Civitans: Helping People and Having Fun

Civitans: Helping People and Having Fun 

Four years ago I was invited to join a group of people to do some things to make our community better.  The group was the Greater Wetumpka Civitan Club.  I joined for several reasons:  I had been a Civitan 35 years earlier; I was a Junior Civitan in High School, My grandfather, father and two uncles were Civitans; my Boy Scout Troop was sponsored by the local Civitan club; and last but not least, of the 30 Charter members I knew only two. 

I spent this past weekend with almost 100 Civitans at the Alabama-West Florida District Convention at WindCreek Casino and Hotel in Atmore, Alabama.  WindCreek is owned and operated by the Porch Band of Creek Indians, a tribe native to Alabama.  As Civitans, we truly fulfilled our commitment to “have fun while doing good!” 

Before I sharing insights from the weekend, I want to share with you a little of what Civitan is and what Civitans do.                                                                                                                                         

Civitan International was founded by a group of businessmen in Birmingham, Alabama in 1912. Civitan has a focus on helping people with developmental disabilities, and funding research into illnesses of the human brain at the Civitan International Research Center, which is located at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.  However, local clubs do so much more.

Each Civitan club is different, but they all have one thing in common: Civitans help people, and have fun doing it.   The Civitan Creed which follows will give you a good idea who we are: 

Civitan Creed
I AM CIVITAN: as old as life, as young as the rainbow, as endless as time.

MY HANDS do the work of the world and reach out in service to others.

MY EARS hear the cry of children and the call throughout the world for peace, guidance, progress, and unity.

MY EYES search for others to join in the fellowship and service of Civitan.

MY MOUTH utters the call to daily duty and speaks prayers in every tongue.

MY MIND teaches me respect for law and the flag of my country.

MY HEART beats for every friend, bleeds for every injury to humanity, and throbs with joy at every triumph of truth.

MY SOUL knows no fear but its own unworthiness.

MY HOPE is for a better world through Civitan.

MY MOTTO: Builders of Good Citizenship

MY BELIEF: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

MY PLEDGE: to practice the Golden Rule and to build upon it a better and noble citizenship. 

The Alabama-West Florida Civitan District encompasses the area roughly from Montgomery south to the Gulf Cost and includes the Florida Panhandle to just East of Panama City.  There are 21 active local clubs in the district with a membership of over 620 Civitans.  

This past weekend we met for fun, food, fellowship, and a sharing of awards and ideas and enthusiasm.  A few brave souls even put their reputations on the line by singing Karaoke, including District Governor, John Mike McCall and Past District Governor, James Jones. 

We met for business, for hearing of the good works done by the various clubs, including over 300 wheel chair ramps built by the Pensacola Club.  We heard reports on the Civitan Neurological Research Center at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.  Civitan International has already given over $13,000,000 to this cutting edge organization. 

Did I mention that we ate (several times) including a formal installation and awards banquet for our incoming officers?  We also had free time for a little video poker in the Casino, swimming in the pool and some of us even found time for a really good nap. 

We were privileged to have three Past Presidents of Civitan International at our Convention, Including Immediate Past President Gay Aaron who installed our club Presidents and new District Officers. 

I am just scratching the Civitan surface, but maybe, just maybe this will give you an idea what we are about, or pique your curiosity.  Find a club near you and join in with their work to make this world a better place. 

Oh, by the way, rumor has it that next year’s District Convention will also be at WindCreek.   Did I mention that I won enough money in the Casino to pay for one night’s lodging? 

Civitans, Helping people and having fun!