Aug 25, 1997 File Memo describing visit of Kiwanis Carolinas District Governor

File Memorandum

Subject: NC Kiwanis Dt. Gov. Tom Dimmock's visit Monday Aug 25, 1997
Date: Aug. 25, 1997

Tom (whom I have known before) arrived from Raleigh about 4:35 pm and said he had to leave in 45 minutes to give a Kiwanis speech and then return to Raleigh tonight.

We walked up the mountain & talked about family and other things for 15 minutes then sat on the deck.

My main point is that Kiwanis has not responded adequately and should do a professional study.

After much back and forth, talking about success stories, and the Task Force report etc., he acknowledged that it could have been handled better. Other points:

• TK began not as a central office program and thus there is not the attention and concern about it there would be had staff originated the idea.
• Tom only learned about it in the spring and can't change what has gone before but wants some time to "make some calls" and see what's been done (by Chris Rice) and see where to go. I asked him to get back to me within a week--he said that would be tough with Labor Day weekend coming up etc.
• Told me how he sees TK working and I said I think he is in a fantasy world--and he thinks I am basing my conclusions on a small sample of programs.
• He said, is your intention to stop the program. I said it is first to change it so it doesn't hurt children and if not that then yes, to stop it. (That in fact academics had encouraged us in that direction)
• He said he would give me the point that it needs to be evaluated (though at one point he said they don't have time or staff to build in evaluations on the many programs they have) Again used the excuse of voluntary org. with no money etc.--we talked about the big building in Indianapolis & how they came to have it.
• It was an amiable meeting with a few somewhat tense moments but each time we stepped back and began again (once when I mentioned that we had not gone to the press but they were calling...he said, "Now don't talk to me like that" I said I just was trying to point out that we had bent over backwards to give Kiwanis the opportunity to take the initiative to make substantive change and they hadn't).
• I stressed the need for caring about the substance of the program and that Kiwanis had a responsibility for its fundamental design (though locals Kiwanians disclaimed responsibility for how a Principal runs it) I said our point is that if they don't pay attention to the substance, then they should take their name off of it.
• Tom indicated his interest in getting on the Inter. Board and then being Int'l President

END MG