Kiwanis International president-elect calls for more helping hands

Mattoon, Illinois, Journal Gazette and Times-Courier
http://www.jg-tc.com/articles/2008/11/12/news/doc491b99e6b4e0f992596284.txt

MATTOON — Listening to Kiwanis International President-Elect Paul G. Palazzolo can be a hoot. The Springfield resident is a walking joke machine — admitting he stole many of them while attending luncheons with other service organizations.

The 43-year-old husband and father can fill a room with laughter as he talks about his travels and hawks his wheels of cheese, as his club fundraiser.

“I always say my wife and I have been to almost as many places as our luggage,” he said to members and guests of the Mattoon Kiwanis Club recently during a luncheon in the American Legion Post 88 banquet room.

But Palazzolo came to offer a more serious message. Kiwanis needs more members to better serve their communities and young people in the future. “We need more eyes to see what is needed in our communities. More ears to hear the cries for help. And more hands to make things happen. And a sense of humor to make the meetings more fun,” he said. “If we have more people join these efforts we can do more.”

With economic hard times at hand, Palazzolo said the need for volunteerism is vital. People need to get over the “too busy” disease.

“We’re all busy. I am making time to make a difference. And I hope some people will say, ‘Hey, he’s a 43-year-old guy serving as Kiwanis International president. Maybe I can make time to make a difference with my club,’” he said.

There are 600,000 Kiwanis members around the world. They are dedicated to helping children in need and improving their communities.

In addition, Kiwanis supports Builders, Key and Circle K clubs, which offer leadership training to young people ranging from junior and senior high to college. Several members of local Builders and Key Club organizations attended Palazzolo’s visit, which one local Kiwanian said was the first for an international president in the history of the Mattoon organization.

“With these youth organizations we are providing leadership training. I met some Key Club members I first encountered years ago. They credit their leadership skills with their years in these Kiwanis organizations,” he said.

Palazzolo said one Kiwanian leader of 80 years ago helped set the course for providing service to children in need.

“He was driving a boy to a hospital in Indiana and the boy asked him, ‘Are you God?’ Well, the man said he wasn’t God. And the boy said, ‘If you’re not God you must be one of his best helpers.’”

That moving moment has inspired many Kiwanis volunteers through the years.

“One person can make a difference. And that child’s question has impacted our whole organization,” Palazzolo said.