My vision of Polish Kiwanis

My conception of Growth in Polish District IFAfter 2 years of work in the Polish District Board I have created a conception which, in my opinion, will enable to continue the growth tendency and make the work for future governors easier. It works... .

I called this mental construction, the conception of a three - legged table because it is mounted on 3 pillars:

1. Communication

2. Training

3. District/Division Projects

And each " leg" is equally important as if one of them was missing or was shorter, the table would not stand.

Ad 1.

Communication

a. Bulletin - a monthly e-mail newsletter sent to all members with e-mail addresses. I started to edit it in October 2008. So far we have had 8 editions and no 9 will be ready by the end of August. For Poland this is a new form of communication. You can see the Bulletins on our website. Because the formal structure does not work well enough in our district and some Lieutenant-Governors do not pass news to the clubs, for many members this is the only source of information of what is going on in Kiwanis International, European Federation and in the Polish District. The Bulletins can be printed and taken to the clubs` meetings so even members who do not use the Internet can be informed.

b. Internet Website - also new and introduced in October 2008. It has an active, dynamic part for clubs which can place materials, pictures of their clubs` activities and all information they want, themselves. I planned it as a kind of competition - which club and projects are better ; www.kiwanis.org.pl It is a good source of information, too.

c. Personal contacts with clubs and members. It is as important as 2 above points. When we talk face to face and I can give answers to many questions on spot, people feel united in one family, want to learn more and join in many projects.

Ad 2.

Training

We generally lack the knowledge about Kiwanis International, European Federation and our District. It applies to all levels: clubs, divisions, district. The members do not know the structure, dues and responsibilities, new ideas and concepts... The Chief Trainer for 2008-2010, Jacek Sobocinski, has prepared a detailed plan to train members in clubs. There are 14 meetings planned to reach everybody in all different locations. Our membership has been growing dynamically last year and without proper training system we will have just bodies without the souls.

Ad 3. District / Divisions ProjectsIn order to gather people together and give them the feeling of belonging to a wider group as the District, Europe or the world we need good projects.

a. Project SMILE It helps ill children and brings publicity. Not only Poland but the whole Kiwanis needs to be in the Media and this project catches the Media attention, mainly because of the Celebrities who have participated in it. In Poland exhibitions with the Smile collection and visits to hospitals were shown on all main TV stations. What it takes:

1. We organize the exhibition where the smiles are presented together with our poster, Kiwanis doll and under Kiwanis logo. You can see who has already drawn and signed the smiles for children. Just a very few examples are: Lisa Minnelli, Charles Aznavour, Olivia Newton -John, Steffi Graff, Lech Walesa, Vaclav Havel, Hillary Clinton, DON CANADAY, DANIEL VIGNERON, Al Bano Carrisi, Renato Bruson, Salvatore Licitra, Archbishop, Piero Marini, Herman van Veen ...and many others from different fields; politics, science, art...
2. At the same time a celebrity, together with a Kiwanis officer - Governor or Governor-Elect, draws smiles with sick children in hospitals. For that purpose we printed a small catalogue (100 copies ), which contains : on the cover - Kiwanis logo and a logo of the Culture Promotion Office, next pages - information about Kiwanis, then some pages with smiles signed by famous people.

b. Project PUŁAWY This Project is also presented on our Website. The uniqueness of this Project lies in joining the work of mature, well - known artists with the workshops for artistically talented young people. The project was beyond our most daring expectations. The participants forgot about the generation gap joined in Art.Educational aspects were great and appreciated by the youth. The project caught the Media attention. Both the Press and television broadcast this event. 3 scholarships were result of the auction of the pieces of Art created during the workshops. It also resulted in 14 new members in our organization and new sponsors. This conception may seem uncomplicated but it has one advantage - IT WORKSThanks to the 3-legged table we have managed to achieve the growth of 76 new members - 22,7 % in 2008-2009.I am convinced that this result can be maintained throughout the next Kiwanis year and we will achieve 500 members.This empirically proved conception can be adapted by districts in a similar structure situation. But most of all, I wish it to be the way of increasing and strengthening of Polish Kiwanis.

Miroslawa "Mira" Harman
Governor 2008-2009 Poland District IF