"Without reflection, we go blindly on our way creating more unintended consequences... and failing to achieve anything useful."
~ Coach Wooden

What a week!
I hope everyone is staying safe and minimizing their exposure to all this wildfire smoke that has engulfed the Fraser Valley and much of the Pacific NorthWest. A little rain, minus any thunderstorm action, would be greatly appreciated right now.

This morning we had 2 guests.
Jack Covey from the Valley Huskers and Carol Tichelman Governor Nominee from Rotary.
Jack attended this morning because we approved his request for funds for the Valley Huskers team, and it is spectacular to see the Huskers on the winning side of the table to start the season this year. We also asked Jack if he has a few players who are available to help us spruce up our two Kiwanis road signs and give them a new paint job. #KiwanisIsCommunity comes through and we will be working with a few athletes to get those signs freshened up and looking spectacular again! Be sure to tune in and support the Huskers, their link to their website is included!

Other club highlights:

• Don't forget Installation Picnic this Saturday (Aug 25) at Gwynne Vaughn Park starting at 3pm, contact Dennis to add your request of steak or chicken if you have not already. Hope to see you all there!
  
• Pat M. brought forward the fact that October 20 is civic election day, he is looking for 30 volunteers to help in polling stations that day, if you can help, let him know.
  
• There is a form, for submitting recipes to the PNW to create a cookbook that will benefit SIGN and KCCP programs this year - to get the form contact Margie at maswanson1@aol.com
  
• Hogan Park car show went very well, thank you to everyone who supported the trailer crew
  
• Spokane conference was fun and exciting. Dennis, Barry and myself all had a great time networking and sharing the amazing things we are doing for Chilliwack
  

We wrapped it all up with a round of Happy Bucks and the countdown is on to Back-To-School!
Make it a great week everyone.
In the Kiwanis Spirit,
Michelle

Happy Halloween everyone! It is not too often we get Halloween on a Tuesday but this is our year and the challenge was issued!
Look at this good looking crew!

Updates from the floor today included: correspondence from the Salvation Army, the Canadian Foundation, ORN update, Food Safe certification update, and a reminder that Key Club will be in attendance next week. Additionally, not only was it Halloween, and a costume extravaganza, but we also had a few awards and the installation of our newest member. It was a great meeting to relax and reconnect with our fellow members.

We also celebrated the birthdays of Arley and Joene, as well as Ev and Joene's anniversary.

We wrapped up the morning with a reminder to slow down and watch for all the littles out and about for Halloween and a fabulous round of Happy Bucks!
Till next week, I hope it is a great one!

Michelle

This morning was another perfect summer morning, except I forgot the cheque book (I know Ken, you left me one job, and I forgot) so I had to run home and get it. Thank goodness for my VP and partner in crime Peter for bailing me out there! On the positive I was only 4 minutes late!
This morning we had Mike Ayers from the Ann Davis Transition Society as our guest speaker. We have been avid supporters of the Ann Davis House and Society since we came to be as a club! The Ann Davis gardens I have come to learn was one of our very first projects we took on as the Kiwanis Club of Sardis. This service in Chilliwack is critical, and we so lucky to be able to support them with monetary donations every year. We learned today that they have hired a child counselor to help with their backlog of over 100 children on their wait list. Mike also outlined some of their additional services that the Ann Davis provides. You can check out their website (Ann Davis Transition Society) to learn about all of these different services. As you all may remember, we have been collecting soaps and basic toiletry items for Ann Davis since late May. I currently have a dozen or more shoe boxes full of soaps, shampoos, brushes, wash cloths, dental hygiene products and all the other essentials waiting for us to sort into kits. Mike informed us that we do not need to make hundreds of kits but rather just a few 'family packs' and then they will take all of the rest of our donation and distribute them as they need. This is wonderful news, so we will get the family kits packed up and I will deliver our donation in the next few weeks.
That means if you have any more soaps, etc, please bring it in sooner, rather than later!
Other club updates that were shared included:

• A wrap up report on the 9th Annual Pig Roast and Installation, Abbotsford, Clearbrook, Bellingham, Chilliwack, Sardis and Golden Ears were all in attendance, a lovely night full of laughter, fun and good times. Check out Facebook for pictures including our own Dennis being Installed as the new Lt.Gov!
• Hogan Park car show was a success, sounds like it was a great time! Thank you to all those who were there.
• Do not forget to bring you Bubbles and Stickers for the Pediatric Observation Unit to next meeting so we can make a special delivery to Jessica and the nurses up there to bring a little extra cheerfulness to the ward!
  

We wrapped up with a good round of Happy Bucks and wishes of safe travels to all our members heading to Kennewick, WA for the Kiwanis conference.

Yours In Service,
Michelle

It feels like we are coming up on another busy season!

As for our regular meeting and communications, here are a few highlights:

• Board Meeting is tonight at 7pm! See you there!
• Pancake Day is today, so go enjoy some pancakes at IHOP!
  
• DCM is coming up- who's in to travel?
  
• Check out the Foundation News, January 2017 edition, Sardis Kiwanis gets a mention! Go Sheila and Key Leader!
• Peter, and a contingent attended the SD#33 Scholarship Appreciation Dinner, what a great evening! We will be reviewing scholarships shortly, Peter will keep us infomed.
• Soup Kitchen is coming up on Saturday!
• Kiwanis Kurling Funspiel was at the Abbotsford Curling Club on Sunday! 55 people attended, Dennis' rink came in second! Great job team!
• March 14, Lieutenant Governor Greg Weigrich will be atteding our meeting, so brush up on your American anthems for next week!
• Super Reader was a blast last week! Welcome back to Arley!
• We also did it! All we need 4 more people and Sardis Kiwanis Club will have 2 full tables at the Bahath Centre fundraiser on April 10(Link is to the Facebook event)! 
• We had a discussion about the history of Chilliwack, as a group shared some photos from the Flood of '51. The Facebook group Chilliwack History Perspectives is pretty interesting (Link is to that Facebook group)
• Finally we pass our deepest respects and condolences to the family and friends of Grant Ullyot who passed away this past week

We wrapped up with Happy Bucks, and onto next week is a busy week- we have an Installation, Matthew Francis the Curator at the Chilliwack Museum and Archives is our guest speaker, we also have a presentation, and all our regular awesomeness!
Have a wonderful and inspiring week, for the good of Kiwanis,

Ciao

Michelle

Another cool July morning!

This morning we welcomed back Dennis from his vacation and pleasantly reminded him to be prepared for the 23rd! We also want to wish D. Fryer a very happy birthday for the 25th!
We welcomed the fabulous Elizabeth Bennett this morning, she brought Stateside wishes and reminded us about the Kiwanis foundation and all its work it does. She also has a 'cause' you can donate to, at par, to help support the Foundation!
Meeting business and updates that were discussed:

• Peter reminded us of the great game between the BC Lions and the Saskatchewan Roughriders
• Soup Kitchen information was circulated
• Memorial for Major Larry Farley will be Sunday August 7 at 2pm at the Salvation Army Church
• September 21 is the next SIGN dinner
• Sheila has Installation and Pig Roast tickets - the challenge is for everyone to bring a friend and grow Kiwanis
• George provided us with an update from the trailer this past weekend! It was a great day from what we hear and the crew did a wonderful job! Thank you everyone for all your hard work!
• Criminal Record checks need to be brought in! Do not forget!

Our program today was from Habitat for Humanity, (for more information closer to home use this link Habitat for Humanity Upper Fraser Valley) which has now been allowed to expand to Chilliwack (previous border line was Abbotsford) they are looking forward to working here in Chilliwack and have taken over the old H.Y. Louie building. Their official launch date is in early October, but they are starting their campaign to gather trades, materials, money and volunteers now. They are quite the organization that prides themselves on "Building Homes - Building Hope"!

Next week we have Bowls for Hope as our guests and I hope everyone continues to enjoy July!
See you all soon!

Michelle