My long “career” with Kiwanis has given me such a wealth of experience that I feel compelled to put it to work for current and future generations of Kiwanians!

 

As vice president of KI-E, I will present a multi-point plan.

 

First of all, even though this is nothing new, we must focus our efforts on development and recruitment. I have a few ideas on that…

 

Next, raising awareness about Kiwanis: during my term as governor, in collaboration with a friend from French television—a food critic—we created the comic book One Year to Eat Better, aimed at our children and addressing junk food. Twelve Michelin-starred French chefs participated in the project! To date, we’ve sold these comic books directly at Kiwanis events, which has led to media coverage on TV, radio, and in print, and to the sale of over 50,000 copies of volumes 1 and 2. Furthermore, we’ve seen a significant positive impact, including substantial financial revenue for all clubs (+€200,000). I am currently in talks to publish an English version of Volume 1.

 

Furthermore, I place great importance on welcoming new members. Easy, you might say? Indeed, easier said than done! In reality, we often find that new members stay for six months or a year, then leave. There are a few tips—or rather, mistakes to avoid. New members must feel welcome; they must feel supported and cared for—and above all, they must not get the impression that experienced members form a closed group or clique; they must not feel isolated or left out.

 

Another important point concerns Kiwanis Voices: we’ve just launched our first club in France! 

My knowledge of Kiwanis, gained over the past fifty years, will be my main strength in helping, sharing, building… and of course fostering camaraderie, the lifeblood of our ability to help children. I have been developing this for over 20 years in Romania, and through my years of humanitarian work in Africa, Morocco, Togo, and the Congo.