Aktion Club

We had an extremely successful District Convention in Rochester in August.
Assisting in the sale of pins for the Eliminate Project at our display table was the Livonia Aktion Club and their adviser Jeanette Mallaber, member of the Nunda Club and adviser to the Nunda Aktion Club Vicki Goll, member of the Lewiston Club and the adviser to the Niagara County Aktion Club Richard Hermanson and member of the West Seneca Aktion Club Stephanie Speaker. We raised $1,000 which was personally delivered to International President Tom DeJulio.
The New York District Aktion Clubs collected $1,924 over the course of the past two years specifically for the Eliminate Project, but one individual stands out. Whenever I have asked for help at any of the Mid-Winter or District Conventions there was always one person who contacted me immediately, who always said I will be there to help, just tell me where and when. He would take the pins off our display table and circulate the venue, selling them to whoever he could. Without his help, I am uncertain we would have raised all that money. So, when Distinguished Past Gov. David and I attended the Lewiston Peach Festival in September we walked in the Peach Parade with the Niagara County Aktion club in the morning and although it was pouring rain, under the raindrops in the Peach tent we presented Richard Hermanson with a Zeller award for all that he has done to help Aktion Clubs. Thank you Richard for all that you do.
Our newest charter, East Meadow Aktion Club, held a Karaoke Night, which I had the pleasure of attending. They raised enough money to send two children to Kamp Kiwanis. Both Nassau BOCES RKS at JFK Bellmore Aktion Club and Nassau BOCES RKS at Manhasset HS Aktion Club made paper butterflies to be part of an exhibit for the Houston Holocaust Museum. The Roslyn Warriors Aktion Club created bookmarks that were given to local schools as well as a home for disabled children. The Oceanside Sailors Aktion Club made bookmarks for the new library at Kamp Kiwanis and West Hempstead Court Aktion club decorated duffel bags donated by the Nassau County Court Houses Kiwanis Club to be given to children leaving for Kamp Kiwanis who had nothing to carry their clothes in but plastic bags. Massapequa FREE Aktion Club made journals for the children at Kamp Kiwanis and helped out at a food drive. FEC/HRW Aktion Club helped to create baskets of food to be delivered to needy families. The Niagara Falls and Lockport Aktion Club assisted in a soup kitchen and a book bag giveaway. The Nunda Aktion Club made and decorated Valentine's cards for a local nursing facility. The Elmira Aktion Club participated in an Anti-Bullying downtown Elmira event, sponsored by Strong Kids/Safe Kids. The Adirondack Aktion Club has been holding dances to raise money for local causes. The Buffalo Aktion Club assisted in a Spring Shoreline cleanup and Forest Park Aktion Club partook in their annual service project that consisted of landscaping in the Umoja Gardens in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. Our Aktion clubs have been extremely busy.
Western NY will be hosting its second Aktion Club conference in October; you can find the information on our Facebook page, NY District Aktion Clubs. Check out the web site www.aktionclub.org for more information on Aktion Clubs and if your Kiwanis club doesn't sponsor an Aktion Club please think about chartering one. Thank you to all the 33 clubs, their advisers and their sponsoring clubs for a great year in growth and a great year in service hours.

Column Posted on Web Site November 10, 2013