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How excited I was when Kin Natalie Harris and Kin Larry Cook announced to our Club that they would like to run for the Deputy Governor’s position for Zone 6, District 7. I was thrilled. We were all asked if we would support their decision if it was agreeable by the Club for them to do so. There wasn’t one Member that said they would not or could not give support in any way. So, there it was, the decision had been made. Not only did we have the excitement of hosting the National Convention Jig East, we were now going to have our very own Members run for DG’s.
Honor. Yes I was very honored after Kin Natalie and Kin Larry were elected for the DG’s positions and asked if I would be part of the team. Wow! Not only was I a Member of the best darn organization in Canada, I was now a Member of the DG Team.
And then the news came. I was absolutely shocked that a Resolution had been written to abolish the Deputy Governor’s positions all across Canada. Shock, well that is mild. The talk from our Club and other Clubs was wild. Do away with DG’s all together? But, why? I just couldn’t understand it. Being fairly new to the Association and knowing how things run, the tradition of things. Shocking!
National Convention came around. The day came to vote on the Resolution. How excited I was to hear that National had pulled the resolution and put it on hold for now. Phew! That has got to be the end of it! I was so pleased and I could tell by looking around the room that others seemed to be pleased with that also.
After having DG meetings with the red team (U R the Heart of Kin) and getting ready for the installations and zone seminars, the day came to start setting dates to visit the Clubs in the Zone for installations. Ours of course, was the first, with special guests in attendance. The disappointment came when it seemed to be next to impossible to make contact with any of the Clubs. Slowly the dates started to come in. Disappointment that after all the discussions of doing away with the DG’s there didn’t seem to be any interest in the Zone to make dates for installations. My understanding of the whole process is that a Club cannot function without the executive being installed for that year. A part of tradition? I thought so. The questions would be, is there not enough older Members in the Clubs to promote tradition? Is there not enough Members period to promote anything? Is there just lack of interest in keeping tradition alive? Or, is each Club so busy trying to keep up with yearly fundraising events and projects that there isn’t time? Who knows really why this is happening, but it is.
I was asked just recently at an installation how I felt about going outside of my Club and spreading my wings to other Clubs. I asked for an explanation. Basically the question at hand was, did I ever think of becoming a DG myself and what I actually thought of the DG’s going to other Clubs for installations and visitations? I explained that I was part of the team and that our Club fully supported the positions that Kin Natalie and Kin Larry had taken on. I felt honored to be on that team. I felt for the good of Kin and Kinship that traveling with the DG’s was all part of meeting new friends, and helping each other in trying times. That without the DG positions how would this be possible? Four times a year between the months of March through to September would be the only time Clubs would get together. Is that enough? How can we help each other to grow, learn and have fun without some kind of involvement with each other throughout the other months? We are all aware of various Clubs having trouble maintaining Membership. If Clubs in the Zone cannot ban together and help each other where is the Membership going to go to then? My understanding of the Deputy Governor’s positions includes being available to help and answer questions and give support to other Clubs. This brings me down to the other disappointment I am having. Zone Seminars! This used to be called Executive Seminars. This is now open to not only executive members of each club and their new members but to all Members. Why you ask? To help aid in the decision to each individual whether there is a position in their Club that suits them, or to help in the explanation of each position so a Member is more comfortable in running for a position in the Club because they now know what each position is about. We have one Club other than our own that will be attending the Zone Seminar. Well, how disappointing is that?
My point is this. How do we think the Association will stay alive if we do not have the interest in keeping tradition alive? I know we are living in the 21st century and things do have to change to keep up with the times, but loosing interest in the best darn organization in Canada, is not acceptable, not in my eyes.
Kin Karin Avery
Proud to be part of the Charlotte Fundy Kin Club