MidWinter Conference

Midwinter Conference

March 8-10, 2024
Publick House, Sturbridge, MA


Conference Registration

Deadline: Friday, February 23, 2024

Cost: $110, including lunch and dinner on Saturday. Breakfast on Saturday and Sunday can be added on for $25 per breakfast.

Hotel Reservations

Deadline: Thursday, February 8, 2024

We have secured a block of hotel rooms for $159/night (or $129/night in the Country Motor Lodge, which is a farther walk from the main building).

Reserve Online at www.publickhouse.com using Group Code 0324KI.

Reserve by Phone at (508) 347-3313 using the group name “Kiwanis.”

Midwinter Conference Agenda

Friday, March 8, 2024

3:00 PM – 6:00 PMConference Registration
Location: Crafts Hall
7:00 PMHospitality Room (Open to all Conference Attendees)
Location: Tillyer House Hospitality Room

Saturday, March 9, 2024

7:00 AM – 4:00 PMConference Registration, Exhibits, & Silent Auction
Location: Historic Barn
7:30 AMBreakfast Session (Ticketed Event – $25)
Remarks from Kiwanis International Trustee Matthew Cantrell and KFNE President Chris Holden
Location: Paige Hall
9:00 AMOpening Session
Join us for the official opening of the 2024 Mid-Winter Conference! Hear from your district leaders about what to expect during the conference.
Location: Paige Hall
10:00 AMSuccession Planning: Closing the Gap
Developing a strong talent strategy has made the greatest impact on organizational success. How can we engage and cultivate our emerging leaders to step up to the next level? Let’s talk about how to close the gap and bring your club to that next level.
Presenter: Emily Saalfrank, Area Director, Kiwanis International
Location: Crafts Hall
10:00 AMUsing FREE Google Tools for Club Management
A free Google account includes Gmail, Google Drive, Google Groups, and many other tools that can help you manage your club. Learn about how club secretaries and other leaders can manage club communications and data without paying for MemberDay or another service.
Presenter: Will Bradford, Kiwanis Club of Weymouth (MA)
Location: Pineapple Room
10:00 AMPast Governors Committee Meeting
Location: Library
10:00 AMHands-On Service Project
Help the Kiwanis Club of Greater Lowell stuff Easter Eggs for their annual Easter Egg Hunt.
Location: Ballroom (2nd floor)
11:00 AMKiwanis Children’s Fund
Come hear an overview of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund and how they support Kiwanis Clubs as well as Service Leadership Programs.
Presenter: Amy Zimmerman, Kiwanis Children’s Fund President
Location: Crafts Hall
11:00 AMCreating Community Partnerships
Wondering how to create lasting community partnerships to strengthen your club? Learn ways to make your club sparkle in your community!
Presenter: Gayla Bartlett, Kiwanis Club of Danvers (MA)
Location: Pineapple Room
11:00 AMKiwanis Foundation of New England (KFNE) Board Meeting
Location: Library
12:00 PMCommunity Partner Luncheon
Middletown CT Community Relations Officer Jay Bodell and his service dog Bear will be speaking with us about the peer support program that he is a part of as well as the program Bear came through, Puppies Behind Bars (https://puppiesbehindbars.com).
Ticketed Event (included in registration)
Location: Paige Hall
2:00 PMClub Growth and Recruitment
Learn tips and tricks to help your smaller club grow through utilizing existing resources available from Kiwanis International.
Presenter: George Delisle, Kiwanis Club of Westfield (MA)
Location: Crafts Hall
2:00 PMKiwanis Story
We all have a moment when Kiwanis service lifted us up and became the “why” to what we do. Let’s inspire each other- come share your Kiwanis Story.
Presenter: Eli Rivera, Kiwanis Club of Keene (NH)
Location: Pineapple Room
2:00 PMPast Lieutenant Governor Meeting
Location: Paige Hall
2:00 PMCircle K District Board Meeting
Location: Library
2:00 PMHands-on Service Project
Join members of the eKiwanis Club to assemble toiletry kits for youth in foster care in Central Massachusetts.
Location: Ballroom (2nd floor)
3:00 PMYou Have a New Member…Now What?
Growing the membership of a club is super important in order to have an impact in the community, but how do you keep those new and existing members engaged? Learn tips and tricks on how to retain and reinvigorate your existing membership.
Presenter: Kristin Holden, Kiwanis Club of Middletown (CT)
Location: Crafts Hall
3:00 PMScholarships: Roundtable Discussion
Does your club offer scholarships for students, OR would you like to start a new program? This session will illustrate different models of Kiwanis scholarships, from planning, promotion, forms,documents, selection and recognition, be it from $100s to $1000s. We will have a roundtable discussion to learn from successful clubs and from each other.
Presenter: Jim Roehm, Kiwanis Club of Newport (RI)
Location: Pineapple Room
4:00 PMService That Attracts Members
As the world evolves, so should the projects that we carry out in our communities. Find out how to keep projects attractive not only to potential new members but to our existing ones as well. Navigate the changing times and keep club projects relevant in today’s world.
Presenter: Elyse Denorfia, eKiwanis Club of New England and Bermuda
Location: Crafts Hall
4:00 PMPromote Your Club
Learn the best strategies to promote club events, milestones, and fundraising activities to garner press and awareness in the community.
Presenter: Adam Wright, Kiwanis Club of Westfield (MA)
Location: Pineapple Room
6:00 PMDistrict Social
Cash bar and hors d’oeuvres
Location: Historic Barn
7:00 PMDinner Session
Amy Zimmerman, Kiwanis Children’s Fund President, will be speaking to us about the Kiwanis Children’s Fund.
Ticketed Event (included in registration)
Location: Paige Hall
9:00 PMHospitality Room (Open to all Conference Attendees)
Location: Tillyer House Hospitality Room

Sunday, March 10, 2024:

8:00 AMBreakfast Session
Ticketed Event
Location: Tap Room (basement restaurant)
9:30 AM2023-24 Kiwanis District Board Meeting
Location: Crafts Hall

Featured Guest Presenters

Amy Zimmerman

President (2023-2024)
Kiwanis Children’s Fund

Kiwanis Clubs of Cincinnati, OH and Beavercreek, OH

Amy Zimmerman of Beavercreek, Ohio, is serving a one-year term as president of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund in 2023-2024. A member of both the Cincinnati and Beavercreek Kiwanis clubs, Amy served as Ohio District Governor in 2015-2016. She is also an alumna of Key Club and Circle K International

During The Eliminate Project, Amy was part of the site visit with Cambodia in 2015 to see UNICEF’s work in action. She is a Hixson Fellow, Walter Zeller Fellow, and has received the Children’s Fund Centennial Award. 

Professionally, Amy is the global program manager for the Procter & Gamble account at Rockwell Automation.  She has been recognized as a “Forty under 40” by the Cincinnati Business Courier.  In her personal time, Zimmerman enjoys playing volleyball and golf, traveling, photography, spending time with family and serving her community. 

Emily Saalfrank

Area Director
Kiwanis International

Emily serves as Area Director for the United States Northeast Region, serving the Kiwanis Districts of New England and Bermuda, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Capitol (DC, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia), Ohio, and Michigan. Emily supports the governors and district boards from these districts and provides support for membership growth and new club building.

Originally from Tennessee, Emily currently lives in Indianapolis, IN. We are pleased to welcome Emily back to New England!


Service at Midwinter Conference

During the weekend, we will have two service projects and a charity silent auction.

Toiletry Kits for Local Kids in Foster Care

The eKiwanis Club will be hosting a service project to assemble toiletry kits for youth in foster care in Central Massachusetts. Please consider bringing some items on the list below or purchasing them from the Amazon Wish List.

More details on the time and location for this project will be in the final conference schedule.

Easter Eggs for Lowell

Second, the Kiwanis Club of Greater Lowell is hosting a project to stuff Easter Eggs for their annual Easter Egg Hunt. Please consider bringing plastic Easter eggs and small candies to donate to this project, and stop by to help stuff the eggs. More details on the time and location for this project will be in the final conference schedule

Silent Auction for Pediatric Ophthalmic Care in New Hampshire and Vermont

First Lady Jennifer Rivera will host a silent auction to benefit the Dartmouth Health Children Fund for Pediatric Ophthalmic Care.

There is no specific theme to this silent auction–bring any item or basket you’d like! Auction items can be dropped off on the silent auction tables at registration Friday evening or Saturday morning. Bidding will close and winners will be announced during Saturday’s dinner. Winners must be present to pay for and collect their items.


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