Kiwanis changing 2006 convention venue

During the April Kiwanis International Board meeting, one very important decision was made that we must immediately communicate to you. After careful consideration, the decision has been made to change the location of the 2006 Kiwanis International Convention. This decision was made by the Board, acting as good stewards of Kiwanis members’ contributions to the organization. There was too much financial risk involved to continue our planning for a convention in Rome, Italy.

The decision was entirely based on the financial considerations. During a review of the preliminary 2006 convention budget last October, we learned that there could be a substantial deficit for the 2006 convention. At that time, the Board reaffirmed a commitment to hold the convention in Rome and recognized the deficit as a necessary investment. Since October, we have received additional financial information, and at this Board meeting we learned that the projected deficit was nearly US$1 million. Several alternate options were discussed and considered, but it remained clear that changing the convention venue was the only responsible solution to avoid great financial risk to the organization.

Kiwanis simply cannot afford a convention loss approaching US$1 million or the equivalent of US$4 per member. To fund such a deficit, we would have had to draw upon the Operating budget, which would mean substantial cuts in other important areas—membership, new club building, sponsored youth—and support for regional service centers, translations, and many other services for clubs and districts around the world.

The specific location of the convention was not the issue. Had these risk factors faced us in any city, in any country, the same decision would have been made. This is not the first time the Kiwanis International Board has had to change a convention venue. The 1985 convention location was also changed due to circumstances beyond our control. The Kiwanis International Board has committed to actively exploring venues in Europe and other regions outside of North America for an upcoming International convention.

By avoiding this financial risk, we are ensuring that ALL Kiwanians across the globe, not only those who attend International conventions, receive the utmost value for their membership and service contributions. You will receive more information in the near future.

Yours in Kiwanis,
Case Van Kleef,
International President

A Kiwanian by Choice and a Kiwanian for Life,
Stephen K. Siemens,
International President-Elect

Yours in Kiwanis Service,
Eyjólfur “Eddie” Sigurdsson,
International Executive Director

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