Kingston Kiwanis busy with service projects in fall

September 28, 2019 11:30 am
Halloween Carnival fun with Kiwanis member Helen Hoover as the spooky story teller. Photo courtesy Pat Bennett-Forman
Halloween Carnival fun with Kiwanis member Helen Hoover as the spooky story teller. Photo courtesy Pat Bennett-Forman

By Pat Bennett-Forman

Following a successful summer of fundraising, culminating with the annual Salmon Slam, Greater Kingston Kiwanis members have turned their attention to fall service projects.

First will be the annual Halloween Carnival, Oct. 31. The carnival is aimed at pre-school and elementary children and offers free games, candy and spooky activities. Parents may bring their Trick-or-Treaters to the Village Green from 5 to 7 p.m. The Kingston Library and the NK Boys and Girls Club will also have activities for youngsters to enjoy.

The Husky-Cougar football rivalry around Apple Cup time generates enthusiasm for the annual Kiwanis Apple Cup Food Drive. Community members contribute food items into the basket of their choice to “score points” for a Husky or a Cougar win. The food is donated to both ShareNet and the Kingston Food Bank. This year’s Kiwanis Apple Cup will be Nov. 23 at the Kingston Food Market and Kingston Albertson’s from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

No holiday season would be complete without attending the Kiwanis Santa Workshop. Whole families are invited to make craft ornaments, take photos with Santa and enjoy cocoa and cookies. The event takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 7, the same day as the Port of Kingston Tree Lighting Ceremony, so it is a wonderful family tradition to kick off the holiday season.

Kiwanis members would like to thank the whole Kingston Community for its support of the Salmon Slam. 517 pounds of whole salmon were purchased. Over 100 community members enjoyed the salmon dinner Sept. 7. Christina Reynold of Snohomish was the lucky winner of the Alaska Cruise raffle. The event netted over $20,000 for Kiwanis service projects. The money raised will be used to help youth in the greater Kingston area. Kiwanis funds support the Food4Kids Program with weekend and summer food parcels during school vacations. The annual “Back-to-School with Kiwanis” program in August provides backpacks filled with all the required school supplies for over 165 youth. Kiwanis offers scholarships for post-secondary education to youth with outstanding records of community service. Beyond helping to feed, supply and educate kids, the funds help support the Boys and Girls Club, Kingston Sails, the Kingston High School Key Club, and the annual Halloween Carnival and Santa’s Workshop for families.

All the members of Kiwanis want to thank this very special Kingston Community for its support.

Kiwanis is always looking for and welcomes new members. Come join us for a free breakfast Thursday mornings at 7 a.m. at the Village Green to see what a friendly and active group we are. Then join us as we work in the Kingston area where we have a proud record of thirty-five years of service to kids.