Leaders,

Thank you for this wonderful opportunity you have given me! It is such an honor to be the 2011-2012 Governor of the Florida District of Key Club International. Not only that, but I now have the pleasure to work with the best and brightest leaders in Florida, you. I would like to thank you for serving your community, and for making my job worthwhile.

Eighty-six years ago, a couple of “Key” boys got together with a Kiwanis Club in Sacramento and created the first Key Club.  Do you think that the Charter President of this first club knew that this organization would eventually have over 260,000 members in 30 countries all around the world? Let’s jump forward to 1943, 18 years after the first Key Club is chartered. Key Club has spread throughout several states. The first district, the mighty mighty Florida District, invites Key Clubbers from around the United States to attend their annual convention. At this annual convention, Key Club International is formed, and the first International President is elected, our very own Malcolm Lewis. In 1961, a teenage boy by the name of Bill Nelson, our future U.S. Senator is elected to the position of International President. We are now the second largest district, and in my opinion, the best district in all of International!

I have set some pretty substantial goals for the Florida District this year, but I believe with all the amazing Key Clubbers out there that they can be accomplished. I have set a goal of 400,000 service hours, which means each of you must roughly do 20 service hours a month! I also have set a goal of saving over 25,000 babies, through the ELIMINATE Project. This may seem like a lot of lives to save, but I believe we can do it! Also, I have put an emphasis on the Mentoring and Modeling Program, my Governor’s Project. The M&M Program is any project dedicated to teaching a child a lesson. Whether it is sportsmanship or coloring, it is mentoring.

To quote a very famous movie, “There is nothing stronger than the heart of a volunteer.” Your heart will allow you to accomplish anything. Many people say that if you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. I like to think that if you put your heart into it, you will not only accomplish anything, but bring passion into whatever you are doing. It is not enough just to go to a service project; you must have that passion to be there for it to truly mean something. Someone told me a while ago, that it’s service with a smile. So this is what I ask of you, I already know you will be doing service, so I ask that you serve with a smile. Who knows, maybe that smile can make a difference, and as the Florida District we will make a difference, one child at a time!

Yours in Service,

Doug Ream

2011-2012 Governor of the Florida District of Key Club International

GovernorDoug@floridakeyclub.com

(850) 896-9359