KIWANIS CLUB OF ALLEN, TEXAS

Mike McChesney

Club President 1997 - 1998

Looking back, I see my year as president as a very enjoyable year getting to know my club members better and working with all of them. We had a very active board and felt like we accomplished what we set out to do: To grow the membership and to have a monthly project.

We started out in August at my place having pizza and listening to the Cowboys play their preseason game. That was the only way I could get Susie Bartlemay to come to the planning retreat meeting. We started off by declaring we were going to be “a project club” vs “a check writing club” by scheduling a project each month. From that meeting it only got better. We had our Peanut Day, but after it started to rain and there was an accident at one of our corners, I remember Craig Gillis telling us in was time for us to close up shop. That was our last Kiwanis Peanut Day.

That was the same year that David Olson was Lt. Governor. When the year started I told David that the club and I would do whatever we could to assist him during his term. Boy, did I make a mistake there. I didn’t know that the Allen club would be the club to be used as an example or take the lead of all other clubs. But the good side of that is with David as the Lt. Governor and Sandy McNair as the club secretary, getting our club to be recognized as a distinguish club was as easy as asking, “what do we need to get there?” They were always there to tell me what was needed and when it was needed.

I remember for our pancake breakfast, in order to sell the tickets, we had a contest called “Beat the President” in sales. I was showing possible prizes such as cruises and vacation spots. Well, I then found out just how good a sales person Barb Peavy is. I think Barb sold over 100 tickets that year. I hope she enjoyed her dinner on me. Barb was also instrumental in bringing in several members that year. We had the biggest membership growth in the Division.

During my term we celebrated on 10^th anniversary at the D’ Armand’s Restaurant in McKinney. We invited the McKinney club as our sponsoring club, Governor Andy Estrada attended and Neil Sperry was our honorary member and speaker. Several Past Lt Governors and members of our Division attended our celebration event.

My 14 years with the Allen Kiwanis Club has been very enjoyable and I have met and made many friends during this time. I have always felt the club to be like a family to me. I try to attend every Thursday meeting and when I can’t, I feel a void. I have seen the club do so many good things for the community. I have watched the membership come together as a unit in times of need.