PRESIDENT’S CORNER

OUR CLUB SPRINGS INTO ACTION

Spring showers this year were snow showers for the many of us, but although May flowers may be a bit delayed, the lingering winter didn’t stop our Club members from getting out there and volunteering to help improve the world for one child and one community at a time.

The first Saturday of April was Kiwanis One Day, where Kiwanis join forces with their communities for a day of hands-on service. We joined in on two work projects, one for Auburn Youth Resources, and the other for the Children’s Home Society. Wes Gill, Denny Swanson, Jim Nannery, Bob Spurrell and Jim Blanchard as well Mike Clark husband of Kiwanian Lisa Clark worked from 9 am to 1 pm cleaning, raking, planting, repairing and fixing throughout AYR’s Severson house. Martha Koch helped out with the other project, a joint effort with the Kiwanis of the Valley Club to paint the Children’s Home Society’s Auburn facility.

Our BIG event was the Fore Kids Indoor Golf Tournament on April 19th at the Junior Achievement facility over by the YMCA. Ninety golfers showed up, socialized with many of the finest people in Auburn, had a great meal from Organics To Go (set up by Colleen Nichols, of course; I have to get their mashed potatoes recipe), and then played eighteen innovative (to say the least) holes of indoor golf. But some of the most fun was had by the set-up crew. Wes and Lisa Gill were in charge of getting the hole sponsors and putting together the holes. Dennis Swanson and Jim Nannery did the bulk of the heavy lifting. Lisa and Mike Clark helped out and dressed up the Fitchett Benedict & Clark hole. Jean Farrington and Gail Spurrell (who, with Colleen and Wes, were the event committee members) put together the business end of the event, setting up the sign up table, the auction basket table, and more, and Bob Spurrell helped, along with my wife, Gillian, where-ever needed. Debbie Christian worked the sign in, and afterwards, a stalwart group including most of the set-up crew and Larry Farrington and Ron Claudon, tore down all the holes and cleaned up in record time. I know I’m forgetting somebody—so please except my apologies in advance. We earned a healthy chunk of money for our Kactus fund, and had great fun doing it. Thanks to all who helped, and all who came and supported this great event.

We have two fund-raising events scheduled for May, the first being May 10, where we’ll be making pancakes for the over five hundred volunteers for Auburn’s Clean Sweep. Come help make our City’s parks look even better, and have breakfast at City Hall starting at 7:00 a.m. Our second event is our second annual Outdoor Furniture Sale on Saturday, May 24th. Really nice outdoor wood furniture at a good price, and raising funds to help change the world one child and one community at a time.

We have eight members attending the Kiwanis International Convention in Orlando this June. We hope to put Sylvester Neal into International’s Vice President’s chair, and with that many Club members in Orlando, we should have a magical time as well. (Not too late to sign up!) And if you can’t make it to Florida, our PNW District Convention is in the Tri-Cities in mid August, so come see what fun it is to “convention” with the Kiwanians. And remember the 2% rule!

Keith
ckeithstump@hotmail.com