| Science Fair
1996 marked the thirtieth year of the annual Middle School Science Fair, and the
twenty-seventh year of Kiwanis Club sponsorship. Alan Manchester recalls that classes were
still being held at the old Academy Street Griffith Institute. When he first called upon
the club to ask support for his dream, he recalls being greeted warmly by President Joe
Benz. Obviously he secured the support he sought.
Every seventh and eighth grade student completes a project as a part of
the year's curriculum. Colorful ribbons representing various levels of proficiency have
brought joy and satisfaction to thousands of youngsters. An actual count is not available,
but the number is approaching ten thousand. Our sponsored Science Fair has
produced more Congress medal winners than any other school in Western NY. The total medal
count is well in excess of two hundred. Springville students have achieved this in
competition against the likes of City Honors Science Magnet and a host of other schools
both public and private. Gold Medal winners receive a Fifty Dollar savings bond from
Kiwanis for having prepared and presented an exceptional project.
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Scholarship
Awards (Started in 1964)
Kiwanis gives a scholarship of two hundred dollars to two graduating
seniors each year. The two-year and four-year scholarships are given in
the name of former members Dale Lampila and Ed Schue. Harry Russell and
Bob Slippy strive to award these scholarships to a student who is deserving
but overlooked.
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Springville Library
In support of the new Springville library, the Kiwanis Club made a substantial
contribution to the fund drive.
Key Club Sponsorship
For many years we have sponsored the Key Club in the high school. Even though the yearly
turnover of students gives this project additional challenges, we know that commitment to
community service and leadership skills are developed. Mark Fornes and Fred Haier have
spent countless hours with the Key Club. Members of Key Club work with us on some of our
projects and we help pay for their officers to go to their convention.
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Support of Bertrand Chaffee Hospital
It seems that whenever we get one commitment to Bertrand Chaffee Hospital
completed, we find a reason to start another long term commitment. We have purchased
plaques to honor people we felt should not be forgotten. We have paid for needed
equipment, and have supported a number of building funds. In 2005, we provided an $8,000 one-time donation to the Hospital during a time of need.
Children’s
Hospital - Trauma Center
In support of the New York District program, the Kiwanis Club of Springville has made a
pledge to the Trauma Center at Children’s Hospital in Buffalo.
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Toys for Tots
(Started in 1988)
Kiwanis member Bob Slippy has been the main man for Toys for Tots. This service project
provides over two hundred toys to children at Christmas time. We pay a nominal fee for
repaired toys from Trouper’s Toys for Tots in Dunkirk. Bob usually has some
things in storage to meet needs throughout the year.
Warm the Children Program (Started in 1995)
Warm the Children is a program started locally by the Springville Journal.
Kiwanis buys winter clothing for children.
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Pageant of Bands
(Founded in 1963)
The Pageant of Bands is almost as old as the Kiwanis Club of Springville. This
colorful service project was more or less self-sustaining for many years with monies from
the food stands paying the Pageant costs, trophies, judges, et cetera. The
self-sustaining aspect was maintained in later years by adding registration fees. A
few years ago, after we found that the Pageant had cost the club $3,000 out of treasury,
we again faced the difficult reality of continual rising costs. Some members even
harbored the unacceptable thought of discontinuing the Pageant of Bands. The
solution to our money problem has been that the business people of Springville sponsor
each of the sixty trophies. By "selling" these trophies, we again have the
Pageant of Bands on secure financial ground. Besides bands from western and central
New York, there have been bands from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and near Toronto, Canada.
A march entitled "The Springville Pageant of Bands" was composed by a
Fredonia College professor in its honor. In past years we have had up to twenty
three bands performing in this parade.
Hard times and struggles are again behind us and the Pageant is growing
again. Bill Cocca, who has replaced Jerry DeLisle in the school music department,
has faced equally challenging problems in his role as Pageant Director. This year
the competition will follow the established schedule with jazz competition on Friday
night, concert competition on Saturday morning, and the famous Pageant of Bands parade on
Saturday afternoon. Main Street will be packed with people. Hundreds of kids
will be proud that they did their best. The resonant, colorful day will end with the
awarding of many trophies and twenty-plus, very tired Kiwanians will be satisfied in their
role of SERVICE IN SILENCE.
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Arbor
Day
"...sponsored Arbor Day observance by donating seven hundred trees for fifth and
sixth graders throughout the entire G.I. School District, including St. Aloysius
School." This is a quote from "KIWANIS IN ACTION - A Summary of the
First Five Years." It gives us the approximate age of our Arbor Day
project. The project fulfilled a wish of a teacher, Mrs. Burger from Boston, NY, who
wanted kids to develop a respect for trees.
This year we will continue this thirty-year tradition Fred Hofmann has
been Chairman of this event for years. The club used to sort the trees by
bundles for the various schools. Now Fred and his family seem to do all the work on
this project.
There are some frequently asked questions such as: How many trees have
we given away? Where are they located? How big are they now? The answer
to the first question has to be close to fifteen thousand trees given. In front of
the Baptist parsonage and on the lawn of Lloyd Lamb's former home on Windswept Drive are
two locations of the very early trees. They are now about a foot in diameter.
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