The Quarterly Newsletter of the heartland civitandistrict

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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

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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!

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

s u m m e r 2 0 2 0

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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