Jo is a 20+ year member of the Kiwanis Club of Abilene, Kansas, as well as a charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Salina and a charter member of the Likasi, DRC – Virtual club. She has helped open new clubs across the US and is currently the club coach to the recently opened (May 2023) club in Concordia, Kansas.
Jo has served in all levels of leadership from President to Lt. Governor and is currently the club Secretary. She was the Kansas District Governor 2019-2020.
Jo served on International President Bert West’s African Growth Committee and has been asked to serve for President Katrina Baranko also. She volunteered to help find sponsors for the English-speaking African clubs. She assisted in teaching the inaugural President’s Training classes in Johannesburg, South Africa May of 2022 for the new clubs.
Jo and husband Tom celebrated 46 years together. They have 3 daughters and 3 incredible grandchildren.
Jo has several hobbies, but one that she took up later in life was Pyrography. (Woodburning – but to a fine art level.) She is self-taught and soon began helping others, which led to writing a book, which led to being invited to teach at the Science and Technology Exposition in Shanghai, China.
Close up of burning tool used to create portrait
Learn More About Jo Raising three daughters allowed Jo to take on various jobs to help support their family. Every job centered on helping the community and or helping people. From the Executive Director of the local American Red Cross to the Customer Service guru with an Insurance Company that enabled her to travel across the USA and Canada. It was at a Kiwanis meeting that a fellow member said he was going to Kenya to help build bunk beds at an orphanage. She said, “I can build bunk beds, too,” and two weeks later she was in Nairobi. It was at a Kiwanis meeting when a program was given about jobs at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. It took two years of applying, but she was hired to work the “summer” months (August – February) driving scientists and other smart people around on the frozen ocean in really large vehicles. It was at a Kiwanis Division meeting where she was elected to serve as the Lieutenant Governor for two years and was then able to attend the International Convention in Tokyo-Chiba, Japan. It was at a Kiwanis District meeting that she was elected to be the District Governor. Jo’s term was during the start of the world-wide pandemic. Jo used her customer service skills to help each club in her District learn how to use other ways such as Zoom, to be able to still communicate with each other during the months no one was allowed to gather or travel. It was at a Kiwanis virtual club board meeting (Likasi, DRC) that she volunteered to make “interclub” visits with other new English-speaking clubs in Africa via emails. It was during the one-to-one contacts with African club Presidents that she realized the need for more training and understanding of what Kiwanis International is. Because of those interactions Jo was invited to help teach the inaugural President’s Training held in Johannesburg, South Africa May, 2022. It was at a Kiwanis International sponsored training session that Jo learned about “The Formula” and how to open new clubs. She then volunteered her time to help open clubs in the Seattle area, the Detroit area and the Denver area. After “practicing” on those other areas, she helped open 8 new clubs in her District as well as assisted with several club boosts. She is currently a club coach to the new Concordia, KS club. So without Kiwanis, Jo would have had a very boring life.
Goals: Jo’s goals are simple as she believes Kiwanis is the number one volunteer organization in the world! She knows there will be dissention with some clubs with the upcoming dues increases, and she hopes to be able to help everyone transition through those changes. She has a positive attitude and tends to use humor as needed. Jo hopes to assist in attracting more partnerships. Her own club has benefited from the many partnerships already in place and she believes there is always room for more. Lastly, mentorship. Jo has had numerous Kiwanians from around the world take their personal time to mentor her Kiwanis journey. She wants to pay it forward and help others to grow in leadership.
This message is only visible to admins.
Problem displaying Facebook posts.
Jo Schwartz -Candidate International Trustee
Jo is a 20+ year member of the Kiwanis Club of Abilene, Kansas, as well as a charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Salina and a charter member of the Likasi, DRC – Virtual club. She has helped open new clubs across the US and is currently the club coach to the recently opened (May 2023) club in Concordia, Kansas.
Jo has served in all levels of leadership from President to Lt. Governor and is currently the club Secretary. She was the Kansas District Governor 2019-2020.
Jo served on International President Bert West’s African Growth Committee and has been asked to serve for President Katrina Baranko also. She volunteered to help find sponsors for the English-speaking African clubs. She assisted in teaching the inaugural President’s Training classes in Johannesburg, South Africa May of 2022 for the new clubs.
Jo and husband Tom celebrated 46 years together. They have 3 daughters and 3 incredible grandchildren.
Jo has several hobbies, but one that she took up later in life was Pyrography. (Woodburning – but to a fine art level.) She is self-taught and soon began helping others, which led to writing a book, which led to being invited to teach at the Science and Technology Exposition in Shanghai, China.
Learn More About Jo
Raising three daughters allowed Jo to take on various jobs to help support their family. Every job centered on helping the community and or helping people. From the Executive Director of the local American Red Cross to the Customer Service guru with an Insurance Company that enabled her to travel across the USA and Canada.
It was at a Kiwanis meeting that a fellow member said he was going to Kenya to help build bunk beds at an orphanage. She said, “I can build bunk beds, too,” and two weeks later she was in Nairobi.
It was at a Kiwanis meeting when a program was given about jobs at McMurdo Station, Antarctica. It took two years of applying, but she was hired to work the “summer” months (August – February) driving scientists and other smart people around on the frozen ocean in really large vehicles.
It was at a Kiwanis Division meeting where she was elected to serve as the Lieutenant Governor for two years and was then able to attend the International Convention in Tokyo-Chiba, Japan.
It was at a Kiwanis District meeting that she was elected to be the District Governor. Jo’s term was during the start of the world-wide pandemic. Jo used her customer service skills to help each club in her District learn how to use other ways such as Zoom, to be able to still communicate with each other during the months no one was allowed to gather or travel.
It was at a Kiwanis virtual club board meeting (Likasi, DRC) that she volunteered to make “interclub” visits with other new English-speaking clubs in Africa via emails. It was during the one-to-one contacts with African club Presidents that she realized the need for more training and understanding of what Kiwanis International is. Because of those interactions Jo was invited to help teach the inaugural President’s Training held in Johannesburg, South Africa May, 2022.
It was at a Kiwanis International sponsored training session that Jo learned about “The Formula” and how to open new clubs. She then volunteered her time to help open clubs in the Seattle area, the Detroit area and the Denver area. After “practicing” on those other areas, she helped open 8 new clubs in her District as well as assisted with several club boosts. She is currently a club coach to the new Concordia, KS club.
So without Kiwanis, Jo would have had a very boring life.
Goals:
Jo’s goals are simple as she believes Kiwanis is the number one volunteer organization in the world!
She knows there will be dissention with some clubs with the upcoming dues increases, and she hopes to be able to help everyone transition through those changes. She has a positive attitude and tends to use humor as needed.
Jo hopes to assist in attracting more partnerships. Her own club has benefited from the many partnerships already in place and she believes there is always room for more.
Lastly, mentorship. Jo has had numerous Kiwanians from around the world take their personal time to mentor her Kiwanis journey. She wants to pay it forward and help others to grow in leadership.
Problem displaying Facebook posts.