And anyone who knows the Woolrich native and retired Woolrich Inc. executive knows that he likes to be busy.

They should also know that he has a dry, yet endearing sense of humor.

You know, when you’re just not sure if he’s serious or joking?

But make no mistake, Conrad is serious when it comes to Kiwanis.

PHOTO PROVIDED
Matt Wise, left, of the Kiwanis Club of the Bald Eagle and Nittany Valleys, poses with Conrad Schlesinger at the combined Pennsylvania-New Jersey District Kiwanis Convention in Reading in August.

He is about to end his term as Pennsylvania Governor of Kiwanis International, a volunteer job that has taken him to numerous communities and clubs across Pennsylvania to talk about the virtues of being a Kiwanian.

About serving others, especially kids.

The Kiwanis International motto is “Serving the Children of the World,” with its various clubs taking on hundreds of community service projects, primarily to benefit kids.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers that aims to improve the world by helping children and communities. Kiwanis clubs sponsor nearly 150,000 service projects each year and raise over $107 million.

Indeed, it was the idea of helping kids, Conrad said, that “lit a spark in me,” prompting him to take on leadership as Pennsylvania Governor.

BOB ROLLEY/Special to The Express
Outgoing Pennsylvania District Governor of Kiwanis International Conrad Schlesinger, of Woolrich, poses with the Home Club Governor banner at a recent Kiwanis Club of Lock Haven meeting.

Conrad has a story to tell. His biography includes serving as lieutenant governor of Divisions 12N and 14 during the 2021-22-year; serving as governor-elect at the District Convention in Erie in August 2022, and then elected governor at the District Convention in Scranton in August 2023.

“I have been district governor during the 2023-24 administrative year. To be a lieutenant governor, a Kiwanian must have served a term as a club president, secretary or treasurer. To be elected as district governor, a Kiwanis must have served a term as lieutenant governor,” he explained.

“When I became the Lock Haven Club secretary,” Conrad said, “I attended a regional council led by Trustee Matt Wise.” Wise served as Pennsylvania District membership coordinator during Conrad’s term as governor and has known Conrad for over 20 years.

“I met Emily Reed at the regional council meeting and she shared her commitment to Kiwanis as the chair of the Young Children Priority One Committee of the district,” Conrad related. “She is a reading specialist in the Dillsburg area, and I quickly learned how passionate she was about Kiwanis and especially about the opportunities for children to have access to books.

“That lit a spark in me. There were other individuals at that meeting as well who were very passionate about Kiwanis and its purpose. During my second year as a lieutenant governor, I received a call from two past district governors,” he said.

“We chatted about a few things and then I soon realized the real purpose of the call was to find out if I was interested in running for district governor. I indicated that I was interested. I was recently retired and felt I had the time and hopefully enough experience in Kiwanis to take on that responsibility. The rest is now history.”

Kiwanis has a proud history in Clinton County.

And Conrad, so far as records show, is only the third local Kiwanian to serve as Pennsylvania governor. The first was the late T. E. Teach, a Kiwanis Club of Lock Haven member, in 1955. The other was Dean Wetzler in the 1983-84 administrative year. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Mill Hall.

This past Kiwanis year, Conrad spent a lot of time on the road and away from his wife, the former Rosemary Savrock, and their kids. They include son Michael and his wife, Stacie, and their two kids, and daughter Danielle Darwin, and her husband Christopher and their kids.

Conrad has five grandchildren, Evan, Mattison, Liam, Eloise, Crosby and Alistair.

Local club members are honoring Conrad for his service as Pennsylvania Governor today (Thursday) at the club’s regular meeting at noon at the Sons and Daughters of Italy Lodge.

Matt Wise, meanwhile, has a special relationship with Conrad.

In fact, it was Matt who seconded Conrad’s nomination for governor. (J. Michael Williamson, the Lock Haven Kiwanian with the most years (55) in the club, nominated Conrad for governor.)

“It really was an honor and a privilege,” Matt said. “I have known Conrad for over 20 years and first met him while I was in high school (I was good friends with his daughter, Danielle).” Matt offered an excerpt from his speech about Conrad:

“I’ve known Conrad for many years, longer than I have been a Kiwanian. There are certain words that come to mind when I think of him: Thorough, thoughtful, precise, caring, analytical, compassionate, strategic, intentional and family — just to name a few! Conrad and I have shared many valuable conversations during our journeys to clubs and events. Our families remain close to this day,” Matt said.

“His year as governor was not without its ups and downs. He helped our district to navigate a new leadership structure and the transition from an executive director model to something more volunteer-based. It could not have been easy for him, but we all got through it. The thing about volunteer-based organizations is that we become friends with those with which we work. As a result, Governor Conrad had to hold his own friends accountable. We owe him a lot for keeping us on the right track and for pushing us to do what was needed to see Kiwanis succeed in Pennsylvania. He was the right leader for the right time.”

“There is no doubt that Conrad cares about Kiwanis, and more importantly he cares about community — our children and our families. He has continued to encourage and support clubs. In the time that I’ve had working side-by-side with Conrad, I can tell he is a true servant-leader. I am proud to call him a fellow Kiwanian, but even more proud to call him a friend,” Matt concluded.

Kiwanis clubs in Clinton County remain active, though like all service clubs, they would love new members. From building beds for kids to supporting kids with special needs to donating money to numerous causes that help children — and even picking up litter along roads here — the Kiwanis clubs keep on keeping on at a time when service clubs in general are seeing membership declines, particularly a lack of new younger members.

So why are so few young people getting involved in service clubs in their communities?

“I believe the commitment of time is part of the issue,” Conrad said. “Some Kiwanis clubs meet weekly, like the Lock Haven Kiwanis, others like the Kiwanis Club of the Bald Eagle and Nittany Valleys meet twice a month, one week for their board meeting and one week for a member meeting or service project or social event.”

Why should more young people get involved in service clubs in their communities?

“Being a Kiwanian provides an opportunity for fellowship, networking and getting involved in the community,” Conrad said

Conrad was asked what else he would like people to know about Kiwanis and public service in general.

“During the combined New Jersey-Pennsylvania District Convention in Reading in August, Michael Mulhaul, Kiwanis International president-elect designate, talked about an interesting concept that I would like to share. It’s called, ‘Step in, Step up, Step out.’ The meaning of that statement is this: Step in to join a Kiwanis Club; Step up to take on responsibilities in the club, serve as an officer where you can in the club, if the timing is right; and finally Step out to take on additional responsibilities in the district and beyond. There are many opportunities for personal growth in Kiwanis, however, the time must be right for you as you take on additional responsibilities.”

Back to that dry sense of humor.

Kiwanis Club of Lock Haven President Joe Waltz knows all about that humor.

“Upon first meeting Conrad, I thought he was this serious, earnest and solemn individual. Boy was I wrong. Upon getting to know him over a short period of time, especially as club president, I realized he could not only take being kidded, but he could also dish it back … big time,” Joe said.

“An example is recently at the Sleep In Heavenly Peace bed build. He called me over to ask me to pick up a broom so he could take a picture of me to prove to people that I do actually work. Later at that same event, I walked over to tell him I was leaving to help deliver these beds. He looked me in the eye and, in all seriousness, said, ‘I have one piece of advice for you, when you put the beds together, the legs go down.’

“Sage advice, I thought.”