Clubhouse

Club Clinic

Q Under what conditions, if any, can the club’s board of directors charge one member more to be a Kiwanian than another?

Kiwanis International does not set the amount a club may charge its members, except for International dues, subscription to KIWANIS magazine, and liability insurance. And each district sets the amount of district dues to be paid by a member.

Some clubs include meals in the cost of the dues charged, and some have additional fees they charge for various functions they may have. But generally speaking, there doesn’t appear to be a reason why a club would charge one of its members more to be a Kiwanian than another.

We suggest you contact your club’s board of directors for clarification.

Q Our club recently purchased the all nations flag set from the Kiwanis Family Store and would like to display the flags of our Kiwanis nations at special meetings. Does it matter in which order the flags are placed in the base?

According to basic flag protocol, the flags of Kiwanis countries should be arranged in alphabetical order according to country, with the flag of the home country occupying the place of honor. For more information on flag protocol—or additional club resources—check out www.kiwanis.org/resources/club/.

Q Our club is creating its own Web site. Should we post addresses and other contact information for our officers on the site?

Officer—and member—names, addresses, and other contact information should be posted in areas protected by secure password protection for members of that club only, unless the officer or member grants express permission. Also, personally identifiable information listed in the Kiwanis International Directory shall not be posted on any Kiwanis-family club Web site, unless authorized on an individual basis.

To read the entire text of the Kiwanis-family Web site guidelines.

Q In written material and speeches I see and hear references to the “Objects” and “Objectives” of Kiwanis. Are these one and the same?

Your confusion is understandable. Though the terms often are used interchangeably, they actually refer to different things. The “Objects of Kiwanis” are six beautifully written, inspired statements on the purpose of Kiwanis. These were adopted by the delegate body at the 1924 International Convention in Denver, Colorado, and have not changed.

Kiwanis “objectives” are brief statements of current concerns, formulated by the International Board, that guide clubs in developing programs and activities that meet current needs. Kiwanis International’s Strategic Plan, for example, contains several strategic objectives, all geared toward growing the organization and making it more effective.