VOL. 95, No. 5 - Civitan International

I'm Civitan Happy!
VOL. 95, No. 5
ISSN 0914-5785
As I write this column, I sit on a plane returning home from a very busy and rewarding summer.
My family and I have been traveling the world, seeing firsthand the fabulous works you are doing.
We started off at the Alabama Central and Alabama-West Florida District joint convention on a
riverboat in Montgomery, Alabama. It was great visiting these two districts, and I commend them
on how well they worked together.
Jay Albertia
2014-15
International
President
Graphic Artist
Tonya Duckett
PR and Communications Director
Luke Anthony
A week later, we attended Dr. Harald Sontheimer’s going away at the Civitan International Research
Center. It was a pleasure to represent Civitan at this event. The celebration was bittersweet, the
end of an era under Harry's leadership. We were introduced to Dr. David Sweatt, the Center's new
Director. Dr. Sweatt, a Civitan himself, emphasized his commitment to Civitan and our relationship
to the research center. He is excited to continue building on the great foundation that has been laid.
Contributing Writers
W. John Rynearson, CAE
Mary Luck
Louis Stephens
Next we were off to visit Civitan clubs in Korea and Japan. We were warmly welcomed into their
clubs and homes and they forever made an impression on our hearts. These great Civitans truly
live the Civitan Creed. We witnessed their work in helping people with intellectual disabilities at a
residential community and a bakery designed to offer opportunities for individuals to live happy and
productive lives. We learned that Civitans in Asia have a strong, heartfelt desire to grow Civitan in
their countries. They see the need for Civitan and are working hard to build more clubs for the future.
2014-15 International Officers
President: Jay Albertia, Clarksville, TN
President-Elect: Debbie Bruce-Juhlke,
Round Rock, TX
Immediate Past
President: Robert A. “Bob” Robinson,
Perth, Ontario International Directors:
Sherry Garrett, Nettleton, MS; Lura Boggs,
Greenville, SC; Robert Jones, Concord,
NC; Joe O’Toole, Waynesboro, PA; Peter
Guthrie, Almonte, Ontario; Kendyl
Massey, Maryville, TN; Frank Kelley, Fort
Worth, TX; Sharon Hessoun, Tucson, AZ;
Tor Dahl, Horten, Norway; Junior Civitan
International President: Kali Wilson,
Albuquerque, New Mexico; Executive
Vice President: W. John Rynearson, CAE,
Birmingham, AL
A week later, we were at the Junior Civitan Convention in Orlando, Florida. Junior Civitan
International President Preston Albertia led this convention, where Juniors shared in their fantastic
accomplishments over the past year. They raised $106,000 dollars during Sno-Do and Dance-AThon! The Juniors also chartered 32 new Junior Clubs with over 800 new charter members! Our
daughter Taylor, not to be left out, was elected district secretary. They are being led by our District's
Junior Chair, Gena Albertia. Gena and I are so thankful for each club that sponsors a Junior Club.
Without your mentorship, many students would not have the opportunity to give back to their
communities.
Less than two weeks later was the Civitan International Convention in St Louis, Missouri. Civitans
from around the world met up to rekindle old friendships, learn how to better serve, and elect our
new leaders. We also introduced the Restoration Fund for the International Headquarters building.
Funds raised through this program will help repair and update our headquarters for the upcoming
centennial convention in Birmingham, Alabama. It has been 25 years since our last major restoration
of the building, which was dedicated in 1976. Please look to the Civitan website and upcoming
magazine articles to see how you can donate to this important fund.
Civitan Magazine, like the organization
it represents, is dedicated to service. The
magazine will, at all times, emphasize the
high ideals and purposes of the organization, disseminate ideas for greater service,
and carry authorized announcements and
notices regarding the activities of the organization. The magazine is an official
Civitan International publication. Civitan
International does not endorse or imply
endorsement of any product and/or company by selling advertising space in this
publication. Editorial opinions expressed in
this magazine are those of the authors and
do not necessarily reflect the opinions of
Civitan International, its officers, or staff.
Just days after convention, the family and I were off to visit the European Division. It has been
exciting for this division this year; they have chartered five new clubs and are working on several
others. There has been a great resurgence in the division and Tor Dahl our International Director
along with others are working hard to expand Civitan.
It has been a busy summer, but also very rewarding because we as a family are blessed to be the
ambassadors for such a great organization. We are truly Civitan Happy!
Yours in Civitan,
Telephone:
(205) 591-8910
FAX:
(205) 592-6307
Email:civitan@civitan.org
Website: www.civitan.org
United States
1917
On the Cover
Canada
From left, Merrillville (Indiana) Civitan Club member Don Mehring congratulates
athlete Brad Mason, while his father David lifts Brad's hand in victory, at
Indiana's Special Olympics Summer Games on June 13 at Indiana State
University. Civitan volunteers from throughout the state have long staffed the
track and field awards presentations for the three-day games.
1925
Norway
1969
Germany
1970
Civitan Countries
Sweden South Korea Japan Bangladesh Denmark Hungary
1970
Mission Statement
The mission of Civitan worldwide is to
build good citizenship by providing a volunteer organization of clubs dedicated to
serving individual and community needs
with an emphasis on helping people with
developmental disabilities.
1974
1975
1990
1991
1991
Jordan
1992
India
1992
Russia
1992
Ukraine Romania Nepal
1992
1992
1993
Estonia
1993
Slovakia
1994
Sierra
Leone
1994
Nigeria
1997
Ghana
1997
Pakistan Philippines
1999
2001
July 2015
INSIDE
4
6
13
IN EVERY ISSUE
Research Report 10
FEATURES
4
7
11
Club Showcase 12
Convention Recap
Growth and Retention Awards
Civitan Magazine Format Change
8
2015 International Honor Keys
Netherlands Thailand
2002
2007
Liberia Cote d’Ivoire Taiwan
2008
2008
2008
United
Kingdom
2008
Senegal Cameroon Mexico
2009
2010
2010
China
2011
Kenya
2011
Tanzania
2011
Egypt
2012
Italy
2012
Haiti
2012
Moldova
2014
Switzerland
2014
Togo
2014
2015 International Convention Wrap-up
Return to
T
his July, Civitans from around the world converged on St. Louis,
Missouri for a week of learning, fellowship, and celebration of the
past year of service. Civitan had been in St. Louis twice before for
our annual convention: once in 1931, and once in 1954. The newly
renovated Renaissance St. Louis Grand Hotel was a fantastic host for our return
to the Gateway to the West.
By Saturday, July 11, many Civitans were already in town. Attendees and their
families saw the sights, the most prominent of which was the famous Gateway
Arch. Headquarters staff and host district volunteers were already hard at work
preparing for the week's events. The International Board meeting also began,
and your officers worked through dinner on a jam packed agenda.
By mid-afternoon on Sunday, convention attendees were streaming in, and
reunions were everywhere. Staff PR Director Luke Anthony gave new arrivals
tips on getting around the convention with the Orientation Session, and lastminute donations were made for the Golf Benefit and Putt-n-Chip fundraisers.
Opening Ceremonies kicked off that night with Master of Ceremonies Dale
DeReign, a former governor from the host district, Heartland. Civitan's past
international presidents, district governors, and International Board members
were introduced to the audience, in between entertainment by the children of
Circus Harmony, a local, youth-based nonprofit organization. Distinguished
Governors were honored for their hard work during the 2013-2014 year. Also
recognized onstage were the Courtney Shropshire Outstanding Club, the
Millbrook Civitans of Millbrook, Alabama; and the Outstanding New Club, the
4 Civitan Magazine
Ranger Civitans of Grand Prairie, Texas. The ceremonies were concluded with
the annual presentation of the Civitan International Honor Keys, Civitan's
highest honor.
Attendees quickly changed into their '20s garb for the Roaring Twenties
party downstairs. Flappers and gangsters mingled together to the music of
Miss Jubilee and the Humdingers to start the 2015 convention off with a
bang!
Many of those at the Roaring Twenties party went to bed early - or wished
they had, when they loaded the buses at 6:30 Monday morning for the
annual Golf Benefit. There wasn't a cloud in the sky as they arrived at Glen
Echo Country Club.
As of July 21, golfers had raised $218,819.23 for the Civitan International
Research Center. See the back cover for more details on their fundraising
efforts! Each golfer raised at least $1,500 for research into developmental
disabilities and other neurological disorders at our Center.
Players in the 2015 Putt-n-Chip rode out to Glen Echo later in the morning,
and enjoyed a round of putting on this world-class golf course.
Back at the Renaissance Grand St. Louis Hotel, Civitans were enjoying a
round of workshops. Presenters from within and outside our organization
gave presentations on leadership, club building, youth programs, public
relations, Civitan outside North America, and more. The Youth Program also
returned to convention, with kids going on exciting trips to the St. Louis
Science Center, St. Louis Zoo, and Grant's Farm!
1.800.CIVITAN
St. Louis!
Tuesday's First Business Session brought reports from International President
Jay Albertia, Executive Vice President W. John Rynearson, and the Finance
and Audit Committee. Nominations were officially made for the positions of
President-Elect and International Directors for Regions 3, 5, 6, and 7, as well.
With no contested races for these positions, voting was extremely simple for
convention delegates.
A few hours later, the North American Awards program honored competitive
award winners from the 2013-2014 year (see page 9 for a full listing).
That afternoon, the Philanthropy Session gave Civitans a look back at
philanthropic efforts of the organization in the past year. CIRC Director Dr.
Harald Sontheimer took the convention stage for the last time. Dr. Sontheimer
will be leaving the Civitan International Research Center late this summer,
and will be replaced by Dr. David Sweatt, the chairman of the Department of
Neurology at UAB Medical School.
The President's Council Social took place Tuesday evening at the historic
Missouri Athletic Club, and was filled with food and drinks introduced at the
1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. Members of the President's Council enjoyed
the hospitality of the Gateway to the West in a club more than a century old.
Wednesday morning brought the elections business session, and the election
of board members. Duane Capps, of North Carolina District East, was elected
as International President-Elect for the 2015-2016 Civitan year. Elected
Directors include Leigh Wilkinson for Region 3; Lyle Armstrong in Region
5; Leslie Benmark for Region 6; and Dan Brown from Region 7. A proposed
bylaw amendment regarding new election procedures for International Directors
was defeated by the delegates. Fellows were also recognized.
Shortly after the close of the session, staff and district governors raced to
prepare the room for the annual Membership Extravaganza! A full article on this
event, which honors the top recruiters and club builders over the past year, is
on page 6.
That evening, Civitans returned to the ballroom dressed in their finest for the
Installation Banquet and Closing Ceremonies. Officers were installed for the
coming year, and appreciation was given to outgoing officers. The convention
closed with an address by incoming president Debbie Juhlke, and a look at her
upcoming presidential theme.
The following morning, Civitans departed from the hotel after packing up a
week's worth of training, laughter, and unforgettable experiences.
The Civitan International Convention is a huge undertaking, and could not be
possible without the help of countless volunteers. While it is truly impossible
to thank everyone who assisted at this year's convention, we would like to
thank several people who made this year's convention great. Special thanks to
Jimmy Garrett, Dale DeReign, Bill Hiscott, Jo Ann O'Toole, Alex Alim Bangura,
Sandi Gibson, Ed Baum, Anita James, Daniel Hall, Nathan Higdon, Tor Dahl, Jack
Fournier, and Jeff Steinman.
All photos courtesy of Past International President Bill Hiscott, who generously volunteers his time as Civitan's event photographer during International Convention
WWW.CIVITAN.ORG
July 2015
5
Extravaganza Gets Everyone CIVITAN HAPPY!
T
This year’s Membership Extravaganza was a
fabulous program packed full of excitement,
honors, inspiration and laughter. The
session set a positive tone for the last day of the 2015
international convention.
Past President Bob Robinson (second from left) presents
top growth awards to Willie Hamblen, Alabama North
(left); Darrell Blackwell, Canadian West (second from
right); and John Lanier, Alabama Central (right).
Robinson (center) with the Most New Members Award
winners (left to right): Steve Teasley, Owensboro, KY;
Rocky Deschamps, Idaho Falls, ID; Dan Brown, Sandoval
County, NM; John Carr, Kingston & District, ON.
Robinson (center) with the Highest Percentage of New
Members Award winners (left to right): John Carr, Kingston & District, ON; Marlene Jewell, Seymour Johnson, NC;
Butch & Barbara Cobb, New Albany, MS
For the first segment, emcee Louis Stephens, VP of
Membership–Leadership, introduced Immediate Past
International President Bob Robinson to present the
2013-14 Growth and Retention Awards. Alabama
District North won the Top District Growth Award with
three new clubs and a 117 member net gain. Immediate
Past Governor Willie Hamblen, MST, accepted the
award. Next, Robinson presented last year’s Top
Recruiters Award to Joe Parker, DST of Durham, NC,
who sponsored 68 members; and to David Crowe, MST,
of St. Petersburg, FL as the top recruiter in his own club.
This was followed by awards to clubs with the most
new members in 2013-14. The top three clubs received
banner patches in two categories. The Owensboro
Civitan Club in Kentucky won top honor for Most New
Members with a 46-member net gain, and Seymour
Johnson Civitan Club of North Carolina won Best
Percentage of New Members with a 120% net gain.
Next, Robinson presented the banners for last year’s
Sponsor-a-Member competition. The Alabama-West
Florida District won the Best Percentage Banner and
the Heartland District won the Highest Numerical
Banner. This was followed by a performance from one
of America's top comedy ventriloquists, Mark Merchant.
Next, Stephens introduced Civitan International
President Jay Albertia, DST. Albertia's first order of
business was honoring our century clubs (clubs with
100+ members). He then recognized Certified Club
Builders and Master Club Builders for their hard work,
especially those who have built clubs since the cruise
convention. Albertia presented two new Master Club
Builder recognitions to Leigh Wilkinson, MST of New
Bern, NC and Bruce Myers, MST of Clarksville, TN for
achieving five new clubs built. Plus President Albertia
was presented with a Master Club Builder’s Blazer. This
was followed with a new, even higher recognition for
club building, the Senior Executive Master Club Builder.
This is earned when a person builds 15 new clubs.
The first two honorees were Tammy Pearson, EST of
Chickamauga, GA and Joe Parker, DST.
Albertia then presented Joe Parker, DST, with a diamond
recruitment ring for sponsoring over 150 members
and presented Wayne Mullis, DST, of Salisbury,
North Carolina with a diamond recruitment ring for
sponsoring over 150 members. Stephens also presented
President Albertia with a diamond recruitment ring, as
he too has surpassed 150 members sponsored. Next,
Albertia presented Patricia Koepsel, DST, with two
additional diamonds for her diamond recruitment ring,
for sponsoring more than 200 members. A new, even
higher level recruitment recognition was presented
to three super recruiters who have surpassed 300
sponsored members, inducting them into the all-new
Executive Sponsorship Team – EST. Tammy Pearson,
EST; and Adrian Edge, EST of Booneville, Mississippi
were awarded a larger center diamond, for sponsoring
over 300 members. Sherry Garrett, EST of Nettleton,
Mississippi was presented a larger center cut diamond
for her recruitment ring, in recognition of sponsoring
over 400 members. EST recognition levels are at 300,
350, 400, 450 and 500.
Albertia made a personal appeal for all clubs to strive
to have 30 members or more and to earn Golden Circle
status. He went on to promote this year’s Sponsorship
Awards, and urged members to recruit new members,
especially during the last quarter. This was followed by
another entertaining segment by Ventriloquist Mark
Merchant.
The final segment began with the introduction of
International President-Elect Debbie Juhlke, DST.
Juhlke expressed her excitement and commitment to
growing Civitan during her term. Delegates were then
introduced to her governors-elect, each of whom
creatively introduced themselves by carrying a large
key bearing a word of Civitan success. She unveiled the
2015-16 presidential theme: We Are the Key. Juhlke
explained, “as Civitans, we are a key to a better world
and encouraged every delegate to Build, Recruit and
Retain locally and throughout their districts. Everyone
left the Membership Extravaganza with a renewed
commitment to work together to grow Civitan.
Robinson presents the Highest Numerical Banner to
Heartland Governor Joyce Sullivan (left) and the Best
Percentage Banner to Alabama-West Florida Governor
Penny Nichols (right).
President-Elect Debbie Juhlke with her 2015-16 Governors presented
next year's theme “We Are the Key”
6 Civitan Magazine
Ventriloquist Mark Merchant
1.800.CIVITAN
Growth and Retention Awards
Top Growth & Retention Districts
Top District: Alabama District North
Distinguished Governor: Willie Hamblen
Master Club Builders
(5 clubs built, all current or lasting 5+ years)
First Runner Up: Canadian District West
Distinguished Governor: Darrell Blackwell
Second Runner Up: Alabama Central District
Distinguished Governor: John Lanier
Sponsor-a-Member Banner Winners
Best Percentage Banner: Alabama-West Florida District
Highest Numerical: Heartland District
Top Recruiter Awards
Joe Parker
Durham Civitan Club, North Carolina District East
Sponsored 68 new members in 2013-2014
President Jay Albertia, Leigh Wilkinson and Bruce Myers received Master
Club Builder Blazer (5 clubs built, all current or lasting 5+ years)
Senior Executive Master Club Builders
(15 clubs built, all current or lasting 5+ years)
David Crowe
St. Petersburg Civitan Club, Florida District
Sponsored 15 new members in 2013-2014
Top Growth Clubs
Most New Members:
1st Place: Owensboro, KY
2nd Place: Idaho Falls, ID
3rd Place (tie): Sandoval County, NM
3rd Place (tie): Kingston & District, ON
President Albertia presented Senior Executive Master Club Builder Blazer to
Joe Parker and Tammy Pearson (15 clubs built, all current or lasting 5+ years)
Recruitment Rings
Highest Percentage:
1st Place: Seymour Johnson, NC
2nd Place: New Albany, MS
3rd Place: Kingston & District, ON
2nd Place: Volunteer ACTION, TN
3rd Place: Cresta Loma Golf and Civitan Club, AZ
Distinguished Governors
President Jay Albertia, Wayne Mullis (third from the right) and Joe Parker
(far right) received their 150-member diamond recruitment rings, Patricia
Koepsel (second from the right) received her 200-member diamond
recruitment ring, Tammy Pearson (middle) and Adrian Edge (third from the
left) received 300-member diamond recruitment rings and Sherry Garrett
(second from the left) received a 400-member diamond recruitment ring.
Distinguished Governors: (left to right) Leslie Benmark, Valley; Marlene Jewell, North Carolina East; Dianne Hansard, Georgia; Bob Kircher, Florida; Edie Emmons,
Canadian East; Willie Hamblen, Alabama North; John Lanier, Alabama Central; Joyce Sullivan, Heartland; and Immediate Past President Bob Robinson
WWW.CIVITAN.ORG
July 2015
7
International Honor Key Recipients
Duane Capps
Duane Capps is a member of the Southeast
Guilford Civitan Club, and has been part of
Civitan since 1983. He has served as an invaluable member of the organization, most
distinctively as a geographical trainer for
club officers. In fourteen years as a trainer,
he has logged more than 60,000 miles of
travel to teach hundreds of officers. He
has served as Club President, Governor of
North Carolina District East, and Region 3
Director. Capps has also built seven Junior
Civitan and two YP Civitan Clubs. His term
as International President-Elect will begin
in October.
Tammy Pearson
Tammy Pearson has made an impressive
mark in just eight years of Civitan
membership. She has served as Club
President, Secretary, Distinguished
Governor of the Appalachian District,
Junior Chair, and an educational speaker.
She has served as guest speaker at
Civitan's Governors-Elect Academy, as
well. She has built 20 Civitan clubs, seven
Junior Civitan clubs, and sponsored an
incredible 300 members into Civitan.
Sandie Shapiro
John Charles Fournier
John Charles "Jack" Fournier has given
invaluable guidance over the course of
31 years of Civitan membership. He has
served as Governor, Judge Advocate, and
Nominations Chair for the Heartland
District. He has traveled to International
Headquarters many times to give valuable
leadership.This was most prominently as
Region 8 Director, but also as a member
of the Budget and Finance, Long-Range
Planning, and Growth and Retention
Committees.
A member of the California District, Sandie
Shapiro has been a Civitan for 17 years.
In that time, she has shown exemplary
service at the club (as President and as
chair of more than twelve fundraising and
service project committees), district (as
Distinguished Governor and Junior Chair)
and international levels (Region 8 Director
and Board Liaison to the Junior Board). She
has sponsored 70 new Civitans, built three
Civitan clubs, and three Junior Civitan
clubs.
Kendyl Massey
Kendyl Massey has been a powerful force
for recruitment and club building since
joining Civitan in 1994. To date, she has
built eleven new Civitan clubs, rebuilt
two existing clubs, and sponsored 125
new members into the organization. This
is in addition to numerous offices held at
the club, district, and international levels,
including President, Governor, and PR
Chair, the most recent of which was Senior
Director on the International Board of
Directors. She is a member of the Volunteer
ACTION Civitan Club in the Appalachian
District.
8 Civitan Magazine
1.800.CIVITAN
2013-2014 Competitive Award Winners
The following awards were presented during the Civitan International Convention.
Congratulations to each of these great clubs!
Outstanding Club Newsletter
1. Uptown, FL
2. Frederick, MD
3. Southeast Guilford, NC
Outstanding District Newsletter
1. North Carolina East
2. Chesapeake
3. South Carolina
Outstanding Club Website
1. Greenville, SC
2. East Cobb, GA
3. Bannock, ID
Coin Box Fundraising
1. Cottage Hill, AL
2. Hopewell-Prince George, VA
3. Tryon, NC
4. Wichita, KS
5. Monroeville, AL
Outstanding Service to People with Disabilities
1. London Bridge, AZ
2. Hopewell-Prince George, VA
3. Meridian First Ladies, MS
Outstanding Community Service
1. Hopewell-Prince George, VA
2. Tryon, NC
3. Frederick, MD
Outstanding Awareness Project
1. Bannock, ID
2. Hawfields, NC
3. Dublin, GA
Hopewell-Prince George
Cottage Hill
Bannock
London Bridge
Greenville
North Carolina District East
Candy Box - Small Clubs
1. Burlington, NC
2. West Knox, TN
3. Columbia, SC
Outstanding Youth Project
1. Idaho Falls, ID
2. Twin Lakes, AR
3. Idaho Falls, ID
Candy Box - Medium-sized Clubs
1. Forsyth, NC
2. Guilford College, NC
3. Minnesota Valley, MN
Outstanding New Civitan Club
Ranger, TX
Candy Box - Large Clubs
1. Owensboro, KY
2. Durham, NC
3. Roanoke, VA
H.O.P.E. Award
Wichita, KS
Courtney Shropshire
Outstanding Civitan Club Award
Millbrook, AL
Honorable Mention
Uptown, FL
Would you like to see your club or district honored at the next Civitan
International convention?
Just enter the competition by filling out the application form and sending it to
International Headquarters! Visit the International Awards page at www.civitan.org,
under "Awards," for all the information you need. Don't delay - the deadline to apply
for the 2014-2015 awards is December 1st!
WWW.CIVITAN.ORG
July 2015
9
Sweatt Named as Director of Civitan International Research Center
This summer, David Sweatt, Ph.D. is replacing Dr. Harald Sontheimer as Center Director for the Civitan International
Research Center. Sweatt has worked closely with CIRC scientists as the Evelyn F. McKnight Endowed Chairman of the
Department of Neurobiology and the Director of the Evelyn F. McKnight Brain Institute at the University of Alabama at
Birmingham. The transition was announced officially in June, and is already in process.
Dr. Sweatt is enthusiastic about taking over administration of Civitan's main charitable outlet, and has spoken to
dozens of visiting Civitan officers touring our Research Center in recent years. Most recently, he spoke to the delegation
at the Civitan International Convention in St. Louis, during the Philanthropy Session. He is also a member of the
Research Civitan Club.
Dr. Sweatt is an internationally recognized expert on the molecular mechanisms involving synaptic plasticity and memory. He earned his bachelor's
degree in Chemistry from the University of South Alabama, and his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Vanderbilt University. He did a post-doctoral
fellowship at the Columbia University Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, working on memory mechanisms in the laboratory of Nobel laureate Eric
Kandel. His research focuses on the signal mechanisms that control gene transcription in learning and memory. Furthermore, his research program
investigates aspects of learning and memory disorders, such as mental retardation and aging-related memory dysfunction. He is an associate editor for
the Journal of Neuroscience and other scientific journals, and the author of numerous scholarly papers. He also authored the textbook, Mechanisms
of Memory.
Dr. Harald Sontheimer is leaving the Civitan International Research Center after several years of service as the Center Director. He was chosen as the
first McNulty Civitan Scientist in 2004. He goes on to Virginia, to direct the new Carilion Research Institute at Virginia Tech.
New Club Charters
The following new Civitan clubs recently held their chartering ceremonies. Please join us in congratulating them,
and welcoming them to the Civitan family!
Hometown Civitan Club
Petal Civitan Club
Margibi County Civitan Club
Winterville Civitan Club
Civitan Club of Guinea Executives
Maryland County Civitan Club
Civitan Club Hiiumaa
Joy Civitan Club
ACTION Civitan Club Philippines
Seven Hills Civitan Club
Bay St. Louis Civitan Club
Petersburg Professionals Civitan
Club
Wildwood, FL
May 1, 2015
Winterville, NC
May 5, 2015
Lauka, Estonia
May 8, 2015
Lynchburg, VA
May 28, 2015
Civitan Club Zürichsee
St. Gallen, Switzerland
June 13, 2015
10 Civitan Magazine
Petal, MS
June 25, 2015
Conakry, Guinea
June 25, 2015
Albemarle, NC
June 30, 2015
Bay St. Louis, MS
June 30, 2015
Buddy Ball Civitan Club
Margibi County, Liberia
June 30, 2015
Maryland County, Liberia
June 30, 2015
Philippines
June 30, 2015
Petersburg, VA
July 30, 2015
Clarksville, TN
June 30, 2015
1.800.CIVITAN
International Launches Restoration Fund
The Civitan International Headquarters in Birmingham, Alabama was opened in 1976. It was designed, built for, and fully owned
by Civitan International as a center for learning, administrative offices, and to offer a much higher level of support for the member
clubs. Nearly 40 years of Civitan leaders have crossed the threshold for tours, training, meetings, and more.
This year, Civitan International is launching the Restoration Fund to pay for much-needed repairs to this building. It has been 25
years since the last major repairs, which are now direly needed. The parking lot, HVAC system, plumbing, lighting, flooring and
more are all past due for repairs. Furthermore, several areas need to be updated and refurbished for energy efficiency.
RNATIONAL
THE CIVITAN INTE
Restoration Fund
6/30/15 12:06 PM
capital campaign
brochure.indd 1
As in the past, Civitan International is calling upon its members to donate directly to this fund. Building repairs cannot be
funded by membership dues. Every donation helps, but large donations are truly needed.
Those who donate $1,000 will be recognized in the pages of Civitan Magazine, starting in the next issue. Larger donors of $5,000 or more will have
the chance to sponsor individual rooms at International Headquarters, such as offices, the historical archives, the Executive Vice President's office,
and more. Those who do so will be recognized on a plaque just outside the sponsored area.
For more information about this initiative, please visit the Restoration Fund page on the Civitan website, under Fundraising in the Member
Resource Center.
New Format for Civitan Magazine!
Starting this fall, Civitan Magazine will return to its former seasonal publication schedule - Spring, Summer, Fall,
and Winter. The magazine will also become larger, with 20 pages per issue, giving each issue more room for Civitan
news. The first issue in the new format will be shipped out in September of this year.
This new format is the result of several factors. First of all, printing and postage have increased steadily over
the past several years. The new format will allow International to continue printing and shipping our flagship
publication without an increase in membership dues. Secondly, more and more of our membership are connecting
with International through outlets such as the Civitan website (where the Magazine is posted in PDF format).
Many have called for discontinuing a printed magazine altogether, but many Civitans (of all ages) prefer a printed
magazine.
Finally, this new format will give you more time to send in stories and pictures for publication in the magazine!
It will be published in March, June, September, and December. In order to make the next issue of the magazine,
simply email your story by the start of the previous month. For example, to make the March issue, just send in
a story by February 1st. This way, staff has plenty of time to produce a quality publication for our membership.
Look for the bigger, better Civitan Magazine in your mailbox this fall!
WWW.CIVITAN.ORG
July 2015
11
CLUB SHOWCASE
Wichita Welcomes New Citizens
Seven members of the Wichita Civitan
Club, along with the United States
Citizenship and Immigration Services
field office, hosted three naturalization
ceremonies in May. Civitans helped with
checking in the candidates, handing
out packets and small American flags,
directing everyone to their seats, and
handing out sugar cookies with red,
white and blue sprinkles after the
ceremonies.
President Elect Harold Connell was the
keynote speaker for all three ceremonies. Connell welcomed his “soon-to-be newest
United States of America citizen friends”, and challenged the new citizens to “learn
the history of the community in which they live, and to be a part of the community
by their involvement with neighbors and friends.” Connell told the audience, “I
find it important to give something back to my friends and neighbors, and I do that
by volunteering my time.” After explaining the word Civitan as builders of good
citizenship, and that the Civitan Club, as part of Civitan International, supports
programs around the world to help persons with developmental and physical
disabilities, Connell invited the new citizens to learn more about the Civitan Club
and membership.
Acting USCIS Field Office Director Darryl Hoffman said of the Civitans, “Their
message to the new citizens was so similar to what I normally say, that I had to ad
lib my remarks. It is nice to have an organization participate in the Naturalization
ceremonies whose mission is building good citizens when that is the exact message
we at USCIS share with those seeking citizenship”.
Cooling It for Special Olympics
Salisbury, N.C. – That was Civitan Club of Salisbury (N.C.) President John Sofley
in a 1910-era men’s bathing suit with a warm leopard jacket. The goggles were
the topper. He and 54 others ran yelling and laughing into the chilly waters of
High Rock Lake in March. Why would they do such a thing? To raise funds for the
Rowan County Special Olympics.
Torrington Flag
Placement
One project dear to Torrington Civitan Club is to
purchase flags for placement on graves of local
fallen US Veterans in local cemeteries. In the
photo above is US Army Korean War veteran
Joe Barbieri placing a flag on former Civitan
member Joe Tognalli’s grave, with Michael Carr,
US Merchant Marine veteran, assisting him.
US Navy WAVES veteran Theresa Carr was
also among the members. Each flag is tagged
with a weatherproof label embossed with the
Civitan logo and local club’s mailing address.
The label also provides an opportunity for the
deceased Veteran’s family members to donate
to the flag fund.
The 2nd Annual Polar Plunge took place on “a truly miserable, nasty, cold, rainy
day,” said John Parker, the club’s Special Olympics chair. The county goal was
$5,000, a figure exceeded by $1,623 once all the money was counted. The number
of “plungers” this year doubled the inaugural year’s total.
Sofley agreed to jump in the lake only if his
club raised $500. Glad not to do it themselves,
club members ponied up $513. Their generosity
earned the club a trophy for the largest single
contribution from any organization. The club also
brought out the largest delegation at the plunge
itself - 14 Salisbury Civitans, joined by five Junior
Civitans from Salisbury High School.
Salisbury junior and senior Civitans cooked and
served hot dogs, judged the costume contest and
built a fire for the post-plunge warm up. “It was a
very successful event,” said John Parker. “We are
expecting it to be a whole lot bigger next year.”
12 Civitan Magazine
1.800.CIVITAN
CLUB SHOWCASE
North Cheatham
Honors Veterans
Despite significant rain, the North Cheatham Civitan Club and "The Mission
Continues" military organization had a very successful Flag Raising Ceremony on
May 16. The ceremony was held in honor of two service men from Pleasant View
who lost their lives in defense of our country. TSGT Jesse Morris was killed in Korea
in November, 1950 and LCPL Daniel "Gabe" Raney was killed in Afghanistan in July,
2010. Flags raised in honor of these two Marines were presented to their family
members.
The event launched the construction of the Pleasant View Veterans Memorial,
sponsored by the North Cheatham Civitan Club. The estimated cost for the memorial
will be more than $100,000. Funds will be raised by soliciting donations and selling
engraved paving bricks in honor of military veterans. Proceeds from the North
Cheatham Civitan Club’s annual Vidalia onion sales will also be donated to this very
special project. Construction is estimated to be complete by Memorial Day 2016.
Red, White and Blue in Mississippi
Top Left - Nearly 400 volunteers showed up
bright and early on Saturday, May 23 as part of
the annual Memorial Day Decoration of Graves.
The Biloxi-Edgewater Civitan Club and North
Bay Civitan Club of D'Iberville-St. Martin lead the
crowd in reciting The Pledge of Allegiance before
handling the nearly 20,000 flags. (Photo credit:
Streetcar PR)
Bottom Left - Directions being given to fellow
members of the military for hanging 'Old Glory'
from the poles along the Avenue of Flags at
the Biloxi National Cemetery during the annual
Memorial Day Decoration of Graves. (Photo
credit: Streetcar PR)
Bottom Center - Jo Anderson (left) helps
Debbie Wilson (right), both of the North Bay
Civitan Club of D'Iberville-St. Martin, to tap a
flag into the grave site of Debbie's father, Walter
B. Teague, Sr., during the annual Memorial
Day Decoration of Graves at Biloxi National
Cemetery. (Photo credit: Keith Wilson)
WWW.CIVITAN.ORG
Juniors Collect
School Supplies
Clayton, NC – Members of the JOCO Junior
Civitan Club collected school supplies for
a local alternative school, South Campus
Community. The school utilized the donated
supplies to improve the programs for
students throughout the school. Members
also participated in “Backpack Buddies”
with South Campus. Breakfast, fruit snacks,
drinks, vegetables and dinner items were
gathered for the project. A third project of
collection aimed to help the high population
of homeless in their community. They
collected 214 personal hygiene items, that
they created bags with essential items for
each individual.
July 2015
13
CLUB SHOWCASE
Line Creek Tees Off for Charity
Peachtree City, GA – The Line Creek Civitan Club held its 10th annual “Leave
No One Behind” Golf Tournament on April 15th at the Braelinn Golf Club in
Peachtree City. The tournament was also sponsored and organized by the Camp
Big Heart Civitan Club, Civitan’s Georgia District, and 31 other Georgia Civitans
representing 16 Civitan clubs. The tournament raised $13,005.18 for the Camp
Big Heart Summer Camp to benefit developmentally challenged youth and adults.
Camp Big Heart has been in existence since 1984 and offers a unique, one-week
residential camping experience with a broad range of recreational activities for
children and adults with mild to moderate developmental disabilities. The wide
range of programs enables campers to transcend disabilities and develop new
skills, while making new friends and maintaining old friendships.
It was raining on the morning of the tournament, yet 94 brave golfers still arrived
to play in the rain. The golfers and volunteers all had a wonderful day of fellowship.
Chick-fil-a served a delicious chicken lunch for all.
Windsor Flower
Planting
Windsor, CT – Pictured above, members of the
Civitan Club of Windsor plant roses and other
flowering plants around a Gazebo dedicated to
former Civitan John Pier. John was the Chairman of the Windsor Housing Authority for
many years.
The Gazebo is located at one of the senior housing complexes in the town of Windsor. Roses,
which were John’s favorite flower, adorned his
home garden.
John died in 2012, and would have highly approved of this beautification project in his name.
Mauldin Miracle League
Greenville, SC – The Miracle League All Star Games for the Gray,
White and Red teams were held Saturday, May 30, 2015 at
Sunset Park in Mauldin. Announcer Andy Patterson encouraged
the players and kept the games lively. The audience cheered
enthusiastically as they hit the ball and rounded the bases.
Greenville Civitan Club Sam Bennett umpired the games. The
games were played on a special surface that prevents injuries
which was funded by Civitan a few years ago. The field allows
players to roll, run, fall down and even slide into first base
without risk of injuring themselves or others. As it is often
said, “Every child deserves a chance to play ball.”
After each series of games, the players and their caregivers were
served a hot dog meal furnished by Greenville Civitans. Both
the Miracle League teams and Civitan members look forward to
the annual picnic. It is a great experience for athletes, caregivers
and servers. Approximately three hundred meals were served
on Saturday. In addition to the meal, the athletes were awarded
trophies for their participation. The weather cooperated, and it
was a great day for all.
14 Civitan Magazine
1.800.CIVITAN
CLUB SHOWCASE
The Little Library that Could
Ramseur, NC – Recently, the Ramseur Area Civitan Club unveiled a free-standing community
library as part of the Little Free Library program.
A Little Free Library is a “take a book, return a book” location where neighbors share their
favorite literature and stories. In its most basic form, it is a publicly accessible spot full of
books, where anyone may stop by and pick up a book (or two) and bring back another to
share with others.
Ramseur club member Norval Kraft and his wife Deirdre spearheaded the project. “I first saw
the little free library in a magazine article while waiting for a doctor’s appointment,” Kraft
said. “I pulled up their website and thought it would be a great Civitan project. They are neat
looking and all unique.
“Originally, I thought we could do this in-club, but realized by making this a community effort
by many, it gives us all ownership and pride in the creation of the idea and finished product.”
The free library is one of the first in Randolph County. Ramseur Civitans encourage other
communities to start Little Free Libraries, as well. To get started, Kraft registered with the Little
Free Library at www.littlefreelibrary.org. The second step was deciding where the group could
legally and safely install the library. The Krafts volunteered to have the library built on their
property, with free access to anyone in the area. The location is ideal, since it is highly visible
and passed by a large amount of foot traffic. The Krafts can easily check on the library to ensure
that it’s stocked with family friendly reading material.
Kraft then contacted Eastern Randolph High School (ERHS) teacher Chris Culberson, who,
along with his students, constructed the waterproof structure. “This project couldn’t have
been completed without the help of Chris Culberson, shop teacher at ERHS, and Clean Sweep
of Ramseur, Jim Riddle, helped prepare the site and install the box,” Kraft said. “I discussed the
design with the carpentry class building it. The build was stretched to about 4-5 weeks as the
class had other projects going. Except for hinges and the roofing, all materials were provided by the school.”
According to the Little Free Library website, in 2009, Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin, built a model of a one-room schoolhouse as a tribute to his mother,
a former school teacher who loved reading. He filled it with books and put it on a post in his front yard. His neighbors and friends loved it. He built several
more and gave them away. The idea caught on. By early 2015, the total number of registered Little Free Libraries in the world is conservatively estimated
to be nearly 25,000, with thousands more being built.
In Ramseur, the Krafts are reminded of their club’s role in that movement, every time they check on the reading material at their own Little Free Library.
Civitan Magazine and You
Magazine Submissions
As of this fall, Civitan Magazine is published four times a year to club members
around the world. We need your news stories, events, and pictures! Is your club finishing an exciting project, organizing an event in your community, or approaching a special milestone? Just email
magazine@civitan.org, call us, or mail your story to the address on the right and your club could be in the next issue
of Civitan Magazine! Please include as much information as you can – funds raised, how the event impacts your community and/or club, and any other important details. Pictures are always welcome, too. Please send in jpg format, sized
300 dpi or larger. We hope to hear from you soon!
Address Updates / Removing Duplicate Deliveries
If you have moved recently or changed email addresses, you can update your information by contacting Beth Towns in the
Membership-Leadership Department via email, telephone, or mail to the address on the right.
Civitan Magazine
P.O. Box 130744
Birmingham, AL 35213-0744
1-800-CIVITAN, ext. 134
Magazine@civitan.org
Membership-Leadership Dept.
Attn: Beth Towns
P.O. Box 130744
Birmingham, AL 35213-0744
1-800-CIVITAN, ext. 111
bethtowns@civitan.org
Many Civitans have a spouse or partner who is also a member, but only wish to receive one issue of Civitan Magazine at a
time. Beth can also help you remove any unwanted duplicate deliveries.
WWW.CIVITAN.ORG
July 2015
15
CIVITAN
INTERNATIONAL
GOLF BENEFIT
Top 5 Fundraisers
Randy Eckhoff
Sue Hepworth
Harold Connell
Willie Hamblen
Joe O'Toole
Top Putt-n-Chip
Fundraiser
On July 12, 2015, the 22nd annual Civitan International Golf Benefit was held at Glen Echo Golf Course
in St. Louis, MO. Civitan golfers from around the world came together for a world-class round of golf
at this incredible resort, and celebrated a year of exceptional fundraising for Civitan's flagship project.
Each golfer raised at least $1,500 in donations for the Civitan International Research Center, with most
of them raising much more. Thanks to all the golfers who participated, and all the generous Civitans
who donated to support this important research.
As of press time, golfers had raised a total of $218, 819.23 for the Civitan International Research Center
this year! That's coming from 53 golfers and 79 Putt-n-Chip participants.
Since its inception, the Golf Benefit has raised $4,927,239 for research into developmental disabilities
and other cognitive disorders at our Research Center.
Congratulations to all our award winners at the Golf Benefit. Special thanks to all the golfers who
participated, and every Civitan and club who sponsored this outstanding event. Remember, fundraising
for this year isn't over until September 30th! Contact a golfer to find out how you can contribute, or
contact the Civitan Development Department at 1-800-CIVITAN, ext. 108.
Linda Lane
Special thanks to our Nine
Hole Sponsors for 2015:
Sanford Club
(North Carolina East)
Americus Club
(Georgia)
Bærum Club
(Norway)
Columbia Club
(South Carolina)
Montgomery Club
(Alabama-West Florida)
Cottage Hill Club
(Alabama-West Florida)
Capital City Club
(North Carolina East)
Central Columbus Club
(Cardinal)
Kitchener-Waterloo Club
(Canadian West)