October 2022
Club News & Announcements
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CLUBS FEATURED THIS MONTH: |
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- Marshalltown Matins
- Spencer Hy-Noon
- Creston
- Marion Sunrisers
- Spencer Daybreakers
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- Kearney Golden K
- Ames Golden K
- Greater Missouri Valley
- Clarinda
- Seward
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Marshalltown Matins helping beautify and rebuild Main Street
For two weeks of the summer, Matins Kiwanis of Marshalltown, Iowa share the duties of watering the hanging flowers on Main Street.
It requires an additional day to get up early for this morning club, but sunrise views are an additional benefit. Re-establishing traditions is important to the community, as it continues to rebuild after a tornado struck the downtown in 2018.
Submitted by Martha Schwandt, Marshalltown Matins Kiwanis Club secretary
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Spencer Hy-Noon raises funds with cookies and hot beef |
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It’s all hands on deck for the Spencer Hy-Noon Kiwanis Club during the Clay County Fair!
Members sell hot beef sundaes and chocolate chip cookies during the 9-day event. The club hires local youth groups to help work in the fair stand. This year, it was a group of soccer players fundraising for their upcoming trip to England and also the high school girls wrestling team.
The fair stand is the club’s primary fundraiser each year, allowing it to donate thousands of dollars back into the community.
Submitted by Julie Weaver, Spencer Hy-Noon Kiwanis Club
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Creston club packs chop dinners
Creston Kiwanis partnered with Creston Lions Club and Creston Rotary Club in September to host the 24th annual Pork Chop Dinner at McKinley Park in Creston. The clubs worked together to serve more than 1,000 pork chop meals to the community.
This year, the Kiwanis Club was in charge of packaging meals, which included a chop, baked beans, applesauce, ice cream and utensils. The local Boy Scouts also helped with the delivery of meals in the drive up lane. It was another successful year!
Submitted by Kyle Wilson, Creston Kiwanis Club secretary
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Marion Sunrisers raise dollars for scholarships
On Sept. 25, Marion Sunrisers Kiwanis club had a fundraiser with pizza, pop and water. Helping out were members Donna Bean, Margie Mitchell, Chris Sobotka and other volunteers Diane, Lt. Gov. Cathy Weber and Mike.
The fundraiser was held at Thomas Park in Marion, Iowa at a Classic Car Show. The money raised is used for scholarships for Marion High School students.
Submitted by Margie Mitchell, Marion Sunrisers Kiwanis Club
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Spencer Daybreakers have donated dictionaries to third graders since 2006. Over 3,200 dictionaries have been given over the years. For more photos of recent club activities, click HERE.
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Daybreakers working on many projects
The Spencer Daybreakers have been busy recently. Members participated in many of their own club’s activities and also worked with other clubs in the division on projects and events.
The club has three members who individually, each week, transport baked goods, meat and other food from Hy-Vee and Walmart to the local food pantry. Club members coordinated the transfer of over 60,000 eggs (over 5,000 dozen) donated to the pantry in the past year. That’s a lot of eggs!
The Warm Coats Project is coming up soon and then the annual Christmas Shopping project, which last year resulted in about 75 kids getting about $100 each of presents, mostly warm clothing.
Submitted by Paul Brenner, Spencer Daybreakers Kiwanis Club secretary
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Kearney Golden K off to good start in new year
The Kearney Golden K Kiwanis recently recognized its new leadership and held a service celebration. Officers for the 2022-2023 year are President Lou Maxson, Co-Presidents Elects Fred and Nancy Blume, Vice President Bob Maxson, Secretary Deanna Schwartz and Treasurer Shirley Smalley.
The Golden K Kiwanian of the Year award was presented to Lou Maxson.
Recognition for their 400 plus volunteer hours for the 2021-2022 year were Milt Kotrc, Shirley Smalley and Elaine Knaus.
Submitted by Lou Maxson, Kearney Golden K Kiwanis Club president
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Teachers share
success story with Ames Golden K
Like other Kiwanis clubs, Ames Golden K's primary focus is service to children. In Winter 2014, club leadership began considering a more direct outreach to students in Ames and proposed a new reading service project for elementary school students. In Spring 2015, Golden K contacted the Ames Community School District, Raising Readers of Story County and other local educators to explore ideas. A reading project pilot with Edwards first graders kicked off in September 2015. After two successful years working with Edwards’ students, the program expanded to Sawyer Elementary. The project has continued at both schools, except for a break in 2020 due to Covid. There are currently 30 Ames Golden K members who help make this project successful.
In recognition of this partnership, three Edwards Elementary teachers, (pictured, from left) Brooke Dalen, Amy Simonson, Selena Montag, spoke recently at Golden K's weekly meeting. They enthusiastically endorsed and elaborated on the many benefits of the project and how it plays a direct role in building positive relationships with first graders while working on literary skills through reading books and playing games. A typical day includes Golden K Listeners spending 60-90 minutes primarily listening to the students read and not reading to them. They work on a 1-1 basis as much as possible either outside the classroom in the large hallway or in the classroom. Brooke, Amy and Selena noted that kids and teachers simply adore the program. Another Edwards teacher observed "It's been a really good program. Honestly, I think there is a lot of academic gain that comes along with it, but, really, I think a lot of our kids just want someone, especially males because a lot of our kids don't have a strong male role model in their life, so even just the mentoring that happens is really huge for them."
Golden K member Pete Peterson commented "As a Listener, I could tell that the first Graders word pronunciation rhythm and expressiveness showed improvement as the school year went by. We gave the students an opportunity to practice reading out loud to a willing set of ears. It was fun for both the students and myself."
Ames Golden K is looking forward to continuing its partnership with Ames Edwards and Sawyer Elementary Schools and perhaps expanding the program to other grade levels within these schools.
Submitted by Don Muff, Ames Golden K Kiwanis Club
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Missouri Valley club helps school with grant dollars |
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Missouri Valley Elementary students are really growing, thanks to a grant recently submitted by Greater Missouri Valley Kiwanis Secretary Minnie Fisher. The grant was used for the school’s new hydroponics system.
Kiwanis partnered with Lettuce Grow and invited clubs to submit for a grant for their schools with K-Kids clubs to get a kit. Missouri Valley Elementary gets to utilize a growing lettuce tower to teach kids about plants, growing food and over all learning with one another.
The Missouri Valley Club is also continuing to work with Spinning Spokes, the new MBX track in town. A ribbon cutting was recently held. The club helped to get the new spot for kid activities up and running with a donation.
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Submitted by Minnie Fisher, Greater Missouri Valley Kiwanis Club secretary
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Clarinda installs officers, new members |
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On Sept. 21, then Nebraska-Iowa Kiwanis District Governor-Designate Lynda Henningsen was in Clarinda for installation of officers at J’s Pizza and Steakhouse. She was joined by Division 17 Lieutenant Governor Steve Green in congratulating the Clarinda members on their many activities and encouraging them to ask others to join in serving the children of the community. |
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They also recognized outgoing Lieutenant Governor Elaine Armstrong (pictured with Lt. Gov. Steve Green), who has worked with six Southwest Iowa clubs for the last five years.
Serving as officers for the new club year beginning Oct. 1 are Rick Finch as president, Whitney Beery as vice president, Janet Olenius and Jessica Patterson as secretaries and Ruth Bowen as treasurer. Finch took office during the pandemic and has continued to lead while revitalizing the club. Several new members who joined during that time received their Kiwanis pins.
Finch reviewed highlights of the past year by the numbers. The Clarinda club led, participated in or contributed to 17 different events and programs and had 12 speakers.
Submitted by Elaine Armstrong and Rick Finch, Clarinda Kiwanis Club
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Seward club salutes pen making volunteer |
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Lloyd Lipska is a member of the Seward Kiwanis Club. He is also a Vietnam Veteran and cancer survivor. His passion is travel and volunteering to help people. One of his hobbies has been the making of writing pens out of wood to give away as gifts to club members. He surprised the club recently with pens for all the members who were in attendance.
To make the pens, he starts off with a block of wood and a pen kit. There are well over 100 different pen kits. He obtains specialty wood, such as Wenge, Coco Bolo, Paduk, and hundreds of other wood species are obtained from specialty wood stores. He then shapes the wood and assembles the pen.
The Seward Kiwanis Club salutes Lloyd Lipska for his dedication to the club and for his thoughtful gifts to its members.
Submitted by Jerry Meyer, Seward Kiwanis Club historian
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Share what your club is doing!!!!
Clubs are invited to share their projects and happenings. Article and photo submissions are due by the 1st of every month to NIKiwanisDistrict@gmail.com.
An online link to this newsletter will also be made available on the District Website, Click Here
QUICK LINKS
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