NET GAIN

According to 2006-07 annual reports submitted to Kiwanis International, more than 40 percent of Kiwanis clubs net US$10,000 or more via fundraising.
Here’s the breakdown:

36.4%
Up to $4,999

23.3%
$5,000 to $9,999

21.7%
$10,000 to $19,999

14.3%
$20,000 to $49,999

4.3%
$50,000 or more

BOOK IT

Here’s a suggested list of books to inspire your club toward an outbreak of greatness:

Good to Great
by Jim Collins.
The results of five years of research into habits that transform average into wow!

Leadership Gold
by John Maxwell.
A lifetime of leadership lessons learned by this internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, and author.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
by Patrick Lencioni.
How to capture the always important, ever elusive behaviors of teamwork.

Outbreaks of greatness

By Rob Parker CEO Kiwanis International

While the Kiwanis journey from good to great is still in its infancy, the outbreaks of greatness we see around the globe are clear evidence of the power of passion. Kiwanis clubs worldwide are shattering the myth that people are too busy to join, that fundraising is too hard, or that people won’t commit to lead anymore.

Successful clubs are building on the strong foundation laid by the leaders before them, and are refreshing their clubs with new ideas and creative approaches that are delivering terrific results. In this magazine, you have read about clubs that are attracting a younger and more diverse membership, clubs that have dramatically increased their fundraising, and clubs that are thriving despite major challenges facing their communities.

Clubs like the one in Alberta where more than 90 percent of the membership is under the age of 30. Or the California club that discovered how a diverse membership enriches the Kiwanis experience. Or the El Salvador club that built an entire village because hundreds of children and their families were left homeless by an earthquake. These Kiwanis members are empowering their clubs with their passion for children, and the impact is amazing.

All of us know that a club needs financial resources to be able to invest in its communities, which is why this issue highlights clubs that have been successful raising money.

Whether it is a bingo game in Pennsylvania, candy sales in Nevada, or poinsettia sales in Indiana, it all involves Kiwanis members using their time, talent, and treasure to make a difference.

This is just a small sampling from the thousands of clubs that collectively raise and invest more than US$100 million annually in service projects worldwide.

Such stories inspire me, as did my conversation with Christel DeHaan. In a dramatic transformation from entrepreneur to philanthropist, she sold her business and poured her life and her resources into breaking the poverty cycle for children in economically disadvantaged communities.

Have we made the leap from good to great yet? I can’t answer that definitively, but I certainly can make the case for some amazing outbreaks of greatness. Great job, Kiwanis!