go.

During my time as WUM CKI (Wisconsin-Upper Michigan Circle K) District Administrator, I was called upon to give comments, advice, etc. on more than one occasion. Probably the most public of these "pearls of wisdom" (using the term loosely if these comments are coming from me) is the Administrator Comments at the closing session of our annual district convention.

I'm not one to toot my own horn. However, I received numerous complements (and a standing ovation, which quite frankly, shocked the hell out of me) on my speech at the closing session of the 2009 District Convention: Superheroes for Service. The one I hold most dear is from Stan, whom I replaced as Administrator (and those are extremely big shoes to fill): "I wanted to tell you that your comments at the closing session yesterday were great. Certainly, better than any I ever did. I should have been enlisting your skills as a speechwriter the whole time."

But that is not why I decided to post the speech.

The purpose of the speech was to (nicely) light the proverbial fire under the ass and mobilize people to action. That action? Service.

Keep in mind the Kiwanis (CKI's parent organization) defining statement: Kiwanis International is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time.

What does this mean? CKI is not about politics. It's not about the titles and the shiny name badge. It's about serving others and the community. It's about working toward a common goal: the greater good and making the world at least a little better than we found it.

So, without further adieu, the speech...

The average is the borderline that keeps men in their place. Those who step over the line are heroes by the very act. Go.

I reference this quote for two reasons. First, using this quote probably makes me the only administrator to ever reference Henry Rollins. Second, the quote speaks to me. Those that go above and beyond, those that think outside the box, those that make a difference…are heroes…superheroes for service.

My good friend recently wrote an article about service clubs for Milwaukee Magazine. She contacted me to get a Kiwanis angle. Initially, she was going to write about a Kiwanis fundraiser we attended…until I started talking about Kiwanis Family Service Day. A lot. After all, Kiwanis and the whole K-Family is about service. It’s the reason I became involved with CKI. Needles to say, she was intrigued. I mean, how many organizations have an event that log 800 hours of service…in one day?

KFSD was originally the cornerstone of the article. Unfortunately, editors frequently want a story to go in a different direction – and so it did.

However, my friend asked the poignant question: Why? Why do you do this?

I sincerely never thought about it. I was brought up in a family that consistently served. My mom volunteered in the school library, amongst other things. My dad delivers food to the Women’s Shelter in southeast DC on a monthly basis – something he’s been doing since I was a kid. Really, I thought giving back and serving the community was something you were supposed to do.

But it got me thinking…why? Why do we devote so much time and energy to service?

If you know me, eloquence is not one of my strengths. However, my friend also interviewed Bree Boettcher, your Service Chair for the article. She summed it up better than I ever could: “I think the more important question is not why, but rather, why not? Why not choose to rake for the elderly or sort food at a shelter? Why not raise money to help the life-changing Easter Seals camps or to provide water purification salts for Africa? It is simply the right thing to do. How can I ever sit idle and not volunteer when there are people who need me? So my answer to anyone who ever asks a volunteer why is: why not?”

Why not indeed? WUM CKI definitely said why not…

This year, we logged over 11,000 of service hours – approximately 24 hours per member. Or think of it this way - there are 8760 hours in a year. This means every hour of every day, at least one WUM CKI members was performing service. From walking dogs at the Humane Society to providing respite for parent at United Cerebral Palsy to participating in Relay for Life and March for Babies to raise money for worthy causes - you have served your communities well. And you have served with enthusiasm, determination and passion…to make a difference.

Each and every one of you are heroes to these individuals and communities…true superheroes for service.

Yes, each ONE. “One can make a difference.” And it’s true…all it takes is one. One person. One club. One division. One district. One organization. One vision…

Go.