March 9, 2010--Diversity Kiwanis Club Meeting
---Original Pancake House----
Attending: Lisa Carlson, Andrea Gunner, Bill Zortman, Mike Tolzin, Kimberly Stockinger, Bill Gasen, Tracy Vik, Stephanie Amiotte, Emily Steinhoff, Kris Isakson, Karen Roth, Karla Hasche, Gail Swenson, Wendy Giebink, Katie Studer, Robin Zimmer, Juan Bonilla, Bob Reierson, Randy Hohn
 
   President Lisa Carlson called the meeting to order on Tuesday March 9th at the Original Pancake House at 41st and Kiwanis.
 
   A thank you card from Judge Kathy Caldwell was shared with the club thanking all for the flowers and best wishes.
 
   The center piece of the meeting was packing school kits for kids in Haiti. One hundred or so bag with pens, pencils, rulers, protracters, erasers and calculators were packed. Another sense that this club is not only working to help those in our neighborhoods but those hurting in different parts of the world. Thanks to all that donated and organized.
 
    Another of our projects--- the Carla Cooey led shoes for Guatemala will collect thru the end of March. Shoes are needed as well as funds to send with large boxes.
 
     Randy Hohn of Daybreak Kiwanis thanked Diversity members for volunteering to work the Bull Riding Saturday and Sunday at the WH Lyons Fairgrounds. For working --- Daybreak will contribute a spinoza bear to Diversity for use to either a family in Haiti or Guatemala.
 
     Mike Tolzin outlined the 3rd annual NCAA Brackets event. The 65 teams for the men's NCAA tournament will be announced this Sunday and with the help of Todd and Tracy Vik brackets can be filled out on line. $10 per entry. Enter as many times as you like. The brackets will be available on-line and can be filled out until tip-off time at 11AM Thursday the 18th. The brackets will be on the Diversity Club website. More from Lisa Carlson and Tracy Vik as we approach the date. Brackets have to be filled out on line -- and payment made to a Diversity Club member. You don't have to be a Kiwanis Club member to enter. It is a 50-50 split with half the funds going toward the Guatemala project.
 
      Special congratulations to Juan Bonilla who was named as Diversity winner Nationwide last week by Wells Fargo. Juan -- one of our newest members was a regional winner and competed with 10 other Diversity leaders. The award was announced in Des Moines. Congratulations as well to Gail Swenson nominated as one of those for a YWCA Tribute to Women. What an award winning club!!
 
       Upcoming events:
   Juan with his La Voz newspaper is allowing us to advertise the Diversity Kiwanis Club. The newspaper comes out generally on the 20th to 25th each month. What is the Diversity Club will be included this time. Vanessa Lopez will work with Juan and the PR Committee to get in the best information possible. There is also a website which will allow us to furnish information about what we do in Spanish each month. Thanks Juan for all you do.
 
     Reports from several committees. Included what is being done for future projects including the New Years Ball, Jazz Fest, and much more. Bill Gassen talked about membership, others about mentoring members and still others about getting people involved to move the club even further.
 
      Wendy Giebink told us of a lady that is a one woman show on getting school supplies sent to her home country of Liberia.
 
       Next meeting March 23rd.
 
Bill Zortman
Co-Secretary