Spring definitely energizes the Kiwanis crew and things are really starting to jump around town. The Mustang raffle ticket sales are going just great. This year’s prize car is a 1965, four-on-the-floor, V8 coupe, painted red and black.
Make sure you get a ticket before they are gone. Tickets are on sale all over town, or from individual Kiwanians if you can catch one. The Boys & Girls Club has raised enough money to keep the club running through this summer, and to make sure they have fun and positive projects to keep their active minds busy.
Our club is a major sponsor of the “Concerts in the Park” every Saturday evening during July and August. It’s great fun and it’s free. Judy Osborne has already started the Christmas toy drive and April’s theme was “Toys for Toddlers.” She is trying to break last year’s goal of 450 toys. This year the goal is 500.
The Kiwanis Foundation is awarding two $2,500 scholarships again this year to deserving high school seniors in North Kitsap. The main qualifying point for these students is community service, in addition to good grades. Money we make from the Mustang raffle and berry sales help support these scholarships.
With that in mind, our members will be contacting past customers to make sure when nature decides it’s time to pick the blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, we will be ready to deliver them.
Also, Tatiana French is back raising her pigs this year, which is exciting for us. She donated almost $600 to ShareNet from the sale of last year’s pig.
We have had three new members join our club recently. Elaine Jungs, a local lady who wants to support her community and work with children in her retirement, picked Greater Kingston Kiwanis because that’s what we do. Jungs joined in March, the first new member of the year.
April brought Jed “Duffy” Selter, president of the board and acting executive director of Caring Clowns International, an all-volunteer charitable nonprofit he co-founded.
As Duffy explains his background, he “was born at a very early age among the clatter of horse hooves in the Clydesdale barns behind a large mid western brewery.” We will hear much more from Duffy, especially when clown school starts up.
William “Bill” Ryberg, is a retired executive who has recently moved to Kingston and wants to contribute to his new town. He has a local consulting firm that helps nonprofits be successful in their missions, and has already been lured in to help with the Fourth of July celebration. Bill also happens to be a professional voice coach. That will definitely be a positive addition to our Thursday morning meetings.
On a sad note, two of our members, Lori and Jerry Schmidt, will be moving to Sequim. It will be very difficult to fill their shoes, especially with all the work they do on our Mustang fundraiser.
We hope to see you at our meetings. Kiwanis meets every Thursday at 7 a.m. at the Oak Table Café in Kingston.
If you would like to know more about Kiwanis, please contact our president, Dick Osborne at (360) 297-4693, or Bob Lee, at 297-4462.
