Governor Mangino’s Message Thank you for great year! Page 3

Foundation Board News Page 7

Celebrating What’s Right With The District Page 10

Kiwanian

#KidsNEEDKiwanis

Rocky Mountain September 2016

The Official Publication of the Rocky Mountain District Kiwanis www.RMDKiwanis.com

District Convention – in Photos Page 15

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Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory. Dr. Seuss Well that went by fast! It’s hard to believe this is my last newsletter as governor. I’d like to thank you again for the trust you put in me to be the leader of the most awesome district in Kiwanis. Getting to see so many impactful Kiwanis members in action has given me some very valuable Kiwanis moments. From my first governor’s visit to Durango almost a year ago to our most recent get together in Pueblo for District Convention, I’ve seen what a huge impact Kiwanians have made on their communities. It makes me proud to be a member of this family! Earlier this week, the district received notice that three clubs have decided to close. Another two are seriously considering doing the same. I understand that volunteers get tired, especially hard working multi-taskers that usually make up the core of a club. But as tired or burned out as we may get, please don’t lose sight of the goal. Our goal is to improve the world one child and one community at a time. Any community that has children should have a Kiwanis club. Think on what a huge benefit your club has been to your town. Try to imagine what your town would look like if your club hadn’t been involved all these years. Imagine what it will look like in the future without caring, committed Kiwanis’ involvement. It is a scary thought. I know we face many challenges in trying to invite new members to join us. There is a lot of competition for people’s time and attention. But it is the responsibility of each member to make a conscious effort to make the offer. Please know that the whole leadership team is ready and willing to help reenergize your club if needed. It’s why we get paid the big bucks! Alright, I’m off my soapbox. I’m excited for the opportunities ahead for our District. In working with Kathy Lee last year, I’ve come to appreciate what an energetic leader she is. It’s fitting that the 2016-2017 KI theme is “Energize the Dream”. I’m looking forward to working with Kathy, the 2016-2017 district board and the Formula team to help energize our members and clubs. We’ve got some exciting possibilities for new clubs, some ambitious goals and of course, some fun get-togethers planned in the year ahead. I’m feeling energized already! Thanks again for another great year of service!

Jon

2015 – 2016 Governor’s Message

Jon Mangino

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From the District Office

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RMD Kiwanian!

November Issue: Oct 20th

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Kiwanians NEED Kiwanians The Leadership Team is

seeking trainers For more info: Russell Adsit, russ@russelladsit.com Dawn White Brookswhite5@msn.com

District Convention is now one month past and we are preparing for the 2016 2017 Kiwanis year. Thank you to all the presenters who took such time and effort to make the forums a huge success at convention. The attendance and interaction is proof-positive that we have a wealth of knowledge to share with each other.

A BIG THANK YOU goes out to the Pueblo Kiwanis Club Convention

Committee, led by Carol Chiarito, Cora Zaletel and Ken Lewis. There

are so many parts and pieces to a convention and to have them go well is truly a team effort. Wizards behind the curtains are the glue that make an event run smooth. I

express a personal thank you to Steve Railsback, Lisa Schroers and Lisa Hansen, Fort Collins Kiwanis Eyeopeners, who worked diligently and

pleasantly the entire weekend. Photos always tell a better story than words, so check out the pages devoted

to the District Convention. Amanda May and Bob Spears made all us all

look fabulous. (pages 16 – 18)

Having a distinct vision for a successful year, check out Governor-Designate Kathy Lee’s plan for growing membership and clubs (page 4)

Add LeAnn Zetmeir and Governor Jon Mangino as Formula Co-chairs,

and you have forces to move mountains!

Congratulations to Governor-Elect Designate Hayley Suppes. Hayley’s

passion is evident in her commitment to the Key Clubs. As we enter our second century of service, there is a renewed energy with the

I-PLAN, Formula and remembering that #kidsneedkiwanis!

Hello Rocky Mountain District!

Yours in Service,

Nancy J Wiehagen

Executive Director 303-462-5148 KiwanisRMD@gmail.com

Governor-Designate Kathy Lee’s Message

I heard a joke the other day that goes something like this: A pompous, pretentious and newly promoted Colonel in a foreign military is exploring his brand new office. While sitting at his desk, he contemplates his good fortune as he ponders what to do next. Just then, through the glass door he becomes aware of a Private who is knocking. The Colonel waves him in as he grabs his telephone and says, “Yes General. Thank you General. I appreciate your good wishes.” As he hangs up he glances with annoyance at the Private and says, “What do you want?” The Private responds, “Nothing sir, I just came to connect your new phone.” Fortunately, with the universal dissemination of smartphones, such issues need not happen. Gone are classical landlines, replaced by smartphones. The communities and kids we serve are also changing with technology and Kiwanians are not immune. New ways of communication should be in our forefront. It’s just a few weeks before the start of the new Kiwanis year and I am strapped in and ready to go! I am very excited for the year ahead and I have ambitious goals for our district. The “General”, President Elect- Jane Erickson’s goals are:

1. Every Club will create a strategic I-Plan

2. Every Club will conduct at least one signature project

3. We will add more than 35,000 new members

4. We will open more than 300 new clubs

5. We will support our service leadership programs.

6. We will collect more than US $10.4M in previously committed Eliminate Pledges

General Jane’s goals are my goals for the Rocky Mountain District:

#1. Tools to help your club create a strategic I-Plan can be found at www.kiwanis.org/iplan #2. The signature service toolkit will help your club enhance or create a signature project and can be found at www.kiwanis.org/signatureproject

#3. If you think that adding 35,000 new members sounds like a lot, how about the fact that we need to add at least 32,000 members this year to just replace the number of members we lose each year. The enormous goal is not so enormous for our district when broken down based on the district’s percentage of total Kiwanis membership. Our district’s piece of the total goal is to add 448 new members. If we further break down this goal by division, (See table below) I believe we now have very reasonable goals. I’m confident that as an army of RMD Kiwanians with a mission to serve, we can accomplish our district goal.

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Division

Membership

6/1/2016

Percent of

Overall

Membership

Share of

448 Goal

Based on

Membership %

1 162 6.10% 27

2 91 3.43% 15

4 282 10.62% 48

5 73 2.75% 12

6 126 4.74% 21

7 157 5.91% 26

8 128 4.82% 22

9 248 9.34% 42

10 225 8.47% 38

11 126 4.74% 21

12 104 3.92% 18

13 372 14.01% 63

14 154 5.80% 26

15 151 5.69% 25

16 180 6.78% 30

18 77 2.90% 13

TOTAL 2656 100% 448

Membership Goals by Division

2016-2017 Rocky Mountain District

#4. Our district’s share of 300 new clubs to open is ONLY 4. Thanks to the efforts of Past Governor LeAnn Zetmeir and the Formula team this past year, we now have momentum. We already have 4 new club sites in the works. Would you like to help complete the opening of these clubs or do you know of a new site that needs a Kiwanis Club? Contact LeAnn at leannzetmeir@gmail.com today.

#5. Our greatest accomplishments as Kiwanians is the work we do with our Service Leadership Programs/Partners. They are our PARTNERS…Which means your club should be actively involved with the service clubs you sponsor; and they should be actively involved with your club. If your club doesn’t sponsor an SLP, you are really missing out-- think about sponsoring one this next year.

#6. Our district pledged $635,130 to the Eliminate Project. To date, we have paid $585,157, so we have $49,973 left to turn in over the next few years. Even if your club is not one that is fulfilling its pledge, I ask that your club please keep the Eliminate Project in your sights until we have fulfilled our pledges as an organization.

In conclusion, why do we want new members and new clubs? Because every new member that joins equals 2 more hands to serve. Each of our communities desperately needs us. If you turn on any news channel you will immediately realize #KidsNeedKiwanis today more than ever. The formula tools and team members are available for us, all we have to is utilize them... and Love It, Share It, and Live it!

Will you help me? “Energize the Dream… that every child is happy, healthy, safe and loved!” So that one day, all children will wake up in communities that believe in them, nurture them and provide the support they need to thrive. I just love the Kiwanis Vision; it’s 20/20 clear to me of why I am a Kiwanian!

I’m excited to be working with Governor-elect Hayley Suppes and a very dynamic and intelligent group of Lt. Governors. I believe we will be successful and we will see our membership numbers grow so that we can do our part to make the world a better place and continue the legacy of service left by Kiwanians for the past 101 years before us. I look forward to the year ahead and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as your Governor. Call me/message me/email me... I have a smartphone and I’m listening to you!

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ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISTRICT FOUNDATION

This has been a great year for the Rocky Mountain District Foundation Board and for all Kiwanians within the Rocky Mountain District. We have served the children and made possible service projects that have benefitted many people within the Rocky Mountain District.

I am very proud of our dedicated and hardworking board. They demonstrate their passion and commitment to our District through their professionalism and love for Kiwanis and the children we serve. Thank you to our Executive Director, Nancy Wiehagen, who is not only a joy to work with but a dedicated professional.

We are saying goodbye and thank you to: Joe Breman, Steve Cooper, Steve Parker, Marty Walker, and Bert West who have completed their term of service. These individuals have been instrumental in strengthening our Foundation. Thank you to Steve Plank as he leaves the board after having served as district governor.

We welcome returning board members Kelly Muse, who filled a one-year term and returns for a 1st three-year term; Richard Simmons who returns for a 2nd three-year term and new board members: Dawn Ignatius, Dick Ramstetter, Tom Taylor, Dennis Vinson, and Clark Morrell. Thank you for the excitement and energy you will bring to our board.

RMD District Convention and our District Foundation luncheon was a success. The Executive Directors from the Ronald McDonald Houses in Denver and Southern Colorado and the Rose Hill Hospitality House in Grand Junction presented on the impact our generous gifts are having on their families. The Board has voted to make these three “houses” our Foundation Signature Project Endowment. They each received a check, which brings our total gifts to these worthy organizations to $20,000 each. You can now direct your gifts to the District Signature Project Endowment.

Twenty-eight Kiwanis Clubs were recognized with banner patches for making financial gifts to our Foundation and we are pleased that we have nine new Lusche Fellows. An investment of $1000 in your Rocky Mountain District Foundation assures you of attaining Lusche Fellow status.

We have funded 18 grants to individual Kiwanis clubs across our district for a total amount of $29,300. Over the past 5 years our grant funding has grown from 3 grants to 18 grants per year. This is a great indication of the growing awareness of our foundation and how much it impacts our Kiwanis club programs and the children across the great Rocky Mountain District.

LeAnn Zetmeir RMDK Foundation President

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Although nearly $30,000 in grants has not left the well dry, your generosity today and the money we raised during district convention and the rest of this year, will help replenish funds that will be directly available for grants in the future. Thanks to all Kiwanians who generously invested in the RMD Foundation during district convention where we raised over $18,000! I would love to see that number increase.

The Foundation is very proud to support our Service Leadership Programs, in particular, Key Club, CKI, and Key Leader where we invested $7,000 this year. The Foundation Board has worked to improve our process in evaluating grant awards. We have clarified the role and commitment to service of our board members and we have worked to improve our by-laws and policies. In addition, we are in the final stages of creating a video that will be available to all Kiwanis Clubs and members highlighting our service to children and the opportunity to generously support the foundation through gifts today and legacy gifts in the future. We have created a Legacy brochure. Please contact the district office and we will email a copy.

The Foundation is thankful for the memorials we have received in memory of past District Secretary/District Treasurer Pam Bilby. Pam served our great district faithfully and we are blessed to have known her.

One of the lasting truths about leadership is that a leader should always be willing to put their money where their heart is. I decided to name Kiwanis as a partial beneficiary on my retirement account as my Legacy Gift. It was easy, didn’t require an attorney and it felt good.

Generosity is the fuel that moves Kiwanis and many other organizations forward. Generosity of time and talent, as well as generosity of financial gifts. The Kiwanis organization is completely based on generosity toward children. We leave a legacy gift to ensure that our generosity is carried forward after we are gone.

It has been a pleasure and I’m very proud to have served as your RMD Foundation President this past year. The Rocky Mountain District Kiwanis Foundation is in good hands and the future is very bright Yours in Service,

LeAnn Zetmeir

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ROCKY MOUNTAIN DISTRICT FOUNDATION

Foundation Board Grant Awards, Donations & Sponsorships

At the July 23, 2016 Foundation Board Meeting, the Rocky Mountain District Kiwanis

Foundation awarded $9,788.50 in grants.

Foundation Grant Awards

Kiwanis Club of Montrose $2000: Work with boys, ages 12- 18, who are focused on building a new future for themselves. The project focuses on life skills, including household chores, laundry and preparing meals for themselves.

Cheyenne Kiwanis Club $2500: The project is building a community fully accessible playground that children of all abilities can use.

Poudre Golden K $1538.50: This matching grant will allow the Poudre Golden K to build a playground at the La Familia Center in Fort Collins. The playground is designed to stimulate mind-body connections in children under 5 years old, as well as build social skills.

Columbine Kiwanis Club $1000: Working with the Action Center, a Jefferson County organization that works to assist families to become self-sufficient, the club will provide scientific calculators to students taking advanced placement classes.

Manitou Springs Kiwanis Club $500: This grant to stabilize the Manizoo Playground structure was granted contingent on the club raising $500 to match the grant.

Monument Hill Kiwanis Club $2250: The matching grant will provide dictionaries to 475 3rd-graders in the Lewis-Palmer School District 38. The grant was approved with the contingency that the Rocky Mountain District Foundation, along with the Monument Hill Kiwanis Club, be recognized for this donation.

Your donations and contributions to the Rocky Mountain District Kiwanis Foundation

make these grants and support of the District Signature Projects possible. Thank you.

Our Mission: To financially assist the clubs in their efforts to protect the health,

safety and welfare of the children in their communities.

To learn more about supporting the Foundation: http://www.rmdkf.com/donate.html

Kiwanis One Day photo contest

Show your Kiwanis One Day spirit by participating in a photo contest that showcases

your club’s One Day project on Saturday, October 22, 2016.

Get the photo contest details and participate. Your club could win $200 in merchandise from the Kiwanis Family Store!

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The Glenwood Springs Kiwanis Club recently received a grant of $2,500.00 from the

Rocky Mountain District Kiwanis Foundation to cover the cost of installing a Round Pen at the WindWalkers Therapeutic Riding Ranch.

Round pens are by far one of the most widely used training tools in the horse industry today and are quickly becoming one of those must-have equine products. Their versatility allows them to be used for training pens, assisted riding areas and temporary turn out.

The Round Pen would not have been installed had it not been for the grant from the District Foundation, the Glenwood Springs Kiwanis Club is very appreciative to the Foundation Board for the grant.

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With the Career Solutions Group breaking the ice and showing us that there was interest in our

Wooden Toy Project, our Kiwanis Group presented the concept, along with 10 prototype toys, to

other businesses and individuals. And it worked--in fact, we were never turned down. In addition to

Career Solutions Group, we added enough sponsors to support the construction of 800 toys--plenty

for our first year! And not only would we build and give away 800 toys but the sponsorships would

also let us give $7,000 in financial support to organizations in the Fort Collins area that help children.

Many thanks to all of our 2016 sponsors including Career Solutions Group, Realtec, Let It Shine, RBC

Wealth Management, High Plains Door Shop, RLE Technologies, Markley Motors, Pedersen Toyota-

Scion, and several Poudre Golden K Kiwanians.

The Poudre Golden K Club presented

the Teaching Tree Learning Center with toys for each child. Based on age, the children could select the toy they wanted.

Eric Dengler, Let It Shine Professional Cleaning, PGK President Dave Marvin, Anne Lance, Executive Director Teaching Tree Learning Center, Katy Piotrowski, Career Solutions Group shared the fun of handing out toys to the children.

Thank you notes from the kiddos!

The Formula Rocky Mountain Style!

LeAnn Zetmeir RMD Formula Chair

Greetings Fellow Kiwanians

The Formula is about inspiring each other to love being a Kiwanian enough that we share our feeling

with everyone we meet thereby living Kiwanis out loud. It’s actually simple. This is the time of the year

where we need to be more intentional about following our Formula slogan: love it! share it! live it!

I’m encouraging each of you to share the Kiwanis experience and bring in one new member during

the next three months. We need to have a Membership Chair in every Kiwanis Club. Having a

Membership Chair is a great start, having a plan that is well thought out and shared weekly in a fun

and creative way is a must! Kiwanis happens at the club level through our shared member

experiences.

We can’t say it enough, we need Kiwanis Clubs that are fun, friendly, flexible and service minded.

Think differently, try a new idea, encourage all members to participate. If you want younger members,

put younger members in charge of projects. Work to have a cup half full attitude; be the Kiwanian who

is positive, happy and energetic at your club meetings. It only takes one person to bring a meeting and

a group to life. Be that one person. Members need to feel valued and appreciated. Thank members for

their time, talents and financial contributions.

Take this opportunity to step up and be a part of insuring the future of Kiwanis. There are several

ways you can become involved. Become a Club Counselor and share your Kiwanis experiences

with other Kiwanis Clubs or become a Club Opener and be part of bringing new Kiwanians together

in new communities.

I have some wonderful news: Past Governor, Jon Mangino is going to be the vice chair of the Formula.

We are going to do great things this year under the leadership of Governor Kathy Lee. If any of you

would like to be a part of the Formula Team please let me know, your help will be greatly appreciated.

We are very excited to announce our North Gate Kiwanis Club Opening event starting at 1pm on

September 7th and continuing on September 8th and 9th in north Colorado Springs. The Drury Inn off I-

25 and Interquest Parkway is our headquarters. Hotel rooms will be provided for those out of town

Kiwanians. If you would like to be a part of this event, please let Tom Martinez (thmjrm@gmail.com) or

me (leannzetmeir@gmail.com) know of your interest. Tom Martinez has agreed to set up appointments

with local business owners and city and county employees for the above listed dates. We will go in

teams of two and share the Kiwanis experience with the sole purpose of building a new North Gate

Kiwanis Club. We encourage help from any Kiwanian who is interested in strengthening the Rocky

Mountain District.

I mentioned earlier how important it is to thank members for their time, talent and financial

contributions. Now it is my turn to thank all of you for everything you have done to support your club

and the Rocky Mountain District. Thank you!

#kidsneedkiwanis

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Congratulations to the Winners of the Rocky Mountain Membership Contest

The Rocky Mountain District sponsored a Membership Growth Contest. The Kiwanis Clubs with the greatest net positive growth received $500 or $250 to be used for their members to attend the Rocky Mountain District Convention this past August in Pueblo.

The Kiwanis Club of Columbine received $500 for having a net +7members, the Fort Collins EyeOpeners received

$500 for a net +6 members and the Kiwanis Clubs of Casper, Castle Rock, Cheyenne, and Greeley each received $250 for having an increase of +5 members. We are very proud to recognize these.

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John Crowfoot and Jim Packard Fort Collins Kiwanis Club - Eyeopeners

Hazel Kinzer and Ron Zinter

Columbine Kiwanis Club

Mike Keim, Casper Kiwanis Club

Patty Benskin

Cheyenne Kiwanis Club

Darlene Jeffery Robin Scruto and Sandra

Dahl, Castle Rock Kiwanis Club

Warren Mitchell and Les Race,

Greeley Kiwanis Club

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2016 District Conference, Pueblo CO, in photos Thank you Amanda May & Bob Spears for great photos!

Opening Session & Foundation Luncheon---

Pueblo Fireman Honor Guard posted the colors at Opening Session/Foundation Luncheon

RMDK Foundation President LeAnn Zetmeir and Vice President Sandra Dahl

Click HERE more 2016 District Convention photos

Presentation of Foundation checks to the three District Signature Projects: Ronald McDonald House – Denver, Rose Hill House – Grand Junction & Ronald McDonald House – Southern Colorado

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Saturday Interclub Lunch at District Convention

Pueblo Kiwanis Club, the host club, presented Governor Jon Mangino with a vintage Kiwanis sign

Dr. Dilip Joseph shared his story of being kidnapped by the Taliban

Daniel Vigneron, KI Trustee, his wife Fabby, Belgium-Luxemburg and Mary Villalba, Past RMDK Distinguished Governor (2003 -2004)

Key Club update from Aliza Mitchell, Key Club Governor and CKI update from Ryan Chepovsky, CKI Governor

Click HERE more 2016 District Convention photos

Night at the Oscars – Celebrating all that right in the district!

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Celebrating in Style Governor-Elect Designate Kathy Lee

& Governor Jon Mangino

Ute Pass/Woodland Park – A party waiting to happen!

Cleaning up Nice! Lt. Govs Rob Protzman & Brian Blasi, Governor-Elect Designate Hayley Suppes, Governor Jon Mangino, Alec Macaulay, KI Regional Development Strategist, Cherise Gilliam CA-NEV-HA Governor, Martin Leopard, Manitou Springs

Hazel & Past Governor George Kinzer (2005 – 2006)

Convention Planning Done – time to relax Tom & Carol Chiarito, Pueblo Club

Lt. Governor, Division 5 Dawn Rogers and Bryce Rogers – NEWLYWEDS!

The District Academy deeply appreciates all the

nominations and especially the hard decisions made by the

judges to choose the winners. In the end… we are all

winners. Congrats and hope to see your nomination next

year!

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Best Club President Ute Pass/Woodland Park Grand Junction

Best Fun Club Denver Tech Center

Ute Pass/Woodland Park Best Fundraiser (with 30 members or more) Glenwood Springs Grand Junction Monument

Ute Pass/Woodland Park Best Fund Raiser (with less than 30 members) Wheatland Trinidad Best Newsletter Alameda Columbine Pueblo

Ute Pass/Woodland Park Best Overall Kiwanian Castle Rock Columbine Denver Tech Center Monument

Ute Pass/Woodland Park Best Club Secretary Grand Junction Best Service Project Delta Denver Tech Center Eyeopeners Monument

Ute Pass/Woodland Park Best Website Columbine Eyeopeners Best Pancake Flipper

Ute Pass/Woodland Park

Best Club President Jason Roshek

Night at the Oscars was a fabulous evening at the 2016 District Convention!

Congratulations to all the nominees!

Best Fun Club Denver Tech Center

Best Fundraiser (with 30 members or more)

Monument Kiwanis Club

Best Fund Raiser (with less than 30 members)

Wheatland Kiwanis Club

Best Newsletter Pueblo Kiwanis Club

Best Overall Kiwanian Mary Forhan

Denver Tech Center

Best Club Secretary Chris Howard

Grand Junction

Best Service Project Ute Pass Woodland Park

Best Website Fort Collins Kiwanis Eyeopeners

Best Pancake Flipper Jeff Smith

Ute Pass Woodland Park

Remembering our fellow Kiwanians that we

have loved and lost this past year

Click to view the memoriam video

2015 2016

IN MEMORIAM

Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership, organized in 1958 originally to seek out, recognize, and develop leadership potential in high school sophomores. HOBY was a Rocky Mountain District project for many, many years. During Mary Villalba’s tenure as Governor for the Rocky Mountain District of Kiwanis Interna-tional 2003 - 2004, he generously volunteered to attend the district convention and was a hit with everyone! There are thousands of individuals whose lives were changed by the indelible impression from their participation in HOBY.

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