Organizations Working Together Make Community Stronger
By Ralph Tweedie, Manotick Kiwanis Club
In Kiwanis we focus on youth and the community that nourishes them. When you give a child the chance to learn, experience, dream, grow, succeed, and thrive, great things can happen.
To do this we cooperate with and support many other service-oriented organizations. We do this because together we can achieve much more.
We are most proud of our direct involvement with local youth through our Service Leadership Programs. These include our four local high school Key Clubs and our Key Leader Camps. In Key Clubs we provide leadership opportunities while students learn the value of team work and earn volunteer hours through service to their community. Key Leader Camps are weekends devoted to developing team and leadership skills.
At a regional level we cooperate with other Kiwanis Clubs in the Ottawa area on projects region wide. These include the Kiwanis Music Festival, The Kiwanis Computers for Kids project, the annual Canada Day event on Petri Island, and the Special Needs Kids Day at the Capital Fair.
At an international Level we have partnered with UNICEF to combat Iodine Deficiency and to eliminate Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus, a devastating disease in lesser developed countries.
As Kiwanis members, we all get something very personal out of giving to our community and, just as important, out of what it gives us in return. While we give our youth the chance to realize their potential, we make new friends and enrich our lives as well.
Featured Image: Stephanie Madden (center) is the recipient of the Kiwanis Club Of Manotick Award at the South Carleton High School Community Awards, which took place at the school in Richmond June 13. Stephanie is pictured with her parents, Paul Madden and Marlene Elliott.
