Thank You!

Greetings CKI!

Thank you so much for a fantastic year of service, leadership, and fellowship.

I am super proud to report that the House of Delegates has met and elected Jason Stewart of the Ohio District to be your new International President!

Jason is a former Key Clubber and IP Governor of the Ohio District and will do an amazing job!!!








On behalf of the entire 08-09 CKI Board we thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to serve you and wish you the best of luck in the future!




Always yours,
Kristen M. Reed, New York District
2008-09 International President, Circle K International

I believe in ZERO

Ducks 4 Kids

What a cute Kiwanis Club Project!

Be a Hero!

Greetings CKI!

July 22 is “Be a Hero for Babies Day” and we’re asking you to don your cape and donate as little as $1.99 to help premature babies. Farmers is doubling your gift, so the bigger you give, the bigger the match. Be an everyday superhero — sacrifice your morning coffee, sub, weekend movie ticket, or those new shoes to help give every baby a healthy start! Donate online at http://www.marchofdimes.com/hero

Here’s what’s extra cool: you can pick up our avatar after you make your donation and show off your superhero status to your Facebook friends!

Live to Serve -- Love to Serve,

Kristen

Achieving Your Childhood Dreams

"Focus on others, not yourself." -Randy Pausch

Membership Updates

Greetings Everyone!

Please take the time to check out http://community.kiwanisone.org/media/p/3035/download.aspx for the newest updated Circle K International Club Information Listing regarding where we are in terms of membership and dues payment.

This was updated on 7/1/09 and is our most up to date document.

Congratulations to the 5 largest districts in CKI:

1. California-Nevada-Hawaii: 1,509 members
2. New York: 920 members
3. Pennsylvania: 915 members
4. Capital: 853 members
5. Pacific-Northwest: 531 members

Questions, changes, comments, concerns: e-mail gmullen@kiwanis.org in the Member Services Department or call 1-800-KIWANIS ext. 411

Enjoy and have a great day!

--Kristen

Goodbye Ogdensburg, Hello Dallas!

Hi all:

So I'm about to leave for Key Club International Convention in 30 minutes or so (it takes me a while to drive to the Syracuse airport.) Just wanted to pop on and share with you fine people the HOT weather forecast that awaits me.


Goodbye rainy Ogdensburg, Hello HOT-Dallas :)

--Kristen

Summer = Celebrations!

Greetings all:

Happy Canada Day to all of my Canadian friends in the Kiwanis family and I hope that everyone in the States has a very safe and healthy 4th of July Celebration this upcoming weekend!

I've been super busy lately traveling during this summer service season. I was fortunate enough to spend a great weekend in Pittsburgh for the Pennsylvania District Summer Board Meeting, travel down to the sweet south to Nashville for the Kiwanis International Convention, and now I find myself packing my bags to Dallas, Texas for the Key Club International Convention. Yeehaaaw!

When I return I'll have full write-ups for everyone on Pittsburgh, Nashville, and Dallas to share as well as a few fun photos to attach along.

Thank you to the hundreds of people who read this blog every month and to all the Kiwanis family members making the commitment to serve this summer :)

Live to Serve -- Love to Serve,
--Kristen

"Dude, life isn't as hard as people think. All you have to do is keep livin' , laughin', and lovin' " ~Kia Albertson-Rogers, 2008-2009 Key Club International President

Create custom postage and support the March of Dimes

Hey there CKI!

Looking for a great way to support the March of Dimes? Click here for more information on how you can create custom U.S. Postage stamps and fundraise for the March of Dimes at the same time!

Live to Serve -- Love to Serve,

--Kristen

I love Kiwanis :) One CAN Make a Difference

Congratulations Minerva!

Congratulations to Immediate Past Duke University CKI President Minerva Thai for winning the CKI Six Cents Initiative fundraising contest! Minerva won a FREE International Convention Registration for raising the most money on the UNICEF Six Cents Portal this year.

Curious how much Minerva raised? Click here!

Live to Serve -- Love to Serve,

--Kristen

Google is giving back!

Greetings CKI!

Click Here to check out how you can use the same great Google Search Engine that you've always loved to help the American Cancer Society!

Live to Serve -- Love to Serve,

--Kristen

CKI has Twitter!

Challenge. Create. Change. Video Contest - Win $10,000!

Visit Youtube.com/converseonestar to enter the contest.

In a short, creative video, show us how you're changing your world for a chance to win $10,000 + a $1,000 Converse One Star Wardrobe.

Additional Prizes:
2nd Finalist: $5,000 cash + $500 Converse One Star Wardrobe
3rd Finalist: $2,000 cash + $500 Converse One Star Wardrobe

The three finalists will all receive a trip for two to the Wanderlust Festival in Lake Tahoe, California, where one finalist will be announced as the Grand Prize Winner.

Submit your video by June 28. Go to YouTube.com/converseonestar to submit and for more information

Encouragement: Pass it On

Greetings CKI!

Got a minute? Check out the YouTube video below. This small clip is one of my favorite commercials out on TV right now. It's to promote the Foundation for a Better Life however it is extremely adorable and teaches us a nice life lesson in only 61 seconds. :)

Live to Serve -- Love to Serve,
--Kristen

Volunteering is SEXY

Guest Post: Volunteering is sexy
By Adam

Do you want to be happier, more successful, have more friends, and a loving partner? Now these are the kinds of promises that many self-help gurus make millions out of. In fact if I charged you a lot of money and gave you this promise you'd more than likely pay. However, there is a way to get all of these results, it's SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN (yes really) and it's FREE. What's the answer - you ask? Volunteering I say.

The scientific findings of volunteering and positive psychology show that:

• Giving (not taking) makes us happier
• Volunteering can increase life satisfaction and self esteem
• Volunteering facilitates meeting others, connecting with others and making friends
• People who volunteer are seen as more attractive to the opposite sex
• People who volunteer are seen as cooler than those who don't volunteer

There is a wealth of research that demonstrates endless psychological and sociological benefits of volunteering.

Why then don't more people volunteer? To the ill informed volunteering is seen as dowdy. It has an image problem. Volunteer groups (with the exception of a few) have done a very poor job of making themselves look sexy - and it is. There is research to back up the claim that people who volunteer are more attractive to the opposite sex than is say having a cool car, or talking about your bulging pay pack. Basically, if you want to be happier, be in a relationship, have better self-esteem.... and so on - volunteer.

The other reason people don't volunteer so much is that it is a hassle. Who do I call? Where do I go? How can I find a place close to where I live? How can I find something I'm interested in to volunteer? To not make to fine a point about it - most of these barriers are addressed through SEEK Volunteer, a centralised database of all the volunteer jobs available in Australia (and a lovely client of Naked's).

So what needs to happen for more people to volunteer?

1. Volunteer organisations need to re-brand themselves and strip away their dowdy image - you can make yourselves better.
2. People need to be aware of the benefits, and believe they are real.

Try it.

Adam Ferrier is a Consumer Psychologist and Managing Partner of Naked Communications. He has degrees in Clinical Psychology and Commerce. Adam worked in Forensic Psychology, brand consultancy (Added Value), and advertising (Saatchi & Saatchi) before founding Naked Australia. Naked is working with some of the world's most progressive brands and ambitious marketers. Naked was Adnews Agency of the Year in 2007. Adam is registered with the NSW Psychologists Board, and a member of the Australian Psychological Society. You can find him online at consumerpsychologist.blogspot.com.

My Summer 2009 Playlist

Hey there CKI!

Looking for any cool tunes to jam out to on your summer road trips? or maybe you need some good ear candy for the long 6 hour road trip to your District's summer social? Check out below for my fun Summer 2009 playlist that I've got playing right now! Feel free to comment and leave your favorite Summer 2009 songs, I'm always looking to expand my music collection!

Kristen's Summer 2009 Playlist

1. Walking on the Moon by The-Dream
2. American Cowboy by Jada
3. Something Pretty by Seth Horan
   
4. Fire Burning by Sean Kingston
5. That's not my name by the Ting Tings
6. Forgive me by Leona Lewis
7. Road to Paradise by TAT
8. C'mon get Higher by Matt Nathanson
9. Sugar by Flo Rida
   
10. Cold Shoulder by Adele
11. My Life would Suck without You by Kelly Clarkson
    
12. I know you want me by Pitbull
    
13. I don't need it by Jamie Foxx
14. Empty House by Paper Route
15. Breaking Dishes by Rihanna
    
16. Farewell to the Fairground by White Lies
17. My Delirium by Ladyhawke
18. Day 'N' Nite by Kid Cudi
    
19. Goodbye by Kristina DeBarge
    
20. Jai Ho! (You are my Destiny) by The Pussycat Dolls/A.R. Rahman
    
21. Half Mast by Empire of the Sun
22. Take me on the Floor by the Veronicas
    
23. Boom Boom Pow by The Black Eyed Peas
24. Heads Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
25. Trouble by Nevershoutnever!
26. Welcome to the World by Kevin Rudolf
    
27. Give it to me Right by Melanie Fiona
28. T.O.N.Y. by Solange
29. Funny the Way it is by Dave Matthews Band
    
30. Poker Face by Lady GaGa
31. Who's Got Your Money? by Tina Parol
32. Love etc by the Pet Shop Boys
33. I do not Hook Up by Kelly Clarkson
    
34. Happy House by The Juan Maclean
35. She loves Everybody by Chester French

Yours in a Fellowship and Fun Summer,
--Kristen

This one time...

This one time...I turned the recreation room at my parent's house into a loading station for my club's Better World Books Book Drive, haha! And when I say "This one time..." I actually mean today, LOL!

.......thanks Mom & Dad for being so kind as to let me completely take over the pool table and recreation space. Love you guys :)

I'll be spending tomorrow packing these up and getting them ready to ship off with the UPS man on Friday!

Live to Serve -- Love to Serve,
--Kristen

Shop UNICEF this summer!

Celebrate Summer in Style with UNICEF!

Play, shine and soak up the sun with new gifts picked fresh for summer.

Shop UNICEF for bright gift ideas, activities for summer travel, and totes that take you from the pool to the mall in style.

Shop UNICEF today.

Every card, every gift saves a life.

While this may not go towards our Six Cents Initiative it is still an awesome way to support UNICEF when you are away from your clubs in the summer. So Shop, Support, and Soak up the Sun CKI!

Live to Serve -- Love to Serve,

--Kristen

Send a free postcard to an American Soldier - Memorial Day Blog (U.S. Holiday)

Greetings CKI'ers!

Happy Memorial Day to all of my American Circle K'ers out there :) If you get the chance to take a break from barbecuing, parades, and enjoying the holiday off of work please stop by http://www.letssaythanks.com.

Let's Say Thanks is a project run by the Xerox Company to allow people (just like you and me!) to send cards to American soldiers for FREE!

4 minutes + Let's Say Thanks + your caring & compassion = Free Card to a deserving Soldier

Yours in the spirit of SIMPLE service having a SERIOUS impact,

--Kristen