Meet Your Kiwanians

Kiwanians were introduced to three of their newest members, Clara Starkey,  and Penny and Bill Smith.   Clara is employed with Edward D. Jones and Company and has been active in Kiwanis youth clubs both in high school and college. Clara shared about her job, family, church and Kiwanis family experiences. Penny Smith is a nurse and Bill was in the Air Force and an engineer.  They shared their experiences living in other places including Alaska and spoke about the children and grandchildren. 

Sister Cities

Abby McKinney, Lyndi Grubb, and Kathy Locke with Sister Cities

Abby McKinney, Lyndi Grubb, and Kathy Locke with Sister Cities spoke to Greenfield Kiwanis about the Sister Cities program that was established nearly 30 years ago between Kakuda, Japan and Greenfield.  The cities are both home to Kehin corporation facilities.  Kehin and the City of Greenfield subsidize the program and the trips.  Greenfield students and their chaperones travel to Japan in June and the Japanese contingent comes to Greenfield in August.  The groups are usually composed of 12 students and 3 chaperones.  The total cost for each person is about $3,000 but due to the generosity of the community businesses and the city governments the cost is reduced to about $850.  Students who are in need of additional reductions can usually receive additional help. 
In 2020 the program will celebrate their 30th year of exchanges.  They hope to commemorate this milestone with a sculpture in the Sister Cities park area near the Pennsy Trail. 
The program needs three things:

1. Families willing to host Japanese guests each August.  If you are willing to host complete the application found at http://www.sistercitiesofgreenfield.org/.
2. The organization hosts an annual 5K race and other fundraising activities.  They need participants in these events.
3. Funds to subsidize the trips and programs.  To contribute go to http://www.sistercitiesofgreenfield.org/.

Online Coffee Break

Chuck Fields, President of Spacetech Software, talked to Kiwanis about his podcasting venture, Online Coffee Break.  Podcasting is a free service that allows Internet users to pull audio files from a  Web site to listen to on their computers.  
Some of his podcast guests have included:  Andy Weir, Author of Martian; Laura Marie, Singer and Songwriter; David Cunningham, Movie Director; John Schneider, Actor of the Dukes of Hazards; and Scott Kelly, Astronaut. 
For more information or to listen to a cast go to onlinecoffeebreak.com.

Consumer Protection

Matthew Row, Outreach Coordinator for the Indiana Attorney General's office spoke to Kiwanis about various scams and consumer protection schemes and tools.
Row spoke about 4 scams that are currently be used.  

• The first is the contractor scam where a person comes to your home and tells you he noticed you needed some work that he just finished at your neighbors.  He tells you he has enough material left over to do your home as well.  You agree, pay him, and he disappears.  Row suggests you call the neighbor.  Ask the contractor for id, a contract, a timeline, and only give a deposit of 1/3 of the cost.  Most scammers will refuse these requests and you should refuse them.
• The IRS scam is a phone call supposedly from the IRS,  A request to settle a tax debt is offered at a discount if you get cash card and call them back.  The IRS does not call you on the phone to demand money.  They send you letters,
• The Love Connection is a electronic media friendship request from someone who wants a relationship.  After a period of time they say they would really like to meet you but do not have the money for airfare,  Send them the money and you will never hear from them again,
• The Grandparent Scam is one where a grandparent is targeted from information gathered from a grandchild's social media account.  You receive a call to bail them out of jail by buying a cash gift card and calling them back with the numbers,  Your grandchild is probably safely in bed. Don't send any money until you check out the story, 

In all cases ask questions.  Get details.  Get names, addresses, phone numbers.  
Row also talked about credit issues and freezing credit so no new loans can be started.  For more information on all of this contact outreachservices@atg.in.org or call 317.234.7100