Atascadero Kiwanis donates over $60,000 to local organizations
From left to right: Tim Ecceles, ALF, Dan Chinn, Kiwanis president, Cyndi Workman, Kiwanis vice-president, Bill Kneeland, ALF.
– The Kiwanis Club of Atascadero recently announced donations to community organizations totaling over $60,000. The Kiwanis Club is an organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.
“We make donations throughout the year,” said Sue Hubbard, member of the Kiwanis Club board of directors, “and August was very busy.”
Donations in August include $55,000 to the nonprofit ALF Food Pantry, formerly known as Atascadero Loaves and Fishes. The donation is the result of the Kiwanis 13th Annual Winemaker Dinner that was held in June. The money will be used to keep the pantry shelves filled with food. Kiwanis members also volunteer to hand out food for the pantry on the second Tuesday of every month.
Parents Helping Parents received a total of $5000 from the club and donors including Negranti Creamery, The Carriage House, Portola Inn, and more. Parents Helping Parents is the nonprofit that led to the construction of the Joy Playground for special needs kids.
Included in the photo are: Sharlene Argues and Elle Berry, representing Parents Helping Parents. Also shown are Club President Dan Chinn and Kiwanians Trudy Meyer, Tom O’Malley and Club Treasurer Mark Dariz.
Also receiving $1000 each were Partners in Equestrian Therapy and Tech Trek.
Partners in Equestrian Therapy is a local therapeutic riding program for children and adults with special needs, and veterans, and also works with Transitions Mental Health.
Tech Trek is a summer camp for middle school girls that focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Campers spend one week on a university campus – they live in the dorms, eat in the cafeteria, attend labs and classes, and learn what it might be like to be a college student. The local program is sponsored by the local chapter of the AAUW.
“Our members work all year long to help the work of so many organizations in our community,” said Hubbard. “With over 100 members we are one of the largest Kiwanis Clubs in California. Our membership represents every aspect of our community.”
The club is busy all year long, said Hubbard. Every August the Kiwanis sponsor a fishing trip out of Port San Luis for military veterans. Kiwanis Club members are a regular presence, cooking and dishing up food at local fairs and festivals. Barbecues, hamburgers and preparing and serving food throughout the year are one of the club’s primary fundraising efforts. The Kiwanis Club is also active in helping Cal Trans keep the highways clean.
The Atascadero Kiwanis Club meets every Thursday morning at 7 a.m. at the Kiwanis Hall, 7848 Pismo Ave, Atascadero. Interested parties and members can attend in person or via Zoom. For more information about meetings or membership visit The Kiwanis Club of Atascadero, or follow on Facebook and Twitter.
-By Jackie Iddings
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