Some exciting changes have come to the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Center.
First is a new name to reflect the changes at the hospital. Still part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, our trauma center has been transferred to Cohen Children's Medical Center. Kiwanians should look for the new name and a new KPTC logo to reflect this change in the coming months.
In addition, The KPTC Foundation is proud to announce the election of Distinguished Past Gov. Al Norato Jr. to our Board of Directors for 2014-15. Al joins returning Director Susan Groenewoud and new Director Rickie Santer who were added to our board in the Spring.
A recent meeting with hospital representatives reaffirmed the KPTC Foundation's mission and how to best serve the needs of the hospital. The hospital staff expressed its gratitude for Kiwanis' long-term commitment to the trauma center and its emphasis on trauma prevention and safety education.
With this reaffirmation, the KPTC Foundation plans to continue its long established trauma kit program with the presentation of two trauma kits in the Queens East Division and with the Kiwanis Club of Valley Stream. A KPTC subcommittee is also working with hospital representatives to determine if the contents of the trauma kits continue to meet the needs of local first responders or if updates are needed.
In furthering our safety education programs, our KPTC Service Leadership Committee has begun its own revitalization program by recruiting new committee members to replace long-term members who have graduated from Service Leadership P programs and beginning a series of new Safe Kids presenter trainings for new committee members and the next generation of local Key Clubbers and Circle Kers. The first training was recently held at a Health and Wellness Fair in Huntington and other training sessions are being scheduled for the Long Island North and Long Island South Central Divisions.
I would be remiss if I did not include a huge KPTC "Thank You" and farewell to KPTC Service Leadership Committee Chairperson Kat Graves of Adelphi Circle K and Vice Chair Distinguished Past Lt. Gov. Michael Rover of North Shore Key Club. We congratulate each of them on their graduations and wish them success in all their future endeavors.
We also welcome newly elected Chair Nicole Hallett of WT Clarke Key Club, Vice Chair Joy Andres of Uniondale Key Club and Secretary Shermeen Khan of Woodland Builders Club/East Meadow High School Key Club.
The committee is currently working on a safety coloring book that is coordinated with the Safe Kids lessons. Our committee will be looking for ads from businesses and Kiwanis Clubs to cover the cost of publishing the coloring book and purchasing crayons. The coloring books will be distributed to all children who participate in Safe Kids workshops. Please look for their ad form being emailed out soon and consider supporting these outstanding young people as they support our trauma center.
The committee is also lending its Vycki robot to Long Island South Central Kiwanis Division and assisting in the training of Kiwanians who will be running a Swim Safety workshop in Jamaica's Runaway Bay Area.
Another huge "Thank You" goes out to K-family clubs and individuals for their recent fundraisers including the Bike Challenge; the Theater Night, the Kiwanis Family Game Show Night; the North Shore Key Club Car Wash as well as W.T. Clarke, Woodland Builders and East Meadow High School Key Club Fundraisers.
We also gratefully acknowledge the Kiwanis Clubs, Circle K, Key Clubs, Builders Clubs and K-Kids that have donated to our Annual Campaign.
On Sept. 19 we will hold our annual Black & White Ball (with some surprises). I extend a personal invitation to all. Let's make it the best we have ever had. Let's have every Kiwanis Club represented, in attendance and in our B & W Journal. It's a great night to honor an outstanding Kiwanis leader or member with a KPTC Fellow or Diamond Fellow with over 300 Kiwanis members present.
We already have close to 10 surprise presentations for that night.
For information you can call me at 917-282-9498 or check our website: www.kiwanispediatrictraumacenter.org
Column Posted on Web Site July 26, 2014
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