Division 23 logs more than 730 hours for Kiwanis One Day

by P. Scott Zimmerman

Kiwanis members work in their communities all year long. But for one day in April each year, called Kiwanis One Day, the entire Kiwanis family of programs- Kiwanis Clubs, Kiwanis Kids, Builders Clubs, Key Clubs, Circle K clubs, and Aktion Clubs-comes together for a day of hands-on community service that represents our ongoing, year-round mission -- to change the world one child and one community at a time.

I have had the honor of serving my community as a member of Kiwanis International for over 25 years. This year, Kiwanis One Day fell on April 10th I had the incredible opportunity to participate in local Kiwanis projects throughout our area.

(Right, Tabb Kiwanians at Lackey Free Clinic)

My April 10th started by working with the Kiwanis Club of Gloucester as they landscaped the exterior of the Boys and Girls Club on Route 17 in Hayes. We also renovated one of the rooms inside to make a beach themed space out of a dull dreary one. Murals were painted and the room was brightened up and made cheerful for the young ladies who participate in the club activities. Counting the time put in by all members of the Gloucester Kiwanis and friends, 126 hours of service were donated to the Boys and Girls Club this day.

Other Clubs in Kiwanis Division 23 on the Virginia Peninsula were also hard at work in their communities.

The Kiwanis Club of Tabb was working a spring cleaning project inside and outside for The Lackey Free Clinic. I arrived in time to help pull some of the biggest dandelions ever seen. (80 hours of service by the Tabb Club).

Moving on to the Kiwanis Club of the Colonial Capital, we helped The Salvation Army set up their new thrift shop location in the Outlet Mall in Lightfoot. On this day Colonial Capital also helped raise money for the Toano Middle School Athletic Department by running a girls softball tournament at James City County Recreation Center and a boys baseball tournament at Mid County Park (133 hours of service from the Colonial Capital Club).

I left the Salvation Army project, to join The Kiwanis Club of Toano as they continued their project of landscaping and providing lunch and fellowship to the residents of the Burnt Ordinary adults with disabilities housing facility. The plantings were beautiful and the interaction with the residents was incredibly heart warming. (Toano Club members gave 88 hours of service).

But there was still much going on. I finished my day at my home club, The Kiwanis Club of Williamsburg. We worked with Housing Partnerships to paint and clean homes, and clean up yards in the Wales subdivision of Williamsburg, providing another 110 hours of community service

(Right, PLG Brian Wilson lends a hand.)

Yet Kiwanians were not finished. Other clubs in Division 23 carried out Kiwanis One Day projects for their communities. The Kiwanis Club of Denbigh worked at the Lee Hall mansion on Easter helping to provide a fun day for children and an Easter Egg hunt. (40 plus service hours) The Kiwanis Club of Poquoson worked with the City Parks and Recreation Department to clean up a playground area (74 hours of service), and the Kiwanis Clubs of Grafton and York worked together landscaping the brand new Boys and Girls Club location at the York County Middle School (80 hours).

All told, Kiwanians from Division 23 supported their communities with over 731 hours of service on this ONE KIWANIS DAY...Kiwanis One Day, impacting the lives of thousands of members of our community.