Wednesday,  Sept 30, 2009

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time.

The Kiwanis Club of La Cañada meets every Wednesday at Noon Visitors are Welcome Van de Kamp Hall in Descanso Gardens 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada, CA  91011

Upcoming Events

October 7,  2009 Stephanie English - LA County Fire Community Liaison Wednesday Lunch Meeting, VanDeKamp Hall @ Descanso Gardens October 14,  2009 Don Sheppard - President and Founder of LA Futbol Club Wednesday Lunch Meeting, VanDeKamp Hall @ Descanso Gardens October 21,  2009 Stephen McNally - President of the Pasadena Humane Society Wednesday Lunch Meeting, VanDeKamp Hall @ Descanso Gardens TRAVELOGUE SCHEDULE: October 17, 2009- Buhtan: The Cloud Kingdom November 21, 2009 – Crossing the Mediterranean February 20, 2010 – Egypt and the Nile March 29, 2010 – Inside Iran Today April 17, 2010 – Burma May 15, 2010 – Great Rocky Adventure   Kiwanis Board Of Directors  Meet The First Thursday Of Each Month At The La Cañada Community Center– 7:00 Pm February 5, March 5, April 2, May 7, June 4, July 2, August 6, September 3, October 1, November 5, and December 3. Click on the following button to view the long term calendar

What a lovely setting for our annual Installation Dinner.  Oakmont Country Club welcomed us with great service and a spacious room.  We were greeted by outgoing Treasurer, John Landrum, at the check-in table and entertained by Tom Burrows at the piano while we mingled before dinner with the over 100 members and guests who attended.  Family and friends joined handsome incoming President Nick Berkuta and his gracious wife, Mary Ann.  Nick and Mary Ann circulated around the room with their daughter Christy, her husband Dan Hancock, their son Nick IV and his wife, Johanna.  We enjoyed meeting "the kids" and were sorry their youngest son Robert was unable to attend due to a new job.

Nick's Family

The evening officially began with a bell ringing Call to Order by Outgoing President Carl Christensen.  Wendy Smith and Tom Burrows led us in singing God Bless America, Mark Alexander (Nick's Kiwanis sponsor) led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Bea Cirar gave the invocation. 

Wendy and Tom                                         Bea Cirar

After dinner, the Berkuta's good friend - Doug Drummond - opened the program as Master of Ceremonies. 

Doug Drummond

Carl Christensen presented the Rookie of the Year award to Cory Stevens, who arranged our social events, chaired the Silent Auction for our recent Wine and Gourmet Food Tasting fundraiser, and became a board member - all during her first year with our Club.

Carl and Cory

Carl's second presentation of the prestigious Gil Smith Award went to Nick Berkuta.  Nick joined our Club in August 2005 and hit the deck running; he is the consummate volunteer and was Carl's right-hand man for the last twelve months.

Nick and Carl

Richard Slavett, our outgoing Division 3 Lieutenant Governor, retired the 2008-2009 officers and directors.  Roy Talley, our 2009-2010 Governor of the Kiwanis Cal-Nev-Ha District installed the new 2009-2010 officers and directors. 

Richard Slavett and Carl

OFFICERS

President                                 Nick Berkuta

Immediate Past President       Carl Christensen

President-Elect                        Bill Watts

Vice President                         Jim Stratton

Secretary                                 Skip Boyd

Treasurer                                 Bob Wallace

DIRECTORS

                 2008-2010                                                                   2009-2011

            Mary Gant                                                                     Diane Della Valle

            Harriet Hammons                                                        Brian Fuller

            Cory Stevens                                                               Linda Magarian

            Melinda Thompson                                                      Fred Schooley

            Paul Westmoreland                                                    

State Assemblyman and Kiwanis member Anthony Portantino and Don Voss, Mayor Pro Tem of LCF presented Carl Christensen with proclamations and awards for his great year as president of our club. 

              Carl and Anthony                                           Don Voss and Carl

 Heinrich Keifer, our new Division 3 Lieutenant Governor, hosted these and other presentations.

Nick, Carl and Heinrich Keifer

 
Nick and Don

Nick and Maryann

Newly inducted President Nick finally had a chance to make his acceptance speech.  He has a wonderful motto for his upcoming year:

You may be one person to the world,

But to one person you may be the world!

This lovely evening ended with entertainment provided by soloist Wendy Smith and accompanist Tom Burrows. Wendy sang several well known romantic songs, and then the installation dinner ended as everyone sang together - Hail Kiwanis.