Gov. Jeffrey's Message

by Gov. Jeffrey Wolff

Every story has a beginning and an ending. With the close of one chapter in a book, a new one opens. October brings with it great excitement in the Kiwanis world as we celebrate the accomplishments of the past year and start a new year with renewed enthusiasm. We have done great things in the Capital District, but today brings the proverbial "clean slate" and the promise of an even brighter future.  Each of your clubs is installing its new leadership and gearing up to make a difference in your communities and the world as a whole.

I am honored to be serving as your District Governor for the next twelve months because I have the pleasure to serve with a team of highly dedicated volunteers who have stepped up to ensure that each of your clubs is the best that it can be. The 2011-2012 Leadership Team is comprised of your District Board of Trustees, the entire class of 21 Lt. Governors and all of our District Committee Chairpersons. They are equipped with a vastly diverse skill set and come from 45 different Kiwanis clubs throughout our great district.

This will be the year that we kick our new global campaign for children, The ELIMINATE Project, into high gear so that 60,000 mothers and babies do not need to die annually from a preventable disease like tetanus. As an organization, we will raise $110 million dollars so that UNICEF can deliver the needed vaccines and eliminate this threat to families all over the globe. It is our mission as Kiwanians to serve the children of the world and this is a truly a project we can all stand behind and support. I encourage you to visit www.theeliminateproject.org and educate yourself on this exciting new initiative and our chance to once again make history.

You will see even more communication provided to you through multiple channels in the year ahead. The district website will be revamped so that it can serve as a true knowledge hub for all things Kiwanis in the Capital District. New and different types of education will be offered to members and officers alike, ranging from leadership skills to how to start a new Service Leadership Program club. 

This will be the year that we truly analyze the needs of our existing clubs and target resources to the right places. We will build new Kiwanis clubs throughout the district so that we can fulfill our mission of "Increasing Hands for Service," and we will do this by returning to the basic premise of our organization...service to others. 

Jennifer and I are so excited to be able to serve with you this year and we are looking forward to meeting many of you throughout our travels. I hope that each of you are as excited for the year ahead as we are.  Together we will make a difference!

Jeffrey M. Wolff
Capital District Kiwanis Governor