Fall 2014 - Junior Civitan
Transcription
Fall 2014 - Junior Civitan
INSIDER JUNIOR CIVITAN Leading, Serving, Connecting • Fall 2014 what’s NEW FALL 2014 Volume 49, No. 1 Editor: Lauren Turriglio Associate Editor: Lauren Dover 5 Junior Civitan Creed I am a Junior Civitan: An aware citizen of today, The standing promise of tomorrow. I seek to meet the needs of our world, To be progressive in a world of change With compassion and understanding for The values and traditions of the past. I value the security of knowing That wherever I am I will always be within reach Of a fellow Civitan. I dedicate myself To society and to my fellow man With a commitment To make the world a better place. 6 Graphic Artist: Tonya Duckett CIVITAN CENTER STAGE High Fashion in Mississippi PR and Communications Director: Luke Anthony International Officers: President: Preston Albertia Clarksville, TN [email protected] 2014 CONVENTION Rock the World with Service! Vice President: Kali Wilson Albuquerque, NM [email protected] Directors: 9 Caitlyn Delgado Greensboro, NC [email protected] RESEARCH REPORT A New Chance for Treatment Rachel Mann Columbia, SC [email protected] Jeffery Mathews Alexander City, AL [email protected] 12 BEST IN SERVICE 18 ACT NOW 2013-14 International Award Winners Scholarship Opportunities Junior Civitan Insider is produced for Junior Civitans to promote the objectives and service programs of their clubs. It carries authorized notices and articles regarding the interests and activities of the Junior Civitan organization, but no responsibility is assumed for the statements of other authors and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Civitan International, its officers or staff. Editorial and Executive Offices: One Civitan Place, P. O. Box 130744, Birmingham, AL 35213-0744: telephone (205) 591-8910; FAX (205) 592-6307. Junior Civitan Insider (USPS 004-382) is published twice annually (Fall and Spring). SPOTLIGHT DANCE PARTY AT THE BEACH In Have you got some awesome dance moves you want to show off? The weekend of March 6 - 9, 2015 every Junior Civitan is invited to groove the day and night away at Dance-a-thon 2015 our annual fundraiser: Dance-a-thon. This is the second year the event is being held in When: March 6-9, 2015 encourage every Junior Civitan to get involved in this event. You will get to dance for Where: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina How: Turn in donations of $500 above the cost of your airfare by February 7, 2015 Registration Deadline: Notify International Headquarters that you are participating by December 1, 2014 Donation Deadline: February 7, 2015 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and you don’t want to miss out on this adventure! We twelve straight hours with six different costume changes...the fun is non-stop! Dance-a-thon is open to ANY member of our organization! You can attend the whole weekend with all of your meals and hotel arrangements included if you raise the minimum—$500, plus your travel costs to get there. If that’s a little out of your reach, there’s another option. Raise just $100 to attend the Saturday dance only. All net proceeds raised will go to OUR Civitan International Research Center. If you think you are up to the challenge and would like to participate in this year’s event, please email [email protected] no later than December 1. You will receive your own fundraising packet to help you get started right away. Different fundraising minimums apply for district representatives. Visit www.juniorcivitan.org and click Junior Civitan Resources, then the Fundraisers tab for more information. www.juniorcivitan.org 3 World Junior Civitan Day! By Caitlyn Delgado International Director How awesome is it that we have an entire day dedicated to our amazing organization? I hope your club celebrated World Junior Civitan Day by giving back to your community! Traditionally, Junior Civitan Clubs use this day to do something special in their club, community or district. How did your club celebrate? Did you complete that wonderful service project your club has been talking about? Did you get out in your community and get help your neighbors? Did you clean up and improve the appearance of your school campus? World Junior Civitan Day isn’t just about projects. You might have used the day to educate others about what it means to be a Junior Civitan or you could even have gotten your club together just to hang out. However your club chose to participate in World Junior Civitan Day, I hope that you truly rocked the world with service and made it a better place! Don’t forget to send your World Junior Civitan Day pictures to International or post them on Instagram using the hashtag #rockwithservice. You can get recognition and give other members ideas for next year! Social Causes BEST IN SERVICE By Jeffery Mathews International Director The time has come for Junior Civitans to make use of our resources and inform our communities about the important social issues that can affect us all. With the growing list of different problems we face increasing daily, it is our responsibility to pick a cause we are passionate about and make people aware of how they can help or be helped. The Junior Civitan Social Causes Awareness Campaign is as simple as raising awareness for a cause that can affect the people and students in your community at any given time. Flyers, videos, and announcements are just a few ways to spread the awareness of a topic. The International Junior Board chose to spotlight bullying this year and is encouraging clubs to launch an anti-bullying campaign along with the topic of their choice. No cause is too big or too small to make a difference! Use social media to help get your information out there. While posting on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter, make sure to use this year’s hashtag #rockwithservice! I know this will be a very successful campaign, so make it count by reporting to International! Keep in mind that every little bit helps. Let’s do this! Collection Selection Campaign Don’t forget the campaign officially runs November – December, but your club can collect items throughout the year! You can collect anything that can help someone in need. From canned goods to school supplies to clothes—the options are endless! ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS Every day in America, enough trash is produced to equal the weight of the Empire State Building. One in four mammals is in danger of extinction. At least 50 million acres of rainforest are lost every year. This is our planet. It is our duty to take care of it. I challenge you, your club, and your district to help save our planet! There are so many simple actions you can take to conserve. Try turning off the lights when you leave a room or buying a reusable water bottle instead of plastic bottles. You can put a bucket under your shower head while the water warms up and water your plants with it. Our planet is an amazing place, and we only have one. Now is the time to make a change! You, as a Junior Civitan, have committed to make the world a better place, so live that out through your environmental awareness campaign. Get out there and make a change! Get out and rock the world! By Kali Wilson International Vice President CENTER STAGE HIGH FASHION in Mississippi D’Iberville, MS – A crowd of nearly 100 friends and families filled the audience for the third annual Dillard’s Back2-School Civitan Benefit Fashion Show on Saturday, August 16. This event is a fundraiser and service project held by the North Bay Civitan Club for kids with developmental disabilities. It is one of three club projects funded by the Walmart Foundation, as well. Children with developmental disabilities ranging from Down syndrome and autism to ADHD and cerebral palsy were given the chance to show off the latest fashions onstage. After the show, Civitans treated the models to a cupcake and cookie reception, sponsored by Cakes By Tina Bishop of St. Martin. Each model received a certificate of appreciation from the club, as well as a goodie bag from Dillard’s. Seats to the event were nearly sold out, with proceeds going toward local club projects, as well as a donation to the UAB Civitan International Research Center. Congratulations to North Bay Civitans for such a successful project! Photo Courtesy of Michelle Hutson, North Bay Civitan Club Photo Courtesy of Michelle Hutson, North Bay Civitan Club Photo Courtesy of Keith Wilson, North Bay Civitan Club www.juniorcivitan.org 5 2014 INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION On June 14, 2014 hundreds of Junior Civitans from all over North America converged on Franklin, Tennessee for the 34th annual Junior Civitan International Convention hosted by the Valley District. Attendees arrived throughout the day to participate in this amazing weekend, which was filled with excitement as we celebrated the success of last year and trained for the upcoming year. The festivities kicked off Saturday afternoon with a delicious buffet dinner, followed by the opening ceremonies. Our 2013-14 President, Ankur Kumar, provided a state of the organization address and four governors were recognized as Distinguished Governors of Excellence. Our 2014-15 theme, “Rock the World with Service,” was officially introduced, along with our new social media accounts on Twitter and Instagram. At the conclusion of the state of the organization address, Patrick Maurer, an entertaining and motivational speaker, energized the crowd with humorous reminders of what it was like to be young and seemingly invincible. He encouraged us to rediscover the passion in our purpose, learn how to persevere in adversity, and make an impact on our world that can resonate for years to come! Saturday ended with a boot scootin’ dance where everyone was dressed in denim, plaid, hats, and boots, and country music prevailed! Sunday began with another inspiring talk from Patrick Maurer. After a quick break, participants attended various workshops including club and district training, member recruitment how-to’s and club project ideas. By mid-afternoon, everyone was ready to hear from our potential new leaders at the Meet the Candidates Luncheon. During the luncheon each candidate presented their platform and goals for the upcoming year. Candidates answered a few questions, and then business turned fun as we were all ready to get out of our “monkey suits” and board buses to go see real monkeys! The Valley District hosted an amazing evening at the Nashville Zoo! Everyone had a delightful time visiting the animals in their natural habitats, walking the Dino Trek, riding the carousel and ending the evening with a cookout! A highlight of the weekend came during our time at the zoo as every attendee rose to their feet to applaud as the Junior Civitan delegation from Sierra Leone arrived! What an awesome experience to share such a unique bond, through Junior Civitan, with other teens from half-way around the world! Monday started with the seating of the voting delegates, followed by voting and the announcement of the 2014-15 International Officers. After the suspense was over, we heard about the philanthropic efforts of the program and honored members, clubs and districts for their outstanding contributions and service over the past year. That evening, we celebrated the success of Junior Civitans all around the world during the Closing Banquet and Awards Ceremony. Officers were installed and the best members, clubs, and districts were recognized for their exceptional work within their communities and for the Civitan International Research Center. The Club of the Year Award went to Lancaster High School, while Valley was recognized as the District of the Year. The night came to a close with the annual Farewell Dance. This is always a bittersweet occasion as we are forced to part ways, but realize that through Junior Civitan we can remain connected and develop lifelong friendships. Thank you, Valley District, for making this one of the best Junior Civitan conventions to date, and I hope everyone will make plans now to join in the fun and attend next year’s convention! By Preston Albertia, International President 6 junior civitan insider ROCK K THE WORLD e c i v r se with www.juniorcivitan.org 7 I AM A Has anyone ever helped you along the way to becoming a better Junior Civitan? How about you show them the JUNIOR ultimate appreciation and make them a Junior oin J CIVITAN!B Fellow? Those who help Junior Civitan by giving their time, support and advice do it for the good of the organization, not for recognition. That does not mean those special people don’t appreciate being recognized, though! If you know a Junior Civitan member or advisor that embodies our organization’s commitment to service, honor them by presenting them with a Junior Fellow. They will receive a beautifully engraved plaque recognizing their hard work and dedication! This is the ultimate way to show your appreciation! Donating $300 or $600 in the name of the recipient is a great goal for your club or district to achieve during the year. Don’t forget, you can always work together with your sponsoring club to raise the money. All funds donated through the Junior Fellows Program go toward the Shropshire Scholarship fund for fellow Junior Civitans. This is a great way to not only recognize Have you ever wondered what Junior Civitan is all about? someone who has improved Junior Civitan, but also to help fellow members! I hope that this year your club or district will consider honoring someone If you know The Junior Civitan Creed, you could answer this question. By becoming a member of the Creed Club, you can increase yourspecial with a Junior Fellow! LU C D REE C E TH The Junior Civitan Creed awareness of Junior Civitan and enhance your ability to tell others about the organization. It is not difficult to become a member of the Creed Club. Say it loud and say it proud! 1. Memorize the 15 lines of the Creed. Join It’s as easy asclub 1, advisor 2, 3. or district chair. 2. Recite thetoday! Creed from memory to your 3. Pay your $2.00 membership fee to receive the lapel pin or just Junior Civitan Creed. submit1. theLearn form the below without payment for a membership card. 2. Recite it to your club advisor or district chair. Club Name _____________________________________________ District _________________________________________________ Ship lapel pins and membership cards to: Name _________________________________________________ Street Address ___________________________________________ City ______________ State/Province ________ Postal Code _______ Name of Club Members Grade ______________________________________________ ______ ______________________________________________ ______ ______________________________________________ ______ List any additional names on a separate sheet. Authorized signature ______________________________________ Title_______________________ Club/District ________________ Mail to: Junior Civitan International, P. O. Box 130744, Birmingham, Alabama 35213-0744 8 junior civitan insider Junior Civitan; An aware citizen of today, The standing promise of tomorrow. Appreciation month April is just around the corner, which for Junior I seek to meet the around the world means it is time to thank Civitans patient, encouraging and motivated folks who needs of ourthose world, are the cornerstone of our entire organization. Yes, I To be progressive mean our advisors and Civitans! in a world of change, With compassion and Without advisors and Civitans, we understanding for wouldn’t even have any clubs. We also The values and wouldn’t have the support or ideas that they, with far superior wisdom, can traditions of the past. Junior Civitan Creed Club Membership Form Civitan Appreciation &Advisor AprilI amis a The $2.00 fee entitles you to a Creed Club lapel pin, but a membership card and enrollment without the pin International. are free -- all of which will be 3.lifetime Send your information to Civitan mailed from Junior Civitan International. Some districts have created a Creed Club Award for the club that has It’s too simple, the highest percentage of members enrolled. It is presented at the district there are NO excuses! convention. So, if you could not answer that first question completely, join the the form below andbe include receive aCivitan Junior Civitan Club Pin or CreedUse Club today and the $2.00 besttoJunior you Creed can be! just submit the form without payment for a free membership card. By Caitlyn Delgado International Director provide! I value the This year, make sure you and your club security of knowing take some time to thank your advisors That wherever I am and your sponsoring Civitan Club! You can do anything, like making a nice card I will always be within reach with notes from club members, cooking a delicious dinner or giving them their favorite candy and Of a fellow Civitan. a gift card. Some clubs even go the extra mile by washing cars, delivering breakfast and creating cool artwork! Make it I dedicate myself to do something to let these adults know how your mission To society and much you value them! They put forth so much effort and time, and man they should be recognized! Who better to honor to my fellow than the kids they have grown to love? Withthem a commitment To make the world Don’t forget to send pictures to International of your club and/or a better place. your advisors and Civitans! You can also post district recognizing them on Instagram using the hashtag #rockwithservice. I can’t wait to see the awesome ways you will show your advisors and Civitans how much they mean to you! By Caitlyn Delgado International Director RESEARCH REPORT A New Chance for Treatment Birmingham, AL - Researchers in the laboratory of Civitan International Director Dr. Harald Sontheimer have released a study on the migration of glioma cells (a type of tumor) and how that affects neural connections. These findings were published in the June 19 issue of Nature Communications. They give insight into the behavior of these cancer cells. More importantly, they reveal a potential treatment opportunity for glioblastoma, a devastating form of brain cancer. Malignant gliomas - tumors that arise in the grey matter of the brain - are highly invasive, and frequently kill patients within a year of diagnosis. They proliferate by attaching themselves to blood vessels of the brain, and access nutrients in the blood. Gliomas migrate along these vessels and dislodge astrocytic end-feet. These cells are critical for blood flow regulation, healthy neural connections, and maintaining connections between the cells that form blood vessels. Those connections are an essential part of the blood-brain barrier, a highly selective barrier that separates the brain from the bloodstream. The Sontheimer team found that when gliomas dislodge those astrocytic end-feet, the blood-brain barrier is compromised. This causes leakage from blood vessels, and can result in severe damage to the brain. This can be a very serious problem. However, the Sontheimer team also found that it could also open up avenues for treating these deadly tumors. Chemotherapy is currently the standard of care for brain tumor patients. However, chemotherapy has limited effectiveness in fighting cancer. More effective treatments have not been found yet. This is due to the difficulty in penetrating the blood-brain barrier with treatment drugs. Chemotherapy drugs are delivered through an IV, and must travel through the bloodstream to attack cancer cells - this is much easier for illnesses like lung cancer. With glioma and brain cancer, though, penetrating the blood-brain barrier is more difficult. Such has been the long-standing belief of the medical community. The findings of the Sontheimer team suggest that chemotherapy drugs can, in fact, reach the brain tissue through a weakened blood-brain barrier, when it has been damaged by gliomas. These findings open up new possibilities to treating brain cancer, and are being shared with the cancer research community around the world. In order to study the effect of glioma cells, researchers needed to observe these cells over time. This was made possible through the CIRC's new, multi-photon in-vivo imaging facility. Researchers in Dr. Sontheimer's lab were able to observe and record real-time images of gliomas. This new, stateof-the-art imaging facility is housed at the Civitan International Research Center, and was made possible through the direct support of Junior Civitan and Civitan International. This image shows glioma cells (in red) invading the surface of a blood vessel (highlighted in blue) and displacing astrocytic end-feet (green). Resulting leakage from the blood vessel is highlighted in white arrowheads. Master Club Builder Junior Civitan International recognized an outstanding supporter, Barbara Holyfield as a Master Club Builder at the 2014 Junior Civitan International Convention in Franklin, Tennesee. During this year’s Junior Civitan International Convention, we honored Barbara Holyfield as a Master Club Builder. She is certainly worthy of our praise, after building seven clubs in the 2013-14 year! Barbara hails from Meridian, Mississippi and is an active member of the Meridian First Ladies Civitan Club as well. She’s done a remarkable job growing the Magnolia District as chairperson and offering her guidance to clubs to help them grow. Barbara works tirelessly traveling to charter ceremonies, district and international events, learning all she can to pass on to her district’s members. Definitely an inspiration to the organization, she’s been an asset to Junior Civitan. With even more potential clubs on the horizon for the 2014-15 year, she’s on her way to becoming a Junior Civitan legend! Thank you to Barbara Holyfield for helping expand our wonderful organization. You have certainly earned the Master Club Builder title and its honor! www.juniorcivitan.org 9 2014 CLUB OF THE YEAR Why would a group of teenage guys give up hundreds of hours to help others in their school and community? “Because it’s fun!”“Because it’s important!”“Because the community and school need us!” These are the responses given by members of the Lancaster Junior Civitan Club, the 2014 Club of the Year, when asked why they do what they do. Another response was that it is a tradition. The club’s 2013-2014 Vice President, Tyler Ferguson, said, “My two older brothers were members of the club, but I wanted to be more involved than they were, so I decided to be an officer in the club. My favorite project during the year was raising money though our alumni to place a 12-foot Bruin (the school’s mascot) in a garden at the entrance to the school. The club worked hard to raise the money, get the statue carved, clean up the garden and plant new plants.” Dilon Patel, the South Carolina District’s 2014-2015 Deputy Governor, whose older brother was very active in the club, said that his favorite project was the Backpack Project. “The idea that we get to help 75 elementary and middle school students each week by providing them with seven meals each weekend is humbling. During the course of the year, we were able to raise over $45,000, and a large part of this was for the Backpack Project. Much of the money came in the form of grants and donations from agencies and the community.” Club president for 2013-2014, Bryce Blanton had two older sisters who were involved in the Lancaster High School girls’ club. He said, “It is hard for me to single out just one project because we did 48 projects during the year. Some of these projects were smaller than others and required fewer members to complete, but each of them helped out some person or group in our town, which made them important. As a club, we never turned down anyone who asked for our help, and that is important!” The Junior Civitan tradition went even further back than siblings for some members. Teddy Norrell’s parents were both South Carolina District officers—his father served as Governor and his mother was Public Relations Coordinator. “Being involved in our projects is important because they help people in our community, but also if a member is involved, he will be eligible to go on club trips. I had a great time at the International Dance-a-thon that was held in Myrtle Beach. It sounds crazy to be dancing half a day, but you meet people from all over North America. It’s a great way to make friends. It was tiring, but it was awesome,” said Norrell. So, why would a teenager be willing to give up his free time to help others? The answers to the question are as different as the members of the Lancaster club, but in the end, it is all about the rewards that come from helping others and the fun and fellowship of Junior Civitan. 10 junior civitan insider ROCK K THE WORLD e c i v r se with at Lancaster High School www.juniorcivitan.org 11 BEST IN SERVICE 2014 Honorees 2014 Honor Clubs COMPETITIVE AWARDS Club of the Year 1st Lancaster High School (B), Lancaster, South Carolina 2nd Rowan County Early College, Salisbury, North Carolina 3rd S.P.O.T., Saltillo, Mississippi District of the Year 1st Valley 2nd South Carolina 3rd North Carolina West HONOR CLUBS Alabama North Lawrence County Alabama-West Florida Enterprise High School Ashley Witcher Governor of the Year Canadian East Almonte Canadian West Rick Hansen Florida Bishop Moore Catholic High School Durant High School Lake Howell Great Southwest Helpful Heroes Gaurav Talwar Male Junior Civitan of the Year Magnolia Queen City North Carolina East Craven Early College Hawfields HANDS Laney High School North Carolina West Ellis Middle Hayesville Middle School Knox Trojans South Davie Yellow Jacket Brandy Kegeris Female Junior Civitan of the Year South Carolina Buford High School Chester Dutch Fork Irmo Civinettes Lancaster High School Girls Hall of Fame Bob Robinson, Canadian East Meredith Abramson, North Carolina West HONOR CLUBS OF DISTINCTION Alabama North Greater Limestone County Hunter Godinez Club President of the Year Alabama-West Florida LAMP Stanhope Elmore Cardinal George Washington Harding High School John Adams Chiles High School S.P.O.T. Baylee McLeod Club Officer of the Year North Carolina East Southeast Guilford High School North Carolina West Davie Early College Davie High Rowan County Early College South Carolina Lakewood Lancaster High School Boys Newberry Academy 12 junior civitan insider Honor Keys Presidential Honor Key Ankur Kumar, Cardinal Male Junior Civitan of the Year Gaurav Talwar, Canadian West Female Junior Civitan of the Year Brandy Kegeris, North Carolina West Governor of the Year Ashley Witcher, Mississippi North Achievement Florida Mississippi North Club President of the Year Hunter Godinez, Lake Howell, Casselberry, Florida Club Officer of the Year Baylee McLeod, Lakewood, Sumter, South Carolina District Officer of the Year Meredith Ratledge, Davie High, Advance, North Carolina District Chair of the Year Pat Laney, North Carolina West Advisor of the Year Matthew Cartwright, Gautier Middle School, Gautier, Mississippi Joint Project of the Year 1st (Junior) Lakewood, Sumter, South Carolina (Senior) Clarendon Manning, Manning, South Carolina 2nd (Junior) Hawfields, Mebane, North Carolina (Senior) Hawfields, Mebane, North Carolina 3rd (Junior) Queen City, Meridian, Mississippi (Senior) Meridian First Ladies, Meridian, Mississippi Ongoing Campaign of the Year 1st S.P.O.T., Saltillo, Mississippi 2nd Irmo Civinettes, Dutch Fork, South Carolina 3rd Lakewood, Sumter, South Carolina Environmental Project of the Year 1st Lake Howell, Casselberry, Florida 2nd Rowan County Early College, Salisbury, North Carolina 3rd Lakewood, Sumter, South Carolina Community Project of the Year 1st Lancaster High School (B), Lancaster, South Carolina 2nd S.P.O.T., Tupelo, Mississippi 3rd Lake Howell, Casselberry, Florida Campus Project of the Year 1st Mooresville High School, Mooresville, North Carolina 2nd Lancaster High School (B), Lancaster, South Carolina 3rd Bishop Moore High School, Orlando, Florida District Project of the Year 1st Great Southwest 2nd Mississippi North 3rd North Carolina District West Meredith Ratledge District Officer of the Year Distinguished Governors of Excellence Shanawar Waris, Cardinal Ashley Witcher, Mississippi North Gayle Horner, North Carolina East Preston Albertia, Valley Distinguished Governor Jessica White, North Carolina West Honor District of Excellence Valley Honor District of Distinction North Carolina East Growth Awards Most New Charters: Magnolia (7) Overall Increase: North Carolina West (188 members) Percentage Increase: Cardinal District (48%) Largest Foundation Contributions Club: Overall: Lancaster High School (B) Per Capita: Helpful Heroes District: Overall: Valley Per Capita: Cardinal 2014-2015 International Officers Preston Albertia International President – Clarksville, Tennessee The 2014-15 International President, Preston Albertia, is in his fifth year as a member of Junior Civitan. He’s a sophomore at Clarksville High School in his hometown of Clarksville, Tennessee. His year as president is exceptionally special since his dad, Jay Albertia, is serving as the Civitan International President at the same time! This is the first time in Civitan history that this event has occurred! Preston enjoys playing varsity football and watching “Dog with a Blog.” He has served in many different roles on the club and district level and is excited to implement his goal of “knowing the Creed and living the Creed” during his year as president. He’s ready to help Junior Civitan “Rock the World with Service!” Kali Wilson International Vice President – Albuquerque, New Mexico Kali is excited to serve as International Vice President this year and says that Junior Civitan has been a huge part of her life for the past three years. She has four siblings and stays busy at school participating in the Model United Nations and playing on the golf team. She also serves on the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Board in her hometown. Kali has served as club president and district governor, and she looks forward to her role on the international level. Caitlyn Delgado International Director – Greensboro, North Carolina Caitlyn has held many offices across the club and district level and is excited to help guide Junior Civitans across the organization by promoting more joint projects between Junior Civitan and Civitan clubs. She also wants to promote the expansion of Junior Civitan across social media. She is a senior this year and enjoys serving as student body president at her high school, as well as reading, swimming and singing in her spare time. Last year, Caitlyn was the highest fundraiser for Dance-a-thon, and she’s excited to attend the event again this year! Peter Guthrie Civitan Board Representative Almonte, Ontario, Canada Rachel Mann International Director – Columbia, South Carolina Rachel is a senior at her high school and serves as the newspaper editor of The Stinger, in addition to playing varsity tennis. She’s also excited about using social media this year to highlight the accomplishments of many different clubs and districts! Rachel has excelled in school and is recognized as a part of the National Honor Society. Her home club, the Irmo Civinettes, is in its 43rd year of service, and she’s served as club president and club public relations coordinator. Lisa Abercrombie Chairs Representative Auburn, Alabama Jeffery Mathews International Director – Alexander City, Alabama As a member of the Benjamin Russell High School Junior Civitan Club, Jeffery has proven himself to be a leader on the club and district level. He challenged himself to run for an international position and is thrilled to help move Junior Civitan to new heights of service. Jeffery is active in his school’s marching band and even enjoys playing the baritone in his spare time! He has four siblings and enjoys spending time with his family. He’s excited about attending Sno-Do for the second time and is working to raise an exceptional amount for the Civitan International Research Center this year! www.juniorcivitan.org 13 OUTDOING EVERYTHING Lakewood (South Carolina) Lakewood’s members held a “Kindness Campaign.” Each meeting, members write on post-it notes with positive words of encouragement and leave them in classrooms on student’s desks. In return, they leave blank post-it notes for the class to complete, then the teacher collects them and leave the notes in another room and the cycle of kindness continues! South Forsyth High School (Georgia) South Forsyth High School Junior Civitan started their charter year off with a bang! They grew to eighty members and are currently the largest club in the Georgia district. The club held many events including hosting the first ever Sadie Hawkins dance at their school. It was a huge success, drawing about 140 attendees and the majority of the school’s special Lakewood needs students. The club’s president did a research project at the school about disabilities to help bring awareness to special needs children. Through her work with Junior Civitan, she held an internship during the summer at the Civitan International Research Center in Birmingham. Alabama North District After a torrential downpour threatened the Alabama North district convention’s beach getaway and fun, Chair Kathy Blades noticed the amusement park closer to their hotel and decided to ask if the attendees could stop by for some fun that night. She and her husband were wearing their Junior Civitan t-shirts as the manager approached. “You’re Civitans,” he said. She told their story of almost cancelling the district convention and asked for his help. They learned that not only was he happy to make arrangements for the district, he told about his beloved father, Dr. J.L. Hughes, who was the oldest living Civitan when he died at age 101. Dr. Hughes joined the Albertville Civitan Club on August 12, 1933 and was an active member sponsoring new members and holding several offices until his death in 2008. His son, Frank Hughes, was noticeably proud of his father and the Civitan legacy he left. She shared the enthusiasm of the Junior Civitan program and was happy to have received help to make their convention a success! Mooresville High School (North Carolina West) Members volunteered at the Mooresville Soup Kitchen’s Pumpkin Palooza. For three hours, the club helped wash pumpkins, carry pumpkins from bins to cars and helped the leaders of the Soup Kitchen clean up after the event. The Pumpkin Palooza is a fundraising event designed to help the Soup Kitchen continue supporting the needy in their community. For each pumpkin sold, ten hot meals were provided to people in the Mooresville area. Members also volunteered with the Mooresville Christian Mission to prepare bags that will be distributed to students at the high school as a way of encouraging them to participate in a canned food drive. 14 junior civitan insider Mooresville High School OUTDOING EVERYTHING Laney High School (North Carolina East) Along with the Wilmington Civitan Club, Laney’s club assisted with the Special Olympics Bowling in October. There were nearly thirty bowlers playing, but everyone joined in the fun of cheering for each other’s teams. Great snacks and refreshments were available to keep everyone well energized for the event and each club enjoyed volunteering for this wonderful group! El Camino High School (California) Members kicked off the new year by volunteering at the San Diego Humane Society. Led by their president, the club toured the facility that houses many animals and they learned how animals are cared for, socialized, and put up for adoption. Following the tour, they gathered in Laney High School a warehouse area and made toys and other aids for the animals. Their sponsoring club, Oceanside, also helped with the project. Auburn High School (Alabama Central) Members volunteered at their school’s Fall Festival as well as the annual Loachapoka Syrup Sopping Festival. They held a fundraiser by selling soft drinks at their Bob Jones High School homecoming celebration and helped sell turkeys and hams for their sponsoring Auburn Civitan club. By joining with a local running club, Auburn-Opelika Running and Track Association, they helped man a 5k to guide runners towards the finish line! Needless to say, this club has been busy giving back! Enka High School (North Carolina West) The club joined with a local church to help prepare and serve food for the sponsored community dinner. Many guests enjoyed the hot meal and the volunteers helped clean up the kitchen and fellowship hall after the dinner ended. The club closed out their year of service by volunteering in the Buncombe County Special Olympics. Forty club members worked the event and paired up with a buddy to help them at each event. The day was a success El Camino High School and meant more to the club than the athletes to be able to support such a wonderful project! Bob Jones High School (Alabama North) “It was such an incredible experience to work with people who can overcome their disabilities and just enjoy life,” says Bob Jones High School senior, Katie Hubbard. Bob Jones Junior Civitan members helped escort special needs children and adults to their events. “The joy on the participants’ faces after they finish a race is heartwarming. Our club has been helping with Special Olympics for the past few years and it never fails to help us appreciate all that we take for granted. From face painting to shotput to hula-hooping, this fun-filled field day brought a smile to everyone’s face!” www.juniorcivitan.org 15 OUTDOING EVERYTHING Harding (Cardinal) Members held a recruitment event for potential new members to tie dye t-shirts and enjoy a pizza party while learning more about Junior Civitan. The club also joined their sponsoring club by selling food during a party for children with developmental disabilities. Alabama-West Florida District The district board was elected at their district convention and came up with several exciting social causes campaigns and projects for the year. Not only did they have the support of a new district chair, but many parents attended the meeting. The district is excited to start their year off strong and hold many projects to benefit the communities in their district! Lewisville High School (South Carolina) The club held a campus clean-up and collected trash from classrooms and common areas. They also set up recycling centers across their campus to encourage other students to help be a little more conscious of the environment. Helpful Heroes (Great Southwest) The club has been extremely busy giving back through special causes like breast cancer awareness. Members created a “Wheel of Hair” booth for attendees to spin the wheel and possibly have their heads shaved. A total of $850 was raised for Priceville Middle School the “Get Pinked” event which helps breast cancer awareness in their community. The club also partnered with Crossroads Community Church in helping bring in Wounded Warriors for an Extreme Adventure. They held a bake sale to help fund the adventure and warriors participated in fly fishing and other great activities. The final day of the adventure closed with a breakfast for the club and participants to share. Dale County High School (Alabama-West Florida) The club held the “Miracle Molly Bake Sale” to raise money for a teacher’s child in their school who has been battling cancer for the past year. They presented a check of $400 to Molly’s family during their homecoming pep rally. They also raised money for the 2014 Buddy Walk for Down Syndrome. Long Beach High School (Magnolia) Excited to help the special needs class kick off a new school year, the club packed goodie bags for each student to have on the first day back to school. The club has been actively recruiting members with personalized invitations and keeping in the loop with their sponsoring club by visiting Civitan club meetings. Priceville Middle School (Alabama North) The newly chartered Priceville Middle School club held a teddy bear drive. Members plan to take the bears with them on their trip to the Civitan-Sparks Clinics in Birmingham to be given to children in need of comfort during their visit. 16 junior civitan insider Helpful Heroes Clubs at Large – F.R.E.E.A.K.S., sponsored by Cabot, club builders: Stephen Marshall and Tom Nolting* Chesapeake – Liberty High School, sponsored by Warrenton, club builders: Delores Leonard and Patricia Koepsel, MCB Appalachian – The Catoosa Performance Learning Center, sponsored by Battlefield, club builders: Tammy Pearson, MCB and Suzanne Chovanec Florida – East Naples Gators, sponsored by Naples, club builders: Nery Kircher, MCB and Bob Kircher* – Priceville Middle School, sponsored by Priceville, club builders: Bruce Young and Jerry Welch Alabama-North Florida – Noble, sponsored by Tampa Metro, club builders: Penny Bonawitz*** and Matthew Reinecke Valley – Owensboro Catholic High School, sponsored by Owensboro, club builders: Kenneth S. Teasley, MCB and Lisa Burns-Kirby, MCB Davies County High School, sponsored by Owensboro, club builders: Kenneth S. Teasley, MCB and Lisa Burns-Kirby, MCB HS=High School; JHS=Junior High School; SHS=Senior High School; MS=Middle School; B=Boys; G=Girls. Note: One asterisk (*) indicates the club builder has built two clubs, two asterisks indicate three clubs and three asterisks indicate four clubs. MCB indicates the club builder is a Master Club Builder who has built five or more clubs. Across the Globe! New Clubs Reported as of October 31, 2014 BEST IN SERVICE Sierra Leone, Africa Many of you know that there are Junior Civitan clubs in other countries, but did you know they hold similar projects, meetings and fundraisers just like your club? The John F. Kennedy Junior Civitan club, located in Freetown, Sierra Leone, has worked diligently over the past four years to better their community and campus while increasing membership. They have held school clean-ups and environmental awareness projects, and created recruitment brochures to expand their membership. They hold regular meetings to decide what projects they want to complete and tackle those projects! Two members of the JFK Junior Civitan club even attended the Junior Civitan International Convention and enjoyed spending time with representatives of the clubs in North America. Dalian, China Junior Civitan has expanded to China, with its first club chartered there on September 26! The F.R.E.E.A.K.S. Junior Civitan Club chartered with an impressive 81 members. The new club is located in Dalian, Liaoning Province, China and is sponsored by the Cabot Civitan club of the Heartland district. The club got its start after a Cabot Civitan club member, Stephen Marshall, moved to China to teach English in the Dalian Korean International School and wanted to build a Junior Civitan club. Through the combined efforts of Mr. Marshall and the Cabot Civitan club, this new Junior Civitan club is set for success! President’s Message Hello fellow Junior Civitans! The year is off to an amazing start as we join together and embrace our theme of “Rock the World with Service.” Many of you have shared through email, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram the wonderful service projects that your club is already participating in as you live the creed and “seek to meet the needs of our world.” I applaud your efforts as you continue “to make the world a better place!” Your International Board of Directors met in August at World Headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama and made the tough decision to limit our Insider Magazine to just two publications. We want you to know you can still find up-to-date information through our newly revamped website, and email [email protected] for any additional information you may need. You can also share pictures and comments through our Junior Civitan Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts as well. We are working hard to make this the best year in Junior Civitan history and we encourage you to stay involved in your club and district! Several big events are quickly approaching as well! Sno-Do will take place in January for governors who have met the fundraising goal and Dance-a-thon is a fantastic International fundraiser open for ALL Junior Civitans to attend. Last year was the first time Dance-a-thon was held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and it was such a huge success that we are going back during the weekend of March 6-9, 2015. If you are interested in attending, ask your club advisor or check out juniorcivitan.org for information about how you can join in the fun. Another incredible opportunity to participate at the International level will be our next convention, which will take place June 25-28 in Orlando, Florida! See page 19-20 of this issue for more information. Finally, I encourage everyone to ask at least one friend to join Junior Civitan and commit the Junior Civitan Creed to memory so we can “Rock the World with Service!” Preston Albertia International President www.juniorcivitan.org 17 BEST IN SERVICE ACT NOW SNO-DO Supportour Civitan International Research Center, your district, and a longstanding Junior Civitan tradition by making a Sno-Do donation. Every little bit helps. Send your donations to: Civitan International Foundation, P.O. Box 130744, Birmingham, Alabama 35213. You can also donate via Paypal, at www.juniorcivitan.org/donate! $ Scholarship Opportunities Selected Junior Civitans are honored via the Shropshire Scholarship. The deadline to apply is January 31. The new application is online now. The quickest way to get an application is to go to www.juniorcivitan.org/scholarships. Recruit! Recruit! Recruit! Fall is the ideal time of year to boost your club’s membership. A vinyl banner is available to highlight your club’s campaign. So recruit now! Don’t let Junior Civitan be the best kept secret around! A Great Gift Idea Making someone a Junior Fellow is a great way to honor them! It costs $300, and they will be presented with a stunning plaque and a memory that will last them a lifetime. To top things off, Junior Fellows help fund the Shropshire Scholarship program, a Civitan academic scholarship open to Junior Civitan members. So act quickly and engrave someone’s name on a beautiful and memorable plaque forever! We Wanna Know ? Have you told International about your projects lately? Help us keep track of all that we’re doing as an organization by reporting your involvement in club, district, and international projects. Email Junior Civitan at juniorcivitan@civitan. org and start writing, or log onto www. juniorcivitan.org to find a variety of report forms under “Literature and Forms” in the “Member Resources” section. Don’t Forget Dues! Dues should have been sent in by November 1. If you haven’t received your club’s dues reporting information, contact International by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to report your projects and send in pictures to see your club featured in the next Insider magazine! REGISTER TODAY for the 2015 Junior Civitan International Convention! Here’s how it works: • Tell your parents and your Junior Civitan Chair,“I want to go to the Junior Civitan International Convention this summer!” • Mark your calendar for June 25-28. • Start saving just a few dollars a day now to have more than enough by the registration deadline! • Fill out the registration form on page 19. • Send in your payment and registration form to the address listed by May 22. • Head to Orlando for the weekend of a lifetime on June 25 with tons of Junior Civitans from around the world! Don’t miss out on the fun! Come check out Orlando, FL June 25-28 for a weekend you’ll never forget! Questions? Visit www.juniorcivitan.org/convention for the latest information or email us [email protected]. 18 junior civitan insider Off icial Convention Registration Form 2015 Junior Civitan International Convention June 25 – 28 • Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort • Orlando, Florida Fee Must Be Paid in United States Funds Registration must be received on the Official Convention Registration Form. Registration form must be postmarked by May 22. Mail to: Junior Civitan International, P. O. Box 130744, Birmingham, Alabama 35213. Upon receipt of the Off icial Convention Registration Form, the registrant will be mailed additional information pertaining to the convention including transportation arrangements from the Orlando International Airport to the Wyndham Lake Buena Vista Resort, travel form, and other important information. If you wish to share a room with a specif ic person, complete Section B. Room assignments cannot be changed following registration. Youth delegates must have parent or guardian complete and sign Sections C, D and E. Each delegate is required to have this form completed, signed, and on file. Everyone attending the convention, including adults, must complete ALL SECTIONS. Registration Fees must be postmarked by May 22 Youth (4 to a room) .......$230 per person Adult (4 to a room)........ $280 per person Adult (3 to a room) . ......$350 per person Adult (2 to a room) . ......$400 per person Adult (single)...................$550 per person *Add Late Fee of $25.00 if postmarked May 23 or later. Section A Participant’s Name: Date of Birth: q Male q Female Are you a 2015 graduate? q Yes q No Are you attending as a Chaperon? q Yes q No Home Address: City/State/Province/Postal Code: Telephone: ( ) — Cell Phone: ( ) — Name of Junior Civitan Club: Email: District: Will you hold a club office in 2015-16? q Yes q No If yes, what club off ice: Will you hold a district office in 2015-16? q Yes q No If yes, what district off ice: Are you a vegetarian or would you prefer vegetarian meals during the convention? q Yes *You MUST check yes in order to be guaranteed vegetarian meals. Do you need a handicap accessible room? q Yes q No q No Emergency Contact: Name: Relationship: Telephone Number: Day: ( ) — Evening: ( ) Insurance Company: Section B — Policy Number: Roommate Request (Please limit request to only one person. No adult chaperoning couples will be allowed to room together.) I would like to share a room with: Section C In consideration of this registration and permitting me and/or my dependent to participate in the Junior Civitan International Convention, I/we do hereby release and discharge the officers, agents, instructors, and employees of Civitan International and Junior Civitan International from any and all claims, demands, suits, actions, and causes of action which I/we may have by reason of any illness or accident incurred or suffered by me or my dependent while traveling to and from and attending the Junior Civitan International Convention, no matter how caused or occasioned. I/We further agree to indemnify and hold harmless Civitan International and Junior Civitan International against any and all claims and demands by any other person or legal entity for damages alleged to have been caused by the above named. Section D In consideration of this registration and permitting me and/or my dependent to participate in the Junior Civitan International Convention, I/we do hereby grant to Civitan International and Junior Civitan International, its employees, agents, assigns, and sponsors, the right to video and/or photograph me and/or my dependent, and use the video, photo, and or other digital reproduction of my/his/her physical likeness for publication processes, whether electronic, print, digital or electronic publishing via the Internet and expressly waive any present, or future compensation rights to the use of the above stated material(s). Section E In case of accident or injury, I give my permission for me and/or my dependent to be treated by a local hospital or physician, and it is important that you be aware of the following allergies including those to medication and food: Dated the day of Signature: , 20 . Signature: Address: City/State/Province/Postal Code: Cancellation Policy: 1. Cancellation requests postmarked prior to and including 21 days before the opening day of the convention shall be subject to a $25 processing charge. The amount paid, less the $25 processing charge shall be refunded. 2. All other cancellation requests will be eligible for a 50 percent refund. “No shows” who pre-register, but fail to claim their registration packet, will receive no refund. There will be no substitutions. 3. Cancellations due to a bona f ide emergency (death or illness) shall be honored regardless of the date and a refund will be provided, less the $25 processing charge. All requests for refunds must be sent in writing to Junior Civitan International, P. O. Box 130744, Birmingham, Alabama 35213-0744. (11-14) www.juniorcivitan.org SEND REGISTRATION TO: Junior Civitan International • P. O. Box 130744 • Birmingham, Alabama 35213-0744 19 2015 June 25–28 Orlando, Florida JUNIOR CIVITAN CONVENTION Join Us in Sunny Orlando, Florida for the 2015 Junior Civitan International Convention! It’s three days of fun-filled excitement you don’t want to miss. We’ll be right in the middle of all the action at an official Walt Disney World® Resort, Wyndham Lake Buena Vista! A five-minute walk from Downtown Disney, Wyndham Lake Buena Vista stands high above all other Disney World® Orlando hotels. Their service is second to none, with a shuttle to all things Disney® and awesome amenities like the Oasis Aquatic Pool Playground, two heated pools, a hot tub, and tennis, basketball and volleyball courts. The resort property overlooks all of Disney’s Florida Empire, including Downtown Disney, an exciting metropolis of restaurants, theaters and shops! We’re sure you’ll want to plan to arrive early or stay over to enjoy all Orlando has to offer! Start making your plans now to be with us at the happiest place on earth,® June 25-28. We know you won’t regret it! Websites to visit for more info: Registration Fee Schedule Youth (4 to a room)..............$230 per person Adult (4 to a room)..............$280 per person Adult (3 to a room...............$350 per person Adult (2 to a room)..............$400 per person Adult (single).......................$550 per person Registration Fee includes: •3 nights hotel lodging •3 meals •Opening ceremonies •Meet the Candidates forum •Opening night party •Farewell dance •Educational and leadership seminars •International officer elections •International business session •Philanthropy program •Closing ceremonies •Semi-formal international banquet •International awards presentations Tentative Weekend Agenda visitorlando.com, wyndhamlakebuenavista.com, juniorcivitan.org/convention Thursday •Registration •Dinner •Opening Ceremonies •Opening night party Friday •Workshops •Lunch •Meet the Candidates forum Saturday •International Business Session •Election of International Officers •Philanthropy Program •Free Afternoon •International Banquet with International Awards & Closing Ceremonies •Dance Want quick access to Junior Civitan? 20 junior civitan insider Just scan this QR code with your mobile device and you’re there!