Hey wassup Key Clubbers!
Welcome back to another INDB Board Recap! Unlike our other board meetings, June Work Day wasn't a full weekend, it was just a single Saturday on June 13th. This meeting was all about preparing for the upcoming months of the service year. We made sure everyone had the resources, knowledge, and skills needed to support clubs across the district. Even though it was "just" a work day, we accomplished a lot over the course of the day.
We were officially called to order by District Governor Dylan at 9:55am before jumping right into a packed schedule. To kick off the morning, we started with an icebreaker where we tested our research and public speaking skills through a pasta-shaped challenge (yes... pasta can apparently be educational). The victors were our Adult Team's Laura Holloway and Northwest House's Katelyn Chen. It was a fun way to wake everyone up before diving into work.
We also welcomed a special guest, INDB alum Mike Downs, who is interested in pursuing an opportunity on our Adult Team. It was really nice seeing former student servant leaders and their families continue serving our community. Once a servant leader, always a servant leader.
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Behind-The-Scenes of the Indiana District:
Our District Secretary/Treasurer, Nifemi Oluwagbemiro, walked everyone through stipends and reimbursements. Every LTG receives a stipend to help cover Key Club-related expenses throughout the year, while reimbursements allow board members to be repaid for approved district expenses like travel and supplies. It was an important session to make sure everyone understood how to properly manage district finances.
After that... It was my turn!
I presented on Division Council Meetings (DCMs).
We discussed why DCMs are so important not only for sharing district information but also for building relationships with clubs throughout each division. I reminded LTGs to host at least five DCMs throughout the year, send reminders well in advance, and even consider holding joint DCMs with their houses to save time while encouraging collaboration.
We walked through a suggested timeline:
And of course, I reminded everyone to document their meetings through photos and promotional graphics for newsletters and the RFL Award. (Future you will thank present you.)
The presentation eventually turned into a discussion as each house brainstormed ideas for future DCMs together.
Afterward, we paused for one of everyone's favorite parts of board meetings...
Photos!
---
Following our mini photoshoot, we discussed communication and organization.
The board reviewed expectations for responding to emails and text messages within 48 hours, keeping adult supervisors included in committee communication, and organizing our new Google Shared Drives.
The district drive contains nearly every resource an LTG could need from bylaws and branding resources to RFL documents. It's designed to ensure the success of not only our current board, but future boards as well.
It may not sound fully glamorous, but good organization makes the entire district run so much smoother.
---
Governor Dylan Crosby then led one of the biggest discussions of the day: Chartering and Reactivation.
We talked through the process of introducing Key Club to brand-new schools while also bringing inactive clubs back into the Key Club family.
The process includes:
Dylan also introduced everyone to the amazing and completely FREE One Day Key Leader (which you're totally going to attend... right?) It's a one-day leadership experience designed for students who cannot attend the traditional Key Leader weekend at Camp Tecumseh. It's another fantastic opportunity for students to develop leadership skills through service and interactive activities.
---
After a break for lunch, we continued with several important updates.
Governor Dylan reviewed Kiwanis Engage, the platform clubs use to submit reports and update officer information, before discussing the Global Leadership Certificate (GLC), where LTGs complete leadership courses throughout the year.
Our International Trustee, Grace Nelson, then joined us virtually with updates from the international level, sharing that International Officers are currently transitioning into their new roles while preparing resources for districts and planning for both ICON 2026 and ICON 2027.
---
Later in the afternoon, Dylan demonstrated how to organize Linktrees an
Then it was my turn once again as I presented about creating engaging newsletters.
Rather than simply listing announcements, I encouraged LTGs to personalize each newsletter by adding unique sections that members actually look forward to reading. We also discussed a few design tips that you all can steal too:
Immediately afterward, our district committees broke into work time to continue completing directives for the year.
Committee chairs then shared everything they've been working on:
Safe to say our committees haven't been wasting any time.
---
Picking Our District Theme
One of the most exciting moments of the afternoon came when the board voted on this year's district themes for Fall Rally and DLC.
Unfortunately, I can't tell you what theme won just yet, (I won't end up like Tom Holland) but I can share the finalists that didn't quite make it:
While these were both incredible ideas from our Events & Planning Committee, the board ultimately chose another theme by an almost unanimous vote.
If you want to know what we picked... you'll just have to come to Fall Rally 2026. (See? Marketing.)
I'm already excited to see all the graphics and decorations that come from this year's theme.
---
Using Social Media Effectively
For my final presentation of the day, I spoke about something I'm especially passionate about: social media.
I shared that social media isn't just a place to post graphics it's one of the strongest communication tools our district has.
We talked about:
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As we wrapped up the day we moved onto Birthdays and Awards. To my shock, the only Q1 birthdays were myself and IP DA Heidi Polizotto.
Quarter One Awards
Congratulations!
Finally, we ended the meeting with our traditional Roses and Thorns, reflecting on what went well and what we can improve before officially adjourning.
For me personally, my rose was getting to see everyone again and the complete lack of traffic that morning while driving into Indianapolis. My thorn would definitely be the fact that I left much later than I wanted to, which meant I may or may not have taken slight advantage of the empty highways to arrive on time. (For legal reasons... that's a joke. Mostly.)
June Work Day may not have included overnight stays or giant district events, but it laid the foundation for everything coming this fall and winter. From DCM planning and social media strategies to committee projects and Fall Rally preparation, I hope every member of the board left with new ideas and plenty of motivation for the months ahead.
I'm excited to see everything our LTGs and VDLs accomplish over the next few months.
While this officially marked the end of the meeting, it wasn't the end of the day. Planned by our amazing Best Duo Award winners, the board headed to Chili's for dinner to spend even more time together. It was honestly a blast, and I can confidently report that the Triple Dipper and Santa Fe Burger were absolutely heavenly. (10/10 would order again.)
Until next time...
Peace Out,
Darrick Colon
Side note: I got gas for $2.82. That has absolutely nothing to do with Key Club, but it was such an incredible deal that I felt morally obligated to let everyone know.
Welcome back to another INDB Board Recap! Unlike our other board meetings, June Work Day wasn't a full weekend, it was just a single Saturday on June 13th. This meeting was all about preparing for the upcoming months of the service year. We made sure everyone had the resources, knowledge, and skills needed to support clubs across the district. Even though it was "just" a work day, we accomplished a lot over the course of the day.
We were officially called to order by District Governor Dylan at 9:55am before jumping right into a packed schedule. To kick off the morning, we started with an icebreaker where we tested our research and public speaking skills through a pasta-shaped challenge (yes... pasta can apparently be educational). The victors were our Adult Team's Laura Holloway and Northwest House's Katelyn Chen. It was a fun way to wake everyone up before diving into work.
We also welcomed a special guest, INDB alum Mike Downs, who is interested in pursuing an opportunity on our Adult Team. It was really nice seeing former student servant leaders and their families continue serving our community. Once a servant leader, always a servant leader.
---
Behind-The-Scenes of the Indiana District:
Our District Secretary/Treasurer, Nifemi Oluwagbemiro, walked everyone through stipends and reimbursements. Every LTG receives a stipend to help cover Key Club-related expenses throughout the year, while reimbursements allow board members to be repaid for approved district expenses like travel and supplies. It was an important session to make sure everyone understood how to properly manage district finances.
After that... It was my turn!
I presented on Division Council Meetings (DCMs).
We discussed why DCMs are so important not only for sharing district information but also for building relationships with clubs throughout each division. I reminded LTGs to host at least five DCMs throughout the year, send reminders well in advance, and even consider holding joint DCMs with their houses to save time while encouraging collaboration.
We walked through a suggested timeline:
- DCM 1: Introductions and goal setting
- DCM 2: Service ideas and Fall Rally
- DCM 3: Fall Rally recap and Key Leader
- DCM 4: DLC promotion
- DCM 5: Elections and preparing successors
And of course, I reminded everyone to document their meetings through photos and promotional graphics for newsletters and the RFL Award. (Future you will thank present you.)
The presentation eventually turned into a discussion as each house brainstormed ideas for future DCMs together.
Afterward, we paused for one of everyone's favorite parts of board meetings...
Photos!
---
Following our mini photoshoot, we discussed communication and organization.
The board reviewed expectations for responding to emails and text messages within 48 hours, keeping adult supervisors included in committee communication, and organizing our new Google Shared Drives.
The district drive contains nearly every resource an LTG could need from bylaws and branding resources to RFL documents. It's designed to ensure the success of not only our current board, but future boards as well.
It may not sound fully glamorous, but good organization makes the entire district run so much smoother.
---
Governor Dylan Crosby then led one of the biggest discussions of the day: Chartering and Reactivation.
We talked through the process of introducing Key Club to brand-new schools while also bringing inactive clubs back into the Key Club family.
The process includes:
- Finding schools without Key Club programs
- Reaching out to administrators
- Recruiting interested students
- Connecting schools with local Kiwanis clubs
- Completing chartering paperwork
- And finally... celebrating a brand-new Key Club!
Dylan also introduced everyone to the amazing and completely FREE One Day Key Leader (which you're totally going to attend... right?) It's a one-day leadership experience designed for students who cannot attend the traditional Key Leader weekend at Camp Tecumseh. It's another fantastic opportunity for students to develop leadership skills through service and interactive activities.
---
After a break for lunch, we continued with several important updates.
Governor Dylan reviewed Kiwanis Engage, the platform clubs use to submit reports and update officer information, before discussing the Global Leadership Certificate (GLC), where LTGs complete leadership courses throughout the year.
Our International Trustee, Grace Nelson, then joined us virtually with updates from the international level, sharing that International Officers are currently transitioning into their new roles while preparing resources for districts and planning for both ICON 2026 and ICON 2027.
---
Later in the afternoon, Dylan demonstrated how to organize Linktrees an
Then it was my turn once again as I presented about creating engaging newsletters.
Rather than simply listing announcements, I encouraged LTGs to personalize each newsletter by adding unique sections that members actually look forward to reading. We also discussed a few design tips that you all can steal too:
- Avoid plain white pages
- Use text boxes behind paragraphs
- Highlight important information
- Add borders around photos
- Make newsletters feel more visually engaging
Immediately afterward, our district committees broke into work time to continue completing directives for the year.
Committee chairs then shared everything they've been working on:
- Membership Development has already created email templates, chartering resources, and graphics to help divisions grow Key Club throughout Indiana.
- The Events & Planning Committee has been busy developing themes, budgets, and locations for upcoming district events.
- Kiwanis Family & Connections continues expanding programs and partnerships while gathering membership information across the Kiwanis Family.
- Meanwhile, Service has completed several major directives, updated the Service Project Directory with a volunteer opportunity map, and created a brand-new District Service Spotlight form.
Safe to say our committees haven't been wasting any time.
---
Picking Our District Theme
One of the most exciting moments of the afternoon came when the board voted on this year's district themes for Fall Rally and DLC.
Unfortunately, I can't tell you what theme won just yet, (I won't end up like Tom Holland) but I can share the finalists that didn't quite make it:
- Key to the World (Around the World)
- Where Service Bloom (Enchanted Forest)
While these were both incredible ideas from our Events & Planning Committee, the board ultimately chose another theme by an almost unanimous vote.
If you want to know what we picked... you'll just have to come to Fall Rally 2026. (See? Marketing.)
I'm already excited to see all the graphics and decorations that come from this year's theme.
---
Using Social Media Effectively
For my final presentation of the day, I spoke about something I'm especially passionate about: social media.
I shared that social media isn't just a place to post graphics it's one of the strongest communication tools our district has.
We talked about:
- Posting consistently, even beyond required graphics
- Sharing event recaps
- Highlighting clubs
- Using polls and interactive stories
- Scheduling posts ahead of time
- Responding to comments and messages
- Looking to other districts for inspiration
- Maintaining professional, consistent branding
---
As we wrapped up the day we moved onto Birthdays and Awards. To my shock, the only Q1 birthdays were myself and IP DA Heidi Polizotto.
Quarter One Awards
- Best Newsletter: Baya Holt
- Best Communicator: Kamryn Christe
- Best Duo: Baya Holt & Andrew Hegna
- Lieutenant Governor of the Quarter: Katelyn Chen
Congratulations!
Finally, we ended the meeting with our traditional Roses and Thorns, reflecting on what went well and what we can improve before officially adjourning.
For me personally, my rose was getting to see everyone again and the complete lack of traffic that morning while driving into Indianapolis. My thorn would definitely be the fact that I left much later than I wanted to, which meant I may or may not have taken slight advantage of the empty highways to arrive on time. (For legal reasons... that's a joke. Mostly.)
June Work Day may not have included overnight stays or giant district events, but it laid the foundation for everything coming this fall and winter. From DCM planning and social media strategies to committee projects and Fall Rally preparation, I hope every member of the board left with new ideas and plenty of motivation for the months ahead.
I'm excited to see everything our LTGs and VDLs accomplish over the next few months.
While this officially marked the end of the meeting, it wasn't the end of the day. Planned by our amazing Best Duo Award winners, the board headed to Chili's for dinner to spend even more time together. It was honestly a blast, and I can confidently report that the Triple Dipper and Santa Fe Burger were absolutely heavenly. (10/10 would order again.)
Until next time...
Peace Out,
Darrick Colon
Side note: I got gas for $2.82. That has absolutely nothing to do with Key Club, but it was such an incredible deal that I felt morally obligated to let everyone know.