By Maggie Beamguard
Insider Staff Writer
The Kiwanis Club of Seven Lakes has been a leading organization in the community since 1983 when it was chartered by the Kiwanis Club of the Sandhills.
The club adopted an updated strategic plan on Oct. 1, the beginning of its 43rd fiscal year. This roadmap serves to sustain the vitality of the organization as it works with local children, schools and community partners.
Kiwanis is a global organization “dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time,” according to its mission statement. The strategic plan adopted by the Seven Lakes chapter refines their steps toward fulfilling the organization’s stated mission. Vitality, sustainability and community connection are emphasized in the plan.
Through member engagement and growth and visibility in the community, Seven Lakes Kiwanis Club hopes to deepen its impact. The club’s focus on education is its compass.
This fall, members returned to West End and West Pine Elementary schools to present Terrific Kids Awards. Members also supported the WEE Book Fair and assisted with a summer literacy camp.
Third graders at WEE will soon receive dictionaries and multiplication flash cards from the club as part of a long-running effort to boost foundational academic skills.
Beyond the classroom, Kiwanis continues to support students through scholarships, including the annual “Buddy Spong” scholarship awarded to a Sandhills Community College student.
One of the organization’s goals is to strengthen connections with other organizations focused on service and youth development. This year, the Union Pines High School Key Club and Sandhills Community College Circle K students have been active collaborators, especially in fundraising efforts.
Community partnerships extend beyond the school system. Members recently participated in the Rise Against Hunger Event hosted at West End Presbyterian Church and they have continued supporting Boys and Girls Homes at Lake Waccamaw.
One of the longest-running projects of the Kiwanis Club of Seven Lakes has been the Jack Fetzer Memorial Bluebird Birdhouse Project. It is a beloved tradition that has populated many Seven Lakes residences with blue-feathered happiness. The signature project, held in April, helps all WEE Kindergarteners gain an appreciation of nature and hammering. The project will expand to Robbins Elementary School this coming May.
The needs of children have been highlighted this fall through the club’s twice-monthly speaker series. Recent speakers have included leaders in education, nonprofit directors, and youth organizations.
WEE Principal Katie Lockamy shared about the school’s upcoming year and thanked the club for their involvement. Thomas Butler and Ed Hill spoke about Boy Scouts in general and about the West End Scout Troop 98 and the Cub Scouts. Janice Wesner provided great information about Girl Scouts in Moore County. A November meeting featured storm chaser Tom Feegler.
All Kiwanis speakers are part of an effort to bring in voices that inform and inspire the members’ understanding of community issues.
Fundraising remains central to the club’s ability to support these programs. The organization hosts a popular Pancake Breakfast in the fall which replenishes funds for youth initiatives. Twice-monthly Bingo nights are a reliable fundraiser and social opportunity for residents.
The Kiwanis Club of Seven Lakes welcomes community members who are curious about its work or interested in becoming part of its service efforts to its meetings. Kiwanis Board President, Richard Dell’Acqua, celebrates that three new members have joined this fall to “enjoy fun, fellowship, the opportunity to learn, and the satisfaction of serving others.”
The club meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 11:30 a.m., with the program beginning at noon. Bingo Nights run from 6 to 9 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays and are open to the public.
More information about the club’s programs and events is available at kiwanisclubofsevenlakes.org.
Contact Maggie Beamguard at maggie@thepilot.com.
