The Kiwanian Online
The Presidents Voice
Fellow
Kiwanians, Fall is here in full swing, the baseball bats have stopped
swinging, and another season for the concession stand has come to a
close. Thanks to Milt Audett for coordinating this again, and to
everyone whom helped with our club's number-one fundraising activity.
Now that we are done with concessions until spring, and with the holiday season and New Year nearly upon us, it is probably a good time for reflection. I encourage each of you to think about what being a member of Kiwanis means to you, and why it is important for you to be a member of our club. You may also want to think about what attracted you to the club, and what you think would attract others to join us. We have had good success recently attracting new members, and we want this to continue and increase. Think about what kind of activities would attract new members and excite you as a member? Are there things we do as a club that don't interest you? Are there other things you wish the club would do? I will be distributing a survey in the near future designed to assess our club. I think it will help highlight our club's strengths, interests, and future direction. I encourage your participation.
Please don't think that I am suggesting we abandon long time traditions or club activities. I am only interested in facilitating a discussion about the club members' interests. When I attended the Kiwanis International Convention and CLE (Club Leadership Education) this past summer, it was shown at both how effective a club assessment could be in spurring a club on to new heights and increased levels of service to its community. We might be able to serve Federal Way ways we haven't even thought of yet as a group. Everyone would enjoy knowing how you would like us to serve our community. I am sure most of you joined Kiwanis to serve Federal Way through Kiwanis. Tell us your stories and wishes for our community, and how you would like to serve.
This Month's Tip:
Turkey Fryers
A longtime food
favorite in the southern United States, the delicious deep-fried turkey
has quickly grown in popularity thanks to celebrity chefs such as Martha
Stewart and Emeril Lagasse. While some people rave about this tasty
creation, Underwriters Laboratories Inc.'s (UL) safety experts are
concerned that backyard chefs may be sacrificing safety for good taste.
"We're worried by the increasing reports of fires related with turkey
fryer use," says John Drengenberg, UL consumer affairs manager. "Based
on our test findings, the fryers used to produce those great-tasting
birds are not worth the risks. And, as a result of these tests, UL has
decided not to certify any turkey fryers with our trusted UL Mark."
If you absolutely must use a turkey fryer, here are some tips for safer use:
- Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other material that can burn.
- Never use turkey fryers on wooden decks or in garages.
- Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.
- Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you don't watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.
- Never let children or pets near the fryer when in use. Even after use, never allow children or pets near the turkey fryer. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot, hours after use.
- To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.
Mark your calendars for the next few months for some more exciting guest speakers.
By Janice Siebenaler
Here is our list of upcoming speakers:
- November 7th King County Bar Association Drug Policy Speaker Bureau- Rob Thompson
- November 14th Economic Development & The Multi Service Center- Pam Taylor
- November 21st Seattle Super Sonics- President & CEO Danny Barth
- November 28th Cascade Regional Blood Center- Robin Lulich
Looking Ahead to December
- December 5th Federal Way Community Center 50+ and youth programs- Roger Coldiron
- December 12th Open
- December 19th Kiwanis Christmas Party
- December 26th Open. But sense it is Christmas Eve I don’t think there is a meeting.
Reminder
Please let me know if you know of any future speakers that
would be great for our club! Thanks so much
Janice Siebenaler
Trip to Hawaii
By Bob Kellogg
My family and I are back from our trip to Hawaii. I know it is almost obligatory to say it is great to be back, however, all of us felt we could have stayed a lot longer. It truly is a paradise
Our speaker last Wednesday was Lyn Thorne from The Garden Terrace Alzheimer’s Center For Excellence in Federal Way. She gave us all hope in her talk by saying that while Alzheimer’s is still incurable there are medicines that can help slow down or stop the disease’s progress. Also, exercising your mind as wall as your body and keeping involved in activities like Kiwanis help to prevent the onset of the disease. Perhaps we can use her later point for recruitment of new members.
Lyn is receiving our Wednesday meeting e-mails so I want to personally thank her for coming and speaking at the club. I hope in the near future Lyn, that you consider Kiwanis and our club as part of your own long-term wellness program.
Janice has once again acquired a notable speaker for our November 21st speaker. Danny Barth is the president and CEO of the Seattle Super Sonics. Quite timely considering what the ownership of the Sonics is now saying. Hope all of you will try hard to bring prospective members to this meeting.
The speaker for this upcoming Wednesday will be Rob Thompson
from the King County Bar Association Drug Policy Speakers Bureau. Should be an
interesting talk. Look forward to seeing you soon.
Bob Kellogg
Minutes of Monthly Board Meeting
The monthly board meeting was held October 25th, 2007 at the Intellipass Building. President Steve Smith at 7:09 p.m.
| ATTENDANCE | |
| Pete Stobart | Don Chovil |
| Art Brown | Steve Smith |
| Don Vaughn | |
Treasurer:
There is no treasurer's report for this month due to computer problems.
Secretary:
It was moved, seconded, and approved to accept the minutes of this meeting. They will be made available for publication in the monthly newsletter.
| OLD BUSINESS |
W S P Background Checks:
It has been recommended by Kiwanis International that membership background checks become standard for the membership, this follows prior litigation and insurance claims. It has been established that a WSP Background Check is required as part of our new membership applications. It is the intention of the board to determine if a WSP Background Check be made mandatory for continued membership in the club. This subject will be continued at the next board meeting.
Action Item:
Present the background check process: Tom Herrin.
Action Item:
Put in place a process to provide new badges, including photographs, to our
membership. Steve Smith, Art Hagberg.
Leavenworth Trip:
Jim Chaffee has again reserved a bus for this popular
Christmas trip. The date is Saturday December 1st. The trip cost is $50 per
person. Plan to attend and make your reservations with Jim ASAP.
Action Item:
Coordinate with insurance carrier Jim Chaffee.
| NEW BUSINESS |
Risk Officer:
Currently the club does not have a ‘risk/safety officer’ and needs to appoint one. Action Item: Steve Smith.
New Club Web Site: We have a brand new web site for our club courtesy of one of our new members Don Vaughn. Please take a look at www.federalwaykiwanis.org and pass on your comments and suggestions to our new webmaster.
Board Meeting Schedule: The last Thursday in the month does
not fit with all board members.
Action Item: Determine best meeting night via survey: Steve Smith.
Club Survey: Prepare and distribute a survey to determine what
the membership expects from the club and what the club expects from the
membership.
Action Item: Steve Smith. Administration Fund: A presentation regarding funding alternatives will be presented. Action Item: Pete Stobart.
| ADJOURNMENT |
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at
8:20 p.m. It was moved, seconded, and approved that the next board meeting will
be held TBD in the Intellipass Building.
Respectfully submitted,
Pete Stobart (Secretary)
A Little Humor
From the Santa Rosa Rotary Club:
In 1949, due to rising costs of lunch and size limitations, the club moved from its current location to a local hotel. Shortly after the move, the Santa Rosarian "quoted" a fictitious (?) Hotel Keepers Home Journal:
"Kiwanis clubs are the favorite service groups with hotel operators.
Kiwanians steal comparatively fewer pieces of silver - an average of only 2.4
spoons or knives or forks per member per year; whereas, Lions lift 3.8 items of
silverware per person per year. Rotarians walk out with 10.8 pieces. Rotarians
also go in for larger utensils, such as soup tureens, candelabra, and pianos."
This bit of funny history was submitted by Steve Foreaker, from the Auburn
Kiwanis Club.
