Club News

We are now well into our 2007-8 Kiwanis year and have continued to be busy working in the community.

The club has become the proud official sponsor of the Key Club of Northview Heights Secondary School. Key Club is the international equivalent of Kiwanis for high school students. (See link). These enthusiastic, community-minded young people undertake service work at their school and in north-west North York, holding short meetings at the school every week. They are looking for further members so, if you are interested and eligible, contact them at the school.

Perhaps our biggest project has been our annual children's Christmas Party with the Salvation Army at Yorkwoods Community Church. Parents enrolled 90 youngsters in advance but on the day, nearly 200 came! Fortunately, sufficient toys had been generously donated by Toys 'R Us that there were enough for Santa to present one to every child in the hall. Four Key Clubbers (see above) helped club members serve pizza and soft drinks to everyone in attendance.

We are also working with academic staff at Yorkwoods Public School in support of its Future Aces programme, which aims to improve student's reading skills. Our donation of $3,000 has been used to buy books that will be used as rewards for children who have reached the target set for them by their teacher.

Members worked at Loblaws, Centre Point Mall, handing out donor bags for the North York Harvest Food Bank during its Fall Food Drive. Almost 15% of the food collected by the Food Bank was raised at this location. On January 9, itsd Executive Director LOREN FREID showed a DVD at our meeting that was made to record the 20th. Anniversary of the Food Bank. He was the driving force behind its creation in 1987 and has been its leader ever since. He received $1,000 donation from the club.

The Kiwanis Music Festival will be held in Toronto as usual over two weeks in February and members will be working at various locations as usual.

During 2006-7, we made donations ot the following organizations:
North York General Hospital (for Kiwanis Young Moms and Babies programme and Teddy Bears);
Kiwanis Music Festival Association:
Scouts Canada:
Earl Haig S.S. Scholarship:
Youth Assisting Youth:MacAuley Child Development Centre:UNICEF:
Star Fresh Air Fund:
Star Santa Claus Fund:
Meals on Wheels:
Giant Steps Toronto:
Salvation Army:
Sleeping Children Around the World:
Easter Seal Society:
Canadian Landmine Foundation:
CNIB:Doctors Without Borders.