Builders Club

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine yourself 11, 12, or 13 years old. Do you remember when you were that age? I do! At this same time you are listening to an adult describe an opportunity for you to be a part of something new, a club perhaps? How do you feel? Are you excited? Or are you nervous or overwhelmed?
Our pre-teens go through this on a daily basis. Basically they are a massive ball of confusion. They cannot be lead by the hand as they once were in elementary school as K-Kids, nor are they independent like our high schoolers are as
Key Clubbers. The Builders Club kids are on the verge of becoming independent yet still need our guidance. They need our "Helping Hands" as Gov.-Elect Hank Baker has said many times. Remember one of our mottos is "Kids Need Kiwanis", and by the same token "Kiwanis Needs Kids" for they truly are our future!
Our SLP programs through the guidance of their administrators, Kiwanis and faculty advisors have kept the vision of Kiwanis in the minds of everyone who want to leave our world a better place. I appreciate everything that my fellow
Kiwanians do to guide these future leaders in making this happen. Whether it has been decorating and setting up, volunteering to cook or serve, collecting can goods for food drives, or bell ringing during the Holidays.
The top three nearest to my heart are first, starting up, maintaining and continuing food pantries.
Secondly, spreading the word on preventing or stopping bullying.
Finally the ability of our adult clubs to reach our youth and get these impressionable young people to make positive choices in these troubling times.
In the spirit of "new growth", we have chartered three new Builders Clubs; the Corpus Christi Holy Rosary Club in Port Chester, IS 234 and IS 303 in Brooklyn. Kudos to all the Kiwanis Clubs, their advisors and their school administrators that have been instrumental in making these programs possible. We are also in the process of renewing one of our Builders Club, IS 77Q in Ridgewood, in the near future and look forward to working with their advisors Mike Liendo, Glendale Kiwanis, Dean Joseph Simone, and Christine Saladino of IS 77Q.
A special shout out goes to Joe DeMarco from the Liberty Kiwanis Club of Brooklyn, who continues to serve Kiwanis altruistically and has been energized by the spirit of these Builders Club members of IS 303. Although this BC has only been recently chartered, they have helped their community with many service projects. With the help of Joe, their liaison and people who serve as faculty advisor, school administration, the local NYPD 60th Precinct and the Housing Police of PSA1, this club created a great working partnership and additional chaperones within their community. To date they have had food, coat, clothing and toy drives to benefit the homeless, shelters and needy of their neighborhood. In addition to the many projects they have completed in such a short time in existence they ran a dance for autistic children which was very successful! They also have two ongoing projects. They are currently collecting items to make personal hygiene kits which are then distributed to children living in shelters and people in need. Their second is a Prom Clothing project with a Twist! They are collecting suits, dress shirts, pants and shoes for boys, teens and the NYPD Guardians. Finally in May they are planning a field trip to City Hall to see their government at work. Are you impressed? I know I am!
And this could be said about all our Builders Club members and clubs no matter where their programs are being held. It only takes a few caring adults to guide and the imagination of our youth to make a difference!

Column Posted on Web Site May 5, 2018