Service Projects
The
first time the Kiwanis Club cleaned their adopted stretch of
route 219 in Springville they picked up 45 bags of trash. Only 10 bags per year have been
picked up since 1992 showing a dramatic decrease in roadside debris and litter.
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Science Fair Scholarship Awards Springville Library Key Club Sponsorship Pageant of Bands |
Support of Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Children's Hospital - Trauma Center Toys for Tots Warm the Children Program Arbor Day |
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Science Fair 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. Scholarship Awards (Started in 1964)Kiwanis gives a scholarship of five 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. In support of the new Springville library, the Kiwanis Club made a substantial contribution to the fund drive. 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. Greta Buchanan is our current Key Club liaison, and has been quite effective in enhancing the relationship between the two Kiwanis organizations. Joint fundraising projects have been started. It is planned that some of the funds raised may be used to help send some of the Key Club members to their convention. Members of Key Club work with us on some of our projects, including the Lamb & Webster auction and the Pageant of Bands. 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. Childrens 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 Childrens Hospital in Buffalo. (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 Troupers Toys for Tots in Dunkirk. Bob usually has some things in storage to meet needs throughout the year. (Started in 1995) Warm the Children is a program started locally by the Springville Journal. Kiwanis buys winter clothing for children. (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. Arbor
Day This year we will continue this tradition started back in 1960. Member John Jurkowski is our current Chairman of this event. The club gathers together before Arbor Day to bag each tree to be given out. This bagging event has become a fond evening of fun - hopefully accompanied by some nice spring weather and something cold to wet one's whistle while working. 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. |