1912 E. Meyer Blvd., Kansas City, MO64132 - Telephone: (816) 333-8300 - Fax: (816) 333-4320
(Switchboard Hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CST)
E-mail:
Mike Simpson
Southeast/Caribbean Director’s Newsletter
October, 2008
ClubBuilding
The needs in our communities remain great and there are many people who will get involved if we get the ball rolling. Please call me (865) 385-4267or email me at o let me know of your current club building plans.
We do have a couple of new clubs in progress:
- Albany, GA – with Van Knowles, James Taylor and Sky Martin leading the way.
- Thomaston, GA (Sertoma Women of Upson) – with Steve Brodie, Larry Birch and J. Patrick Meyer at the helm. By the way, there were 49 new members present at the first meeting and 43 of them had checks for $25. Each of these new members committed to bringing in at least one new member during their first year! The count is up to 61 so far! AWESOME!!
West TN/South KY has committed to build a club this year and MS/AL has committed to build two clubs. The rest of us need to STEP UP.
Central Florida District plans on building three new clubs this year! (Get your commitment letter in.)
Awards
Remember, new members have one year to receive the GEM award. Please strive to make it happen. This would really help your club in the long run. Members have a “second chance” to get their GEM awards this year. Make sure we take advantage of this!
The only two districts that have sent me nominations for the Regional Service to Mankind Award are Bluewater/South Georgia and Heart of Florida. You need to get in the game if you want to play!
Growth – More Members = More Service
The Tampa Breakfast Club has set a goal of every member sponsoring a new member. This club includes the question, “Who have you asked to join Sertoma today?” in their weekly newsletter. Great combination of consistency and commitment!
Recognition is IMPORTANT. Get to know the requirements for the various awards now offered. Remember, if a member/club/district/region is earning awards….they are doing something (usually many things) right!
Keep up with your members. If you don’t see someone for a meeting or two, give them a call. They might be waiting to see if anybody notices if they aren’t there. Don’t wait for someone else to call them…be that Sertoman, you know, the one that cares.
Moses was one of the greatest leaders of all time and even he needed help. His father-in-law, Jethro, advised him as follows[1]:
"What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.
21 But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain…”
Call on your fellow Sertomans to help you with your service to mankind.
Club/District News
Please send me all your newsletters. I would like to put information about your clubs’ events in my newsletters, so that we might be able to help each other out with our projects.
Some upcoming events include:
The Tampa Breakfast Club will be supporting the annual Angels Unaware dinner raffle as well as the folks doing God’s work at the Ronald McDonald House.
Regional Convention
Caribbean Cruise; Port of Jacksonville; February 21-26; Registration Deadline July 31st.
With help from Steve Murphy and Woody Hudson, the clubs in the Knoxville, TN area may have prevented the elimination of the University of Tennessee’s Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology and the clinics it runs. This department has helped countless children and adults from across the state and from neighboring states cope with hearing and speech problems. My thanks to our leaders!
Wayne Bardsley is promoting membership dinners throughout the Heart of Florida. This is a great idea to recruit new members. And, if you’re not careful, you might even have a great time! Wayne knows how to have a good time.
Tampa, FL, Sertomans billing themselves as the “Sertomans & Friends Ski Group” are hosting their 14th annual ski trip. This year they will be going to Steamboat Springs, CO.
The Sertoma Youth Ranch in Dade City, FL, is hosting their annual Thanksgiving Weekend Bluegrass Festival November 27-30.
Sertoma’s 89th Convention
Sheraton Music City Hotel
Nashville, TN
July24 - 26, 2009
Some events that occurred were:
The Nashville club conducted their Freedom Essay Contest, funded their Fantasy Baseball Camp and supported their local speech & hearing center.
The Kingsport club supported their local speech & hearing center, Habitat for Humanity and the Boy Scouts. They also provided much-needed coats for children in the Kingsport area.
The DadeCity club had their “Kids Day” and supported the Sertoma Youth Ranch in the area.
Heart of FL Dist. Gov. Wayne Bardsley has been busy visiting clubs and handing out Sertoma table cloths to promote our organization at club functions. Check out his district web site at Ron Bochenek, Heart of FL Dist. Sec./Treas., was instrumental in authoring this site.
Sertoma Camp Endeavor, in Dundee, FL, received $15,000 from the Paul Newman Foundation.
The Hendersonville Noon club continues their support of Vanderbilt and VolunteerStateComm.College through scholarships and other gifts. This club understands “advertising Sertoma” and they celebrated their 39th year last month.
The Pensacola Seville and Tampa Breakfast clubs do a good job of planning several social events to maintain the energy and FUN of their clubs. This is just as important to veteran members as it is to new and potential members.
As I’m sure you read on page 18 of the Sertoman:
“Sertomans from the Central Florida District have teamed up with “Support Our Troops”, sending over 200 boxes each week to U.S. military units in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, Qatar, and Kyrgyzstan.
Jessie Brown, Past District Governor, and member of the Tampa East Sertoma Club states, “We have found this to be a more than ‘Worthwhile’ project. Our Service personnel risk their lives for our safety and Freedom.”
On page 19 of the Sertoman:
“More than a dozen military personnel wounded in Iraq were treated to a weekend of Southwest Georgia quail hunting. Albany Sertoma Club members transported the wounded warriors to the Southern Wilderness Plantation, and assisted with the hunt.”
The ‘Purple Heart Quail Hunt’ is hosted by plantation owner Lt. Colonel, Dan Hammack, Special Forces (Green Beret) in the US Army Reserves. “I was in Iraq myself and I came back in one piece. I just felt like we owe these guys,” Hammack said.”
RegionalUpdate
John Kerr has announced his intention to run for Senior Vice President of Sertoma, Inc. John is one of our own from the Greater Knoxville Club in the East TN District. As most of you know, John served the Region WELL as International Director for the Southeastern-Caribbean Region and, among his many roles in Sertoma, also served as District Governor of the East TN District. John is admired and respected for his service along with the service of his dad, Jim – Charter Member of the Knoxville Downtown Club – and his three brothers – ALL Sertomans! John’s wife, Dianne, is also a Sertoman. The election will be in our back yard in Nashville. I expect to see you turn out in NUMBERS and vote your heart.
We are working to set a date for a regional meeting in Georgia. More details to follow as we figure out where, when, what and who.
Preparations for the regional convention continue. This event will be fun and successful!
2008/2009 District Leadership
EastTN District – Diane Neeb
WestTN/Southern KY – Thomas Bruce
Central FL – Charlie Glenn
Northwest/Heart of FL – Wayne Bardsley
MS/AL – Steve Thrash
NorthGA – Steve Brodie
Bluewater FL/South GA – Arnie Rosenbleeth
Southwest FL – Norm Davidson
Quote of the month:
“A nickel ain't worth a dime anymore.”
- Yogi Berra
Joke/Words of Wisdom:
“I never blame myself when I'm not
hitting. I just blame the bat and if it
keeps up, I change bats. After all, if
I know it isn't my fault that I'm not
hitting, how can I get mad at myself?”
- Yogi Berra
Headquarters News:
Don’t forget to send in your reports! You can submit them on-line now by accessing them from the Sertoma website (
I am on a convention task force and welcome your input.
I am also on the growth committee. I need your help here. If we build it….they will come…and eat…and serve….and have FUN!
Sertoma Leaders
Chairman of the Board
(Woodrow “Woody” Hudson)
President President Elect
(Carol Moore) (Julie Hejtmanek)
TreasurerVice President
(Debby Larson) (Dennis Lawler)
Sertoma Community Support
Volunteer Development:
Provides support of the Certified Trainer Program and the trainings for clubs; development of new training materials.
Serteen Clubs:
Open to students 11 through 19, in the junior high, middle school, high school or community that promotes growth of individuals, good government, leadership, mutual tolerance and understanding among all people, and friendship and fellowship as opportunities for Service toMankind.
Collegiate Clubs:
Limited to college-enrolled students, this program promotes growth of the individuals, good government, leadership, mutual tolerance and understanding among all people, and friendship and fellowship as opportunities for Service to Mankind.
S.H.A.R.P.:
Sertoma Hearing Aid Recycling Program. This program provides hearing aids for low-income individuals.
Community Service Matching Grantsprogram exits to stimulate and increase Sertoma club fundraising and sponsorship efforts.
Calendar of Events
November 200815 - Sertoma Foundation Birthday
December 2008
1 - Foundation Early Bird Membership Deadline
1 - Club entries to the District Governor for:
• Service To Mankind
• Sertoman Of the Year
• Serteen of the Year
• Serteen Club of the Year
• Serteen Advisor of the Year
31 - Membership changes to Headquarters by noon CT
January 2009 10 - Postmark date:• Form 116: Quarterly Activities Report • Form 117: Quarterly Dues Statement 16 - District entries to the International Director for:• Service To Mankind• Sertoman Of the Year• Serteen of the Year• Serteen Club of the Year• Serteen Advisor of the Year 31 -Due date: Community Service Matching Grant
February 2009 - Promote Freedom and Democracy programs 11 -Postmark date: Serteen/Collegiate Reports
21-26 Regional Convention/Cruise
SERvice TO MAn
Mike Simpson – Director
6725 Creekhead Drive
Knoxville, TN37909
Phone: (865) 385-4267
VERY IMPORTANT
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASEget this information to your clubs. I would love to see it copied and given to all your members.
FINALLY….
Happy Thanksgiving! Count Your Blessings!!
[1] Exodus 18