Good Day all,

I write this today to inform you that our Club has had yearly decreasing membership for quite some time now. The result is that we can no longer effectively run the Kiwanis Club of Auburn Lewiston. After exhausting all possible solutions and with careful consideration, the Board of Directors has voted to close the Club. We are in the phasing out stage at this time.

Our last concerted community effort was transporting our forty  tables to Saint Dominic’s for the Advocates for Children Fair along with hosting a craft table on December 2 & 3, 2011.

There will be a final announcement posted about this closure in the near future. All  meetings have been canceled.

~ 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

The Kiwanis Club of Auburn-Lewiston cares about all those in need and especially all the children. That is why we volunteer to ring the bells for the local each and every year. Many members took part in this years campaign willingly braving the cold temperatures at many retailers. Donations were strong and a plenty with most giving what they can in the form of loose change ard small bills–it all helps in the end. Shown in the picture are two members with the kettle (l to r) is Ron Simard of Neokraft Signs and Mike Meservier of Meservier & Associates of Keller Williams Realty Mid Maine. You would like to help those less fortunate and have passion for kids, contact Jan at 795-9614. Or visit our website kiwanisauburnlewistonmane.org or catch us on Facebook at auburn-lewiston-kiwanis-club-of-maine

Immediate Past President:  Mike Meservier

President-elect: vacant

Secretary:  Craig Phillips                                    Assistant Secretary:  Julie Gile

Treasurer:  Buffie Dumont                                  Assistant Treasurer:  Vacant

Directors:  Dan Goff, Mike Meservier, Andy Choate, Doug Dwinal, John Cronin

                                                                November 24, 2010

INDUCTION

Your officers and directors for 2010-11 were inducted by Lt. Governor Bob West on October 27^th. Left to right are Secretary Craig Phillips, Directors Andy Choate and Mike Meservier, Treasurer Buffie Dumont, President Jan Dwinal, Director Dan Goff, and Lt. Gov. Bob West. Present but not in the picture (he was behind the camera) was Director Doug Dwinal.

ACTIVITIES THIS MONTH

Help at the Advocates For Children Holiday Fair, Saturday December 4th. We will be helping to set up the entire fair location, have our own table and help to dismantle after it is done. At our table, we will be helping the children create a simple Christmas craft and hold a raffle for a bicycle and helmet. Contact Ron Bellemore at * to sign up.

Salvation Army bell-ringing. We will be staffing the K-Mart location on December 18. Some slots are still available. Please contact Craig Phillips at * for times and to select a time.

MEMBERSHIP DRIVE UPDATE

          Due to important parts of our program cancelling at the last minute, and our being unable to put together a meaningful program, we had to postpone our membership drive. We will reschedule in 2011. We can use always use help in planning for it. Membership drives are vital to our club’s health, so President Jan could use your help. Interested? Talk to Jan, call her at 795.9614 or e-mail her at jdwinal@millettrealty.com.

NEW MEETING TIME?

          Not yet. We will continue meeting at Noon on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month. We continue to meet at Noon at the Ramada Inn, 490 Pleasant Street, Lewiston.

          We considered having one noon time and one at 5:30 or 6 PM, but for now, there was insufficient interest. However, as we talk to prospective members, we should assure them that the meeting time can be changed if there is greater interest.

          Thoughts for today:

          Make your life a mission, not an intermission. Arnold Glasgow, in Uncle Andy’s Digest.

          It’s the lessons you learn after you know it all, that’s important.

          John Wooden

                                                                                                Newsletter editor and writer: Andy Choate