Kiwanis Key  07/31/2026
 
With a smaller summer crowd, President Stephen got us started and called on Kirby “The Crooner” White to lead in singing and the Pledge.
President-Elect Jay Gothard gave the invocation.
Please remember the following members in your prayers:
Charles T. Haigh, Tim Dunn (surgery complications), Robby Talton’s wife Deanna, Barbara Porter’s daughter-in-law Nicole, Kirby White (still recovering ), Danny Highsmith (recovering at home), Lee and Sue Warren, Kalli Ziegler, Norwood Bryan and Henry Tyson’s daughter. Lisa Childers is recovering from a ruptured calf muscle.
Guests: We welcomed Kirby’s wife Jeane and Kia Palmer.
Club News
  1. Golf Committee – The committee is very active in preparation for the upcoming event in October. Be on the lookout for a communication from someone on the committee requesting your participation.
  2. Splash{ad Challenge – John “The Italian Stallion” Malzone is still offering his splashpad challenge. Come get immersed at the splashpad next to Kiwanis Recreation Center in your street clothes and John will donate $100 per “splashee” to the Kiwanis Endowment.
Birthdays this week: Happy birthday to Stewart Augustine (who?) on July 28
Guess the Kiwanian – Facts about this Kiwanian: Born outside Columbus, Ohio, One of 4 children, Father worked for TWA airlines and mother taught nursing, graduated from Ohio State University, flunked drivers due to not being able to parallel park, played the trombone in the marching band, took organ lessons for 12 years, served as a counselor for a youth group in Rocky Mount, worked for Belk Department Store and helped start the Real Time Crime Center for the Fayetteville PD. If you guessed Kim Thomas, you were correct. Coincidentally, Jay Gothard guessed correctly and picked up a raffle ticket.
 
The Program

The program, introduced by Camilo Estramadoiro, was presented by Mark Gronski. Mark is Director of Health and Counseling services at Methodist University. Mike’s program was about the importance of good mental health and how this is critical to our overall well-being. As any good presenter does, he shared some interesting statistics:

  • 1 in 5 Americans experience mental health illness each year
  • Suicide is a symptom of depression
  • Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in people ages 10-24
  • The ratio of school psychologists to students in America is 1 to 1,975
  • 1 in 7 youth (ages 6-17) experience a mental health disorder each year
Mike went on to talk about ways to deal with mental health issues and ways to sustain your well-being. There is still a stigma in our society in talking about mental health issues, but that is getting better due to the expansive nature of the illness. This was a very interesting program, thanks Camilo!
 
The Presidential Coercion Fund Activity (50/50 raffle) for $38 was won by Shannon Arnold.
Parting words:  You make a living by what you get, you make a life by what you give.
 
Until next time, Mark W. Rice