Experienced leader heads Rancho Bernardo’s Kiwanis club
By Elizabeth Marie Himchak
Warren Sargent’s presidency of the Kiwanis Club of Los Rancheros is history making because he is the first in the club’s 45-year history to hold the office a second time.
Warren Sargent
On Sunday Sargent began his year-long term leading the group also known as the Kiwanis Club of Rancho Bernardo. The installation included recognizing the club’s female members, who were first allowed to join the international organization 25 years ago, he said.
That membership change is responsible for Sargent joining since his wife, Nancy, joined Kiwanis seven years before his membership began in 1996.
“I was doing all the service work anyhow, so thought I might as well join,” he said, adding the club’s fellowship and opportunity to make new friends were also factors.
Sargent said another strong appeal was the club’s service work on behalf of children and the community.
The couple has lived in north Poway for 31 years, near its RB border. They started with the Rancho Bernardo club because Nancy worked in RB. Warren retired from Northrop Grumman/TRW in 2007 as a mechanical design engineer.
As for how Sargent ended up with a second term as president, he said, “I was lecturing the club on people running for office.” He told them there was nothing preventing a past president — an office held by at least half of the 45 members at some point — from being president again. His goal was to get another past president to take the job, but the plan backfired and he got elected instead.
His theme for the coming year is “Back to the Future,” which he said is appropriate because he will be incorporating things that worked in the past while moving the club forward.
Inspiration for projects is also coming from what he learned in the past year as District 37’s lieutenant governor. Part of his duties included visiting the district’s 18 clubs and things done by other clubs Sargent said he wants to incorporate into the RB club.
Another influence will likely come from the club in Rancho Penasquitos that is folding due to low membership. In the coming year, Sargent said six of its eight members will probably transfer their membership into the RB club.
Sargent said his goals include having the Kiwanians perform more hands-on projects, not just write checks for endeavors.
“I want us to be more obvious in the community for our service, not just the contributions we make,” he said. Examples are the club’s service projects like making dinner at the Ronald McDonald House at Rady Children’s Hospital and decorating it for Christmas. Members also recently decided to provide paper and toner for the veterans’ lounge printer at Palomar College. Around 1,500 students use the lounge and the printer was going to be removed due to lack of funds to supply it, he said.
The club is also very involved in sponsoring its organization’s youth programs — Key Club at Rancho Bernardo and Del Norte high schools and Maranatha Christian Schools. It also sponsors KIWINS at RB High, now a co-ed club that began as one for teenage girls. Sargent has been an adviser to all at some point. With the PQ club’s merger, the Mt. Carmel and Westview Key Club sponsorships will also be transferred to the RB club.
Kiwanis Club of Los Rancheros meets at 7 a.m. each Wednesday at the Country Club of Rancho Bernardo, with the exception of the last Wednesday of the month when it has a 6:30 p.m. meeting. Annual dues are $150, prorated during the first year of membership, and there is a $15 per meeting fee to cover the meal.
To join, contact Sargent at 858-451-1529 or ltgsarge37@san.rr.com. Visits www.ranchobernardokiwanis.org.
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Posted by Elizabeth Marie Himchak
on Oct 4 2012. Filed under Clubs.
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