Sunday, April 8, 2007

Bob King's Ideas on charter nights

Celina Kiwanis
Home


I had a few thoughts for you guys about the Charter night. Of course, with Betty around to help, you have the real expert right there in your midst. As the Charter Committee, t
here are several areas where Greg can use your help: Location and Food, Programs, Invitations, Publicity, Entertainment. You all can decide who does what or you can all work together....it's up to you. To those not on this committee who may wish to help or have an idea....please feel free to contribute.
The Charter Night should be "pay as you go". This means everyone pays for their meal and any other costs. Try to find an appropriate site......like: the MRDD facility/agency at NB, a nice restaurant with an adequate room, a Moose, Elks or Eagles lodge, a church, a school, a party or banquet room, or Easy Campground.....start early because availability will be a factor. The place should be clean, well lit with adequate faciilties and good acoustics and most of all reasonable, or better yet.....free.
If your Kiwanis clubs would want to pay for the new Aktion members' meals....that would be something to consider and would add a little stature to your image as a service organization. That is up to you. If you can keep the costs reasonable this shouldn't be a factor. However, if the cost is a problem for some members and their families....go ahead and work out some type of grant, scholarship, stipend or allowance....or have individual Kiwanis members step up and "sponsor" a meal for a needy member. Be creative.
If costs become a major factor you can simply hold the event at the Agency in NB and make it a pot luck night with every one carrying in a dish. Another way to control costs is to hold the event at 4:30 in the afternoon and serve hors d'oeuvres (I still have to look that up to spell it right) and light refreshments. My personal preference is to make it a special night and do it right.
You will want to help Greg compile a list of invitees and special guests for that night. Don't forget Kiwanis District Officers, Governor Cindy, Gov Elect Leroy, past Governors, other Aktion Club officers and members and other officials. I or Lt Gov, Lanette, can help with these names and addresses. Be sure to invite Kiwanians from nearby clubs: Sidney, Ft Loramie, Piqua, Troy, Bellefontaine, Lima, Ada, Kenton, Celina, Coldwater. Be sure to get RSVPs by a certain date for your planning purposes. I will scan a sample invitation to you.
You might want to have some form of entertainment during the evening: a local HS group, magician, singer, band, amateur entertainer....someone who could do 30 minutes or so and would not charge an arm and a leg. Notify the media from Minster, NB, St Marys, Sidney, Wapak, Celina, Lima...et al. Assign someone to bring a (digitel) camera and take lots of pics for a future scrapbook and for the members to keep.
Offer to help Greg develop a nice, classy souvenir program. Betty may have samples...if so, bring them along to your committee meeting. If not, I have one in the scrapbook.
I will let it up to you, Greg, to call this committee in within the next two weeks to work out the details. AND....I would expect the folks from Minster will make an extra effort to help.....since they were all no shows yesterday. (just kidding, Minster.....I NEVER take volunteers for granted and I know you will be doing your share in this wonderful project)
We have our target dates. Let's get to work and make this event a memorable one for our Aktion members, their parents and guests.

Contributors