Kiwanis Membership Approves "Satellite" Membership Class
The Kiwanis Club of Baytown has announced a new membership classification recently approved by its current membership that will allow new opportunities for local residents to share in the Kiwanis International mission of “Serving the Children of the World.”
Effective September 1, the local civic organization will begin accepting members under the Satellite classification.
Satellite members of the Kiwanis Club will hold full membership privileges in the international organization that prides itself in “changing the world one child and one community at a time.” However, Satellite membership will be available without the financial obligations of attending a weekly lunch meeting that is currently placed on the club’s Traditional members.
“Kiwanis International has been exploring membership options over the past several years in an attempt to broaden its membership reach within the individual communities currently being served by the organization,” Al Richard, current Division 28 Lieutenant Governor and past president of the Baytown club, explained.
“This satellite membership class will open the doors of volunteerism to more members of our community,” Richard continued. “No longer will Kiwanis members have to attend a noon meeting every week and incur the costs of those meals in its membership dues.”
Under the Satellite class, members enter under a 3-2-1 plan outlined by Kiwanis International. The 3-2-1 plans encourages three hours of volunteerism, two hours of fellowship activities with Kiwanians, and one hour devoted to business meetings each month. These activities will be scheduled at times that best fit the Satellite members’ schedules.
“We feel this unique membership status will open service opportunities to sections of our community that, in the past due to employment constraints, could not join Kiwanis,” Russell Ballard, current Kiwanis president, remarked.
“Shift workers, school employees, and those who commute outside of Baytown daily for employment will now have an opportunity to join a local chapter of a world-wide organization dedicated to improving the lives of children,” Ballard continued. “This membership class is designed to eliminate some of the obstacles that have prevented many individuals from joining our organization.”
Members currently engaged in Kiwanis through the traditional weekly noon lunch meeting format will continue to participate in service activities under the current format and will be actively involved in the Satellite members’ activities.
The two groups will work together in raising funds for local and international Kiwanis projects as well as participating in various charitable endeavors in the community. Kiwanis International is currently involved in The Eliminate Project, a world-wide service effort to eliminate Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus from the face of the planet.
Kiwanis International’s prior world-wide service project raised over $80 million to eradicate iodine deficiency disorders around the globe in the 1990’s. That project was heralded by UNICEF as one of the most successful health initiatives of the 20th century.
The Kiwanis Club of Baytown has been active in the local community for over 57 years since its charter in March of 1946. Baytown is a member of Division 28 of the Texas-Oklahoma District of Kiwanis International. Division 28 encompasses clubs in Baytown, Bay City, Texas City, LaMarque, Pasadena, Alvin, and Galveston.
Currently the Baytown club sponsors service leadership Key Clubs in five local high schools (Robert E. Lee, Ross S. Sterling, Goose Creek Memorial, Baytown Christian Academy, and Barbers Hill). In addition, the club serves Alamo Elementary through the Baytown Chamber of Commerce Partners in Education Program, having twice been named Partner of the Year for its efforts at Alamo. The club recently chartered a K-Kids Club at Alamo, the elementary-based service leadership program of KI.
Kiwanis in Baytown is well-known throughout the area for its annual Apple Sale in the fall that provides all funding used during the fiscal year to support Kiwanis activities. In the past, the Baytown club has been a proud supporter financially and through volunteer services of Special Olympics, Special Rodeo, the Gator Bike Ride, the Jailbreak Run, Habitat for Humanity, Relay for Life, and many other annual local events.
Anyone interested in obtaining more information regarding the Satellite membership option of the Baytown Kiwanis Club can click on the link “Become a Satellite Kiwanian!” located under the Site Pages button along the left margin of the home page.