. Perspectives on the subject were presented by an expert, a Kiwanian (Jack), and a stu-dent. Everyone who knows Jack is aware of his passion for a number of issues. Those even closer to him understand how much work and perseverance it took before seeing his thoughts and aware-ness recommendations for environment and climate change were published in the Kiwanis maga-zine. Our congratulations to Jack for this recognition of his time sensitive and passionate article.