THE QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER OF THE CIVITAN HEARTLAND DISTRICT

International expansion has out-paced North American growth inclub building year-to-date. We ap-

plaud the European Division, DirectorTor Dahl, and General SecretaryCarmelo Cutuli with three club char-ters planned in Italy this year. We alsoapproved France and Madagascarinto the Civitan family of nations,bringing our country count to 47. Inthe Philippines, Asia Development Di-rector Dr. Tess Yambot is also seeingclub building success with the first YPClub charter last year, as well as thefirst charter of the current fiscal year(also a YP club). She is working on an-other charter set for later this springand two more in process that are tobe completed before September 30th.

Growth in North America remains a concern with membership andclub building not meeting the expectations and goals set by the leaders, bothon the district and international levels. Ultimately, it is in the hands of our vol-unteers…our leadership…to ensure the future of Civitan by inviting othersto join our organization and become active, involved members. Membershipis at the heart of everything we do. We cannot meet local needs withoutthem, and we need more members in our communities around the world.

We are also looking to employ additional field directors. This is a greatopportunity to build clubs with expenses reimbursed by Civitan International.If you are interested in this position or know of a good candidate, please con-tact Louis Stephens at Civitan International for more information.

Our President’s Council program enjoys consistent support amongstthe exclusive group is held to show our appreciation of their personal, finan-cial commitment. Plans for this year’s reception are set for Thursday evening,July 14th, in Norfolk at the Town Point Club. This exclusive venue is locatedin the World Trade Center in downtown, overlooking the inner harbor of thebusiest port on the East Coast. All President’s Council members will be in-vited to join President Juhlke for this invitation-only social. A reminder…thespecial drawing for a free convention registration to any current President’sCouncil member was held on April 1st. The winner was notified immediatelyand in sufficient time to join us in Norfolk as we again celebrate with ourfriends from around and is greatly appreciated. 

Plans for the Norfolk Convention are in the final phases with the hostChesapeake District Civitans planning a welcome party that is sure to be ahit! The “Spirit of Norfolk” is the venue and it will be docked just outside the

convention hotel.This year’s Golf Benefitwill be

held at the Golden Horseshoe in Colo-nial Williamsburg, Virginia (GreenCourse) the day before the conven-tion’s opening ceremonies. Around11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, July 12th, a buswill transfer golfers from the SheratonWaterside Hotel in Norfolk to thecourse in Virginia…approximately a40-minute trip. The benefit will beginaround 2:00 p.m. with participants re-turning to the hotel late-afternoon/early-evening. Golfers arerequired to raise a minimum of $1,500to participate and personally fund theiron-site expenses of $150. Our fundrais-ing goal is to collect at least $300,000

as a result of both events. Guests of our golfers can travel with the golfteams on the day of the Golf Benefit to take advantage of a $21 per personall-access pass to tour Colonial Williamsburg. They will return to the hotelwith the golfers at the conclusion of the benefit.

Putt-n-Chip participants must have a minimum of $150. The Putt-n-Chip will be held during the convention, with the date to be announced as thevenue and plans are being finalized. We applaud the Chesapeake District’sFoundation as they have once again voted to help by offering a matchingfunds component for club and individual giving through the Civitans at theHelm program. Golf and Putt-n-Chip contributions are eligible for the match-ing funds and these too are credited to the Civitans at the Helm program. Youmust act early to capitalize on these “free” dollars as they go fast. This year’smatching funds will apply to any club or individual contribution of $10 orgreater and will be available for the first $200,000 received at Civitan Interna-tional. Again this year, a $25,000 corporate match is available for any singledonation to help sponsor the Golf Benefit. Please contact Civitan Internationalif you can help secure a sponsor for this event. It must be a single donation toqualify for the match.

Speaking of raising funds for research, we also had the privilege to at-tend the dedication and ribbon-cutting of the Civitan International Neu-roimaging Laboratory located on the first floor of the UAB Highlands facility.What a proud moment and tremendous testament to our continuing support!In 2015, we were approached to help fund this new location to house a re-cently purchased MRI 3T whole-body scanner. We agreed to extend our totalcommitment by $250,000, with naming rights included.

(Continued on page 3)

International UpdateBy Civitan International President Debbie Bruce Juhlke

E X P R E S SSECOND QUARTER 2016

Civitan International President Debbie Bruce Juhlke and Heartland District Governor Marcia Dechand

GovernorMarcia E. Dechanddechandm@yahoo.com

Governor Elect/Leadership Development/TrainingFrank KellyAwacs85@gmail.com

Immediate Past Governor/Foundation Liaison/Board NominationsSteve Jacksonsjackson@blrmortgage.com

Past Governor DirectorDon Shultzpapadrs@aol.com

Secretary/DirectoryCarol Robertsonckrobertson@sbcglobal.net

TreasurerDale deReign

Judge AdvocateBill Buscherbsbuscher@sbcglobal.net

Sergeant at ArmsHank Janzenjameshenrjanzen@att.net

Certified Club Builder/Long Range PlanningJoyce SullivanJrenee314@yahoo.com

Club Growth and RetentionJack Fournier fournierhome@sbcglobal.net

New Club Building ChairDelsa AdamsDelsa.adams@sbcglobal.net

Junior Civitan ChairCarolyn Edwards Cgedwards46@att.net

Junior Civitan GovernorAvery Elliottaveryaee@gmail.com

Fruit cake/AwardsNorma Pewnormapew@gmail.com

Candy/Coin Box ChairBob Shell Bobshell1951@gmail.com

District Leadership Training atMeetings/ConventionFred Normanfrednorman@sbcglobal.net

District Convention/MeetingCoordinator/Audit ChairHarold Connell,brookiowa@aol.com

Public RelationsTerra MoreheadTerra.morehead@usdoj.gov

WebmasterDavid Overtondavid@overtondesign.net

Heartland Newsletter EditorAnn LivingstonAlivpif01@aol.comawacs85@gmail.com

Area 1 DirectorPatty Bottorff tkmud@sbcglobal.net

Area 2 DirectorDon Garrisondlgarrison43@suddenlink.net

Area 3 DirectorLowell French ldfrench01@gmail.com

Area 4 DirectorCharles Turnercharlesturner1946@yahoo.com

Area 5 DirectorMary Isabell m33isabell@suddenlink.net

Area 6 DirectorCeCe Cox cececox@sbcglobal.net

Area 7 DirectorPatti Manus pattimanus@cablelynx.com

–––––––––––––––– 2015 -2016 LEADERSH IP TEAM ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– IN TH I S I S SUE ––––––––––––––––––––––––

President’s Message 1John Fournier for President-Elect 4Hello Key Civitans 5Mary Isabell, Area 5 5Candy & Coin Box 62015 Banner Awards 6District Awards Information and Form 7Club Highlights 8Heartland Parks, Playgrounds & Buildings 10Heartland District Convention 14Civitan International Convention in Norfolk 15

GET ON BOARDTHE HEARTLAND

EXPRESS

The Heartland Express is thequarterly newsletter of the CivitanHeartland District. To submit clubnews or other articles forpublishing in the HeartlandExpress, contact:

Ann Livingston Alivpif01@aol.com 918-693-3965

––––––––––––––––––––– 2016 CALENDAR –––––––––––––––––––––A P R I L

Civitan Awareness Month/Grant and Scholarship JudgingApr 7-9 International Board of Directors MeetingApr 8 Heartland District Board MeetingApr 8-9 Heartland District Spring Event-Bartlesville, OkApr 16 Articles for District Newsletter dueApr 20 April Dues Billing Delinquent After this dateApr 30 Area Director Semi Annual Report Due

M A Y

May 1 Honor Key Nomination DeadlineJ U N E

June-July Club Officer Training - District Sites & OnlineJune 1 All Club Officer Elections Should be CompleteJun 16  Deadline for Heartland District

Newsletter ArticlesJune 23-26 Junior Civitan International Convention

Atlanta, GAJune 24 Deadline Adds/Deletes for July Billing

J U L Y

July 1 Deadline Report 2015-2016 Club Officer ReportJuly 11 International Board of Directors MeetingJuly 13-16 Civitan International Convention - Norfolk, VAJuly 20 July Dues Billing Delinquent after this date

A U G U S T

Aug 25 Heartland Board Meeting in WichitaAug 25-26 Heartland District Convention - Wichita, KSAug 26 2016-2017 Leadership Team Meeting

S E P T E M B E R

Sept 24 Deadline Adds/Deletes for Oct Dues BillingSept 30 Club Officer Training Should be CompleteSept 30 Area Director/Lt. Governor Year End Report

O C T O B E R

Oct 1 2016-2017 Year Begins

HEARTLAND EXPRESS 2

International Update (continued from page 1)During the ceremony,we learned that the UAB School of Medicine, cou-

pled with other funding sources, had satisfied the total debt associated withthe new equipment and building requirements. We are excited to announcethat we now have another structure on the campus with the Civitan name,with no additional financial commitment required! Our Civitan InternationalResearch Center brochures have alreadybeen updated to include this new facility aswell as recent developments and photos.

Make plans now to join us for thisyear’s convention in Norfolk, from July13 to16, 2016, at the Sheraton Norfolk Wa-terside Hotel. There are many reasons tocelebrate and the location offers a widenumber of attractions including the Chrysler& Military Aviation Museums, the NavalStation and USS Wisconsin, and a largeshopping complex. Nearby in Williamsburg,Virginia, tours of Colonial Williamsburg andthe Williamsburg Winery are being offeredat a competitive, affordable rate. We lookforward to seeing you this July in Norfolkfor the 96th Annual Civitan InternationalConvention. Information about the conven-tion is available online at www.civitan.organd that resource is updated frequently asspecific details are confirmed. 

Future convention sites are…In2017 - the Centennial Convention in Birm-ingham, Alabama, June 24-27. In 2018 –Reno, Nevada – date is yet to be deter-mined, and in 2019 – we confirmed that wewill all be going back to Europe for their50th Anniversary. Rome, Italy, has re-quested to host the event, and staff will beconsidering that area and others as thepossible site for 2019. 

The Junior Civitans are havinggreat successwith their annual Sno-Doand Dance-a-thon events. Both fundraisershave seen overwhelmingly supported fromthe adult clubs and other sponsors! Thankyou for helping the Junior members as theycontinue to demonstrate their altruisticspirit and dedication. Georgia Civitans willhost the next Junior Civitan InternationalConvention at the DoubleTree by Hilton At-lanta-Marietta Hotel. Mark the dates ofJune 23-27 for this event. Promotional liter-ature for the Junior Civitan Convention isavailable now. 

Changes in the YP Civitan program have been made to allow thisgroup of young members the opportunity to participate in the organization atthe same level as the adults in traditional Civitan clubs. Individuals from 18 to35 are the target audience for the YP club concept. New changes include theresponsibility of voting at district and International conventions as well aspaying the same dues structure as other member clubs. All the changes areeffective immediately with the exception that clubs having already paid their

dues for the year will be billed their first quarterly dues statement for the pe-riod beginning October 1, 2016. All YP clubs chartered after March 4, 2016,will function as traditional Civitan clubs and be responsible for full member-ship dues and enjoy the same voting privileges. The YP program is a great op-portunity to bring younger members into the organization. If you are interestedin learning more about YP Civitan Club building, resources are available online

at www.ypcivitan.org or by contacting theYP Civitan Staff Manager, Lauren Dover.

The year-end audit of the organiza-tion’s financial statements was positivewith no areas of concern relating to opera-tional procedures and oversight. We arecontinuing to struggle financially as dues in-come continues to fall short of the bud-geted projections. With fewer membersand income deficits in this area, the boardlooked hard at cutting costs in all areas andcan report that over the last three meetingsseveral policies and procedures have beenadopted to help reduce travel and meetingcosts, along with other associated ex-penses. With the recent announcement thatthree of our longtime staff members are re-tiring this year, two of those positions willbe re-staffed by one individual with dutiesrealigned to accommodate the needs of themembership. We have now, painstakingly,come to the realize that the need for a duesincrease and change in publication formatof the Civitan Magazine is necessary. Dur-ing the July Convention in Norfolk, we willbe asking for a dues adjustment to help off-set the rising costs of doing business. Weask for your support and approval of the $1per month ($3 per quarter, per member)dues increase proposal. Additionally, yourconsideration and support of our proposedbylaw amendment to offer the Civitan Mag-azine as an online digital only publication,at a cost-savings of $65,000 yearly, is ap-preciated. Publication of the Junior CivitanMagazine has already gone to electronicformat to help reduce expenses. It has beeneight years since the last dues increase pro-posal was brought to the membership. Wehave reduced headquarters staff, adjustedexpense policies, and continue to be mind-ful of our income limitations. Please knowthat we are continuing to seek-out andapply cost-cutting measures. Your supportof these two board-proposed bylaws

amendments and commitment to support organizational growth will ensure abright future for generations to come.

We should be very proud to be Civitans. This is Civitan Awareness Month.Our challenge is to make this the best one ever!

Warmest Regards,Debbie

HEARTLAND EXPRESS 3

TOP:The Spirit of Norfolk, venue for the 2016 International Convention Welcome PartyMIDDLE AND BOTTOM:The U.S. Wisconsin in Norfolk and nearby Colonial Williamsburg

TOMORROW COMES...IMAGINE A BETTER WORLD THROUGH CIVITAN!

Candidate for Civitan International President-Elect 2016 – 2017John Charles Fournier West Little Rock Civitan Argenta Civitan

HEARTLAND EXPRESS 4

PLAN FOR SUCCE S Sn John C. “Jack” Fournier is ready to work for you and bring your club to a new level

of success. n Jack understands effective financial management with over 30 years of commercial

bank experience. n He is goal oriented, project focused and results driven in the quest to maximize your

Civitan membership. LEADER SH I P MAKE S THE D I F F ERENCE

n As District Governor, Jack put a team in place to achieve the Heartland District’sfourth consecutive Quality Achievement Award, and he has been recognized as a Dis-tinguished Club President four times.

n He is a Certified Club Builder, JR Civitan Club Builder and headed club develop-ment teams.

n As an International Board member, the Board approved exciting initiatives and wit-nessed the historic opening of the Civitan International Research Center.

n He has the proven leadership background as a past chairman of several non-profitboard of directors.

I DEA S MATTER n Jack was the first Heartland District Governor to conduct a district-wide Webinar

meeting. n He has introduced innovative concepts and programs at the club and district level. n He initiated policy changes for greater efficiency.

MEMBERS COUNT n Jack believes that leaders should listen more than they are heard in order to serve. n Jack helps other leaders succeed, and he was an Instructor for Club Officer Geo-

graphical Training.

Let Jack know what you think is important for the continued success of Civitan Inter-national. Contact John C. Fournier, candidate for Civitan International President-Elect, at Email: 4niercivitan@gmail.com Phone: 501.772.5298 Mail: 28 Desoto Circle, North Little Rock, AR 72116

Hello Heartland Civitans!

What are you doing to make your club and Dis-trict the best that it can be? Are you invitingpeople you know, work with, or meet to a

meeting or one of your projects? Are you asking peopleto join you in the service, knowledge, and fellowship thatis Civitan? If you are a Club President, have you re-cruited at least one member? As youmay recall, that is the first step in qual-ifying yourself for Distinguished Presi-dent and your club qualifying forHonor Club recognition. Honor Clubrecognition is the barometer of a cluband its programs that ensure that eachCivitan gets a Return On their Invest-ment (ROI). We are asking all Districtand Club Civitan leaders this year torecruit one new member. The advan-tages to bringing new members intothe club is that they bring new knowl-edge and passions that the club canuse to improve the club and attract yetmore new members.Club Presidents and President-

Elects: Start planning now to attend our Heartland Dis-trict Convention in Wichita during August 26-28.Meeting Chair Harold Connell is planning an awesomecelebration and you are the KEY to It’s, Success. Weneed you and your club to come to Wichita! Please planto join us as there will be great workshops to learn moreabout Civitan, recognition for a number of individualand club honors and a lot of fun and fellowship. We willhave a special leadership session just for you and I will seeyou all there!We will be electing a Governor-Elect, Past Governor

Director, Certified Club Builder Director, and Area Di-rectors for Areas 1, 3. and 7 at the upcoming DistrictConvention. If you are interested in running for any ofthese offices, your first step is to contact the Civitan serv-ing in that position and ask them to share details abouttheir position. Your second step is to let the currentJudge Advocate, Bill Buscher know of your interest andhe will tell you what your next steps are. Once that is alldone, you will need to prepare a speech that you willpresent to the delegation on why they should vote foryou for that position.

I am interested in hearing from everyone regardingleadership training. Particularly, is the current leadershiptraining working for you and your club? If it isn’t, whatimprovements would you suggest?If you were makingthe decision, what would your training program looklike, who would take it, when would they take it? Pleaseemail me your thoughts reflecting on the questions that

I have asked. I am searching for Civitans or re-

tirees to serve as Field Directorswithin each state in our District. FieldDirectors are Civitans who contractwith Civitan International to buildnew Civitan Clubs. This can be a verysatisfying experience for someonewho has free time, loves meetingpeople, and wants to make a longterm difference. If you are interestedor know someone who might be wellsuited for this position, please havethem email me for more information.Have you ever wanted to wear the

blue blazer of a Certified ClubBuilder? Are you interested in being a

part of the excitement of a new Civitan Club BuildingTeam? Already a Certified Club Builder or Master ClubBuilder, your opportunity is now! If you are interested inbeing part of a major club building effort in the Heart-land District, then let Governor Marcia or I know ofyour interest. We are looking for Civitans who are inter-ested in building new clubs and being the Key to OurSuccess! Club building teams are needed in all areas ofour District so respond now! We need clubs to step upto sponsor a new club in your areas with financial andfellowship support. If your club would also be interestedin partnering with us to support newly built clubs, thenlet Governor Marcia or I know that your club is inter-ested and we will get with you to provide you with moredetails.

Thank you for what you do for Civitan, every day!You are The Keys to Our Success.

See you soon.Frank

HEARTLAND EXPRESS 5

GOVERNOR-ELECT’S MESSAGE

Hello Key Civitans!The Heartland District Spring Convention started

with a Paddle Party in which we earned $501.80 and theChinese auction earned $284.00 for CIRC.Marcia opened the Business meeting by giving us a

status on our goals and informed us of the following inour Saturday morning session1. We have 1165 members in our district2. 41 Active Clubs3. 7 Junior Civitan ClubsWe are in the process of building clubs in Jonesboro

and Cedar Falls, Arkansas as well as Muskogee and Eu-fala, Oklahoma. Encouraged us to build up membership to increase

the number of Golden Circle Clubs (clubs with 30members or more). Dan Brown gave a detailed speech on "How to Build

a New Club.” During that speech we all gathered intogroups to create an idea of a club that would be good inour areas; i.e. what kind of club (golf, sewing,etc) nameof club, when and where we would meet. Inspired us allto go home and build one. Fred Norman talked about leadership and how impor-

tant it is in each club. When was the last time you read abook on leadership? Contact Fred and commit to read-ing at least two books by September. Be sure to view the District Calendar for upcoming

international convention destinationsLook on the Orchid's face book page, they visited

every decorated Buffalo in Bartlesville!What makes a club last many, many years? Form your

own option as you read the stores of long standingclubs in the next few pages and get ideas for your clubs'legacy.Be sure to get out and enjoy what nature has brought

this Spring!

Yours in Civitan,Ann LivingstonHeartland District Newsletter

Who's the woman this issue? Mary Isabell, Area 5 Director

and member of the Rose City Civitan Club in Tyler,Texas.Captured her picture at the Heartland Spring Conven-

tion in Bartlesville. She can be contacted atm33isabell@suddenlink.net

Geographical Leadership TrainingPRESIDENTS & PRESIDENTS-ELECTBe sure you are trained for your leadership role

for the coming year. Locations & Dates:

June 25, 2016: Tulsa, OK: Registration deadline June 20

July 30, 2016: Little Rock, AR: Registration deadline July 25

HEARTLAND EXPRESS 6

Candy & Coin Box ReportBy Rosemary W. SmithDirector of Development & Administrative ServicesCivitan International, Inc.

During this past month, reports and tracking of theCandy & Coin Box Projects have been a major focus.I’ve attached the monthly update for your records. Anyclub name that is highlighted in “green” should alertyou that this club is past due in making their remittancesfor either the candy and/or coin box projects. Regularreporting and remittance of collections are required.We seem to have a larger than usual number of clubs

that have not remitted. I know that there are unavoid-able situations that may cause delays in reporting, but wereally need to know if the clubs are still operating theprojects. If they are not utilizing the boxes supplied tothem, we need to get those back for other clubs’ use,thus helping to reduce project expenses. If the projecthas become inactive, I also need to cancel the chargecards assigned to the individual/s involved. This againwill help reduce expenses billed to Civitan International.Your help is needed to identify and determine the

project activity for the club’s highlighted in green.Again, clubs should report monthly, but are allowed toremit on a quarterly basis if their projects are small. I amwilling and do work with clubs on an individual basis.We can all work together to help the clubs that are expe-riencing reporting issues.This is a great time of year to help get the club reports

up-to-date and avoid any confusion as the summer andfall convention months approach. Please get back withme concerning any problem areas and we’ll work to-gether to help the clubs’ succeed.Many of our clubs are having great success in raising

funds for their local programs through the Candy &Coin Box Projects. Let’s work together to make surethat all our clubs utilize these proven fundraisers!Thank you for your support. I’m looking forward to

seeing many of you in Norfolk!

Banner AwardsAt the District Spring Meeting, eight Clubs in theHeartland District Earned banner patches for their ex-emplary management of the Candy Box Project during2014-2015:

Wichita Gold RecognitionEl Dorado GoldMuskogee Silver RecognitionBartlesville SilverHutchinson Bronze RecognitionParagould BronzeHouston-Clear Lake BronzeSand Springs Bronze

Banner patches recognizing the Heartland District'sgenerous contributions to the Civitan at the Helm pro-gram during the 2014-2015 year:

CLUB LEVELCabot Admiral of the FleetHeart of the Rock Admiral of the FleetTopeka Admiral of the FleetWichita Admiral of the FleetChenal AdmiralHouston-Clear Lake AdmiralMetro Tulsa AdmiralHutchinson CommodoreStarlight CommodoreBartlesville CaptainEnid CaptainHope CaptainJonesboro CaptainMuskogee CaptainParagould CaptainSearcy CaptainSiloam Springs CaptainArgenta NavigatorCoastal Bend NavigatorLittle Rock NavigatorWest Country NavigatorBroken Arrow HelmsmanCivitan Orchids HelmsmanCorpus Christi HelmsmanEl Dorado HelmsmanHot Springs HelmsmanRanger HelmsmanRose City HelmsmanTwin Lakes HelmsmanWest Little Rock HelmsmanWhite River Valley HelmsmanWichita Falls Helmsman

HEARTLAND EXPRESS 7

PROCESS: The awards period will run from July 1st through June 30th. Clubs write about their projects in their clubnewsletter and distribute it to the Governor, Governor-Elect and Awards Chair. The article should be in sufficient detailso that any reader can see the impact the project had on the community in terms of Service, Knowledge and Fellowship,the amount of club participation and key leaders. The club also has the option of writing up the project on the genericAwards nomination form and sending it to the Awards Chairman. Nominations for persons to receive individual awardscan be handled with the same form. All nominations forms must be mailed to the District Awards Chairperson and post-marked by the deadline of July 1st.

AWARD CATEGORIES:The following awards may bepresented to one individualDistrict Honor KeyHonor Key to GovernorDistrict “Civitan of the Year”Jim Berryman “Civitan of theDecade”District New Member of theYearMost Outstanding ClubPresidentCitizen of the Year

The following awards may bepresented to all that qualifyLeadership AwardDistinguished Area DirectorThe following are awards to clubs.(One award with an honorablemention(s) at the Committee’sdiscretion.)Club of the YearProject of the YearService to the Mentally andPhysically HandicappedService to YouthService to the CommunityService to the ElderlyService to VeteransService to HomelessOutstanding Club Speakersand ProgramsOutstanding ClubBulletin/NewsletterOutstanding ClubScrapbookOutstanding Club Web SiteOutstanding BillboardPlacement

Note: The Committee and District Board have discretion and may elect to not present an award for a particular category if minimum requirements or criteria are not met.

International Awards for Foundation and Research Center, Int’l Fundraising and Honor Club may be presented at District Convention or Meeting.

HEARTLAND EXPRESS 8

Heartland District Awards Program

!

H E A R T L A N D C L U B H I G H L I G H T S

B R O K E N A R R O W M E N S ' C I V I T A N C L U B

In 1961 this club was formed to help the community out with;scholarships, Broken Arrow Neighbors, Broken Arrow Challengerfor Special Olympics and a kids baseball diamond and dugouts forthe Salvation Army over the years as well as many other Civitan In-ternational Research projects. The club meets every Friday morn-ing at 06:30 a.m. The sense of fraternity among these members hasbeen building for years with each meeting and community project.There are men from every different walk of life that come weekafter week, year after year that keep the club strong and able to con-tinue to give community service. (At left, an early photo of BrokenArrow Civitans installing a marquee sign at Civitan Park.)

M E T R O T U L S A C I V I T A N C L U B

In 1920 the businessmen of all kinds in Tulsa formed a Civitan club to be of service to the Tulsa community.Again lots of service projects for the Salvation Army,Goodwill, supported Boy Scout camping trips,support-ing children with special abilities in the Tulsa PublicSchools as well as Civitan International Research Cen-ter. The meetings were held at lunch in a downtownHoliday on Tuesday and are now at Red Lobster onthe west side of town. Again, the members come weekafter week, build strong relationships through planningand doing fun service projects which now changed toGolf Tournament, breakfast for children and their fam-ily with special abilities, taking kids from Gatesway to hockey games. (Above: Metro Tulsa Officers Installation)

C O R P U S C H R I S T I C I V I T A N C L U B

This club was formed in 1952 and since Corpus Christi is a touristtown, known as “the sparkling city by the sea,” some years havehad as many as 5 Boy Scout Troops and Civitan members clean-ing the Corpus highways. The Civitans biggest fund raiser is withlocal school cheerleaders in which they have a Waffle Breakfast andsplit the funds between them. They meet twice a month at theHoliday Inn Marina for fun, fellowship and a man that has madethis club last over time. (At left: Newspaper clipping from a 1953Corpus Christi Caller-Times article reporting the chartering of theclub. Pictured left to right are founding officers Floyd Lee, F.J. Grass-baugh, David C. Perkins and Ebert D. Cox, Jr.)

HEARTLAND EXPRESS 9

H E A R T L A N D C L U B H I G H L I G H T S

M U S K O G E E C I V I T A N C L U B

It will be 60 years this October for Muskogee; chartered in1956. This club is right across the street from OklahomaSchool for the Blind. These members have had several commu-nities goals in mind for them; building a playground, providinggraduation celebrations, Easter egg hunts and social gatherings,as well as a community garden. In addition they have really par-ticipated and received awards for Candy and Coin boxes. Theclubs length of service can be attributed to each member havingthe same pride and goals for the community as well as the club. (At left: Muskogee Civitans riding on a "Welcome Home" paradefloat at the 2015 Veterans Day parade. Seated left to right: Presi-dent elect Peggy Judkins, President Winnie Bowman and seatedfront Carol Shipman. The float portrayed welcoming home a sol-dier by featuring another member in her uniform coming througha door frame mounted on the float.)

D A L L A S T O W N N O R T H C I V I T A N C L U B

Dallas Town North Civitan was established in 1921, as the 14th club chartered in the Civitan movement. Today, theclub meets on the first and third Tuesdays at the Cactus Grill of the Double Tree Hotel at Campbell Centre.However, recently a new guest wanted to attend one of the meetings, but the staff at the hotel lobby didn’t knowwhere the club meets. The guest looked around but couldn’t find the meeting room (in the back of restaurant) andwent home disappointed. The guest was given directions and returned at the next meeting, but President ErnieBryant proposed installing a sign at the front of the restaurant and secured permission from management to hangthe sign. (Pictured below, from left to right: Ben Wheeler, Ernie Bryant, Tom Hollanger, Charles Powers, David Overton, Paul Dvorak and Jim Stinson.)

Is it easy for guests to find your meeting place? The sign below was simply computer-created, printed out onglossy card stock and mounted on foam core board, but more permanent, attractive plaques are available online atthe Civitan Supply House at http://shop.civitan.org/CIVITAN-MEETS-HERE-PLAQUE_p_350.html.

HEARTLAND EXPRESS 10

HEARTLAND CIVITAN PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS

AND BUILDINGSBY MARC IA DECHAND, 20 1 5 - 20 1 6 Hea r t l a nd D i s t r i c t Gove r no r

From a presentation at the Spring District Meeting

BARTLESVILLE CIVITAN CLUBThis park was built and opened in 2005 -- as the 1st ADAaccessible park in NE Oklahoma. Commonly called the -- Green Park or Dinosaur Park.Each October -- the Bartlesville Civitan Club offers to thecommunity a Civitan Park Day with games – balloon ani-mals – soft drinks and cookies.June 2014 – following 4 years of planning and fundraising --a large covering for the main play area was added.The Jeanalee & Charles Parsons Foundation contributedover 80% of the money for the shade cover.

ENID CIVITAN CLUB / YES WE CAN CIVITAN CLUBThe Enid Civitan Club hosted the Vietnam Veterans “Mov-ing Wall” in Enid in 2010. The project then began in 2011, after the moving walllooked so good in their Veteran’s Park – they asked theowner to sell it to them. Elaine Johns was instrumental inconvincing the owner to sell – at a large price and she said“Yes We Can”.They did many fundraisers and are one of the largest con-tributors of monetary and in kind donations. They hosted 6major fundraisers which they still do today.They host a 5K Half Marathon Run each year to raisemoney to support utility bills, maintenance & upkeep of thepark. This year the event will be held May 28th. Enid Civi-tans provide breakfast, water stations, organize the race, find

sponsorships and clean up following the event. They put out more than 182 crosses on the trail which bear thenames of all of Oklahoma’s fallen heroes.They also host a Car Show each year along with a Cruise each Fall to raise money for the park.It took 18 months to fund and finance the project. Civitans did all the volunteer work that was available to do – in-cluding painting walls, landscaping, washing walls, etc.They are hoping to break ground on the Educational Center on Memorial Day, 2016.

HEARTLAND EXPRESS 11

LITTLE ROCK CIVITAN CLUB • LITTLE ROCK ZOOThe Little Rock Civitan Club’s involvement with the Lit-tle Rock Zoo began in 1953, when they began the Kid-die Zoo project – a place where youngsters could getacquainted with tame harmless animals in close quarters.In 1955, a miniature train was purchased and Mo PacRailroad installed the track.In 1967, the club constructed a barn & donated moneyfor a rabbit moat.In the 1970’s, The Little Rock Civitan Club built a nurs-ery and equipped it at a cost of $24,000.00, so that ani-mals born at the Zoo could be raised and later sold ortraded.In 1993, The Civitan Club donated $25,000 to Friends

of the Carousel to renovate & adopt a lead horse named “Civitas”.The Little Rock Civitan Club has the following named attractions at the Little Rock Zoo-- 1. The Civitan Amphitheater-- 2. Two “Adopted” carousel horses on the Over-The-Jumps Antique Carousel - One lead horse “Civitas” andother named “Jim” for Jim Lathrop-a long time member.-- 3. The Civitan Pavilion – 10 yrs ago, the Club provided funding for the cover.

The carousel, which is the only remaining one of its kind in the world, is up & running at the Zoo – thanks to thesupport of the Little Rock Civitan Club. The Club adopted these horses AND provided significant additional fund-ing for the project and for the cover for the carousel.In 1997, The Little Rock Civitan Club pledged $100,000 to be used to assist in the construction of an Amphithe-ater on the grounds of the Zoo.

CIVITAN CLUB OF WICHITAThe Civitan Community House, located at 901 N. Porter inWichita, KS, is the home of the Civitan Club of Wichita.The building was originally constructed in 1926 by the Cityof Wichita to house its Wichita Fire Station No. 7. It servedas a station from 1926 to 1958. Its original design suitedthe residential neighborhood & lent itself to the remodelingfor use as a community center.After the City no longer had use for the building, neighborsin the community acquired it for use as a community center.When they could no longer afford the upkeep to maintain it,one member (who was also a Civitan) thought it would be agood place for the Civitans. His name was Lawrence Wells –

also an architect.The Civitan Club of Wichita acquired the property in the late 1970s and in the Fall of 1979 – began to remodel thefacilities with a Federal Community Block Grant.. Resident architect – Lawrence Wells – designed the remodeledbuilding and it was dedicated in the Spring of 1980. The Civitan Club of Wichita has used it as their meeting placeever since.The facility is made available for others to use as well. Other local groups hold their monthly meetings there. It isalso a popular venue for family events such as birthday parties, holiday gatherings, baby showers, etc.

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MUSKOGEE CIVITAN CLUBOn March 2, 1963, a Temporary Park Sign was installed bythe Muskogee City Council Park Board Chair & a Civitandelegation – followed by a luncheon & tree planting.May 12, 1964, the Muskogee Civitan Club held its regularweekly luncheon in the “Civitan House” – where coolbreezes were whipping through the “paneless” windows &“doorless” door.1964-65 – Civitan House was added to & progress wasmade on remodeling – a new roof, completely rebuilt fire-place, 10 ft concrete block extension on the south, rest-rooms, windows added, 2 new steel doors, a double kitchensink & plumbing. Power was installed along with an insu-

lated ceiling, attic fans, new tables & range.Civitan House was used in 1965 for several 5th Tuesday meetings – while the club was doing lunch meetings everyweek at different restaurants. In about 2004, the club decided to begin meeting regularly at the Civitan House andhave continued to date.The Civitan House is rented on weekends – one of their year round fundraisers.In 2007, they heard of the playground sponsored by the Bartlesville Civitan Club and a group of Muskogee Civi-tans visited their park. Don Garrison – President of the Muskogee Club at the time – challenged the club to build ahandicapped accessible playground in their Civitan Park. Leora Garrison applied for a 501(c)(3) for the club &began raising funds for the $250,000 playgroundIn 2010, they dedicated the 1st phase of the playground. In April, 2012, the playground was finished & a big cele-bration was held to dedicate the handicapped accessible playground.

PARAGOULD CIVITAN CLUBAfter 4 years of raising money thru the Roll to the GoalWheelchair Basketball Tournament and business sponsor-ships, the Civitan Park Inclusive Playground was installed in2015.The entire structure is accessible to anyone using a wheel-chair or walker. They can even “drive” the train. Paragould,AR – was named after 2 giants of the railroad industrywhose lines intersected and formed the town – JW Paramore& Jay Gould. Civitans wanted to honor their heritage inchoosing the design of the playground.The playground consists of numerous play panels for bon-gos & rain wheels, as well as regular swings, toddler bucket

seats and adaptive swing seats. The surface is poured in place rubber which allows walkers & wheelchairs easy accesson a smooth surface. The cost of the playground was over $100,000.00.The community joined together to make a positive difference in the lives of children – sponsorships for the play-ground included $250, $500 or $1000 levels – and business logos are placed on a sign at the entrance to the play-ground.The largest fundraiser was the Roll To The Goal Wheelchair Basketball Tournament – the 1st tournament was heldin 2011. Teams consist of 3 plays & they play half court games. Each tournament raised $3,000 - $4,500.With the help of the Mayor of Paragould and the Parks & Recreation Director, they were able to get a state grant of$35,000 to complete their monetary goal.

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CIVITAN CLUB OF TOPEKAThe Civitan Park in Topeka is located in Gage Park – justsouth of the Topeka Zoo and across the street from thenewly installed wheelchair-accessible softball diamond.Topeka Civitans work in collaboration with ShawneeCounty Parks & Recreation to sponsor/host summercamps each year (June-July) for approximately 25 youth& teens with intellectual/developmental disabilitiesweekly.Each Spring, Civitan Club members host a “clean-up”day at the park where they rake leaves, clean up flowerbeds, sweep and build new tables for the shelter house.Each summer, club members “attend camp” for a dayfor lunch, providing lunch for the campers and sharingconversation.

Civitan Day Camp went thru major renovations approximately 5 years ago and the Civitan Club of Topeka was in-strumental in providing monetary & volunteer support to upgrade the shelter house roof , install new flagpoles atthe entrance & purchase new playground equipment (with the assistance of a grant from the Prairie Band Pot-tawatomi Nation). This past year, the Civitan Club of Topeka purchased a new Dome Climber for the playground and paid for the in-stallation of a rubberized surface for a total cost of $5,000.00 – again with a grant from PBPN as well as from pro-ceeds of our annual Golf Tournament.When summer camps are not in session, the Civitan Day Camp is open to the general public for everyone’s enjoy-ment!

PRATT CIVITAN PARK – SAND SPRINGSInstallation of the 1st Vortex equipment (Splashpad) being in-stalled. The installation will be an aquatic play area that combinesthe sensations of different water movements—flowing, misting,and jetting.Soft opening was held in the Fall of 2015Grand Opening will be held in the Spring of 2016.

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DOES YOUR CLUB HAVE A PROJECT THAT YOU WOULD LIKE INCLUDED IN AN UPCOMING ISSUE OF THE HEARTLAND EXPRESS?

CONTACT ANN LIVINGSTON AT alivpif01@aol.com

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Host Club: Civitan Club of Wichita Site of Leadership Luncheon: The Arc of Sedgwick County

Site of Convention: The BEST WESTERN Wichita North Hotel & Suites

Rooms in Block: 25 on Thursday, 50 on Friday and Saturday

Room Rate: $92.58 per night, including full hot breakfast buffet and taxes

Room Block Cutoff Date: August 11, 2016

T E N TAT I V E S C H E D U L EFriday, Aug. 26thLeadership Luncheon 11:45 a.m.Board Meeting 2-5 p.m.Dinner on your ownHost Event 7 p.m.Saturday, Aug. 27th Past Governors’ Breakfast 8 a.m.Parade of Banners and Business Session 9-11:45 a.m.Awards Luncheon Noon-1:30 p.m.Workshops 2-4 p.m.Area Directors Training 2-4 p.m.Socializing 6 p.m.Installation Banquet 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 28thNon-denominational Worship 8 a.m.and Memorial Service2016-17 District Leadership Meeting 9-10:30 a.m.

Safe Travels Home!

Heartland District ConventionAugust 26-28, 2016Wichita, Kansas

Sheraton Norfolk Waterside HotelThe 2016 international convention headquarters is the

Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel with contracted CivitanSpecial Rates of $114.00 single/double nightly per guestroom. As a AAA Diamond Award winner, it boasts an en-viable location in downtown Norfolk: it is the only water-front hotel in the city. The hotel is near MacArthurCenter, Norfolk Tides Harbor Park and many other attrac-tions. The property sets the standard for luxury with lovelyguest rooms and a lounge offering free printing and Wi-Fi.A seasonal outdoor pool and casual seafood restaurant cap-ture serene views of the water.To make your reservation, call

1-800-325-3535. If makingreservations by telephone, be sureto request a room under the Civ-itan International Group Block.

Youth Program Returns AgainWith the success of last year's Youth Program in St.

Louis, we are bringing it back! A trip to ColonialWilliamsburg and the fabulous Norfolk Zoo are justtwo of the activities planned. Additional informationwill be coming with specific activities for our2016 Youth Program.Look for more information regarding this summer's

celebration in Norfolk! We look forward to seeing you inJuly! For more information about this summer's CivitanInternational Convention, visit www.civitan.org/conven-

tion or contact Mary M. Luck,Vice President of Conventionsat MaryLuck@civitan.org or800.CIVITAN x 121.

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Convention Registration Now Open!Planning is progressing quickly for this year's convention activities.

The Chesapeake District is looking forward to your arrival.

2016 Civitan InternationalConventionNorfolk, Virginia

July 13-16, 2016