Meeting Update for the Lewiston Auburn Maine Kiwanis Club:

We will be meeting at the Ramada Inn Lewiston Friday, May 18 2012 at noon at Fusion Restaurant.

Friday, the club met for lunch at Fusion Restaurant at the Ramada Inn, Lewiston Maine.   This was a very productive meeting and many items were covered.   A partial view of the minutes is listed below.  Take note that to start, we will be meeting at least twice per month.

LEWISTON-AUBURN KIWANIS CLUB

MINUTES – MEETING MAY 4, 2012 AT RAMADA INN

Members in attendance: Sarah (Glynn) Little, Mike Meservier, Andy Choate

Guest: Division 5 Lieutenant Governor Sharon Binette

1. As the first meeting of the “reformed” L/A Club, the following members were identified as having confirmed their continued interest to remain an active member of the Club.   Andy has sent in dues for the following members:

• Sarah Little
• Andy Choate
• Mike Meservier
• Ron Bellemore
• Ruth Decoster
• Paul Gauvreau
• Julie Gile
• Chris Pope

 Members voted for the following officers:

• President/Secretary – Sarah Little
• Treasurer – Andy Choate

Board of Directors – all remaining members.  (If any remaining member does not wish to be a board member, then please let Sarah know. We will be reviewing the bylaws and club policies to address being able to take a board “vote” by email so that those members who cannot make the meeting will still have a voice).

Members voted for Andy to be the corporate clerk. He will take care of the corporate filing. He has already filed this year’s tax requirements.

1. It was voted to provide the glasses for Michael at the Root Cellar up to a certain dollar level ($125), providing that certain prerequisites have already been satisfied. Sarah to follow up with Patti Gagne.
2. It was voted to provide all Key Club seniors with the Key Club stole. Sarah to obtain information and provide ordering info to Andy.
3. Sarah discussed meeting with Dick Gleason to explore avenues for club growth. Dick’s first recommendation is to have Club become a member of the Chamber of Commerce. Members voted to join. Mike will check with Chip Morrison to explore possibility of the Club obtaining an honorary membership – Sarah and Dick are meeting with Chip at the Chamber on Monday.
4. Sarah discussed her meetings with the Lewiston and St. Dom’s Key Clubs so far.  The high school students are incredible.  As noted above, members voted to provide stoles to the seniors (2 for St. Doms, 15 for Leavitt, and Karen Choate to provide information about the number of seniors at Lewiston HS).  Sarah to meet with Leavitt on May 22 and/or May 23^rd.

 Meeting dates/times! Members decided to get back into the routine to meet at least twice each month.  Various locations, days of the week, and times were all discussed.  We would like to hear from the members NOT in attendance at this meeting for their preferences, and we will try to figure out what will work the best for the most members.  The schedule will vary over the next few months, as we work on our rebuilding efforts.

Key  Club Announcement: The Leavitt Key Club is having their annual banquet on May 22^nd. If interested in attending, please contact Sarah.

 We will be announcing and scheduling various public informational sessions to bring in new members. These meetings will most likely be at the Chamber of Commerce Building (once we join). We will also be approaching Andie about meeting at the Boys and Girls Club (no pressure Andie!).

Welcome from Division 5 Clubs: Further down the road, our Lieutenant Governor would like to schedule a gathering – in our area – for the other Division 5 clubs to come welcome us to their division. There is an incredible amount of talent and help available at our fingertips!

After several phone conversations and meetings with key Kiwanians from a local Club, Andy Choate and myself  has sought council on how to make this 90 year old Club move FORWARD, not backward. We still have faith that a Kiwanis Club in the Twin Cities of Lewiston, Auburn Maine can still make a difference in a child’s life and serve the local community in service projects. Our local Club supports 3 Key Clubs at Lewiston High, Saint Dominic’s and Leavitt Area High Schools.

If you were an Auburn Lewiston Maine Kiwanis member at the time of the Clubs’ collapse, Please accept my appology for any confusion our miscommunication has caused.  The majority of the officers and the Board of Directors has decided to leave and close the Club Except for Andy and myself. At this time we still don’t have any answers except to relay to you that we are restructuring with the help from a nearby Club. Expect to be contacted by a fellow Kiwanian regarding your membership wishes. 

I hope to have more news for you all soon.  We are now starting with a clean slate. We can make this new Club anything we want it to be. Know of a certain person that would like to be involved in making a difference in a child’s life?  Get in touch with us via the “Contact Us” tab on top of this page. Fill out the form and someone will get right back to you.

Thank you for your patience.

~ Michael Meservier

It’s that time of year again  for  fundraising and family fun! Children under age 5 eat for FREE! Will you join us Sunday, June 12, 2011 for a fun filled, worthy cause? All procedes from this event goes towards local childrens prograns as well as the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauna Unit. Could I interest you in purchasing advance tickets for $5 each for yourself, family, friends, or as gifts for your customers? This is the only fund raiser Kiwanis has so we have to make it count!

Programs we currently support or have recently supported include:

• Lewiston Root Cellar
• Boys & Girls Club of Auburn Maine
• Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute
• Aub. / Lew.  Library Museum Pass Program
• Children’s Discovery / Children’s Museum Of Maine
• Maine Wildlife Park
• Portland Museum of Art
• Seashore Trolley Museum
• Southworth Planetarium
• Maine Maritime Museum
• Scholarships to Edward Little, Lewiston, St. Dom’s and Leavitt High Schools
• Longley School Book Program
• Advocates for Children
• Cub Scout Program
• Scholarships for Scout Summer Camp
• Sandcastle Preschool
• Big Brothers / Big Sisters
• Support Three Key Clubs in the local high schools
• School Eye Glasses Program for children in need
• L/A Arts – Arts in Education Program

Kiwanis wouldn’t be successful without generous donors. The children are our future and our mission is to change the lives of children on child and one community at a time. We can accomplish this by pre-selling  a $5, all you can eat pancake and sausage breakfast ticket! Tickets cost more the day of the breakfast. Thank you for your consideration! Contact us here, through this website link or click on the “contact us” tab above.

Auburn Lewiston KIWANIS ONE DAY 2011

Kiwanis One Day is the day when the Kiwanis Family of clubs all do something of service in their community.

Some of the crew at the Root Cellar

On April 2nd, the Auburn-Lewiston Kiwanis Club organized a day of work, fun, and great deeds. We painted walls and floors at both The Boys and Girls Club in New Auburn and The Root Cellar in Lewiston. At The Root Cellar, a local private contractor, Carl Haskell, donated his time and expertise with the floors. At the Boys and Girls Club, floors and walls were painted by all. The Lewiston Key Club participated with extra labor as did individuals from Starbucks in Auburn. A VERY Special thanks to Steve Smith, Manager of the Lewiston Sherwin Williams Paint store, for donating paint, rollers and supplies. They are located at 1168 Lisbon St. Lewiston, ME 04240-5026   Phone: (207)784-2939

President Jan Dwinal getting in the fun at the Root Cellar

Taking a break from painting floors at the Boys and Girls Club are Kiwanians Ruth Decoster and Andie Hannon, with a Lewiston High School Key Clubber

Extra special thanks go to Past President Mike Meservier, who did the hard work coordinating these two projects, our members Chris Pope of the Root Cellar and Andie Hannon of the Boys and Girls Club who brought these needs to our attention, and the Lewiston High School Key Club members for joining in.

BUGS AND TERRRIFIC KIDS

Our member Chris Pope has started the Kiwanis B.U.G.S. program and the Terrific Kids program, at his business, The Root Cellar. As well we are partnering with our member Andie Hannon of the Boys and Girls Club to do the same. In these days where the focus of schools seems to be testing and school-wide outcomes, these programs feature individualized goals and behavior. Each child is valuable, and these programs help us to help them realize that. Chris and Andie are looking for mentors to help these kids. Lets give the children all the help we can!

Chris: 782-3659 or chris@therootcellar.org

Andie: 782-2446 or ahannon@bgcmaine.org

NEXT PROJECT- PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Next up is the pancake breakfast. TODAY is the kickoff!! We need everyone to help out in one or more ways. It will be June 12, but lots must be done before then.

To help out, contact Chair and Past President Dan Goff at 786-4118 or dgoff13@yahoo.com

REMINDER- NEW MEETING PLACE!

For the last couple of months, we have been meeting at MARCO’S RESTAURANT, 12 MOLLISON WAY, LEWISTON! If you are not familiar, Mollison Way is off Outer Main Street (Route 202), Lewiston, across from the Salvation Army Thrift Store, and just down from Marden’s.

We continue meeting at Noon on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. So far, reviews have been fantastic. If you haven’t been, come see what you have been missing.

We hope you enjoy the new location!

Thought for today: What we must decide is how we are valuable rather than how valuable we are.

Edgar Z. Friedenberg, in Uncle Andy’s Digest

Newsletter editor and writer: Andy Choate   (Thanks Andy!!)

Joline Bedard and Larry Marcoux of the United Way, with Kiwanis President Jan Dwinal, right.

Larry Marcoux and Joline Bedard of the United Way of Androscoggin County recently shared information about homelessness in Lewiston-Auburn with the Kiwanis Club of Lewiston Auburn.  There is a ten-year plan in place to abolishing homlessness in our area.  Both youth (young teens) and families of all sorts can fall into this category. Whether it is couch surfing or moving around with a lack of funds for security deposits, the effect is devastating. A staggering number of people are homeless, right here in our community. All of our shelters close down at night with area hotels opening some space with discounted rates at the discretion of local law enforcement. The real costs come up in extra needs in police, increases in medical calls. Poverty in Androscoggin county is at 23% for those under 18 years old, with 51% kids in our schools receiving subsidized lunches. Over 50% drop out of school and we can fix this. In the picture is Joline Bedard and Larry Marcoux of the United Way, and and Kiwanis President Jan Dwinal of Coldwell Banker Millett Realty. This aggressive plan needs all of us to help make sure it meets its goal. You can play a part by joining Kiwanis. Call Jan at 795-9614, or log on to our website at www.kiwanisauburnlewistonmaine.org.

Wear your work clothes and see you there!

The Root Cellar and the Boys and Girls Club will be part of the Kiwanis One Day Worldwide.

• Feb. 8th; 8pm: Til Death Do We Part    Many members drop out of their club for perfectly understandable reasons, but most leave for reasons that could have been prevented. Learn the best practices used by successful club for retaining active members.
• Feb. 15th; 8pm: Inclusiveness- Singled Out   Inclusiveness is a practice that creates an environment where everyone feel comfortable, respected, and valued. Inclusiveness leads to new members.
• Feb. 22nd; 8pm: Club Experience For Youth   Learn what you can do today with our Kiwanis youth so they will want to join Kiwanis after they graduate. Also gain tips to encourage younger members to take a more active role in your club.

For more information about the webinars, go to: www.kiwanisone.org/webinars