Kiwanis Club of Grantville-Allied Gardens

In This Issue:

A Holiday Hello From Cloti Simpelo

Page 7

COMING NEXT WEEK:

Special Centennial Issue

Helping Mom and Dad at the Tree Lot

Page 11

Mid-Year Conference: Register Now for Riverside

Page 2

January 2015 “Serving Our Community since 1960” www.alliedgardenskiwanis.org

Some members of our club like to celebrate

the opening of the Tree Lot each year. Others

celebrate more when it closes.

Although G.A.G. Kiwanis managed to sell

close to a thousand trees this year, sales were

slower than anticipated. At the conclusion of

the final weekend of sales, more than 150 trees

could still be found on the lot in various stages

of preparation. Fifty-nine of the remaining

trees were donated to the military families of

MCAS Miramar, thanks to our connections with

a past club president, Luisa Moore. Another

twenty went to The Grove Church, and a dozen-

plus were donated to a food bank in Serra Mesa

through the efforts of District 7 City Council

Representative Scott Sherman and staffer Liz

Saidkhanian (people picking up free food, they

reasoned, might also be in need of a free

Christmas Tree).

While the club did make enough to cover

expenses, overall sales were down this year due

to several contributing factors. Prices

skyrocketed this year throughout the industry,

leading to a very noticeable difference in the

cost of the Douglas Plantation firs. A shorter

selling season (due to a late Thanksgiving

holiday) meant less time for people to shop for

trees, and of course, there was some inclement

weather to keep customers at bay. Still, many

of the “regulars” that we see each and every

year were there as usual to pick up their

Kiwanis Christmas Tree in support of the

Grantville-Allied Gardens community.

As the inventory of trees dwindled (as did

the prices), there was some concern from

members who thought the lot closed too soon,

and that we should still be selling trees right up

until Christmas Eve. As it turned out, they may

have had a point – during the club’s customary

Tree Lot Closing Party on Monday, December

22nd, no fewer than fourteen trees departed with

customers looking for a last-minute bargain.

There were many lessons to be learned at

the Tree Lot this year – whether or not Kiwanis

members shall return for another year of tree

sales is a discussion for another day.

Carry On, Circle K: A smiling Kristoff Aragon is more than happy to carry a Douglas Plantationfir at the G.A.G. Kiwanis Christmas Tree Lot. Student volunteers from SDSU Circle K generouslycontributed more than 300 service hours at the Lot, despite final exams and holiday travel plans.

Cut, Rinse, Repeat: At left, John Crawford takes a chainsaw to one of the remaining trees on the last day of sales; Earlier, Doc Yelvington carefully tended to the trees with garden hose in hand.

Sluggish Sales

Sap Tree Lot

Staff BoxThe G.A.G. RAG is the official publication of the Kiwanis Club of

Grantville-Allied Gardens (#K05285), our Foundation, and our ServiceLeadership Programs (SLPs). Our club was chartered by KiwanisInternational in 1960.

The G.A.G. Kiwanis Club meets at 7:00 a.m. every Thursdaymorning at the Allied Gardens Park and Recreation Center, located at5155 Greenbrier Ave. in San Diego. We also offer our TNT meetings onthe second Tuesday of each month.

We can be reached through our website, on Facebook, orgrantvillealliedgardenskiwanis@gmail.com. Our mailing addressis P.O. Box 601211, San Diego, CA, 92160-1211.

This newsletter is published on the first Thursday of each month.To submit articles or photos for publication, please send them directly tothe editor at kiwannabee@hotmail.com. We encourage articles,photos, letters, or other contributions from all members of the club andthe community.

G.A.G. RAG ContributorsWriter and Editor ………………………………………………… John CrawfordEditor Emeritus …………………………… Dr. Byron Y. Newman, O.D.Principal Photography ………………………………………………Mary HaasAdditional Writing & Photography ………………… Kathy Butterstein

Other contributors this month include John Chandler, Tony Orosco,Kathy Wiskur, Mickey Zeichick, Darien Delfin (SDSU Circle K club)and Kai Sampadian (Serra High School Key Club).

The

Bridge

Builderby President Tony Orosco

Registration is now available for the 2015 Mid-Year

Conference South at the Riverside Convention Center on

February 21st. These conferences are full of dynamic TraK

presenters, inspiring entertainment by the Burbank for Fun

Aktion Club, and so much more to rocket you and your club

into the next hundred years!

Hover in for the knowledge and stay for the fellowship as

we celebrate our 100th Anniversary of Kiwanis!

First Lady Melissa Guire is requesting each member to

bring a book to the conference to donate as part of her First

Lady's Project. Books can be dropped off in the designated

box at the conference and will be donated to children in the

Riverside and Monterey communities.

Those who wish to arrive a day early can participate in a

Friday night bowling fundraiser for the Eliminate Project.

Reserve a room in Riverside by calling the Mission Inn at

(951) 784-0300. Mention the Kiwanis Mid-Year Conference

to get a special rate just for Kiwanis members.

The Tree Lot has created a major rift in our club. There, I said it!

But then, it does every year! YES. I had a quick talk with Luisa

Moore, our past President, about last year’s Tree Lot. She stated that

there several incidents where the leaders were yelling at each other

about several things, just like this year. Every member mentioned their

opinions about pricing, display, discoloration of trees, and other things.

THAT’S OK. The Tree Lot leaders listened and reacted. Some, and

most, suggestions were valid. Do you think, last year, these comments

would have been listened to? We worked VERY HARD TOGETHER

and still came out winning. On the third week, we were ALL tired. I

respect that several members were concerned about the health of

myself, Dave Erlanson, and Bobby Frankhouser. The fact is we, the

Tree Lot morning crew, enjoy the hard work. I slept very well almost

every day I worked the Tree Lot.

Where members went beyond themselves is when it came to yelling at

a member. Please understand, we do not always get 100 percent of what

we think should be done. Our club is comprised of strong individuals who

come together for community service and good works. Each leader

fulfilled their part of the commitment.

I will be the first to say that I made my share of mistakes at this year’s

Tree Lot. There were many things that I learned on the job. I heard from

members about what they thought had transpired at the Tree Lot last year.

I am not going to judge any past member on hearsay.

Before this Tree Lot started, I heard many comments about “can we do

this without Terry Shanklin or Luisa.” WE DID IT. Now, Terry spent

many years as a strong club leader and Tree Lot general. Luisa, as well,

put in more hours then any other member. It is true that every year, we

have fewer and fewer members who are physically able to work at the lot.

In 2009, when we had fifty members, we had our best year. Now we have

only 32, and many, through no fault of their own, have already spent their

best years helping the club with our ONLY major fundraiser of the year.

There is a reason why we all go through TREE LOT HELL. This is,

and has been for many years, our only fundraiser to build our budget for

next year. There will be a Special Board meeting on January 14th at my

house to consider if the club will commit to another Tree Lot in 2015. I

have received a letter from John Chandler that he may be moving out of

state, and will not be able to participate in the Tree Lot for this coming

year. Other members have mentioned that they would not participate in

another Tree Lot ever again. With that, the club needs to set up a

contingency plan for either eliminating the Tree Lot or opening another

tree lot with many more new members able to help.

My suggestion is to introduce two more major fundraisers so that Tree

Lot is not that critical to the club’s funding. I propose restarting the

Anchovy Open, and creating a major “Fun Run” with the entire community

through Mission Trails Regional Park. I also propose getting major

corporations to donate money to place their logos next to our event signs.

So, we start our new year this January 8th with our regular board

meeting at my house in the evening, and a special board meeting on the

14th, also at my house, to fully discuss the club’s plans for the future of the

Tree Lot. Again, this is IMPORTANT for a club that is widely known for

our Christmas Trees. Any suggestions will be welcomed by this president

as long as they are positively constructive. Call me on my cell please.

Tony

Pop quiz! Which of the four men pictured above was the very first member of Kiwanis? Each ofthem is significant in some way to the earliest history of our organization, but only one of them wasthe first to sign his name to a membership application.

The G.A.G. RAG will mark this unique once-in-a-century milestone next week with a

special issue, featuring some fascinating historic photos and an in-depth look at how Kiwanis gotto be the global impact organization that exists today. We’ll also remember the earliest days ofthe Grantville-Allied Gardens Kiwanis club, along with some of the historical moments andpeople that shaped Kiwanis International through the years. Don’t miss this special issue!

Excitement Builds For Kiwanis Centennial Celebration

Courtesy of Club President Tony Orosco Tony Orosco Tony Orosco Tony Orosco

January 8th

Jose Montano, Make-A-Wish FoundationK.O.D.: Jack Scott

January 13th

TNT Meeting at the Benjamin Branch Library

January 15th

2015 San Diego Padres Season PreviewAllison Eddy, Fan Programs and Communications Manager

K.O.D.: John Crawford

January 22nd

Judge Carolyn Caietti, San Diego Juvenile CourtK.O.D.: Gary Blume

January 29th

Eric Paredes Save-A-Life FoundationK.O.D.: Kathy Butterstein

S L P M e e t i n g S c h e d u l e

SDSU Circle K meets on Thursdays in the Park Boulevard Room,Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union. Meetings begin at 7:30 p.m.Contact Susan Rodden or Joe Huston.

Patrick Henry Key Club meets Thursdays at 11:45 a.m. Meetings arenow being held in the school’s auditorium. Contact Kathy Buttersteinor John Crawford.

Lewis Middle School Builders Club meets Thursdays in Room 410,2:20 p.m.. Contact Byron Newman or John Crawford.

The Hearst Elementary K-Kids Club meets on alternate Fridays afterschool in Room 12, at 2:15 p.m. Contact Doug Grosmark.

Deliverance: A smiling Dan Yauger helped lift Christmas trees offthe delivery truck, fresh from Oregon, while John Crawford put hisown truck to use to make tree deliveries within the community.

January 201521st 100th Anniversary of Kiwanis International

Special Celebrations in Detroit, MichiganPlus Additional Observances Worldwide

24th Division 21 Key Club DCMWestview Park, Mira Mesa, 1:00 p.m.

February 2015

21st Cal-Nev-Ha Kiwanis Mid-Year Conference SouthRiverside Convention Center & Mission Inn

March 2015

7th Official Visit of District Governor Alan GuireRonald McDonald House, 2929 Children's Way

13-15th 69th Annual Cali-Nev-Ha Key Club District ConventionAnaheim Marriott and Convention Center

14th San Diego River Park Foundation Cleanup EventMission Trails Regional Park

27-29th 61st Annual Cal-Nev-Ha Circle K District ConventionWarner Center Marriott, Woodland Hills, CA

27-29th Key Leader WeekendCamp Cedar Glen, Julian, California

January Wedding Anniversaries

1 Joe and Seren Huston

Membership Anniversaries in January

2008 George Butterstein

2008 Kathy Butterstein

2009 Mary Haas

2009 Tony Haas

2010 Sandy Vish

2013 Kathy Wiskur

January Birthdays

13 Imani Baldi (SDSU Circle K)

21 Kiwanis International (100 years old!)

25 Jonathan Chau (PHHS Key Club)

TURN BACK THE CLOCK

Look back into the history of G.A.G. Kiwanis to seewhat the club was doing yesteryear! Special thanks toMary Haas for maintaining our club’s archives.

One hundred years ago (January 1915) – The

State of Michigan officially approved the incorporation

of the Kiwanis Club, effective January 21st. Detroit

tailor Joseph Prance was the first man to sign a

membership application for the new club.

Twenty-five years ago (January 1990) – The

Grantville-Allied Gardens Kiwanis Club presented a

$1,000 donation to the Benjamin Branch Library on

January 11th, which would be used to purchase new

children’s books. The sum of $1,000 was the largest

donation made by G.A.G. Kiwanis to any program or

project in over a decade, and was doubled by the City

of San Diego as part of a “matching donation” program.

Kiwanis President J.B. Harward made the presentation

to librarian Linda Hahus…. Several Circle K members

from SDSU were making plans to host their annual

Spaghetti Dinner at the home of G.A.G. Kiwanis

member Al Jones…. Fundraising Chair John

Chandler announced that the club would net a healthy

$6,400 as a result of the 1989 Christmas Tree Lot. That

was considered a good amount at the time, but Chandler

was hopeful that the Tree Lot would turn a five-figure

profit in the years to come.

Ten years ago (January 2005) – It was a big

New Year’s Day celebration at the home of Dr. Doug

Grosmark, with most of the club in attendance.

Among some of our newer members at the party that

night were Dan Yelvington, Antonio Orosco (with his

wife, Maria), and a recently transplanted longtime

Kiwanian from Orange County named Byron Newman

(along with his wife, Bunny).

G.A.G. Kiwanis Board Meetings are held at 7:00 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month, location to be determined. All are welcome.

T.N.T. Meetings, for those who can’t attend our regular breakfast meetings, are held on the second Tuesday each month, 6:30 p.m., Benjamin Library. All are welcome.

Many Kiwanians and community volunteers gathered at TheLonghorn on December 6th, celebrating the success of thebrick and clock project. Kathy Wiskur and City CouncilmanScott Sherman deserved to celebrate after their hard work.

Summarized by Kathy Butterstein,

Mary Haas, and John CrawfordDecember 4th – A Great Day to Appreciate Our Guests

Our guests nearly outnumbered our members today, and that's a very

good thing. We're always happy to welcome new faces and friendly

neighbors who want to “test drive” our club! In fact, today's meeting was

almost entirely focused on our guests!

Among our guests today were Circle K members Stephen Jin and

Kevin Zinkofsky, along with Taylor McDonald, a graduate of SDSU and

a past Lieutenant Governor of Circle K. Taylor was making his second

visit in less than a month, so we hope he will keep coming back for more.

John and Susan Rodden, two of our newest Kiwanians, brought their son

Tanner to join us for breakfast... and to help us unload some 400

Christmas Trees from a truck at our Tree Lot. We hope Tanner got plenty

of bacon and tater tots, because he would be hard at work as soon as our

meeting was over!

Speaking of hard workers, where would we be without our friends, the

Elders from the local LDS Church? A team of six Elders fueled up on

French toast before coming to rescue us at the Tree Lot after our meeting.

They really made a positive difference today.

Also joining us today were Staff Sergeants Ryan A. Anderson and

Jamie K. Weaver from the U.S. Army recruiting center in Lemon Grove,

which serves our area. Because the Navy and the Marines are so important

to our city, many people don't think of the Army when they think of San

Diego. Sergeants Anderson and Weaver want us to know that the Army is

here, too, with a long and proud history in our region.

We enjoyed an interesting presentation from Rod Houdyshel and his

son, Derek, who is working toward his Eagle Scout project with Troop 324

in La Mesa. Derek is rebuilding eight planter boxes at Northmont

Elementary School in Fletcher Hills, since the old planter boxes were worn

out and in terrible shape. Derek has already demolished the old boxes and

will be buying dirt and supplies for the new boxes in another week. His

innovative new design will help keep underground pests such as burrowing

rodents out of the elementary school garden! Derek has already raised

$200 toward the $1,400 final cost of this project, and he recognized La

Mesa Lumber for agreeing to provide materials to him at cost. We look

forward to seeing the final results of Derek’s fine project.

Of course, the first meeting of the month means we get to welcome

our Student of the Month Award winner from Hearst Elementary School.

This month, it was fifth-grader Garrett Mellinger, a smiling youngster

who was gracious and eloquent when Dr. Doug Grosmark presented him

with his award. Garrett was there with members of his family, his teacher,

and Principal Jamie Jorgensen of Hearst. Congratulations, Garrett!

K.O.D. George Butterstein saved the day for President Tony Orosco when our regularly-scheduled guest speaker couldn’t show up.

We had plenty to talk about today, including our Christmas Tree Lot and our board meeting to be held at the home of President Tony

Orosco. All members are welcome to join us and participate in the board meetings, where a lot of the “behind the scenes” work takes place.

We also sung “Happy Birthday” to one of our most valuable members, John Peterson, and we invited our members to not one, but TWO

parties this Saturday... our Kaiser Hospital Holiday Party at 1:00 p.m., and our celebration later that night at the Longhorn to commemorate our

success with the Allied Gardens Clock and Brick project.

Finally, we turned to our local college professor, George Butterstein, as our Kiwanian of the Day and our guest speaker! (Sadly, our

regularly scheduled guest speaker with the San Diego Police Department had a last-minute change of plans, but we will reschedule!) Good thing

George was there to pitch in!

Although George was primarily a professor of biology, today we got a lesson in geography instead! George and his wife, Kathy, took a

recent vacation back to their home state of New York, and so we got to see a side of New York that many people don't appreciate. "New York is

more than just Manhattan," George explained, as he showed several photos of the gorgeous farmland, beautiful rolling hills and shimmering

lakes, and wonderful historic landmarks like the Erie Canal, the Hudson River, and West Point. George told us about the New York State

Thruway (Interstate 90), which is the fastest way to get from Buffalo to Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, Albany, Cooperstown, or Schenectady. We

also learned about the agricultural side of New York, which is a leading producer of grapes (and wine), apples, cheese, cabbage, and maple

syrup. New York has a lot of natural beauty once you get past the "hustle and bustle" of New York City. Perhaps George and Kathy would still

be there if not for the lousy winter weather.... so of course we are thankful for those nasty Buffalo blizzards, which drove them both to Southern

California (and to our Kiwanis Club) several years ago!

Dr. Doug Grosmark and representatives of Hearst Elementary School congratulate Garrett Mellinger on his Student of the Month award.

December 9th – TNT Meeting

President Tony Orosco brought our TNT

(Tuesday Night, Too) meeting to order at promptly

6:30 p.m. Our attendance was a little light this

evening, as members are spending extra time

working at the Kiwanis Christmas Tree Lot, our

annual fundraiser. Some of us had pine needles on

our clothes, sap on our fingers, and more than one

tired back, but we’re happy to say that it’s going

well. We are most grateful for the community

support, and for all of the extra help that we are

getting from neighboring Kiwanis Clubs, SDSU

Circle K members, Patrick Henry Key Club, Lewis

Middle School Builders Club members, volunteer

Elders from the LDS church, military volunteers,

and good-hearted people from the neighborhood.

Tonight, we had a special guest speaker,

Robin Gephart, who represents JustServe.org, a

new online service that matches churches, civic

organizations, non-profit groups, and governmental

agencies who need volunteers with volunteers who

are willing to help. JustServe.org is provided as a

service by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day

Saints; it is not for proselytizing or publicity for the

Church. Instead, it is simply a clearinghouse

service to match community needs with available

volunteers. Students who need community service

hours for graduation requirements can find many

opportunities to make a difference, as well as

people and organizations in the community who

want to help serve the community. San Diego is

the seventh area in the nation to get a JustServe

site, and the website is gathering service projects.

Heads of these needful organizations create

projects, and submit those projects to the website

for approval. Interested volunteers register online

and then select projects which they find suitable to

their interests and their time. Our Kiwanis Club

currently has two postings for volunteers to help at

our Tree Lot.

We thank Robin for sharing with us a new and

valuable way to use social media to provide

information about ways in which we can work

side-by-side with members in the community and

lend a helping hand.

December 11th – Mission Trails, Our Nearby Natural Wonder

It was a delight to welcome back Joe Huston after several weeks away from our

club. Joe has been fighting off a nasty medical issue, but we were all happy that he was

able to join us today for breakfast. We hope to see him much more in the weeks to come!

Making return visits to our club were Staff Sergeants Ryan A. Anderson and Jamie

K. Weaver from the U.S. Army recruiting center, as well as Taylor McDonald, a realtor

with Keller Williams Real Estate and a past Lieutenant Governor of our Circle K Paradise

Division. Could he be ready to sign his name to a Kiwanis membership application? We

certainly hope so!

We also welcomed Brian Frankhouser, who has been very helpful as we sell

Christmas Trees to the community, and four current members of the SDSU Circle K club.

Gary Blume led us in singing, as usual, and he wanted to welcome Joe Huston back

to our meeting in song… so we all got to sing “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” for Joe!

(Couldn’t we have gone with “For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow” instead??) We also got a

good laugh when, instead of his usual Joke of the Week, Byron Newman shared a great

photo of himself on stage in Las Vegas with Tony Orlando in the 1970s. Byron sure did

look groovy in those bellbottoms!

We learned about an upcoming event at the Benjamin Branch Library, where

volunteers are needed to judge a children’s coloring contest on December 19th. We also

made another push for Tree Lot volunteers to get us through what we hope will be a very

busy weekend. Many of our members have pushed themselves to the limit at the Tree

Lot, so we are very thankful to have our Circle K and Key Club members helping out!

And finally, K.O.D.Mike Brown quizzed us on some very early history of San Diego.

With our Christmas Tree Lot in progress, many of our members have been getting in

touch with nature... So what better time to learn about our local natural playground,

Mission Trails Regional Park?

Guest speaker Jay Wilson, himself a longtime member of Kiwanis, is a friend to our

club and to our community on a larger scale. In addition to his current role as Executive

Director of Mission Trails Regional Park, he has served as a close assistant to former City

Council members Judy McCarty and Jim Madaffer, and he is currently the chairman of

the Del Cerro Action Council. Today, however, he was here to tout the natural wonder of

Mission Trails, as well as the artwork and outdoor activities that can also be enjoyed

within the park’s boundaries. Along with some breathtaking images from the park’s

annual amateur photography contest, Jay captured our attention with many facts about this

hidden gem of San Diego County. Even though it’s right in our own back yard, it’s

amazing how many local residents still don’t know about this beautiful park!

(Continued from Page 5)

Seated at the head table for our December 11th meeting were (L-R) guest speaker Jay Wilson, Kiwanian of the Day Mike Brown, President Tony Orosco, and President-Elect Alex Zubak.

December 18th – Spreading the Holiday Cheer

Our meeting room looked very festive this morning with pine cones, evergreen

sprigs, menorahs, and a big fat inflatable holiday hippo (our Key Club mascot)! We

owe our thanks to Gary Blume and Stephen Jin, who both arrived early to get

everything arranged. Joining us for our holiday celebration were our good friends

Melissa Kondon (guest of John Chappell) and Mission Trails Regional Park

Executive Director Jay Wilson. To get us in the spirit of the season, we sang just the

chorus of “Jingle Bells,” quitting while we were ahead. Byron Newman gave us a

very funny Joke of the Week, and we then honored our Student of the Month from

Patrick Henry High School, Chris Berkoben.

Chris is currently a senior at PHHS who was nominated by his teachers for his

selfless commitment to helping others in his school and community. PHHS Vice

Principal Bill Miller describes Chris as “an easygoing student who works hard and

appreciates the help and support he receives from his current and former teachers.” He

believes they have given him the necessary tools to succeed in college, thereby helping

him follow his dream to one day enter the field of sports medicine. We wish Chris and

his family all the best.

Mickey Zeichick surprised us by announcing she will be taking a leave of absence

to follow her dream to bring the play “Talley’s Folly” to the stage in Point Loma this

February. It is a two-person production that takes place in the days after World War II.

We are happy for Mickey, but sad for us... we will miss her!

John Crawford added to the holiday spirit by leading us all in our own Kiwanis

version of “The Twelve Days of Christmas!” Instead of turtle doves and calling birds,

our version this year contained references to Starbucks, ice hockey, turkey sausage,

and of course, our famous Tree Lot! While we’ll never make it on “America’s Got

Talent,” we make up for our lack of musical ability with our great enthusiasm!

Our K.O.D. was Ross Mallette, who solicited Happy Dollars to help us keep up

with events in our members’ lives. Since he and his wife recently took a Mississippi

Riverboat cruise, he quizzed us on interesting facts about “Old Man River.” The

mighty Mississippi runs 2,350 miles from its headwaters in Minnesota, touching ten

states on its way to the Gulf of Mexico!

Ross then introduced our Lieutenant Governor, Cloti Simpelo of the Torrey Pines

Kiwanis Club. Cloti, who was previously a Lieutenant Governor of her Kiwanis

division when she lived in the Philippines, shared with us her goals for Division 21:

1. Growth: increasing our membership and establishing at least one new club;

2. Support for the Eliminate Project, a Kiwanis International Campaign;

3. Publicity: to celebrate our accomplishments and make our friends and neighbors

aware of the Kiwanis presence in our communities.

… We look forward to another exciting year under Cloti’s expert leadership!

(Continued from Page 6)

Sweethearts Melissa Kondon and John Chappell were present for our final meeting of the year 2014.

Lt. Governor Cloti Simpelo and K.O.D. Ross Mallette got better acquainted with each other over breakfast.

PresidentJonathan Chau (10)Nick Patton (9)

Vice PresidentCalvin Nguyen (10)Lisa Nguyen (10)

SecretaryCecilia Hoang (10)Tyra Roberts (9)

TreasurerMelina Ho (10)Yven Tran (10)Mark Vo (10)

Because their District Convention is so early this year, Key Club members all over

the California-Nevada-Hawaii District are holding elections super early as well. The

Patrick Henry Key Club has already started accepting nominations for the 2015-16

year, with club elections to be held on Thursday, January 8th.

The nominees include (grade level in parentheses):

Interesting to note that none of this year’s nominees are in their junior year at

school. It’s a very young group of student leaders at Patrick Henry, which we hope

will bring some excitement in the years ahead!

PHHS Key Club members last month participated in another fundraising effort at

the Elks Lodge in San Carlos, as well as a special screening of “Mockingjay,” the latest

in the “Hunger Games” movie franchise. Key Clubbers also had a holiday party to

raise money for Division 21, as members enjoyed the 2003Will Ferrell comedy “Elf.”

Of course, the big news for each of our SLP groups last month was the Christmas

Tree Lot. The numbers speak for themselves….

SDSU Circle K – 30 volunteers, 292.5 hoursPHHS Key Club – 23 volunteers, 118.25 hours

Lewis Middle School Builders Club – 7 volunteers, 31 hoursSerra High School Key Club – 3 volunteers, 18 hours

University City High School Key Club – 1 volunteer, 4 hours

Clearly, the Grantville-Allied Gardens Kiwanis Club got plenty of support from

our student groups while the Tree Lot was open for business. Beyond just the raw

numbers, however, it’s important to note that our students helped keep our lot in

business on several occasions when we otherwise would not have had sufficient

volunteer staff to remain open. The SDSU Circle K club was particularly helpful, even

despite the specter of final exams looming on the horizon. Circle K members

developed an online signup sheet where students could sign up in advance to work at

the Tree Lot, helping Kiwanis anticipate which shifts would need the most attention

and which were relatively well covered. With only a few exceptions, the Circle K’ers

were true to their word in terms of showing up on time, sometimes even on short

notice. Even those without any mode of personal transportation were reliable for Tree

Lot duty. It’s no stretch to say that SDSU Circle K made our 2014 Tree Lot possible.

Meanwhile, Circle K members are getting prepared for their “January Weekend in

Paradise,” an event hosted by the Palomar College (San Marcos) Circle K club. The

three-day event will start with a game night and potluck on Friday, January 16th,

followed by a pair of service projects on Saturday. In the morning, Circle K’ers will

help the YMCA provide needed supplies to the homeless youth of North County, then

head to Palomar College for a scavenger hunt to raise money for the Eliminate Project.

The night concludes with a Paradise Division DCM, hosted by Lt. Governor Gerald

Biando. On Sunday, the college students will wake up to enjoy a spirit workshop and

another service project, as they create bookmarks and flashcards to promote literacy.

In addition to their Tree Lot work last month, Lewis Builders Club members held a

holiday party, where they made oversized Christmas cards for Meals-On-Wheels

recipients. Susan Rodden and Angie Elmore made the Christmas Day deliveries.

Colleen Wilson was named the Builders Club Member of the Month for November 2014, and was our top volunteer at the Tree Lot among middle school students this year.

Student Volunteers Contributing At Least10 Hours at the Christmas Tree Lot

• Madison Kennedy (SDSU) 25.5 hours• Kevin Zinkofsky (SDSU) 24.5• Yvonne Velasco (SDSU) 19.5• Kristoff Aragon (SDSU) 19.25• Jake Wong (SDSU) 19.25• Andrea McLean (SDSU) 19• Megan Thai (SDSU) 17.25• Patrick Cuaresma (SDSU) 14.25• Stephanie Lozano (SDSU) 14• Colleen Wilson (Lewis MS) 12.75• Melissa Farlow (SDSU) 12• Andrew Tran (SDSU) 11.75• Dereck Lau (PHHS Key Club) 11.5• Khang Le (PHHS Key Club) 11.25• Jennifer Tran (PHHS Key Club) 10.5• Calvin Ha (Serra HS Key Club) 10• Brennan McDonough (SDSU) 10• Nick Patton (PHHS Key Club) 10• Gabriel Platt (Lewis MS) 10

This Group is Dynamite: Participants at last month’s TNT meeting included (L-R) John Peterson, Mary Haas, Seren Huston, Tony Orosco, guest speaker Robin Gephart, and Kathy Wiskur.

Fashion Statement: Either John Chandler was getting into the holiday spirit, or his wife has been dressing him in the morning! John was looking positively festive in his Christmas T-shirt.

Left: The task of inspecting and constructing Christmas Tree stands fell to Kathy and George Butterstein, who completed the task with flying colors!Center: Kiwanian of the Day Mike Brown directs trivia questions toward the audience when it’s his turn to take the podium.Right: Boy Scout Derek Houdyshel and his father, Rod, have been hard at work as Derek attempts to achieve the noble rank of Eagle Scout.

Already, Key Club Election Season is Upon Us

So soon? An unusually early Key ClubDistrict Convention this year (coming March13-15th in Anaheim) means our students arealready choosing their leaders for next year.

PHHS Key Club is holding their clubelections on January 8th and 15th on campus.

The Region 2 Conclave, to select the nextlocal Key Club Lieutenant Governors, is beingheld on January 10th, 3:30 p.m., at RadyChildren’s Hospital. Current Lt. GovernorKai Sampadian of Serra High School will co-host the proceedings. Adults are welcome(and encouraged) to attend and supervise.

Delivery Schedule

January 8th Kathy Wiskur and Gary BlumeJanuary 15th John & Pam ChandlerJanuary 22nd George & Kathy ButtersteinJanuary 29th Sandy Vish and John Peterson

February 5th Tony & Mary HaasFebruary 12th Ross Mallette and Dan YelvingtonFebruary 19th Kathy & George ButtersteinFebruary 26th John & Suzy Rodden

March 5th Gary Blume and Kathy WiskurMarch 12th Mary & Tony HaasMarch 19th John & Pam ChandlerMarch 26th Mary Haas & TBD (New Member?)

Sign up for an opportunity to partner with a fellow Kiwanian. New

delivery volunteers are encouraged to sign up and learn the routine.

If you would like to volunteer for a shift, contact Mary Haas.

Kiwanians Kathy Wiskur and Mary Haas served at the Kid Comfort quiltsewing event at the local LDS church, December 16th. Quilts were madefor Armed Services YMCA by volunteers from the LDS Church and from thecommunity at large.

This brick-themed cake awaited Kiwanis members and others in attendance at the celebration held at the Longhorn last month for a job well done!

A young Marine unloads a few of the fifty-nine Christmas Trees donatedfrom the G.A.G. Kiwanis Club to the military families of MCAS Miramar.This delivery was possible thanks to Luisa Moore and John Chandler.

Second Generation Stars: Some of our outstanding Kiwanis Tree Lot helpers this year included (L-R) Brian Frankhouser, James Vish, and Tanner Rodden, each the son of a current Kiwanis member.

TREE LOT: THE NEXT GENERATION

Forget about Douglas Plantation

firs, Noble firs, or Nordmanns. The

tree getting the most attention at the

Tree Lot this year was the “family tree,”

with the sons and daughters of several

Kiwanis members stopping by to help

out. Most notably present this year was

Brian Frankhouser, who cut and

displayed trees as part of the morning

crew. Each morning, Brian and his

father, Bob, would get promptly to

work, cutting and watering trees. Brian

did much of the heavy lifting, with

Bobby at age 92 inspecting tree stands

and watering trees, helping out however

he could. While we are all proud to

have Bobby still helping out as our

original charter member, of course

Brian deserves a lot of credit for his

work ethic and for taking charge each

day with the difficult task of staging

each tree.

At night, James (Jimmy) Vish, the

son of Sandy Vish, volunteered at the

Tree Lot, as did his sister, Julie. It’s

clear that the entire Vish clan has

experience in handling Christmas Trees.

Sandy’s late husband, Jim, served as

President of G.A.G. Kiwanis in 2006-

07, so both Julie and Jimmy grew up

with Kiwanis Christmas Trees at home!

It also helps to have some newer

volunteers, too. Tanner Rodden, son

of John and Susan Rodden, helped

unload trees from the big truck on

delivery days, and worked a few shifts

while his Mom and Dad were on the lot.

Club President Tony Orosco got

his sons involved as well, helping build

and maintain the lot’s infrastructure.

Truly, this year’s Tree Lot was a great

way to spend time with the family for

the holidays!

Como El Padre: Club President Antonio “Tony” Orosco got some help at the Tree Lot from his son, Tony Jr.

Cash Us If You Can: Kiwanis members Ross Malletteand Angie Elmore both spent time in the cashier’s boothat the Tree Lot this year. Angie is a third-generationhelper at the Tree Lot, taking after her grandfather, Gene.

Photos courtesy of Mary Haas.

Questions? Comments? Changes? Please contact Tony Orosco or John Crawford.

Committee Chairs Subject to Change.

Foundation Trustees

2012-2015

George Butterstein, Chair

Dan Yauger

Dan Yelvington

2013-2016

Joe Huston

Norm Townsend, Treasurer

(Position Vacant)

2014-17

Tony Haas

Byron Y. Newman

John Rodden, Secretary

2014-15 Club President

Antonio “Tony” Orosco

Kiwanis Club of Grantville-Allied Gardens Board Meeting Agenda – Thursday, January 8th, 2015

2014-15 Club Officers

President Antonio “Tony” Orosco

President-Elect Alex Zubak

Vice President (Position Vacant)

Secretary John Crawford

Treasurer Seren Huston

Immediate Past President Joe Huston

Call to Order `

Introduction of Guests Tony Orosco

Correspondence John Crawford

Presentation of Minutes John Crawford

President’s Report Tony Orosco

Treasurer’s Report Seren Huston

Foundation Treasurer’s Report Norm Townsend

Finance Norm Townsend

Community Service Angie Elmore

MMQ & Eliminate Project George & Kathy Butterstein

Youth Services Alex Zubak

Y.C.P.O. John Peterson

Membership & Member Outreach Kathy Butterstein & Mickey Zeichick

Interclubs George Butterstein

Fundraising & Tree Lot John Chandler

Circle K (SDSU) Joe Huston / Susan Rodden

Key Club (Patrick Henry) John Crawford & Kathy Butterstein

Builders Club (Lewis) John Crawford & Byron Newman

K-Kids (Hearst) Doug Grosmark

Scholarships Gary Blume

Conservation Byron Newman

Publicity/Newsletter/Social Media John Crawford & Joe Huston

Website Mary Haas & Kathy Butterstein

House Gary Blume

Socials John Peterson

Unfinished Business Tony Orosco

New Business

Divisional/District/International

Adjournment

Board of Directors

Gary Blume 2013-15

John Chandler 2013-15

Gene Elmore 2013-15

Byron Newman 2014-16

John Rodden 2014-16

Norm Townsend 2014-16

(Position Vacant) 2014-16