With Corn Day 2024 in the rearview, the Carmi Kiwanis Club turned attention to installing a new leader Thursday. Outgoing President Kelly Northcott, uncomfortable with accepting compliments or appreciation for her efforts, instead attempted to deflect any praise by naming others who helped her out during her tenure.
I just want to say thank you. When I joined Kiwanis I think 4 years ago, I was not anticipating being pregnant during my presidency. So it went a little different and I ended up with a 5-month-old during Corn Day. So I just want to thank everyone that helped over the past year…Amanda Nelson and Emily Williams (incoming President and immediate past President) picked up a lot of slack for me…Larissa and Doug [Hays] also picked up a lot of slack. It’s appreciated more than I could ever let you guys know. It was definitely a learning year. This club just runs like a well oiled machine. With Corn Day, everybody’s like ‘oh good job’ and I should not be thanked. It’s all the committees and everyone that just does their work without being asked or having to be reminded. It’s not good job to me…it’s good job to you guys and to God for the good weather because I couldn’t have done that either. I did pray for it though.
New officers were then inducted for the coming year with Northcott becoming the Past President. Amanda Nelson takes the gavel as the President for the 2024/2025 term. Luke Sailer will serve as the President Elect. Meagan Drone will serve as the VP and Eric Rahlfs will join the officer rotation as the 2nd VP. Rahlfs was already technically President of the club once, but was sent into the cycle again because his year was tainted by CoViD which drastically altered his ability to experience leading the club. He’s now slated to serve as the club’s top officer in the 2027/2028 year.
Nelson, addressing the club, has been in Carmi’s largest civic club since 2017 and has served on the board since 2020. She echoed Northcott’s sentiments on the strength of the club being its members and their willingness to simply get the job done.
Kiwanis obviously, I’m pretty active in the club. I’m excited to be the new President. I’m open to ideas and suggestions. But as Kelly said, this really is a good club. Everybody comes together on Corn Day and it’s like it just magically happens because everybody just handles what they’re supposed to. I think everything went really well. So, I’m looking forward to this year serving as President.
At the Thursday, October 24th meeting, the club will welcome the new Corn Queen and King, Katelyn Davis and Eli Bryant.
