Saturday, January 29, 2011

Creating a Kiwanis Blog/Website Workshop

The Nebrasks-Iowa Kiwanis District is celebrating the 2011 Midyear Conference in Ankeny, IA. This event will be held at the FFA (Future Farmers of America) Enrichment Center. It is unique that this site has a number of computer labs and which will enable us to have a variety of computer-based presentations.

Leigh Zeitz will be teaching a workshop on how Kiwanis clubs can use Blogger to create their websites.


Blogger is an online blog-publishing service owned by Google. A blog is used to easily post information on the Internet. It is usually used for creating a blog, but there is so much more information that can be arranged along with the blog postings to make a useful and professional-looking club website. This Cedar Falls Kiwanis Rough Risers website that you are viewing now, has been created using Blogger.


This posting is designed to provide a series of resources that you can use to create your own club website:

These resources should provide you with a good foundation for your website. If you use these resources to create your club's website, please post the URL for it as a comment below.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Using Tech Tools to Enhance Your Club's Connections

Leigh Zeitz presents a social technologies session at the Nebrasks-Iowa Kiwanis District is celebrating the 2011 Midyear Conference in Ankeny, IA. 
Here is an overview of the topics discussed as well as links to the slideshow and an article about the topic.
Your club's communication can be enhanced using the today's technology. All of these solutions are free and relatively simple to use:
  • Email - This connection can be as simple as using email to distribute minutes from each meeting. It's simple and efficient.
  • Google Groups - Create a distribution list for your club that all of the members can use.
  • Blog - You can make a professional-looking club website using an online blog-hosting website.
  • Club Calendar - You can use Google Calendar to manage the calendar on your website's calendar. You can add a meeting on your personal calendar on your computer and it will appear on your website.
  • Google Docs - Work collaboratively with your committee members. Four members can all work on the same document because it is posted on the web for all to see and use.
  • Watch Google Docs in Plain English to learn the concept in 3 minutes.
  • Google Forms - Use Google Docs to create online forms that make it easy to add information in an online spreadsheet. 
  • Twitter - Here is a handy way to communicate with your club quickly and easily. It will only work if your members follow each others' tweets, but it can be a way to learn more about your Kiwanis friends.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Meeting Minutes from Prez Jim - 1/26/11

We had a great turn out for our meeting with a very timely and informative program.

The buffet we had for breakfast was great. We hope this can continue.

We had two guests from the CF School Board - Susan Lantz (sp) and Jim Kenyon.

Leigh and Kathy will be celebrating their 30th on January 31.

Lincoln School has asked us to provide Kettle Corn for their Fun Day on February 26.

The directory for 2011 is nearly ready for printing.

We received Thank You's from Quakerdale and the Boys and Girls Club.

Our program was conducted by Dr. Davis Stoakes, Superintendent of the CF Schools. The topic focused on the February 1 Option Tax vote. There was a lot of interest and several good questions were presented and answered.

Programs like this make our Kiwanis meetings the best. Thanks to Steve for setting this up.

Steve, Tim, Jim and Stan attended the Waterloo noon club meeting on the 25th. We were certainly made to feel welcome. Additional contacts were made as it relates to our participating in the August Air Show.

Jane is planning more inter-club visits. When possible please try to attend.

February 2 will be our business meeting. Our greeter will be Greg Stefanich.

See you then and have your best week ever!

Jim

Reminder - Board Meeting on Feb. 1 at J's - 6:30

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Meeting Minutes from Prez Jim - 1/12/11

We had a great meeting, attendance and program. The breakfast wasn't bad except (where's the hash ?).

We agreed to send $200 to the Boys/Girls Club earlier than our normal dates for making contributions.

Jane passed around a sign-up sheet for an inter-club at the Elk's Club on the 25th. We need at least four to make it official. This is the Club sponsoring the Air Show. It would be a good opportunity to gain some additional information on this project.

Thanks to Jane for putting this together.

A brief discussion was held relative to putting together a proposal for our Kettle Corn participation at this event. The K"corn committee is meeting on the 13th to start the process.

It is possible this could be a joint venture with other Kiwanis Clubs.

We had an interesting program presented by representatives from Quakerdale.

Our next meeting will feature Dean Dwight Watson from the UNI College of Education. Our greeter is Neal Schilling.

I will be out of town - Steve Harding will be presiding.

Have your best week !

Jim

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Meeting Minutes from Prez Jim - 1/5/11

We had quite a meeting !

Tim Jones has a birthday on the 7th.

Gil gave the Treasurer's report. The report was so positive Gov. Branstad is looking to the Rough Riser's for budgetary advice.

Dean reported that Simpson Furniture has agreed to a $1,500 sponsorship. We will popping Kettle Corn for their Sidewalk days on June 11.

We still have names to contact for sponsorships. If you are willing contact Dean or Jerry. Last reminder, you have an opportunity to go to a Kiwanis Council meeting on the 11th. Give me a call if you are interested.

Also, MidYear Conference on the 29th.

Bruce Clark and Roger Pease from the Waterloo Kiwanis Club made a presentation regarding their upcoming project - "Thunder in the Valley Air Show". This will be quite an event - anticipated attendance is in the 70,000 range. The dates are August 28 and 29.

We are hoping to sell Kettle Corn and provide other help as is needed.

Our program schedule for January is as follows:

January 11 Tim Lyon/Lalaine Rabary from Quakerdale
January 19 Dean Dwight Watson College of Education, UNI
January 26 Leigh Zeitz "How to Work Your Phone"

Thanks to Leigh for setting this up and also, a special thanks for setting up the Power Point for the "Air Show" presentation.

Our greeter next week is Mr. Dalton Plumbing - Tom Reisetter.

Have your best week ever !

Jim

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Notes from the Prez - 1/1/2011

Happy New Year to all Rough Risers !!

It is hard to believe we are already three months into our Kiwanis year.

Sponsorships for Kettle Corn are moving forward very well - over $ 11,000 in or committed.

Plans are being put together for interclub visits during the next few months.

Our Rough Riser's directory is scheduled for the end of the month.

One area we have not touched on is mentoring.  This is one of the focus areas for Kiwanis this year.  I would strongly encourage you to volunteer in this important project.  I have had that opportunity for a little over a year.  I hope my young man has benefited half as much as I have.

An area we need to continually focus on is getting new members.  Our objective for this year is 5 new members. Through the first 3 months we have not added anyone and in fact, I believe, we have only had one visitor.  We have a lot to sell - but, as Dean stated in relating to  Sponsorships if we don't ask we will not get the order.

Remember the MidYear Council Conference in Ankeny on January 29.

Have your best month ever !!

Jim