MILFORD — Jud Rouch, Plymouth, the Kiwanis Indiana Governor, was honored Saturday evening at the annual Kiwanis Governors Banquet for the Land of Lakes Division. The event was held at Camp Mack, Milford, with approximately 65 club members from the eight clubs in the division in attendance.

Jett Roe, who is in remission with cute lymphoblastic leukemia, has hosted a toy drive for the past four years for Riley Children’s Hospital, is shown with Kiwanis Indiana Gov. Jud Rouch.

Melinda Roose, Milford, who is serving as the current Land of Lakes Division Lt. Gov., presided during the evening, welcoming club members from Goshen Noon, Maple City, Sunrisers, Lakeland, Milford, Nappanee, Bremen and Wawasee. The event was also an opportunity for those attending to participate in “Jett’s Toy Drive,” organized by Jett Roe, North Webster, for Riley Children’s Hospital, Indianapolis.

There were two highlights of the evening, one hearing from Rouch and the other hearing from Roe, who has been to Riley to battle acute lymphoblastic leukemia, now in remission.

Rouch, a Kiwanian for 41 years, briefly spoke of when joining in 1977, the Plymouth club was in the Lake of Lakes Division. “I learned a lot real quick. I’m still learning … but right off I learned a lot about being a Kiwanian and what Kiwanis means … .” Rouch noted while he joined in Plymouth, he transferred his membership to the Lafayette Club and then to the Southwest Little Rock Club, upon moving to Little Rock, Ark. “But as soon as I reached that point in life, where they offered me a little bit of stipend and gave them my tenure, I moved back to Marshall County and immediately started being active in the Land of Lakes Division.”

Melinda Roose, left, division lieutenant governor, is shown with Jud Rouch, Kiwanis Indiana Governor.

Rouch, who has served as division lieutenant governor in several divisions, stated “this is the division that taught me what a Kiwanian is and what Kiwanis is all about. I have used the things that I have learned here … as I have worked with Kiwanians throughout the state and to some extent throughout the county. When I come to any event in the Land of Lakes Division, I feel like I’m coming home.” He concluded by stating as in the past, he plans to attend as many meetings as he can in the division and to keep in mind “you are the number one division in the Indiana District … you’ve been the pattern to follow.”

Tradition is to have each club present a gift to the new governor. Rouch’s wish was donations to the Kiwanis Children’s Fund. Each club presented Rouch with checks in undisclosed amounts for him to present to the fund.

Roe was also given the opportunity to talk about his toy drive project, one he has been doing for the last four years. The toy drive allows Roe to help stock the toy bin at the oncology outpatient clinic and the inpatient play room to bring a smile to the kids faces while they go through treatment. Roe does this to give back and share the generosity he has been shown. While the exact number of toys delivered has never been counted, the delivery normally fills two 8-foot by 8-foot by 4-foot carts. This year’s toys will be delivered during Christmas break.

In addition to a number of division club members, guests included Past Indiana Gov. Jim Smith, and past Kiwanis Division Lt. Govenors Dick Roose, Jon Roberts, Sherm Bryant and Jim Bare.