District Convention 2003

It seems to me that an increasing number of people read this site in order to a) get more info for criticizing me or b) to delight in my personal challenges and failures. I’m feeling particularly benevolent, so I’ll throw you folks a bone: I did not win Outstanding Club President. But you can leave now, because that’s about the only thing UA Circle K didn’t win this weekend.


Last year I sat here in Tuscaloosa and watched as clubs from all over the district walked away with awards that we should’ve won. No, not because we deserved them, but because we SHOULD’VE deserved them. I watched UA walk away with a few awards that it just didn’t deserve, and a few that we did. It was frustrating. President-Elect of what should be the strongest club in the district, and other folks came into our house and beat us at our own game. It was a tremendous motivator. That night, I made the decision that, one year the President-Elect wouldn’t feel the same way I did. I was determined that UA would live up to its reputation and if we got beat, it would be because another club did something extra spectacular. The rest of the board saw the same thing and, I’m sure, felt the same way.

We took that feeling, determination, and motivation and used it to augment our already strong desire to serve and to see the club flourish. One year later, I might be quite possibly the proudest individual in the organization. Our club is doing a tremendous number of hours, having an incredible impact, and this board has built a strong foundation for next year. We’ve been “studying” and “doing our homework.” This past weekend in Birmingham, we had our “final exam”.

Club Award Winners:
Club Percent Attendance: Bama (48%)
Club Man-Mileage Award: Bama (~1,200 man miles)
Kiwanis Family: Bama
Service Initiative: Bama (Better Basics)
Circle of Fellowship: Bama (Among other things, 27,000 interclub miles)
Single Service: Bama (Pet Therapy at the Nursing Home)
Scrapbook: Bama (2nd: Auburn; 3rd: South Alabama)
Club Newsletter: South Alabama (Bama didn’t Enter)
Achievement: Bama (2nd: Auburn)

Individual / Outstanding Awards
Governor’s Cup: Steven Yates (Bama)
District Committee Chair: Cathy Collier (Bama)
CKI Leader of Tomorrow: Kelly Whisenant (Bama)
Club President: Dryden Driggers (Auburn)
Club Vice-president: ??? (Bama did not enter)
Club Secretary: Cathy Collier (Bama)
Club Treasurer: Rachel Mims (Bama)
Club Administration: Jonathan Garrison (Bama)
General Member: Laura Osburn (Bama)
Walker-Curry (Lifetime award): Loni Atkins (Bama)
District Hall of Fame: Steven Yates (Bama)
Impromptu Essay: Tie for First, one from Bama
Oratorical Contest: ??? (Bama did not enter)

Am I bragging? You’re damn right I am. Auburn and Huntingdon are two extraordinary clubs, and to do this well in competition against them is a phenomenal acheivement. On top of that, we elected three district officers from our club.

Do I like the fact that I didn’t win Outstanding President? No. Do I think I should have? I don’t know. Did Dryden work her ass off this year and do a great job? Absolutely. Is our DBoard capable of putting their personal issues aside to make fair decisions? I doubt it. Would it have been different with a different board? I don’t know. Does the fact that UA won everything else reflect on me and make me feel better? Definitely. In fact, those awards are more important to me than the Outstanding President award.

Speaking of, Steven put on a great convention. Our LTGs put on good caucuses. Dana published his sixth Bama bugle. Kara did the scripts for the sessions and HOD (better late than never, right?). Steph did… not wear scrub clothes to all the sessions? Oh well, gotta start somewhere I guess.

Yes. I’ll write more about the letter from the IBoard later on tonight, maybe. Or tomorrow.