District Foundation

I am very happy to report to you that our 2016 Kamping season is under way.

The Kamp is really looking great as we constantly keep up with the maintenance. This year our maintenance cost soared due to some unexpected expenses that popped up such as a new food warmer and a replacement for the van used to transport staff and Kampers. New government regulations forced us to purchase a new pool lift for our handicapped Kampers; the drama building roof has been deteriorating for a few years now and we could not take a chance on leaving it for another season so we hired a really good roofer so that it can be done prior to Kamp opening.

Those expenses ere not in the budget but needed to be addressed. Of course there are the costs we encounter every year in order to get the Kamp in shape for the Kamping season.

Thanks goes out to Kiwanians like Herb Chan, Anthony Merendino, Vice President Joe Battista and all the volunteers that come up every year for opening day and provide the labor for many of the things that need to be done around the Kamp. Without the most gracious Kiwanians our costs for upkeep would soar out of control.

I would like to personally thank Gov. Forbes Irvine for making his Governor’s Project the four district foundations, I’m sure that the KPTC, Pediatric Lyme Disaster and Disaster Relief have benefitted from his project as well as we have at the District Foundation.

I would also like to thank Gov.-Elect Steve Sirgiovanni for his continued support of Kamp Kiwanis. Besides all the work that he and Kim Scharoff do putting together the Mets Game fundraiser, he was instrumental in getting a meeting with Councilman Eric Ulrich of Queens and as a result of that meeting we were just awarded a $10,000 grant from his discretionary funds.

Thanks go out to board liaison Brenda Leigh Johnson who opened her home to about 100 Kiwanians and friends for a fundraiser for Kamp Kiwanis, all the proceeds going to send children to Kamp. The East River Kiwanis club held a Golden Glove Night that raised enough money to send 11 children to Kamp and they are not done yet.

Thanks go to all those clubs that decided to do a Governor’s Project to benefit Kamp Kiwanis, to all those who fulfilled parts of the wish list and sometimes taking whole category of items like Lou Cazzetta and the Staten Island Kiwanis Club who took care of all the medical items on the wish list as they have for the past 10 years or so. To all of you I say don’t stop, if for nothing else, just to change the fate of a child for the better, as I always say, we might not be able to help every Kamper but if one child is helped by attending Kamp Kiwanis, it’s all worth it.

The New York Mets Game fundraiser is on for Saturday, Aug. 27, at 7:10 p.m. The Mets will be battling their division rivals Phillies; cost is $60 per ticket. Bring your friends and come out to the ballpark. Last year this event was a great success, let’s make it even better. For tickets please contact Kim Scharoff.

I hope to see you at this year’s District Convention in Buffalo. Visit us at the Kamp table where we will be having “Bubbles for Kids”.

Column Posted on Web Site August 5, 2016