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The Quarterly Newsletter of the heartland civitandistrict
S U M M E R 2 0 2 0
HEARTlAND DiSTRiCT ViRTUAl CONVENTiONSATURDAy, AUgUST 15, 9 A.m. – 12 NOON
The Virtual Convention will be held online via Zoom August 15th
9:00 AM - 12:00 PM.
Registration is free and is open now through August 14th. Click
on the box below or go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/heartland-
district-virtual-convention-registration-requested-by-aug-12th-tickets-
112138603582
Please register before August 12th to help organizers prepare the
Parade of Banners. Those who register will receive a link to the live
Convention.The registration process also invites you to make an on-
line donation to the Civitan International Research Center (CIRC). Do-
nations to the CIRC can also be made by check to Heartland District
of Civitan International, 6202 E 12th St. N., Wichita, KS 67208
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– A g E N D A ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––• 9:00 – Parade of Banners – Immediate Past Governor Grace
Farmer
• 9:07 – Prayer – Governor Patti Manus
• 9:09 – Civitan Creed – Governor-Elect Harold Connell
• 9:14 – Welcome and Introduction of Guests – Int’l DirectorMarcia Dechand
• 9:30 – Welcome and Introduction of Dr. Craig Powell – MarciaDechand
• 10:05 – IPG Awards and Comments – Grace Farmer
• 10:10 – District Awards 2019-2020 – Karla Fournier; Founda-tion Report – Patty Bottorff
• 10:25 – Citizen of the Year Award
B R E A K 1 5 M I N U T E S
• 10:55 – Civitan Jeopardy
• 11:15 – Jr. Civitan and Campus Reports
• 11:25 – Nominating Report – Grace Farmer
• 11:30 – Governor’s Closing Remarks
• 11:35 – Installation of officers – Int’l President-ElectFrank Kelley
• 11:50 – Closing Remarks – Governor-Elect HaroldConnell
I N T H I S I S S U E
Int'l Convention Highlights 3
The Spirit of a Leader 4By Frank Kelley
Editor's Letter 5
Message from Governor 6
Message from 6Gov-Elect/Treasurer
Message from IPG 7
Letter from Region 7 7Int’l Director
Break-Thru Golf Update 8
Mary's Tech Tip 8
New Honor Club 9Requirements
Officer Training/Reports 9
Candy/Coin Box Report 9
Junior Civitan Convention 10
Campus Civitan Awards 11
Congratulations in Order 12
Little Rock 100th Anniv. 13
Little Rock Scholarships 15
Orchids/KC EX Men 15
Happy Trails/DRTC 16
Bluebonnet Blue Jeans 17
Ebook - Dave Fisher 17
Topeka Carries On 18
Wichita Report 18
Lancaster-Melton Fallen 19Officers
Topeka/Lawrence Action 19Face Masks
Register Now at Eventbrite CliCk HERE
2
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
GovERNoR
Patti Manuspmanus1940@gmail.com 870-703-4355Hope, AR
GovERNoR ElEcT
Harold Connellbrookiowa@aol.com 316-204-6202Wichita, KS
ImmEdIaTE PaST GovERNoR
Grace Farmergrace1956@aol.com918-440-4405Bartlesville, OK
FoUNdaTIoN & PHIlaNTHRoPy
Patty Bottorfftkmud@sbcglobal.net 785-272-8066Topeka, KS
SEcRETaRy
Toni Harjotoniharjo65@gmail.com 918-214-5805Bartlesville, OK
TREaSURER
Harold Connellbrookiowa@aol.com 316-204-6202Wichita,KS
JUdGE advocaTE
Bill Buscherbsbuscher@sbcglobal.net 785-817-7494Topeka, KS
aREa 1 dIREcToR
Terra Moreheadterra.morehead@gmail.com913-208-9642L-M Peacekeepers, Orchids/KCEXMen & Lawrence Action
aREa 2 dIREcToR
Toni Harjotoniharjo65@gmail.com918-214-5805Bartlesville, OK
aREa 3 dIREcToR
Jilayna Hammonjilayna@gmail.com870-476-8603Paragould, AR
aREa 4 dIREcToR
Elaina Allenedallen@att.net501-627-2651West Little Rock, AR
aREa 5 & 6 dIREcToR
Albert Coxalbert.cox@sbcglobal.net361-877-0780Corpus Christi, TX
aREa 7 dIREcToR
Richard Shepardrshephard1964@yahoo.com 580-747-7840Enid, OK
coNvENTIoN cooRdINaToR
Jack Truesdelljtruesdell150@comcast.net501-831-5051Little Rock, AR
JUNIoR cIvITaN cHaIR
Carolyn Edwardscgedwards46@att.net 785-224-6969Topeka, KS
camPUS clUbS
Diane Pottsdiane.potts@tulsacc.edu 918-740-6039TCC Campus, OK
SERGEaNT aT aRmS
Jack Fournierfournierhome@sbcglobal.net 501-772-5298Little Rock, AR
PaST GovERNoR/TRaINING
Debbie Bruce-Juhlke Civitandeb@gmail.com512-762-2253Heart of the Rock, TX
GRowTH aNd RETENTIoN
Dale deReigndale.dereign@cox.net 918-381-1945Starlight/Broken Arrow, OK
FINaNcIal cHaIR REvIEw
Marc Trentmktrent@cox.com Hutchinson, KS
awaRdS cHaIR
Karla Fournierfournierhome@sbcglobal.net 501-772-5298Little Rock, AR
vIRTUal commUNIcaTIoN
Mary Henthornmhenthorn3@sbcglobal.net501-680-2397West Little Rock, AR
NEwSlETTER EdIToR
Twyla Prudentjypruden54@gmail.com 870-777-7587Hope, AR
wEbSITE & dESIGN
David Overtondavid@overtondesign.net 214-357-1272Dallas, TX
clUb bUIldING
Petrice McKey-Reesemckeyreesepm@yahoo.com 918-806-2582Muskogee, OK/Ft Smith, AR
coIN & caNdy box
Eva Moreheadevajmorehead@gmail.com 870-826-6056Hope, AR
The Heartland ExpressGet on board the Heartland Express, thequarterly newsletter of the Heartland District Civitans. It's your source for newsof all activities and plans across the fivestates of the Heartland District. Send your photos and news items for publication inthe newsletter to our editor, Twyla Prudenat tjypruden54@gmail.com.
20 19 - 2020 HEART LAND D I S T R I C T L EADER SH I P T EAM
3
The Civitan International Con-
vention experience was certainly
new and different during the three
nights of Zoom par-
ticipation, July 23-25.
It was also a banner
event for the Heart-
land District.
Notable moments
are captured in
screenshots, not live
action photos. Heart-
land Governor Patti
Manus and Gover-
nor-Elect Harold Connell both had
the opportunity to introduce them-
selves and say a few words about our
District; Patti speaking Thursday
night on “achievement” during the
past year and Harold speaking on
“leadership” for the new year, during
Saturday night’s closing event. Both
messages had been recorded earlier,
so again – not live action.
However, Civitan International
President-Elect Frank Kelley, of the
Heartland District, did have live ac-
tion moments as he was installed as
International President for the 2020-
21 year by former International Pres-
ident Mark Eisinger (2009-10), while
both were in separate states. During
Saturday night’s Celebration of
Champions, President-Elect Kelley
addressed the virtual audience of
Civitans – numbering in the hun-
dreds – on his choice of the word
“leaders” as the theme for his presi-
dential year.
Another exciting moment came
with the announcement by current
Civitan International President Patsy
Perkal of Frank’s selection as Civitan
of the Year, even though he had to
view the honor key he was awarded
on a computer screen, along with the
rest of the virtual participants.
The Heartland District was also
honored during the announcement
of winners of the North American
Awards. Heartland received awards
for both outstanding District
Newsletter, for the Heartland Express,
and outstanding District Website.
other awards went to individual
Heartland clubs in the Candy
Box/Coin Box categories for 2018-19.
The Civitan Club of Wichita received
Second Place overall in Coin Box;
and in Candy
Box, First Place
in Small Club
Category and
Fourth Place
overall. In the
Coin Box cate-
gory, the Civi-
tan orchids
received Sev-
enth Place and Bartlesville Civitan
Club received Ninth.
What a night for Heartland! We
have much to look forward to at our
own virtual district convention, Sat-
urday, August 15. Be sure to register
and enjoy the event from your fa-
vorite online position at home!
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
HEARTlAND DISTRICT HoNoRS AND AWARDSInternational ConventionHighlights
4
But tonight, let’s talk more about
leadership, my favorite subject, and
specifically on the SPIRIT oF THE
lEADER.
Who are leaders? leaders are
those that have been called to a
higher purpose, those who are not
satisfied to sit on the sidelines and let
others do the work. They have a
propensity to grow and add value to
others. They have a passion for ac-
complishing great things, perhaps ex-
traordinary things. And don’t we
loVE extraordinary things! leaders
make differences in others’ lives.
Leaders have a Can-Do Attitude.
In the Empire Strikes Back, Yoda ad-
monishes luke Skywalker…”TRY???
There is only do or not do”. leaders take
on an attitude of getting things done.
They don’t let the “Detour Tour “ oth-
erwise known as that CoVID thing,
get them down or sidetracked. They
are open to the opportunities that are
presented to them while on the “Tour”
and they leverage them to greater ac-
complishment. If you have the attitude
of a leader and the heart of a volun-
teer, you can accomplish anything!
Leaders have a plan (What do
you want?) You can walk up to peo-
ple on the street and ask them if they
want to be rich. 99% will tell you,
“Sure, I want to be rich.” But are they
willing to do what is necessary to be
successful? Not very many. You can’t
get what you want without planning
and working for it. Zig Ziglar, speaker
extraordinaire said,
“You can get what
you want by helping
others get what they
want.” That is true for
anything you want to
accomplish in your
personal life... or Civi-
tan.
Leaders have Pas-
sion! (Fire in their
Belly) The basic dif-
ference between an ordinary person
and a leader is that a leader takes
everything as a challenge while the
ordinary person takes everything as
either a blessing or curse. You must
have a passion for Civitan to be suc-
cessful and face the challenges that
are presented to you. We are all lead-
ers, we lead each other every day!
leaders are risk-takers. (Courage) If
our creator had a purpose in giving us
a neck, he surely would have meant us
to stick it out. Be willing to innovate as
that is how great
things are discovered.
Step out in front and
lead with confidence.
Leaders take the
initiative. Are you
putting off something
you have been mean-
ing to do? Something
that you really need to
do? Why, what are
you waiting for?
Here are some that may apply
to you:
n Ask someone to join your club.
n Build a new club
n Take on a new project
Leaders don’t use excuses!! You
can’t hit a home run unless you step
up to the plate. You can’t catch a fish
unless you put a line in the water.
You can’t reach your goals if you
don’t set them. Making an effort is
critical here! You have to get out of
bed and make things happen. Your
followers are watching! And above
all don’t call me and tell me that you
didn’t accomplish your goals because
your goldfish was sick. leaders don’t
use excuses.
Leaders know how to take the
heat. (Criticism) President Harry Tru-
man once said, “ If you can’t stand the
heat, get out of the kitchen.” I advise
you to get rid of your negative
thoughts and ideas and Surround
yourself with Positive People and
treat others the way you would want
to be treated. That sure sounds famil-
iar! Don’t let negative people even
come into your presence. You can
take the heat when surrounded and
supported by the right people.
Leaders are determined to win.
(Get up when you are knocked
down). Success is defined by getting
up one more time than the times you
have been knocked down! Harlan
Sanders, the Colonel Sanders of Ken-
tucky Fried Chicken fame, was 65
years old when he decided to start
his Fried Chicken Business. He made
over 1000 presentations before he
sold his first franchise. He simply
was determined to win and kept get-
ting back up. The rest is history.Continued on page 5
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
THE SPIRIT OF THE
LEADERExcerpted from 2020-2021 Civitan International
President Frank Kelley’s Installation Speech on July 26th
THE SPIRIT OF THE
LEADER
TheSpiritof theLeader(continued from page 4)
Follow Through. learn from the
things that don’t go as planned. Keep
trying and keep smiling. Good things
come to those that try and try again.
Savor your victories. learn from
your failures. leaders sometimes fail,
but they never give up.
NEVER GIVE UP and REMEMBER
THAT THERE IS No FINISH lINE!
We keep on keeping on!
So I ask you, each of you, to take
on the passion of a leader, explore
leadership opportunities in your
club, your District, and yes, perhaps
even International opportunities, for
we need you to step up and put your
passion to work. leaders evoke pow-
erful emotions that make differences
in the lives of other people. As you
lead, become a warrior leader for
Civitan, passionate about our values.
You and I know this as our Civitan
Creed and that is what binds as
CIVITAN. We are oNE Civitan
whether we are a Junior Civitan,
Campus Civitan, or a Civitan. We
must work together to ensure the fu-
ture of our organization and focus on
being one.
In closing, I ask you to keep the
following in mind as we move for-
ward in our new year that begins on
october 1st:
∂ Everything is fluid, not concrete.
∑ Change is all around us so wel-
come it and embrace it, for it does
make things better. We need to
work outside our comfort zone to
capture new opportunities and
honestly, learn to PIVoT!! That is
what leaders do, they PIVoT to
keep things moving and they
work on achieving their goals.
∏ Always lead by Example, a posi-
tive example.
π Grow yourself, grow others, and
always add value to those you
lead. We sometimes forget that
important piece, finally….
∫ Keep the Faith! let’s pray for our
leaders, our staff, and each other.
God will bless us! I believe it and
so should you.
Thank you for being here and for
being a Civitan! Have a great day!
Frank
5
Heartland Civitans,your newsletter, the
Heartland Express,
was given the
award for out-
standing District
Newsletter at the Inter-
national Civitan Conven-
tion this past weekend. I
have to admit that, as ed-
itor, I celebrated that mo-
ment in front of my
computer screen. And
then I emailed congratu-
lations to David overton,
the very talented graphic
designer who makes
this newsletter some-
thing special to look at.
And then I emailed
congratulations to Mary
Henthorn, the equally
talented Virtual Commu-
nication specialist for the Heartland
District, who makes it possible for
every one of you to receive the
Heartland Express in your inbox.
As a team, we work to publish your
newsletter on a quarterly basis.
But we are not the only ones on
the team. Heartland Civitans – you
create this newsletter as you con-
duct service projects, fundraise to
pay for those projects, honor your
clergy, fellowship with each other,
increase your knowledge through
programs, and focus your efforts
on individuals with intellectual
and developmental disabilities. If
you did not do all these
things, there would be
nothing to report and no
newsletter. Thank you to
each of you for sending
your stories and photos
to me. This newsletter
can only be as informa-
tive or as interesting as
your stories; and I never
cease to be informed, ed-
ucated, and entertained
as I prepare your stories
for publication. Please
keep them coming!
Again, thank you
Heartland Civitans.
Thank you, David and Mary, and
congratulations on the award for
outstanding District Website, as
well as the one for this newsletter.
And a special thank you goes to
Immediate Past Governor Grace
Farmer for submitting an award
application for the Heartland Ex-
press. It’s great to be appreciated!
Twyla Pruden, Editor
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
m E S S aG E F R o m T H E E d I To R
Heartland Civitans
– you create this
newsletter... This
newsletter can only
be as informative or
as interesting as
your stories; and I
never cease to be
informed, educated,
and entertained as I
prepare your
stories for
publication. Please
keep them coming!
What an interesting year we have had as we enter the finalquarter of fiscal 2019-20. Who would have guessed that by nowmany of our clubs would be holding virtual meetings, as well asthe International and District Conventions being of the virtualnature? I know that we are all missing face-to-face in-personmeetings. Now, for those who are able to meet, we have masks
which hide our smiles as we greet, either by bumping elbows or just waving.our International staff members have been, and still are, facing many
challenges as well. For quite a few weeks they were working from home.
They had planned to return to HQ on July 1 and did so for a very short time,
but now are working from their homes again. I tip my hat to them!
I encourage you all to keep your faith that we will, in the not-too-distant
future, have a vaccine for CoVID-19 which will allow us to return to a some-
what normal life.
––––––––––––– N o T E S F R o m T H E T R E a S U R E R –––––-–––––––
As we enter the final quarter of this current Civitan year, I am glad to re-port that we are in a sound financial status.
Unfortunately, since clubs have not been meeting, our Area Directors
have not been able to visit many clubs. our Governor, Immediate Past Gov-
ernor and Governor-Elect could not attend the International Convention in
person. While this is unfortunate, the positive side is that our expenses are
much less than budgeted; hence, we have a sizeable bank account.
The District has been able to donate some of its funds in the following
manner. We donated the Civitan International Convention registration fees
of the Governor, Immediate Past Governor, and Governor-Elect, which to-
taled $750, toward the Civitan International Research Center. Earlier we
donated $1,500 toward the Break-Thru Golf Benefit. We also donated $2,000
to the light the Way campaign.
As we end this fiscal year, I want to say thanks for the privilege of having
served as your district treasurer for the past few years. As of october 1, John
Fournier of the West little Rock Club will assume the duties of the Heart-
land District Treasurer.Harold Connell, Treasurer and Governor Elect, 2019-2020
mESSaGE FRom GovERNoR-ElEcT/TREaSURERG o v E R N o R ’ S m E S S a G E
6
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
Greetings fromyour Governor,Patti Manus, to myfellow Civitanmembers in theHeartland District.
As our 2019-2020 Civitan year iswinding down, it’s important tomention the exceptional membersof the Heartland leadership Team.They have gone over and above tokeep district activities onschedule.
They shared the long
distance traveling to var-
ious area and individual
club meetings. In spite of
interruptions caused by
CoVID-19, which has
been affecting the entire
world, the leadership
Team continued to per-
form their duties. Joining
with the Civitan Interna-
tional office staff, they kept timely
and accurate information flowing
to all levels of Heartland members.
Most recently, members of the
leadership Team have joined to-
gether in planning Heartland’s first
Virtual Convention. Please join us
Saturday, August 15, 9 a.m. to 12
noon to experience this unusual
convention. The tremendous array
of District Awards given to our
members and clubs will be a testa-
ment to the excellent advice and
support passed on to all levels.
These awards will definitely be a
reason to celebrate!
Another reason for celebration
is the fact that the budgeted finan-
cial support for the Research Cen-
ter was totally funded long before
the end of our fiscal year.
And, thanks to the superb
guidance given to the
Junior and College level
Civitan members, they
were also eligible to re-
ceive several awards at
their recent conventions.
Sincere and grateful
appreciation goes to the
wonderful people who
make up the Heartland
District leadership Team,
as well as to all Civitan members in
our District. You have made an ex-
tremely difficult situation into one
that can be celebrated by everyone
in the Heartland District of Civitan
International!
Patti Manus, Governor,
Heartland District Civitan International
Please join us Saturday,
august 15, 9 a.m. to 12 noon
to experiencethe Heartlanddistrict’s first
virtual convention.
7
The Heartland Civitan year is coming to a close and this is our last
edition of the Heartland Express. As your Immediate Past Gover-
nor, it has been a pleasure to serve the Heartland District the last
three years. our first Virtual District Convention is approaching
and I hope you have registered to attend.
As your IPG, I am in charge of the nominating committee and
on the lookout for someone to step into the position of Governor Elect. Without lead-
ers, Civitan and our district will not survive. Think about how you can serve our dis-
trict and organization. If we do not have a GE for this year we will be electing a GE
and Governor in 2021. Harold Connell will be installed as our Governor for 2020-
2021 and he is ready to take the lead.
I’m looking forward to more great things; if you feel called to step up in leadership,
let me know.
Grace Farmer, Immediate Past Governor, Heartland District 2019-2020
International Director’s LetterGreetings Heartland Civitans!
I hope many of you were able to attend the “virtual” Civitan
International Convention the week of July 23-25 to hear the lat-
est news, successes, awards, CIRC presentation by Dr. Powell,
philanthropic achievements and goals set for the future of Civi-
tan. our own Heartland District Civitan Frank Kelley was offi-
cially installed as the 2020-2021 Civitan International President.
Congratulations Frank!
If you have not checked out the “Beach Bash” resource guide on the Civ-
itan International website (www.civitan.org), I encourage your clubs to do
so! This is a fun-filled event which offers an opportunity for clubs to work
with local service providers of persons with intellectual/developmental dis-
abilities, etc., to provide games, snacks, fun “beachy” décor and toys and/or
to host a fun event while maintaining social distancing. Be sure to have
someone “capture” your event in photos.
Earlier this spring, I was requested to serve on a new committee of Civitan In-
ternational – Club Development Committee – hosted by Megan Mindel. This com-
mittee consists of approximately 25 members of clubs which have been chartered
within the past 5 years. (I am representing the lawrence ACTIoN Civitan Club
which was chartered on August 26, 2016.) To date, committee members have com-
pleted a series of 8 surveys regarding their clubs’ building and ongoing support ex-
periences. Responses are being tabulated and will be used by the committee to
identify and improve future processes for New Club Building.
At the June 26 Civitan International Board meeting, I was elected to serve as an
ex-officio member of the Junior Civitan International Board of Directors, effective
July 1. In this new role as liaison between the Senior and Junior Civitan Interna-
tional Boards, I look forward to working closely with the Junior Civitan Board of
Directors and staff at Civitan International as we look to the future of the Junior
Civitan program.
I look forward to “seeing” everyone on Saturday, August 15, for our own virtual
Heartland District Convention. May I send out a very Special Happy 100th Anniver-
sary wish to the little Rock Civitan Club!! We will all miss celebrating this momen-
tous occasion with you in person in little Rock.Marcia E Dechand, Civitan International Board - Region 7 Director
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
ImmEdIaTE PaST GovERNoR’S mESSaGE
on the lookout for someoneto step into the position of
Governor Elect... if you feelcalled to step up in leadership,
let me know.
8
27th ANNUALCIVITAN BREAK-THRU GOLF UPDATEBy Harold Connell,Governor-Elect
If you are won-dering if it istoo late to be-come a sponsorof this year’s an-nual golf benefit,the answer is No, No,and No! The goal is to raise $100,000for our Civitan International Re-search Center. To date, only $85,527has been raised overall.
Although we will not be playing
golf in Milwaukee, those golfers
who had signed up will be playing
a round of golf at their local courses
in August. And they still need
sponsors. Bill Buscher and Harold
Connell are two of those Heartland
District golfers. As of July 15, Bill
and Harold have combined efforts
to raise $13,585. With your help, we
want to raise at least $15,000. You
may contribute by making your
checks payable to Civitan Interna-
tional and mailing to either Bill or
Harold; or go on-line to civitan.org
and donate directly.
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
M A R Y ’ S T E C H T I P S
StayingConnectedA “tech tip” from Mary Henthorn, Heartland DistrictPR/Virtual Communications
last month I shared some tips about using
Zoom for Civitan meetings. online communica-
tions let us do a lot more than just Civitan busi-
ness. They help us continue the relationships
we’ve built over the years with other members
of our Clubs. Civitan isn’t just Service and Knowledge. It’s also Fellowship.
I expect most Heartland Clubs are using Zoom or another video conferencing tool to conduct business. I hope
you are also using tech tools like Zoom, Skype, Facebook Messenger, Google Meet, or WhatsApp to stay in touch
between meetings. Whether it’s just a few of you for a spontaneous get-together, or a larger group meeting at a reg-
ularly scheduled time, consider some of these fun things you can do together online.
• Eat Lunch Together – talk and laugh as we used to do in restaurants
• Cook – set up your computer, tablet or phone in the kitchen and visit while you cook
• Virtual Happy Hour – pick a theme, wear hats, or dress up
• Garden Party – connect from your back yard and see the roses (imagine the smell)
• Play Games – traditional games like Charades, cards, or try something new
• Crafts – Share and work on a UFo (UnFinished object) that you put aside years ago
• Introductions – let others meet your spouse, children, and pets
• Come As You Are (with some limitations) – laugh about shaggy hair, new beards, or yoga pants
I would love to hear how you are staying connected with Civitan Club members and others. Contact me with
ideas, questions or concerns any time. Mary Henthorn, Heartland District PR/Virtual Communications, mhen-
thorn3@sbcglobal.net, 501 680-2397.
Mary is a member of the West Little Rock, Arkansas, Civitan Club
Golferswill be playing
a round of golf attheir local courses in
August. and theystill need sponsors.
9
Club Officer Training UpdateAll Club Presidents and Presidents-Elect need to be trained for the 2020-21
fiscal year. Even if one is repeating in the same position, it is strongly recom-mended that you take the new training. This year all training will be via Zoom
and there are several times that it will be presented;however, one must register and select the date youwant to participate. NoW is the time to register bygoing to www.civitan.org/training.
Secretaries and Treasurers will have on-line training as in the past. That willbe available starting August 24th. Not only club Secretaries and Treasurers, butalso District Secretaries and Treasurers must be trained. If one happens to servein the same capacity for both the Club and District level, only one training ses-sion is required.
If All officers for a club are not trained, then your club will not be eligibleto receive District or International awards, nor will your club be eligible to voteat the conventions.
Club Officer Reports Are Due NoW is the time to report your club officers for the 2020-21 Civitan year to
Civitan International. You may report them on-line and when you do reportthem, please provide the Governor-Elect, Harold Connell, with a copy. The nor-mal deadline for reporting was July 1; however, due to CoVID-19, the new dead-line is october 1. –Harold Connell, Governor-Elect
Candy and Coinbox ReportAs of June 30, ten clubs in the Heartland District
had remitted funds so far this fiscal year to CivitanInternational for the Coin Box Project, totaling$3,084.06. The club in the lead at this point is the Civ-itan Club of Wichita, KS, with $1,372.86 remitted, fol-lowed by the KC Civitan Ex Men of Kansas City, KS,with $500 remitted.
Seven clubs had remitted funds for the Candy Box Project, totaling $3,045.49as of June 30. Wichita Civitans again lead with $2,133.04 remitted, while the ElDorado Civitan Club comes in second with $332.13 remitted.
Clubs retain 25% of the total collected from Candy Boxes and remit 75% to Civ-itan International, while coin box proceeds are split 50-50 between clubs and Civ-itan International. Funds remitted are used in support of the Civitan InternationalResearch Center, while funds retained by clubs are dedicated to charitable andservice projects related to assisting persons with intellectual or developmentaldisabilities. Remitted funds are credited to each club’s Civitans at the Helm total.
Monetary amounts above are from the Third Quarter 2019-20 Candy/CoinBox Report released by Member Giving Specialist Bonita Bigbee. For more infor-mation about candy/coin boxes, please contact Heartland District Candy/CoinBox Chair Eva Morehead at evajmorehead@gmail.com.
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
HoNoR ClUB REQUIREMENTS MoDIFIEDDue to the challenges of the CoVID-19 virus, Civitan International has modified the requirements for a
club to achieve Honor Club status for the 2019-2020 Civitan Year. The modifications include:
- A net increase in membership is not required to be an Honor Club.
- only a net increase of 1-5 members is required to be an Honor Club of Excellence.
- only a net increase of 6+ members is required to be an Honor Club of Distinction.
- Category 1: only 2 items required. Previously a minimum of 5.
- Category 2: only 5 items required. Previously a minimum of 9.
- Category 3: only 5 items required. Previously a minimum of 8.
- Category 4: only 4 items required. Previously a minimum of 6.
Please note – virtual meetings, socials and fellowship opportunities are not only acceptable to meet minimum requirements in each category but encouraged. To
find the updated application, visit www.civitan.org/awards. With any questions on the updated application, please email growth@civitan.org.
While the deadline for filing isn’t until December 1, 2020, don’t wait until then to file. Do it on october 1, 2020! – Harold Connell, Governor-Elect
10
Heartland District Junior Civi-
tans participated in three virtual
events held by Junior Civitan In-
ternational, in lieu of an annual
convention, the week of June 22-
26. Heartland Junior Civitan Chair
Carolyn Edwards hosted the
Heartland Juniors on her patio
where a Zoom meeting with Inter-
national was set up for each event.
A “beach” themed celebration
for the Heartland group was held
Monday, June 22. The Zoom ses-
sion included the announcement
of international competitive award
winners, looked back at service
that clubs provided their commu-
nities, bid farewell to outgoing
board and governors, reflected on
the year’s successes, and allowed
Junior Civitans to spend time with
other members in smaller groups.
The second virtual event on
Wednesday, June 24, was called
“looking Ahead.” It was all about
the new Junior Civitan year that
began on July 1. Members learned
about a new training program that
will be available to them later this
summer titled SPoT leadership
Training. Incoming Junior Civitan
governors for the 2020-2021 year
were welcomed and an inspiring
message was given by Civitan In-
ternational’s President-Elect Frank
Kelley on what it means to be a
leader. Rounding out the week on
Friday, June 26th, was Junior Civi-
tan’s 47th annual Dance-a-thon
benefitting the Civitan Interna-
tional Research Center. Since many
Junior Civitans had their proms
cancelled this year, the event itself
was themed as a “virtual prom.”
Participants who raised the mini-
mum fundraising amount were in-
vited to participate virtually in a
night full of games, trivia, dancing,
and fellowship.
“Thanks to Heartland District
donations and support, Emma Stef-
fen was on the list of ToP fundrais-
ers and Heartland District was on
the Team Honor Roll,” said Ed-
wards. The deadline for Dance-a-
thon donations has been extended
until September 30. Heartland
Civitans can still make gifts to sup-
port our Junior Civitans’ efforts by
visiting www.civitandance.org.
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Heartland Junior Civitans enjoying theirbeach-themed night are (from left) Area 1Lieutenant Governor Arianna Womack,Heartland Junior Governor JosulynSalsbury and Emma Steffen.
Renee Dexter, Shawnee Heights JuniorCivitan advisor and Topeka Civitanmember, is in the background.
Civitan International Region 7 Director Marcia Dechand (left) joined the "virtual prom"fun with Heartland Juniors (from left) Arianna Womack, Josulyn Salsbury, HeartlandJunior Civitan Chair Carolyn Edwards and Junior Civitan Emma Steffen. Josulyn won"best dressed" with her lovely formal dress!
Junior Civitan Convention is Three Virtual Events
11
In case you missed it, two Heart-
land District campus clubs, the Tulsa
Community College club–TCC Cam-
pus Civitan, and the Heartland Dis-
trict club – Heartland Campus
Civitan online, were featured in the
May Civitan magazine, with the an-
nouncement of Campus Awards. In
an article by Civitan International
Membership Specialist Meredith
Binkley, Keith Carpenter of Tulsa,
oK, was named Campus Civitan of
the Year. Keith joined TCC Campus
Civitan in 2016, became president of
the club in 2017, was the charter
president of Heartland Campus Civ-
itan online in 2018, and moved on to
membership in Starlight Civitan,
currently serving as president of that
senior club.
“His passion for the organization
was most evident in his love for the
Civitan Creed, which he ensured was
read at each meeting,” wrote Binkley.
His successful recruitment of stu-
dent members led to
growth in the TCC
Campus Club and he
networked with com-
munity partners to
support service proj-
ects, she continued.
“Keith has a relentless
dedication to all
things Civitan,” said
Binkley, “especially
pertaining to our mis-
sion. His leadership
inspires all those
around him and particularly his fel-
low officers to contribute and partic-
ipate in Civitan.” He has been
involved in numerous area and dis-
trict meetings both as a campus and
senior member.
Keith just completed his year as
Past-President of Heartland Campus
Civitan online and is completing his
year as President of Starlight Civitan,
Broken Arrow. He has been accepted
for graduate school and will be con-
tinuing at Northeastern State Univer-
sity for his Master’s of Social Work
and will continue as a
member/leader of both Heartland
Campus online and Starlight, accord-
ing to Dr. Diane Potts, Campus Clubs
chair for the Heartland
District. Keith is also
enrolled in the Heart-
land District’s Civitan
leadership Academy.
In the submission of
the award application
for Campus Civitan of
the Year, Dr. Potts re-
marked, “Keith is ex-
actly the example we
want all of Civitan to
see in terms of how
Campus Civitan can
foster the next generation of leader-
ship in Civitan. In just four years,
Keith has moved from member to
leader with experience building a
club. He did not see himself as leader-
ship material but has grown so much
and is a true champion for Civitan.”
TCC Campus Civitan was the re-
cipient of the Service Project of the
Year Award for involvement with
the oklahoma Miss Amazing Pag-
eant held March 22-23, 2019, in okla-
homa City, oK.
“Miss Amazing is a national or-
ganization with state affiliates that
provides an opportunity for girls and
women with disabilities to share
their abilities and ambitions in a safe,
empowering environment,” wrote
Binkley. “Through pageant activities,
all involved celebrate the multi-
faceted identities, valuable abilities,
and strengths of these amazing indi-
viduals and are inspired to empower
themselves and each other.”
TCC Civitans began their project
by planning fundraising and promo-
tional activities, which included a Continued on next page
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
Keith Carpenter, Campus Civitan of the Year, and TCCCampus Club, Service Project of the Year, in May issue ofCivitan magazine
Miss Amazing Project – TCC Campus Civitan
awards Go to Heartland campus clubs
12
presentation from the oklahoma Miss Amazing State Director, Jordan Michaela, tolearn about the event. “Jordan was formerly a president of TCC Campus Civitan,which is how she became involved in Miss Amazing,” wrote Binkley.
For their service project, TCC Civitans were buddies for the participants with dis-
abilities throughout the two-day event. The members aided the participants in physical
and emotional support through a wide variety of activities, such as supporting them
while they spoke to the panel of judges and supporting them in each activity during
the day of preparation and pageantry. They also aided in setup and tear down of equip-
ment and collected items to be auctioned, providing three silent auction baskets for the
event. Donated proceeds of the TCC fundraising totaled over $500 going to the event.
Dr. Potts shared an excerpt from the Service Project of the Year application sub-
mitted for the TCC Campus club. She said the excerpt “tells how dedicated the TCC
Campus Civitans were and why this was such a worthy project.”
“TCC Campus Civitan had a burst of interest in membership due to this event,
gaining 11 new members in Spring semester and making Spring 2019 the largest
membership (27) for the club to date. Even though this event was held on a Spring
Break weekend, was over 100 miles away, and meant an overnight stay for most,
not to mention riding in the lovely TCC passenger van for some, there were 20 of
our 27 members, our advisor Dr. Potts, and an additional four family members of
club members involved at the event, each travelling the two hours to oklahoma City
and giving a range of 12 to 24 hours of their time to the actual event.
“The remaining 7 members who did not attend the event worked alongside those
who did, spending countless hours gathering donations, promoting the event,
fundraising, and completing training to prepare prior to the event. We are pleased
to say that this project had 100% participation!”
Campus Civitan achievements are recognized by Civitan International
each year. Any campus organization may submit applications for the desig-
nated categories. For the past year, the categories included Campus Civitan
Club of the Year, Service Project of the Year, and Campus Civitan of the
Year. Nominations for awards can be completed by a team in each local or-
ganization or may be submitted by the District Campus Chair. Through Civ-
itan International, the awards were judged by a panel of community and
civic leaders with experience with various groups and projects.
Heartland Civitans, clubs, and ef-
forts were applauded in the July edi-
tion of Civitan magazine. If you have
not yet read it, go to page 9 to see the
North American Awards Finalists. In
the outstanding New Clubs category,
lancaster-Melton Peacekeepers of
Kansas City, KS, is one of two finalists.
our Heartland Express is one of three
finalists in the outstanding District
Newsletter category, and our District
Website is one of three finalists for out-
standing District Website.
President's Council members giving
at the level of $240 or more annually
were recognized on page 11. From the
Heartland District are Debbie Juhlke of
the Heart of the Rock Club, TX, at the
Cabinet level; and Senior level Civi-
tans Elaina Allen of West little Rock,
AR; laura Chapa of former Ranger,
TX, club; louise Dunnam of Siloam
Springs, AR; Donald Schultz of Civitan
Club of Topeka, KS; and Jack Truesdell
of the little Rock, AR, club.
Club Builders and
Top Recruiters were
listed on page 12.
Master Club
Builders include
Heartland Civi-
tans Rita Black-
wood and Mike
Blackwood of Hot Springs, AR; Ellen
Voss of El Dorado, AR; Debbie Juh-
lke; Betsy Barnes of little Rock, AR;
Joyce Sullivan of Paragould, AR;
Frank Kelley of the lancaster-
Melton Peace Keepers and lawrence
ACTIoN clubs in Kansas; and Norma
Pew of former West County, Mo,
club. Debbie Juhlke is also named in
the Sponsorship 150+ list.
Heartland Clubs in the Golden Cir-
cle (30-49 members), listed on page 14,
are Broken Arrow, oK; Happy Trails of
oklahoma City, oK; Hope, AR; Hot
Springs, AR; Hutchinson, KS; KC Civi-
tan Ex-Men of Kansas City, KS; little
Rock, AR; and Civitan Club of Topeka,
KS. Sapphire Clubs (50-74 members)
from the Heartland District are
Civitan orchids of Kansas City,
KS, and the El Dorado, AR, club.
2018-19 Heartland Honor
Clubs, listed on page 15, are
Happy Trails and Siloam Springs,
while the Civitan Club of Wi-
chita, KS, is an Honor Club of
Distinction. And last, but cer-
tainly not least, Heather Han-
cock-Blackburn of the Happy
Trails Civitan Club is named
on page 16 as a Distinguished
President for 2018-19. Congrat-
ulations to all!
Congratulations Are in Order!
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
awards Go to Heartland campus civitans (contd. from page 13)
13
on August 6, 1920, the little
Rock Civitan Club was issued char-
ter #5 from Civitan International.
The Club will celebrate its 100th an-
niversary during the week of Au-
gust 6, coronavirus and government
regulations permitting, according to
Markham Howe, president of the
little Rock Civitan Club, who pro-
vided the following details.
The little Rock club’s charter
ceremony was held at 12:30 p.m. in
the Hotel Marion and, as recorded
in the minutes of the club, Presi-
dent Runyan called the meeting to
order, a short address was given by
a representative of the Chamber of
Commerce, and representatives of
the local Rotary and lions Clubs
congratulated the Civitan Club of
little Rock upon its organization
and promised “hearty cooperation.”
Mr. Kenneth Smith of Birmingham,
Alabama, Field Representative of
the International Association of
Civitan Clubs, delivered a “splendid
address” and presented the Charter
to President Runyan. In the en-
suing 100 years, hundreds of suc-
cessful projects in the name of
Civitan were created, bringing
about change and improvement in
the little Rock community and be-
yond. Among the most notable is a
65+ year relationship with the lit-
tle Rock Zoo, where hundreds of
thousands of dollars coupled with
hundreds of Civitan volunteer
hours, helped the zoo become a
showplace for all of Arkansas, ac-
cording to Howe.
The club also helped build at
least 17 other Civitan clubs in
Arkansas and was the sponsor of
the Moscow Civitan Club in Russia.
The club also produced at least five
international officers to serve on
the Civitan International Board of
Directors and one International
President.
100th Anniversary CelebrationPlanning
Howe said the central idea for
this year was to celebrate the
100th anniversary by performing
100 acts of service at the club and
individual Civitan member level,
with a goal of providing service to
at least 1,000 people during the
year. However, the CoVID-19 pan-
demic deeply affected the club’s
ability to provide community serv-
ice at gatherings of more than 10
people. At the individual level, the
club’s emphasis has been on club
members — and their families —
who are sick, aged and unable to at-
tend meetings. Four little Rock
Civitan members met the criteria.
All have been hospitalized and one
family member died.
“our members had more than
150 contacts with these individu-
als, including in-home visitation,
telephone calls and get-well cards.
We put up outdoor Christmas dec-
orations for one member and sang
Christmas carols for members,” said
Howe. “We also send birthday
cards to each of our members.”Club Project Planning
The master plan for this year was
to celebrate the 100th anniversary
by focusing on service, knowledge
and fellowship. “We made a deliber-
ate effort to have programs at each
meeting from organizations that had
100 years of service in little Rock,”
said Howe. “We also wanted as
many service projects as possible to
have a numerical quantity of 100 or
more as measured by dollars, items
or people served.”Continued on next page
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
Little Rock Civitan Club Celebrates 100 Years
14
little Rock ClubCelebrates 100 YearsContinued from page 11
Plans included the following —
Create a 100th anniversary logo for
the club — completed in october.
(See page 11)
Have an international officer make a
presentation at a club event —
completed twice. In September,
Frank Kelly, incoming Interna-
tional President-Elect, made an in-
person presentation at the annual
Awards/Installation banquet; he
made a second presentation at a
Zoom member meeting in June.
Sell Claxton fruit cake for a fundraiser
— completed in November with
$1,855 raised.
Provide Christmas presents for chil-
dren at Methodist Family Health
— completed in December. little
Rock Civitan members raised
$1,500 to provide Christ-
mas presents, candy,
coloring books, socks
and other necessities
to 54 children.
Provide 100 bars of soap
to a worthy non-profit or-
ganization — donated in January to
The Compassion Center.
Provide 100 pairs of socks to a worthy
non-profit organization —
donated in February to
the Veterans Admin-
istration Hospital in
little Rock.
Provide 100 rolls of toi-
let paper to a worthy
non-profit organization —
donated in March to Dor-
cus House, a women’s
ministry helping women
affected by domestic vio-
lence or addictions.
Provide scholarships for two
Central High School Junior Civi-
tans — completed in May. The Club
awarded $1,250 college scholar-
ships to two outstanding Central
High School Junior Civitan lead-
ers. The ceremony to honor the
students had to be cancelled due to
the CoVID-19 pandemic, but both
the students and the universities
they are to attend were notified of
the scholarships. (See next page.)
Sponsor Basketball Skills competition
for 250 students — can-
celled in March, in co-
ordination with
Arkansas Special
olympics, due to the
coronavirus pan-
demic.
Sponsor a Valentine’s Day dance for
125 participants with developmen-
tal disabilities — cancelled in
March.
Sponsor and staff a Special olympics
event at the state track and field
games at Harding University —
cancelled in April.
Conduct a rummage sale as
a fundraiser — can-
celled in July.
Sponsor a bowling
event (Rainbow of love)
for 200 economically disadvan-
taged children and youth — can-
celled in July.
Make a significant contribution to the
little Rock Zoo and get
naming rights to
the new Elephant
Stage — approved
$10,000 in June
and scheduled for
an August 4 presen-
tation.
Sponsor a Civitan volunteer work day
in August at the little Rock Ani-
mal Village in conjunction with
the Heartland District convention
in little Rock — cancelled in June.
Attendance by three or more
members of the club at the Civitan
International convention in Mil-
waukee - cancelled by Civitan In-
ternational and replaced with a
virtual convention July 23-26.
“We were deeply disappointed that
the coronavirus pandemic prevented
us from actively meeting and working
on projects together,” said Howe. “For
instance, we ordinarily use almost 100
Junior Civitan volunteers in conduct-
ing the Basketball Skills competi-
tion. Junior Civitans also assist us in
support of the little Rock Animal
Shelter by walking dogs or helping in
construction activities. We miss this in-
teraction with the Junior Civitans.”
He said, “our best estimate is that
we have affected the lives of more than
400 individuals already this year, but
missed 700 others due to the state re-
strictions.”
As a result of those restrictions, the
little Rock Civitan Club has switched
board meetings from on-site to Zoom
meetings. “These are done with the
help of Mary Henthorn of the West
little Rock Civitan Club, who hosts the
meetings for us,” said Howe. “We are
also conducting our regular club meet-
ings via Zoom. And finally, we are
starting a program to provide some
funding to agencies we typically sup-
port via on-site activities, instead giv-
ing them money to directly support
their clientele.”
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
Lewis Starling MemorialScholarships Presented byLittle Rock Civitan Club
The little Rock Civitan Club recently honored two outstanding Junior
Civitans from little Rock Central High School with college scholarships.
The lewis Starling Memorial Scholarship fund was initiated by the club in
memory of lewis Starling, who was a major influence in forming the Junior
Civitan Club at Central High School. He was a 50+ year member of the little
Rock Civitan Club, with more than 40 years of perfect attendance, and was
a former governor of the ozark District of Civitan International.
The scholarships were funded this year by
$1,600 in member donations and $900
from the club’s treasury for a
total of $2,500. Each recip-
ient was awarded a $1,250
scholarship to the university
the student plans to attend. The re-
cipients are Isabel Farnsworth and
Dina Patel, both graduating seniors
from Central High School.
Dina, president of the Central High
School Junior Civitan Club for 2019-2020, plans
to attend the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.
Isabel, vice president, plans to attend Rhodes College in
Memphis this fall.
The students were selected in recognition of their leadership
in Junior Civitan and their dedication to the Civitan focus of providing services
to citizens with physical and intellectual disabilities. The Central High School
Junior Civitan Club, with more than 200 members, is the largest Junior Civitan
club in Civitan International.
15
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
By Terra Morehead, Area 1 Director
Unfortunately, the coronavirus
pandemic has hampered many of
our activities, including our ability
to meet. Mentors have
called many of our mem-
bers to check in on them
throughout the past few
months.
The orchids and Ex-
Men, both clubs of Kansas
City, Kansas, were sad-
dened by the loss of Civi-
tan Richard Norman,
pictured at right and on
the cover of the most re-
cent Civitan magazine,
along with another of the
Ex-Men,Jesse Frazier, in
the foreground. Richard
passed away on June 22,
after a five-week battle
with cancer. He was the
immediate past-president
of the Ex-Men, and he
loved being a Civitan.
Richard had enjoyed at-
tending several Heartland
and International Con-
ventions, and he was al-
ways smiling. He was a
joy to be around, always a
jokester, and a proud 27-year em-
ployee with Walmart. Richard em-
bodied everything that Civitan is
and promotes, and we should all
#BelikeRichard.
The orchids also lost
two past members to the
coronavirus, so it’s been a
real adjustment and sad
time for our special
needs population. The
orchids and Ex-Men did
team up this quarter to
deliver cases of fresh
chickens to the SToRE-
house food pantry for its
weekly drive-thru food
distribution, a ministry
project of the Stony Point
Christian Church, where
the Ex-Men have their
regular monthly meet-
ing. We were able to
make six deliveries of
chickens, helping feed
over 250 families during
this very difficult time.
Sandy Jarrett, one of the
food pantry coordina-
tors, is shown in the
photo at left during the
chicken bagging process.
Civitan Orchids and K.C. Civitan Ex-MenContinue to Serve Despite Great Loss
16
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
Thanks to the Dale Rogers Training Center inOklahoma City, OK, for this page, reprinted fromthe June 2020 DRTC quarterly newsletter,documenting an outstanding response to theCOVID-19 pandemic by DRTC and the HappyTrails Civitan Club.
DRTC shifted into “drive” while many of our
co-workers were in “park” during the safer-
at-home guidelines, reconnecting with our
friends throughout the metro. Programs
staff got behind the wheel for a “We miss
you tour,” visiting main campus co-workers
at their homes (respecting social distancing
rules, of course). our week-long journey
took us from Edmond to Moore and Mid-
west City to El Reno. Employees provided
goodie bags to those along the way, and
shared a kind word to let them know we
miss them and can’t wait to see them on
campus again. Want to see more pictures?
Visit our Facebook page or our blog.
Happy Trails Moving Forward
2 g E T H E R
17
“He's Here –My Story" by David H.Fisher, Jr.,includesCivitanBy Marcia Dechand, Region 7International Director and pastHeartland District Governor
The HeartlandDistrict of Civi-tan Internationalis referenced ina local author'se-book, "He'sHere–My Story."In one chapterof his book,
David H. Fisher, Jr., a long-timemember of the Civitan Club ofTopeka, recounted his experienceof serving as the Heartland DistrictChaplain in 2015-16. David hadserved many years as Chaplain forthe Civitan Club of Topeka. How-ever, this new role as HeartlandDistrict Chaplain meant stretchinghis service to a much broader andmore diverse audience.
Meetings and meals throughout
the Heartland District Convention
held in Wichita, Kansas, in August
2016, began with a "little bit of nostal-
gia" followed by a special prayer led by
David. The highlight of David's service
as District Chaplain came on Sunday
morning of the convention as he con-
ducted the non-denominational wor-
ship service by "transporting"
everyone in attendance to France with
his audio recording of the Joan of ArcBasilica bells, while Civitans honoredand prayed for those who had diedthe past year.
Thank you, David, for a wonder-
ful year of service to our great Heart-
land District and for including
Civitan in your e-book!
Author and Civitan Dave Fisher
Bluebonnet Civitans Helpwith Jean Jamboree
A cooperative effort of several or-
ganizations in Irving, Texas, resulted
in a huge donation of blue jeans to a
non-profit that provides assistance
to families in need, according to
Melodye Green of the Bluebonnet
Civitan Club of Irving. The Blue-
bonnet Civitans, along with the
Everman Jaycees, received over
5,000 pairs of new blue jeans from
the Noonday lions Club of Irving.
“We rented trailers and volun-
teered to deliver the jeans to The
Main Place in Irving,” said Green. “It took two U-Hauls to deliver them. It took
months to sort through the thousands of pairs of jeans and other clothing.”
The Main Place provides new clothing and personal items for individuals
and families in need, homeless teens, and victims of abuse, fires, floods or other
tragedies. Green, who chaired the project for the Bluebonnet Civitan Club, said
The Main Place held a “Jeans Jamboree” July 25th to give away the jeans. “over
800 families were identified as ‘in need,’ but since we had so many jeans, the
giveaway was open to anyone and everyone,” Green said. She and Civitans Keith
Green, Sam Bemani, and Malissa McMahon worked alongside the Jaycees and
Duncanville Police at the event. The Main Place also gave away diapers and per-
sonal hygiene products, as well as all types of clothing.
“We are now working on a coat drive for the fall,” said Green. “We look
forward to a long relationship with The Main Place so we can continue to serve
our community.”
The Bluebonnet Civitan Club conducts Charitable Bingo at Betcha Bingo
in Irving to raise money for their projects.
s u m m e r 2 0 2 0
Bluebonnet Civitan Melodye Green (right)and The Main Place founder, SharonJohnston, sort donated blue jeans for a"Jeans Jamboree" giveaway.
By President-Elect Terri Benson
The Civitan Club of Topeka has
continued to meet monthly, online
via ZooM, instead of weekly in per-
son because of the guidelines in place
due to Covid 19. We resumed in-per-
son meeting on July 15th with masks
and social distancing.
During this interesting time of
quarantine, our club has remained ac-
tive in service. In early April our club
adopted two SlI Topeka homes that
serve individuals with diverse abili-
ties. These individuals
were in quarantine – like
the rest of us – unable to
attend day services and
their jobs. But they were
also at another disad-
vantage, because they
were not allowed to
travel anywhere outside their homes
and could have no visits by outside
family or friends. our club provided
weekly treats like Dr. Pepper and Diet
Coke, both popular requests; items to
stock their pantries and refrigerators
in case grocery supplies ran low; arts
and crafts supplies; and outdoor activ-
ities, such as seeds and
items to help plant flowers
in containers.
We made a special trip
for Easter and provided
Easter dinner, baskets, and
goodies to the residents
and staff. We have contin-
ued to provide for these homes a few
times a month because many resi-
dents are still restricted from attend-
ing activities.
This spring Topeka Civitans
worked with our local Parks and
Recreation Department to fund a new
slide needed as a replacement at the
Civitan Playground, an adaptive
recreation area at Gage Park in
Topeka. The slide was ordered and in
place for this summer's annual Civi-
tan Day Camp, opened – through
Parks and Recreation – with limited
enrollment. our club helped provide
items needed to open camp, including
cleaning and sanitation products and
outdoor water play items, since use of
the pool was not possible this year.
our 15th Annual Civitan Golf Tour-
nament was pushed back about a
month and a half and took place on
June 27th at GreatlIFE Shawnee Coun-
try Club with 25 four-person teams par-
ticipating in 18 holes and lunch. All
managed to maintain social distancing
while hav-
ing a great
time!
Plans areunderwayf o r o u r 9th annualCar Showin the fall.
Report fromCivitan Clubof Wichita
The Civitan Club of Wichita
has resumed holding regular
meetings at their Civitan Com-
munity House. While not meet-
ing in April and May, the club
resumed meeting on June 1, re-
quiring the wearing of masks
and social distancing. Those
who desire to eat bring their
own lunches. A joint fund raiser
to benefit Midwest Buddies,
which had been planned with
Prairie Pilots — a local Pilots In-
ternational service club, had to
be postponed. The club has been
having programs provided by
local non-profits that work with
persons with intellectual dis-
abilities.
ToPEka cIvITaNS
KEEP CaLM
aNdCaRRy
On
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18
Topeka, lawrence ACTIoN CivitansProvide Masks to Sparks Clinic
A shipment of small and medium-sized masks was recently sent by the
Civitan Club of Topeka, Kansas, and the lawrence ACTIoN Civitan Club of
lawrence, Kansas, to the Civitan Sparks Clinic in Birmingham, Alabama.
“This first shipment included a total of 25 masks - washed, pressed and in-
dividually packaged - for the children who visit the clinic,” said Marcia Dec-
hand, Region 7 Civitan International Director and member of both clubs.
Dr. Sarah o’Kelley, director of the Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinic at the
Civitan-Sparks Clinics, recently reached out -- asking for help from Civitans.
As the Civitan-Sparks
Clinics begin to reopen
fully, they are in need of
cloth face masks and
coverings for the chil-
dren and families they
serve. Civitan-Sparks
Clinics, part of the Civi-
tan International Re-
search Center, provide
many essential clinical
and community serv-
ices for individuals and
families. The clinics pro-
vide evaluation and in-
tervention services for
individuals with a
broad range of physical,
developmental, learn-
ing and/or behavioral
challenges.
Marcia said she had already been making masks for a nursing home
in Topeka, but “These were more fun, working with children's character
fabrics!”
19
By Terra Morehead, Area 1 Director
The lancaster-Melton Peace Keep-
ers were able to conduct monthly
meetings this quarter by Zoom. How-
ever, in June we met in
person at the Dotte Spot
Bar & Grill in Kansas City,
KS. We were able to set
up the Zoom meeting on a
big screen television,
which worked great for
social distancing and for
those who were unable to
attend in person. We also
hosted the International
Convention via Zoom at
the Dotte Spot each night
July 23-25 for those able
to attend.
During this last quar-
ter, three law enforce-
ment officers were killed
in the line of duty in the
five state region – Kansas
and surrounding states
Colorado, Nebraska, Mis-
souri and oklahoma –that
we are currently support-
ing. We celebrated their
service by sending “100
Salutes,” consisting of 100
memorial ribbons with
each officer’s badge number and
“Never Forgotten” inscribed on them.
The ribbons, in keepsake boxes, were
sent – along with a framed certifi-
cate – to each of the
fallen officers’ depart-
ments to be presented to
their families.
The officers were
Sheriff Andy Clark of
Dekalb County, Mis-
souri; Sgt. Chris Johnson
of the Tulsa, oklahoma,
Police Department; and
officer Mike Mosher of
the overland Park,
Kansas, Police Depart-
ment. We’re getting
ready to add Texas and
Arkansas to our support
area, so we’ll have all of
the Heartland District
states soon.
We are also planning
several upcoming events
including a walk around
a local park and a cook-
out on August 30 to sup-
port the Civitan Fest:
Walk & Roll for Re-
search, as a fundraiser
for the CIRC.
Lancaster-Melton Peace Keepers Honor Fallen Officers
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