Group celebrates 90th anniversary

Do these four things to stay young until you die, the speaker said.
By SARAH POULTON
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Kiwanis Club of Youngstown is 90 years old and doing great, but according to International President Steve Siemens, it will be even better 30 years from now.
Sharon O'Neal, Ohio Governor of Kiwanis, introduced Siemens, noting his 20 years of perfect attendance to Kiwanis events.
Siemens was visiting for the anniversary, not just to celebrate, but to also remind Kiwanis of Youngstown that no matter how old it is, it is important to stay young. He said that by doing four things, anyone can remain young for the rest of their lives:
Change some of your habits, because if you are stuck in a rut, you will never try new things or grow to your potential.
Keep a good attitude, because if a person's attitude is positive, their day can never be all that bad.
Be passionate about something because one person with great passion will get more done than 99 people with no passion.
Most importantly, never surrender one's enthusiasm about life, because when that happens, reality will kick in and life will move slowly.
"Don't die until you're dead," Siemens said. "Let's be a group of people that always stay young because if we're not careful, we'll get to a point in our lives where we lose perspective and lose our focus."
He said that as Kiwanians, everyone must take an attitude and celebrate the 90 years with great anticipation, wonderful accomplishments and celebration. Also, he said that it's important to celebrate the simple fact that this club has not reached its potential, no member has reached their potential, and if everyone works together, and starts thinking a little differently, they will be able to do some amazing things.
Making a difference
He added that as the 90th anniversary comes and goes, and the club approaches its centennial, he encouraged members to accept change as it comes and realize that their job is to serve the community and never lose their focus. Their real mission, he said, is to help people laugh and regain their perspective.
"If we are going to stay young, especially in Youngstown, we must be open and willing to change. We must be the people who are willing to try some new things and do some new things. We will make some mistakes, and we will fail, but we have got to stay young; we must be open to change."
He urged members to make a difference in the lives of people who will never say "thank you" or will never repay someone for their kindness. That is the key to being a Kiwanian, he said.
spoulton@vindy.com