Lugbill shares what SportsBackers brings to Richmond

Jon Lugbill, a world-class canoe racer and currently executive director of the Richmond Sports Backers, spoke to our club on Sept. 20 about the transformation of the Sports Backers as a group and what the organization does to promote sports in the area. Lugbill said the turning point for the Sports Backers was when they took over the SunTrust Richmond Marathon in 1998 because they became a group that organized and planned events as opposed to bidding on events, which they had done since 1991. That turning point came because it was becoming harder to get events and with the success of planning the marathon, he said.

They then began to create popular metro area events such as the Ukrop's Monument Avenue 10K and now have had a goal to create an additional event each year to take advantage of Richmond's unique features, citing the James River and that Richmond was a city ranked in the top-10 for volleyball and triathlon, top-5 for running and top-3 for tennis. New events have included the Dominion RiverRock, the Henricus Dauber Dash and dragon boat races. Participation in Sports Backers events grows on an annual basis (15-25% per year since 2003) and they currently own 13 events, he said.

Lugbill also noted the Kiwanis club's contributions to the SunTrust Richmond Marathon, as the club has volunteered at every marathon since it started in 1978.

Sept. 13 meeting focuses on habitat preservation

Our Kiwanis club learned about the causes of habitat loss and ways to improve habitats and increase biodiversity. Carol Heiser, education manager for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, said that there are four main causes for habitat loss including fragmentation from development caused from regional planning , the extensive use of lawns in the environment, invasive exotic plants competing with the natives and the extensive use of non-natives in landscapes. Heiser left educational materials for the membership to take home said that ways to improve biodiversity is to transition from alien to native plants as ornamental, use native plants to interrupt runoff, reduce the amount of lawn in landscapes, utilize corridors to connect natural areas and to plan for sustainability on a regional scale.

Founder of Richmond's First AAU program speaks

Tony Squire, founder of Squires AAU Basketball and the Squires Basketball Foundation, was the first person in Richmond to start an AAU basketball program in the city in 1987 and has used the program as a way to "give guys more of an opportunity." Squire spoke to our club in September about how's his program has helped more than 400 kids to receive scholarships that slept in "gated communities to bathtubs." Squire spoke of the success stories of his program, helping children steer themselves out of trouble as well as superstars such as Ray Allen and Amare Stoudamire, who have been a part of the program. He also spoke about how everyone does something to help support the program, everyone helps with the fundraising and that there are "no short cuts" for those participating in his program and that his motto for his players is "a degree for free."

More Pictures from Kiwanis events

Here are some other pictures from our other community service activities such as handing out water at the SunTrust Richmond Marathon, ringing the bell for the Salvation Army and participating in Christmas parties at the Children's Hospital and William Byrd Community House.

William Byrd Community House Summer Carnival

Every year, the Kiwanis Club of Richmond assists the William Byrd Community House with their summer carnival by playing games with the children and serving up food and prizes. Here are some of the pictures from the carnival this August. It was your ordinary hot, humid summer day in late August in Richmond with several Kiwanians winning the annual "guess the weather contest."

Raising Money for Virginia Voice and Enriching the Lives of Youth

The Kiwanis Club of Richmond just completed their annual fundraiser that serves a two-pronged approach of enriching the lives of children and fundraising for thee Virginia Voice.

This year the club raised several thousand dollars to help send more than 200 inner-city youth from Church Hill Activities and Tutoring, Intercept Youth and United Methodist Family Services to a Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball game on a fireworks night. Some of the participants got to throw out a first pitch and participate in other on-field promotions. Some of the groups reporting taking several children who were making their first trip to a baseball game. Thank you to CHAT for the pictures provided in this post.

The club solicited donations from members and local businesses to purchase tickets for the baseball game with the leftover proceeds to benefit the Virginia Voice, an organization that supports the print handicapped.

We appreciate all of the help of those that helped raise money and to get children to the baseball game for a memorable night.

Anthem Blue Cross president discusses health care reform

Anthem Blue Cross president Burke King spoke to our club at the Aug. 30 meeting about some of the many changes consumers and employers will face in light of the recently passed health care reform bill and what King described as the "new landscape of health care."

His presentation focused on four factors: what is new, how it will impact small businesses, how it will impact the state of Virginia and what Americans thought of the health care reform. His talk discussed the penalties individuals and businesses face if they do not obtain or provide health insurance, respectively. He also estimated that the increase in Medicaid would cost the state between $2.1 to $2.8 billion through 2022. Burke also discussed how different businesses, depending on their size, would approach providing health care for their employees such as providing it themselves, increased employee contributions or letting the new insurance exchanges offer insurance.

VCU Business School Dean speaks at Aug. 23 meeting

New Dean of the VCU Business School, Ed Grier, spoke at our Aug. 23 meeting. Grier, who was hired in February, spoke about what it was like to come to work in an academic setting after a career in the corporate world. He also spoke about the growing trends of universities hiring "corporate deans" with people sharing similar backgrounds to him.

Prior to coming to VCU, Grier worked his way through the Disney organization with his most recent job being president of Disneyland Resorts. Through his career, Grier worked in Paris, Los Angeles and Tokyo.

Grier said he chose VCU because of the impact the university had on Richmond citing the Broad Street growth and renewal and the statistic that 1 out of 5 Richmonders with a bachelor's degree or higher have earned one of those degrees at VCU.

Aug. 16 meeting focuses on those in need

Kristin Van Story, director of communications for FeedMore, spoke at our Aug. 16 meeting about the dire need of those in the Richmond area when it comes to accessing food. She also spoke about what her organization is doing to help make sure that they are reaching out to as many people as possible. FeedMore is an umbrella organization that includes the Central Virginia FoodBank, Meals on Wheels and the Community Kitchen.

Spurred on by her speech, Kiwanians Cobey Wagoner and Sandy Neumann put together an impromptu food drive for the following week's meeting. The results are the picture above - a van full of food for Richmond's less fortunate.

William Byrd Community House honors the late Kip Bachtell

From a current Kiwanis eBuilder

by Ed Stover

On July 22, 2010, the William Byrd Community House dedicated its computer lab in memory of our recently departed Kiwanis member, Kip Bachtell. Kip was our WBCH committee chairman and computer lab coordinator for many years. The dedication recognized his tremendous contribution in making a difference to the children, whom he dearly loved.

Robert Bolling, William Byrd's executive director, gave the dedication. Tim Sexton spoke on behalf of Kiwanis, and John Philips reflected and shared many wonderful memories the children had of Kip.

Kip's wife, Susan, and daughter, Christina, were both present and touched by the ceremony. The WBCH children gave two dance and song recitals in honor and memory of their beloved and faithful computer instructor and pal, "Mr. Kip".

More Pictures from our Aug. 9 meeting

Former Rep. Thomas Bliley and Rep. Eric Cantor pay a visit

At our Aug. 9 meeting, Former Congressman Thomas Bliley was our program speaker. Bliley spent 20 years in Congress and also served as mayor of the city of Richmond from 1970 to 1977. His successor, Rep. Eric Cantor, paid our club a surprise visit as a guest of former Lt. Gov. John Hager.