Alameda Bike Fes tival
Along with several organizations, the Kiwanis Club of Alameda par ticipated in the Bike Festival by giving away over 100 bike helmets, f itting them to each child and explaining their safe usage.
Live Serve -- Service is Sweet Carole Farris
2023 - 2024 CNH District Governor
Hey, friends! It’s a GREAT day to be a Kiwanian!
As we move into the summer months, we need to celebrate all the good things that are happening in the district! Countless hours of service are being performed. We are welcoming many new Kiwanians into the family. And our relationships with our Service Leadership Program members are strengthening on a daily basis.
Thanks to the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Armando Velasquez, we have a brand new club in Division 13 – Southeast Los Angeles (SELA). AND he’s hard at work building another one. There is also a brand new KYDS club in formation in Hawai’i. And currently I am in San Diego with Kiwanis International President Katrina Baranko working on building clubs in Coronado and in the Marina area! But we cannot stop there.
In order to continue serving the Children of the World, we absolutely HAVE to increase our numbers. The best way to do that is to open new clubs in areas that don’t have an existing Kiwanis club. I think we can all agree that every community needs one. There are always
children that would benefit from the service we do. There are countless communities that need us. So, keep your eyes, ears and hearts open and let’s start building. It’s never too late!
I look forward to seeing some of you at the International Convention in Denver in a few weeks. There’s business to take care of there –the business of Kiwanis. One of the items on the agenda is a Dues Increase and frankly, it’s long overdue. In order to continue doing the service we do; it has to pass. I definitely don’t want to see any of the programs we all know, and love, disappear due to lack of money. They are ALL worth keeping.
Later this summer, it’s on to KONA! I for one can’t wait. The resort is absolutely beautiful. The team is hard at work crafting a meaningful weekend of fun, fellowship and education. The islands are a magical place to be, and the opportunities for growth are countless. I look forward to seeing you there!
‘Til next time
Cal-Nev-Ha District Convention Outrigger Hotel Kailua-Kona, Hawaii August
8th to 11th
Thursday starts with the District Golf tournament at the Kona Country Club. $100.00 entry fee. Normal guest fee $180.00.
Noon starts with two Cal-Nev-Ha Children’s Fund Board meetings -- one for the 23-24 Board and one for the 24-25 Board. At 2 p.m. the District Board meeting for the 23-24 term convenes followed by the 24-25 Board of Trustees.
Friday starts with a District Rose Float Breakfast supporting our 2025 float. Opening session begins at 8 am followed by seminars until noon. At noon we will honor our district’s top performers with an award lunch with seminars following. The night is open for Team dinners at a location of your choosing.
Saturday morning begins with breakfast at 7 a.m., celebrating the Children’s Fund accomplishments for the year. Be sure to be there for this event.
9 a.m. to noon will be seminar sessions and training of all interests. The seminars will include hula dancing and leigh making. The Dancers will have a chance to display their skills at the Interclub Lunch starting at noon. The Interclub lunch will spotlight some honors and special guest speakers.
After lunch, at 2:30 p.m., we will convene the House of Delegates to pass Resoltions and Elect new officers for the 2024-2025 Kiwanis year.
At 6 p.m. we will celebrate our members completing their service on the Board of Trustee and installing all the new members.
Mark McDonald
District Secretary/Executive Director
Executive
Director
SoManyGrants... So many possibilities!
Check out these grant opportunities from the Cal-Nev-Ha Children's Fund!
1 P
Assists Kiwanis and Service Leadership Programs clubs with new service projects which seek to prevent and/or treat pediatric trauma - defined as sudden, unintentional physical injury - or for projects which seek to prevent and/or treat child/teen mental health issues.
2 C l u b G r a n t s
Assists clubs with seed money when the scope of a new service project exceeds the club’s financial resources.
3 D i s a s t e r G r a n t s
Provides immediate disaster relief assistance in the event of a natural disaster.
4 S p e c i a l O l y m p i c s / S p e c i a l N e e d s
Assists Kiwanis clubs and divisions in financing Special Olympics or Special Needs community projects that exceed their own resources.
Visit our website for the specifics of each grant program or scan this QR code to download one of our grant applications.
Cal-Nev-Ha Children's Fund
President's Message
As another academic year comes to a close, the profound influence of education on individual lives comes to light. Education serves as a gateway to diverse perspectives, novel experiences, and unparalleled opportunities, enabling individuals to realize their full potential and aspirations. Regrettably, post-secondary education often comes with a hefty price tag, posing a financial barrier for many of the students we mentor within the CNH District.
We Hope to See You in Kona!
We hope you ' ve made plans to join us at the 104th Annual Cal-NevHa District Education Convention, August 8-10 in Kona, Hawaii. We encourage you to register as soon as possible, but no later than July 19th, to ensure you can purchase meal tickets - including our Honors Breakfast - as meal tickets may not be available onsite.
You won't want to miss our Honors Breakfast where we’ll be joined by special guests, the Yee family. We guarantee a few tears will be shed that morning so be sure to pack tissues!
REGISTER NOW
Take Your Volunteer Service to the Next Level!
The CNH Children’s Fund has been successful in welcoming new directors who have brought forth innovative fundraising concepts and shared expertise that yield lasting advantages to our future. If you are seeking to elevate your volunteer involvement, I encourage you to consider becoming a part of the CNH Children’s Fund Board of Directors. Complete our online application, and our Board Development Committee will contact you to arrange an interview. Our board thrives with a varied group of volunteers who aim to enhance the lives of children and the broader community.
It warms my heart when I hear about the commendable efforts each of you dedicate to supporting our students in surmounting financial constraints and unlocking their full potential. And I would be remiss if I didn’t thank you for choosing to collaborate with the CNH Children’s Fund to make this happen.
Because of you, the CNH Children’s Fund awarded more than $114,000 in scholarships to 59 members of Circle K, Key Club, and KIWIN’S. These scholarships help offset the escalating expenses associated with pursuing higher education. Your generous contributions to our YES! Initiative contributes to leadership education, Key Leader camps, youth health and wellness initiatives, and scholarships for our students.
I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your past contributions and encourage you to contemplate further donations to our YES! Initiative. By doing so, we can uphold the tradition of supporting Youth, Education, and Support [YES!].
Rose Float 2025
Kiwanis Rose Float Club is having a FLASH SALE for SLP (Service Leadership Programs) ROSE FLOAT RIDERS on the 2025 Kiwanis Rose Float!! Our 2025 Kiwanis Rose Float is titled “Beeing Together.” Of the 16 rider opportunities, we have already sold 12 leaving ONLY four seats left. The cost for each seat is $4,000. The Kiwanis Rose Float Foundation will give you a $1,000 REBATE; Net Cost $3,000. Who doesn’t love a 25% discount! Contact us at Kiwanisrosefloatclub.com for full details.
We also need pictures and short videos from your club. We are making a few commercials to show Kiwanians… Beeing Together. We want to show our kids and groups having fun doing service projects, and Beeing Together. Please send your pictures and or short videos, (Less than 15 seconds) to media.kiwanis.rosefloatclub@gmail.com.
Each year the Kiwanis Rose Float Club works with more than 4,000 Key Club and Circle K members, and some Kiwanians, to decorate 12-14 floats. We usually do Trader Joe’s, Western Assets, the Queens Float and our Kiwanis Float. Who we decorate may change from year to year, but it is an Amazing Experience for our SLP students.
As you work and plan your 24-25 budget, please remember our District Project - the Kiwanis Rose Float. It is an amazing opportunity to show off Kiwanis all over the world. The Rose Parade is shown to 55 million in the US, 25 million internationally in 35 countries. This year’s float gives a whimsical idea of KIWANIS . “Beeing Together” will certainly convey that idea.
Donations Accepted at
As Spring and Summer arrive, service steps up to the challenges of the day Many clubs join other organizations to create larger events for their communities. Kiwanis clubs encourage students to reach their full potential whether it is college bound or joining the workforce.
DIVISION 2
Record breaking fundraiser event was held on January 27th by the Kiwanis Club of Alameda. More than 200 guests enjoyed the chili tastings, western dancing, silent and live auctions raising a record $20,000 net profit for non-profits in Alameda. All was made possible by the generous sponsors, donors, guests and supporters. Thank you all for your remarkable support of this event and the Kiwanis Club of Alameda.
Students, along with their teachers and families, were honored at a luncheon held by the Kiwanis Club of Alameda Nine students received the “Hope of America” award for their leadership, character, peer outreach, community service and school spirit.
DIVISION 4
The Kiwanis Club of Lake Forest’s member and Past Club President, Terry Anderson was honored by the Area Council for Boys & Girls Clubs Across Orange County with the Eddy Award (exemplifing exceptional board service, leadership and dedication to enhancing the lives of young people in their community ) Under his guidance, the Boys & Girls Club opened four new sites expanding their services beyond the school.
Photo provided by Al Wright, Raintree Studios
DIVISION 4
The Kiwanis Club of Mission Viejo distribute food at the Murray Center on a regular basis Nearly 90 clients, rain or shine, receive food each time.
Camp Pendeton was the recepient to receive nearly 200 pounds of See’s Candies in December sweetening their holiday. Special thanks to those who purchased and donated the candy. Kiwanis Club of Mission Viejo member, Gayle Wood, volunteered to deliver the candy to the base
DIVISION 10
The Kiwanis Club of Mission Viejo held their annual Vocational Visions bowling event for adult clients who are developmentally disabled.
magazine@cnh.simplelists.com
Leading the motley crew (Division 10) of literary enthusiasts is none other than the Kiwanis Literacy Club of Southern California, marching forward with seven new members under their belt They are the trendsetters, the pioneers, the ones who do not just read about success they write it
But wait, the competition is fierce! The Kiwanis Club of San Gabriel and the Kiwanis Club of Rosemead are hot on their heels, each boasting five new members It is like a membership arms race, armed with persuasive pitches and charming smiles
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the dedication of Division 10's clubs For the first time in history, they achieved 100% club participation in Distinguished Service Awards (DSA), Youth Service Awards (YSA), and Club Service Awards (CSA). It is like the Oscars of community service, and Division 10 just swept the board The Outstanding Club trophy, made its triumphant return to Division 10 as it takes its rightful place among the stars of the division.
DIVISION 11
During the month of February, the Kiwanis Club of Bonita, along with other organizations, distributed food to about 400 needy families and continue to do so the second Friday of every month.
The Kiwanis Club of Bonita delivered and assembled a ping pong table to Alma Tucker ’s Garden House in Tijuana The home rescues children that have been victims of human slavery
Hard work is part of the Kiwanis Club of Bonita. During February, members participated in cleaning up and restoring safety fencing at Rohr Park Safety of our children is our top priority
ce again, the Kiwanis Club of wntown hosted a successful Annual urels for Leaders. This marked the 7th annual event. Many thanks to the iwanis Club of Bonita, Kiwanis Club of Chula Vista, Kiwanis Club of Spring Valley and the Kiwanis Club of Scripps Ranch for their suport of young leaders
ub of Chula Vista was proud to Wreath and Leaf sponsorships. The club is excited about the possibility of establishing a Key Club at Olympian High School.
Forging ahead, the Kiwanis Club of Imperial Beach - South Bay has presented the Literacy Project to the South Bay Unified School District’s PTA Council and then to several different schools in the district.
“ The Objec ts of Kiwanis”
To give primacy to the human and spiritual rather than to the material values of life.
To encourage the daily living of the Golden Rule in all human relationships
To promote the adoption and the application of higher social, business and professional standards.
To develop, by precept and example, a more intelligent, aggressive and ser viceable citizenship.
To provide, through Kiwanis clubs, a practical means to form enduring friendships, to render altruistic ser vice and to build better communities
To cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism which make possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism and goodwill
The six permanent Objects of Kiwanis International were approved by Kiwanis club delegates at the 1924 Kiwanis International Convention in Denver, Colorado. Through the decades, they have remained unchanged
DIVISION 11 (cont’d)
A reporter from the Imperial Beach Eagle & Times newspaper conducted an hour comprehensive interview with five members from the Kiwanis Club of Imperial BeachSouth Bay
Combining resources and collaborting together, the Kiwanis Club of Imperial Beach - South Bay and the Kiwanis Club of Southeastern executed a successful Bingo Night.
The Kiwanis Club of Sweetwater spent the month of February planning, interclubbing and increasing membership. During the month they inducted three new members who are currently administrators from the National School District Keep the momentum going -- great job
The Kiwanis Club of San Diego hosted the 67th Annual Laurels for Leaders Awards Ceremony, where over 100 ASB presidents alongside community leaders from across San Diego County gathered under one roof They participated in an enriching morning workshop before enjoying a luncheon highlighted by the honor roll call, where each student was individually recognized for their exceptional leadership achievements. In addition, the club honored ASB President of San Diego High School, Felix Burkhart with the Inaugural Kiwanis San Diego Laurels for Leaders Scholarship It was truly a celebration of leadership and community impact!
The Kiwanis Club of San Diego celebrated their Annual Giving Day by honoring 12 outstanding Community Impact grant recipients
DIVISION 13
During the “Reading Across America” day at Alameda Elementary School, you’ll find the President of the Kiwanis Club of Downey-Los Amigos, Hector Sosa, reading to the class.. Kids Need Kiwanis!
Division 13 continues collecting items needed to support food needs, etc. In March the Division donated food items to the Foodbank of Southern California in Long Beach, and diapers to the Whole Child in Downey.
Remember to SMILE!
Both the Kiwanis Club of Culver City and the Kiwanis Club of Los Angeles participated in the city of Culver City’s Egg-Stravaganza event on March 23rd It was a rainy day that led to adjustments with the setting, but both clubs managed to still hold carnival games and distribute nearly 500 prizes to kids attending the event
DIVISION 13 (cont’d)
Fundraising is an integral part of our club activities in order for the clubs to continue the service to their community The Kiwanis Club of Downey held their annual Casino Night mid March. Several clubs came out to enjoy the festivities which included buffet dinnner, silent and live auction, dancing and, of course, some casino games The event successfully raised more than $10,000 for their local projects
St. Patrick’s Day brought out the Kiwanis Club of Los Angeles where they distributed craft kits that included the popular “Boo-Boo Bunnies”, which are used to help kids put ice on wounds with the help of a cloths shaped as bunnies
The “Juan Gabriel” impersonator concert was held on March 15th and hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Norwalk - 605 Member Cathy Alvarez recently was recognized as one of the few “Women of the Year” by Assembymember Blanca Pacheco.
Two clubs, Kiwanis Club of Southeast Los Angeles and Kiwanis Club of South Gate, joined together to pick up trash in the LA River and create a safer trail for runners and bicyclists.
January was a time to “K”lean up The Kiwanis Club of South Gate did just that. They were joined by Key Club members and residents for the monthly KleanUp at Victoria Elementary
The 4th annual “Big Game Squares” hosted by the Kiwanis Club of South Gate was a complete success as both $25 and $50 grids sold out! A total of $4100 was raised that will go towards sending their Key Club students to leadership conferences in Sacramento and Atlanta
Congratulations to all the winners!
DIVISION 19
It’s Scholarship time The Kiwanis Club of Torrance held its 33rd annual Torrance Scholarship Awards luncheon presenting $24,000 in scholarships to Key Club and KIWIN’S seniors Congrats to all the well-deserving students
May the 4th Be With You was the theme of Region 8’s official Governors visit Everyone had fun with the theme dressing the part and playing with lightsabers. Laurie Love of the Kiwanis Club of Torrance received the Distinguished Service Award.
DIVISION 21
Did someone say PIE? The Kiwanis Club of Grantville-Allied Gardens in commemoration of “Pi Day” organized a lively Trivia Contest engaging the attendees with questions spanning science, pop culture, history, geography and sports The Lewis Middle School Builders Club was there to help, but decided it would be more fun to participate. Their enthusiasm was infectious.
Scholarships were awarded to four deserving students by the Kiwanis Club of Grantville-Allied Gardens club. Three of the four students were from the San Diego State University Circle K and the fourth one was the President of the Patrick High School Key Club
In total they were awarded $14,000 to continue on their path to a higher education.
Clubs from Division 21 came together for their annual Kiwanis One-Day Project. Members from Kiwanis Club of Tierrasanta, Kiwanis Club of Pacific Beach and Kiwanis Club of Grantville-Allied Gardens met up at Kumeyaay Lake Campground in Mission Trails Park where they were tasked with weed picking to clear for planting native grass and plants. Collectively several truck loads of weeds were collected in less than three hours.
DIVISION 26
How smart do you think you are? The Kiwanis Club of Pittsburg, STS Academy and Pittsburg High School Key Club came together to host a community fundraiser benefitting Pittsburg’s High School youth. The event was “Key Jeopardy” where teams competed over a month to see who would come out on top. The winners earned money depending on how they finished in their individual round.
In February, the Kiwanis Club of Pittsburg’s Literacy Committee has donated more than 1,200 books this year. They were invited to read and give away books to students to Willow Cove Elementary School.
DIVISION 28
As in the tradition of 55 years, the Kiwanis Club of Pittsburg held their Ralph Watkins Memorial Pancake Breakfast serving their famous pancakes, sausages and beverages.
Another long time tradition -- 55 years! The Kiwanis Club of Las Vegas, the Clark County School District and Vegas PBS partenered to put on the fast-paced series referred to as the “Varsity Quiz”. Students across the city compete with the top two teams being awarded scholarships.
DIVISION 30
KiwanisMembers are Ordinarypeopleperforming EXTRAORDINARYWORK
The Kiwanis Club of Garden Grove and the Kiwanis Club of Greater Garden Grove recently finished working the annual city’s Strawberry Festival. Each club had their own booth selling either funnel cakes or corn -- both were very successful. The funds raised go back into supporting the community and the KiwanisLand Park.
DIVISION 30 (cont’d)
As a fairly new club, the Kiwanis Club of Greater Westminster has kept membership as one of their top priorities -- an increase of eight members this year Way to go Greater Westminster In addition to membership, literacy is one of their goals where they give out books at different events.
Receiving scholarship applications has become difficult for the Kiwanis Club of La Mirada With fewer and fewer applications each year, the club has shifted a portion of their funds to “Teacher Grants” thereby allowing the club to help and support all students, not just graduating seniors. This year the club focused on their two Middle Schools donating more than $6,000 in support of teacher projects in the classroom.
On a rainy day in March, the Kiwanis Club of La Mirada had to move their annual Easter Egg Pancake Breakfast inside. The members did a fantastic job of adjusting to cooking under a tent to stay dry while having runners bring the food inside A wet day yet full of smiles
Regular Registration ends July 19th $260 On-site Registration $280
Thursday, August 8, 2024
6:30 a.m. – *Kiwanis Golf Tournament
Friday, August 9, 2024
7:00 a m – Rose Float Inter-club Breakfast
8:00 a m – Opening General Session
9:30 a m – Educational Workshops and Seminars
12:00 p.m. – Awards Luncheon & Second General Session
2:00 p m – Educational Workshops and Seminars
Saturday, August 10, 2024
7:30 a.m. – CNH Children’s Fund Honors Breakfast
9:15 a m – Educational Workshops and Seminars
12:00 p m – Interclub Luncheon
2:30 p m – House of Delegates & Third General Session
7:00 p m – Installation Dinner, Fourth General Session, Installation of Officers and Lt. Governors
*Registration and additional fees required
Art in All It’s
DIVISION 37
DIVISION 32
Like many other clubs, as the school year comes to an end, scholarships are awarded The Kiwanis Club of Healdsburg continues this tradition. In April, the club presented 21 $1,000 scholarships to deserving Healdsburg High School seniors
The Kiwanis Club of Temecula Valley loves the art. To Bring Art to Life, the club showcased their Annual Student Art Show at the local mall during March Students from all grades across the greater Temecula and Murrieta Valley entered the prize drawings for display Club members and volunteers did an outstanding job of displaying the artwork for all the mall patrons to enjoy. The show helps to foster a community where creativity thrives
DIVISION 42
DIVISION 39
The Kiwanis Club of Red Bluff celebrated a milestone of one of their members. Mel Oldman just turned 100 years old and remains very active within the club. He has been a member of the club for 62 years He brings his good spirit and sense of humor to the meeting each week, but also comes early to help set up the room. Congratulations Mel!
During the Christmas holidays, the Kiwanis Club of Camarillo installed two collection boxes at two privately owned pet stores in Camarillo. Donations were delivered to the Camarillo Animal Shelter
The Kiwanis Club of Moorpark is proud to donate to all their schools music programs The Kiwanis Club of Moorpark held it’s Groundhog 5K Run to see if six more weeks of winter was in store
DIVISION 42 (cont’d)
The Kiwanis Club of Oxnard hosted a “Division Social” earlier in the year Members from the Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley, the Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks and the Kiwanis Club of Camarillo braved the inclement weather to partake in such a great event and dinner
Every January the Kiwanis Club of Santa Barbara jump starts the year with a holiday party to kick off the new year with a lot of fun and camaraderie The white elephant gift exchange was full of smiles and laughter.
In March, Dr Wagner was the guest speaker at the Kiwanis Club of Santa Barbara sharing stories and holding a spine -- so who’s missing their backbone these days?
As 2023 ended and 2024 began, the Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley participated in several service projects starting with cooking and serving almost 3,000 pancakes and all done in an hour and a half Then on December 30th, volunteered to decorate Rose Parade floats. As January arrived, the Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley delivered goody baskets to their local police and fire stations -- a “thank you” for their service And as a fundraiser, the club held a Mega Garage Sale that turned into a 2-day event raising them some mega cash
The Kiwanis Club of Simi Valley served their traditional free Easter Breakfast (eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, fruit) at the Senior Center. The event wouldn’t be complete without the Easter Bunny making an appearance.
DIVISION 42 (cont’d)
The Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks continues with their Safe Passage project Their first food distribution in 2024 went off without a hitch thanks to the volunteers who made it happen.
About 800 runners in the Jewel Levine Foundation Jingle Bell Jog fundraiser enjoyed the warm pancake breakfast provided by the Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks.
The Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks goes big or goes home. Well they went big in February. They were the recipients of over $18,000 for their share of the Turkey Day Dash proceeds In return the club donated $5,000 for the soon to be Morrison Park inclusive playground in Agoura Hills.
The Kiwanis Club of Ventura Suburban has a long standing service project. The club hosts events on the second Saturday of each month at the popular Marina Park to help cleanup the local beaches.
DIVISION 45
Past Governor Tom Millham and member of the Kiwanis Club of South Lake Tahoe was recently awarded the DAR Medal of Honor at the California State Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) annual state convention Tom was recognized for his years of leadership and service with the Kiwanis Club, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care and the American Legion. His leadership with both the Kiwanis California-Nevada-Hawaii Kiwanis and the Foundation exemplifies his committment to the members and the communities in which we serve. Congratulations Tom for your exemplary service in the past, present and well into the future
submitted by Dave Schmitt, District Chair, Human & Spirituals Values Committee dave schmitt@sccontrols com
HUMAN & SPIRITUAL VALUES
….so much more than just invocations!
In all of our clubs, standing committees are groups that continue their work from year to year While the committee chairperson and members can change, Kiwanis International believes the work done by these committees is needed to serve children and communities; in our local communities and worldwide
The Human and Spiritual Values committee is one example of a club standing committee
The committee’s FOCUS is - Encourage the clubs to cooperate on broad nondenominational lines to create a greater public consciousness of the importance of human and spiritual values.
Our Kiwanis objects begin with
“To give primacy to the human and spiritual, rather than to the material values of life.”
The Human and Spiritual Values committee has much more to do than determining invocation policies Conducting a Human and Spiritual Values project is one way we can exhibit our support for this first Object
EXAMPLES OF CLUB PROJECTS SERVING HUMAN & SPIRITUAL VALUES
•Canned food, blankets and clothing drive for the local homeless shelter
•Serving at the local homeless shelter
•Making “no-sew” knot tying blankets for the homeless
•Partnering with organizations like SalvationArmy who help to meet human needs
•Supporting international organizations providing food and water and medical aid to third world countries
•Making a donation to the Kiwanis Children’s fund or Cal-Nev-Ha Children’s Fund.
-- Health and nutrition. The Kiwanis International Children’s Fund provides grants to clubs and global partners to provide healthy food to children around the world. From the prenatal stage to age 5, a child’s brain grows at an astounding rate. But that development depends on access to key nutrients, including iodine.
Education and literacy. The Kiwanis Internationa Children’s Fund
provides grants to support club and district literacy and education projects. Worldwide, 250 million children lack basic literacy skills. In the U.S., 88% of students who fail to earn a high school diploma were struggling readers in third grade. When we help someone to acquire literacy skills, we empower them with better opportunities.
-- The Cal-Nev-Ha Children’s Fund provides grants to clubs to meet the needs of families with needs, literacy projects, mental health projects and more!
•Adopt-a-family during the holidays
•Projects with religious organizations
•City, church/synagogue/temple directory for distribution at locations such as the Chamber of Commerce
•Hygiene kits for the homeless with local homeless shelter
•Serve food for holidays to homeless or elderly
•Work with school districts for weekend food distribution for students
Looking for additional club projects? Please consider one of the above Human and Spiritual Values projects. And if you have any other Human & Spiritual projects that your club has done, please let Dave Schmitt (dave.schmitt@sccontrols.com) know and he will be sure to share them in a future article.
O u r Ser vi ce Leaders h ip
Pro g rams Lead t he Way
April starts the new year of our Service Leadership Programs (SLP) Many of the SLP clubs held their annual banquets honoring those that just finished their terms and installing the new officers.
KEY CLUB
Division 4 Key Club’s year end banquet was held in March the end of the 2023-2024 year. All in attendance enjoyed the food from the Olive Garden.
The Mar Vista High School Key Club is back! The club has been reactivated with 24 enthusiastic students leading the way. For Valentine’s Day, the members decorated 45 place mats for Meals on Wheels deliveries. Way to get energized while making a difference to others
The San Diego High School Key Club partnered with the Kiwanis Club of San Diego in support of the Bay to Park Paseo Park Blvd. Clean-Up Project clearing out a record-breaking 2,210 pounds of waste. Now students have a cleaner, brighter route as they journey to and from school
Key Club members take over Sacramento at their annual District Convention
KEY CLUB (cont’d)
The City of South Gate recognized the five Key Clubs in their city on March 3rd, known as Key Club in South Gate Day. Key Club members attended the City Council meeting and addressed the City Council The students represented all of Key Club with honor and dignity Job well done.
The Huntington Park High School Key Club recently took over the regular Kiwanis meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Huntington Park. The Key Clubbers ran the meeting, collected fines and raised money toward their convention
Both the Kiwanis Club of Huntington Park and the Huntington Park High School Key Club supported the City of Huntington Park’s 5K run/walk in March
Key Club members from Bell High School Key Club and Southeast High School Key Club attended the annual Cali-Nevada-Hawaii District Key Club Convention in Sacramento It’s a fun weekend filled with general sessions, seminars and other fun activities.
The Kiwanis Club of Torrance supports a number of Key Clubs and KIWIN’S During the year each club has the honor of taking over the regular Kiwanis club meeting and sharing what their individual clubs have been doing. During February and March, the North High School Key Club and West High School Key Club each took over a meeting
showcasing all the service projects completed by their clubs during the year and what may be possible in the new administrative year. Seeing how these students serve their communities is a tribute to their leadership and heart
KEY CLUB (cont’d)
The Patrick Henry High School Key Club members wolunteered to face paint at the Elmer Runge Invitational Track Meet Talk about painting the town red.
The Healdsburg High School Key Club raised funds selling pizza and homemade cookies at the Food Court Funds were used to purchase their club t-shirts
KIWIN’S
KIWIN’S District Convention was held late April Thanks to Kiwanis Club of Torrance member Tony Molino for generously subsidizing the bus and hotel for the Torrance students who attended Torrance High School KIWIN’S was the winner of the “Most Improved Club” and “Most Distinguished Club” at the District Convention
Congratulations for the awards emphazing the clubs accomplishments
The Camarillo KIWIN’S volunteered to serve and bus tables at the Kiwanis Club of Camarillo’s breakfast at Applebees
K-KIDS
The Huntington Park City Council recognized the Lucille Royball-Allard K-Kids club at their council meeting on March 19th
Willow Elementary K-Kids hosted their annual beautification event on campus in April They invited the Kiwanis Club of South Gate as well as students,
parents and faculty from their school. No task was too difficult with the drive of our student leaders.
The Weatherfield Elementary School K-Kids is proudly supported by the Kiwanis Club of Thousand Oaks
In December the Kiwanis members cooked and served more than 200 people at the Weatherfield PTA’s “Flannels and Flapjacks”. Face painting was provided by Kiwanis Club President Elect, Robin Britt.
The Weatherfield Elementary School K-Kids visited and read to the residents at Silverado Memory Care in Thousand Oaks The Easter Bunny went along and passed out sweet treats to the residents
YUM!
AKTION CLUB
The Aktion Club of Ventura helped to beautify the walking path at Arneill Ranch Park in Camarillo. The group helped to remove overgrown weeds and plant new shrubs for the park visitors to enjoy.
BUILDERS CLUB
The Kiwanis Club of Downey sponsors the St. Raymond's school Builders Club in Downey. They attended and participated in a paper airplane contest on March 21st. The middle school students cheered oudly whenever the Kiwanis members were ready to aunch their planes.
Feeding the homeless can be daunting, but not for the Lewis Builders Club who made 600 PB&J sandwiches.
The Camarillo Builders Club made cards for seniors at a local assisted living home
Data Middle School Builders Club created cards that were inserted in Meals-On-Wheels deliveries at Easter.
KEY LEADER CAMP
The 2024 Key Leader Camp in Cedar Glen took place instilling the possibilities of leadership and the students potential This is Kiwanis at its best!
The beginning of May was the Whittier-Santa Barbara Key Leader Camp. The Kiwanis Club of Santa Barbara proudly sponsored four scholarships for students to be able to attend.
Kiwanis Children’s Fund raised 1 629 million in 2022-2023. The President’s Challenge for 2023-24 is a 10 percent increase in giving by clubs, $20,138 of $28,942 and a 10 percent increase in the number of clubs donating, 37 clubs of 64, through April Our district has raised $54,296 through April, including individual giving. IP President Filip Delanote shared Kiwanis Children’s Fund awarded $1.076 million in grants and scholarships last year, nearly double the number of awards given that in previous years.
Kiwanis Day of Giving 2024, A Major Success
The Kiwanis Day of Giving, February 21st goal was $75,000, enough to make an impact on 30,000 kids and we raised $130,000 which will impact 57,000 children. A huge thank you to all who helped. Through the Kiwanis Children’s Fund, US$2 25 makes a difference in the life of a child
Global Health Initiatives
Kiwanis International joins organizations and individuals around the world in celebrating the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) in Mali. On April 24, UNICEF confirmed that Mali is the most recent
country to achieve MNT elimination out of the priority countries identified in 1999 those with more than one case of neonatal tetanus per 1,000 live births.
17 Youth Opportunities Fund
grants awarded to outstanding Key Club projects in April Key Club projects foster collaboration between clubs and their communities. Of the top 11 projects determined by the Key Club International Board committee and Children’s Fund representatives eight are new projects launched this year; included in the top 11 are two clubs from our district:
Operation Warm Coats
Key Club of Huntington Park High School, CA With monthly food baskets, grocery gift cards, and school and hygiene supplies, members of the Huntington Park High School Key Club have been helping people who struggle with homelessness and food insecurity in their community including students in the Key Clubbers’ own school. Now they will expand their project by providing warm winter coats to students at Huntington Park High School, Marquez High School, and Roybal-Allard Elementary School. Members hope the coats will help more students attend school regularly in poor weather and even help save lives
Adopt-a-Kinder
Key Club of Santa Ana Valley High School, CA
Dr. Wil Blechman Fellowship
In the Key Club of Santa Ana Valley’s “Adopt-a-Kinder” program, high school students “adopt” kindergarten students at a local elementary school for Read Across America, an annual day to celebrate and promote literacy. The high schoolers read books with the kindergarteners, and each kindergartener then keeps the book and gets a tasty treat The project has been so successful that it is expanding from one to three elementary schools this year.
More about Kiwanis Childrens’ Fund grants Kiwanis Children’s Fund grants improve the lives of children around the world by creating a continuum of impact in a child’s life one that spans their entire childhood and sets them up for a bright future By funding projects that target the Kiwanis causes health and nutrition, education and literacy, and youth leadership development whether through a Kiwanis club’s local service project or a club’s partner, the Children’s Fund ensures that its grantmaking has the greatest possible impact.
The Dr Wil Blechman Fellowship was unveiled at the Kiwanis International Convention in 2022. The 1990-91 Kiwanis International President put Kiwanis on the world stage for early childhood health and development. Honoring his work and his vision, the Fellowship will honor our 74th president. Dr. Wil Fellowships are awarded to donors who make a gift of $2,500 to the Kiwanis Children’s Fund, recognizing Kiwanians’ generosity while remembering Dr Wil’s passion for childhood development.
Want to help?
Make a club donation through the following link: https://www.kiwanis.org/who-we-are/kiwanischildrens-fund/annual-club-gift-donation-form/ We need champions for children at every division to help with the next chapter of our fundraising that will impact millions of children. Want to support the Continuum of Impact Kiwanis causes, please contact us We reach out to clubs, share news, and seek support
The Kiwanis Children’s Fund, staffed by experts, is anxious to help clubs with fundraising strategies, foundation management, and grant seeking Call 1- 800-KIWANIS, ext 254
by Herman Platzke, District Chair, Kiwanis Children’s Fund hplatzke@yahoo
com -- 760-972-7205
Meet Jami
2024 John Woodall Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Dear Kiwanis Cal-Nev-Ha Foundation,
This 2024 CNH Children’s Fund scholarship means a lot to me as I have been a dedicated member of Key Club and Circle K I truly appreciate this recognition of my efforts and service to my community while being a student The money will help support my family in paying my class registration fees, as well as the additional costs associated with being a STEM major. From lab equipment costs, and hefty textbooks, this money will be used to support a positive educational experience for myself
As an appointed board officer for the past two years at UCLA CKI, I have grown tremendously in my leadership and event planning skills. Working in our Kiwanis Family committee has provided me more opportunities to extend service initiatives that have benefited those in the greater LA community I would not have been where I am today without the support of countless Kiwanis clubs, as well as individual Kiwanis members who have seen my potential as a future leader.
Thank you CNH Children’s Fund for this 2024 scholarship as well as for the past awards and blessings. I can not express enough how the Kiwanis Family has impacted my self-growth as a student and young adult.
In gratitude,
Jamie Weisel
IwouldnothavebeenwhereIamtoday withoutthesupportofcountless Kiwanisclubs,aswellasindividual Kiwanismemberswhohaveseenmy potentialasafutureleader.
- Jamie
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