Family of Kin

Governors’ Newsletter
Happy middle of August!

While you’ve been trying to enjoy our ‘summer’ weather, (Seriously? That was it?) your executive has been getting ready for the start of the Kin Year. Just a few matters of interest to bring to your attention:

On July 15th, a new Vice Governor was elected. His name is Brian Langlois and his home club is the Saskatoon Kinsmen. He is a marvellous addition to our executive and brings years of experience with him. (He also ups the testosterone level on the executive a bit, probably no bad thing.)
On July 24th, the executive submitted our Operational Plan, a new requirement from National. Previously, districts had the option of applying for the Decew Phee, an award given to the outstanding district based on specific criteria. This year, submission of the operational plan is mandatory and elements of the requirements for the Decew Phee are threaded through it. Copies of this plan will be available on the District website, as well as at Fall Leadership Conference and Telemiracle. We encourage you to have a look and invite all comments. It’s a report card of sorts, and we are aiming for an A+.
National Convention will be held in Niagara Falls, Ontario August 26th to 29th. A number of Kin from D3 are planning to attend and looking VERY forward to this event. Of course, I’ll report in more detail in the September newsletter.
The executive pre-term meeting is scheduled for September 19th and 20th in Saskatoon. We will be reviewing the operational plan at that time, as well as planning for the upcoming year. We will also be finalizing the Fall Leadership Conference (FLC) agenda at that time. We’re planning more education and fellowship and less meeting time this year. So far, we have confirmed that Doug Anthony will be presenting on ‘The Power of Three’ and club health and Toastmaster’s will be doing break out sessions. A complete agenda will be circulated and available on the website shortly after pre-term. The Swift Current Kinettes are hosting FLC this year, on October 23rd and 24th, in conjunction with their second annual Medieval Feast. The latter event is open to the community and promises to be an absolute riot! The Feast is included in your registration AND the District is off-setting the cost of the first 100 registrants so get your paperwork in.

Clubs can expect to be hearing from their deputy governors in early September, to introduce themselves, establish contact people and start planning events. The priority in our Operational Plan is communication and it starts NOW. Remember, all the executive contact information is on the D3 website, so no one should have any difficulty finding us.
Finally, if you have some time on your hands, I have a book to suggest. It’s “Only in Canada: Kinsmen and Kinettes” by Kenneth Coates. Copies are available on Amazon.ca as well as from National, if you ask Bas really nicely. (The woman is a MIRACLE, and should always be treated VERY nicely.)
Anyway, the book is excellent. It was written in the mid-80s and details Kin from the start. As well as being an excellent history of our beloved organization, it is laugh-out-loud funny.
Just a few of my favourite bits:

- District 3 was there from the start. The founding meeting of our association was held February 20, 1920 in Hamilton, Ontario. Between 1925 and 1929, Regina, Lloydminster, North Battleford, Moose Jaw and Saskatoon also chartered clubs. (page 52) In 1929, there were twenty-five clubs in the organization and FIVE of those were in Saskatchewan and ALL are still active in 2009.

- Our incoming National President, Sean Thompson’s grandfather Trevor was one of the original four founders of Kin. His nickname? “Kissing Trev”. An article copied in the book indicates “He [Trevor] estimates he has kissed at least 25,000 wives of Kinsmen Club members since 1920…Thompson got his start in the roaring twenties when he couldn’t resist the temptation of a kissable-looking Kinette…. So far no one has taken a poke at Thompson but his wife Mary had to stifle the urge at first. She no longer pays any attention…” (page 217) I have every intention of talking to NP Sean about that when I finally meet him at National Convention in Niagara Falls.

- “In 1935, Kinsmen Wilf Reeves offered a thoughtful ‘Balance Sheet’ on the early progress [of the association] He lauded the number of high calibre men attracted to Kin, and the membership’s commitment to service and expansion.” He went on to add “too many Kinsmen [are] hurting Kin reputation through drunkenness and general damn foolishness.” – page 76

There is a wonderful French expression, along the lines of ‘The more things change, the more they stay the same” (“Plus ca change, plus c’est pareil” isn’t quite it, but the best I could do with Dictionary.com – maybe my multi-lingual friends can help with this?) How interesting that in 1935, Kin had a ‘balance sheet’ and in 2008, they unveiled Vision 20/20. How rewarding to know that District 3 was an important part of Kin’s beginnings and remains a crucial piece of the organization now. Isn’t that marvellous for us? All these years later, our Organization is vibrant, healthy, fun and still striving for greatness and District 3 is an integral piece.

Long live District 3.
Long live general damn foolishness.
Long live serving the community’s greatest need.
Long live Kin!

Yours in Kin
2009-2010 D3 Council
Corie Ruzicka-Olson
District 3 Governor

Family of Kin

Governors’ Newsletter Happy middle of August!

Governors’ Newsletter
Happy middle of August!