Kiwanis Club of Kirkland thanks community | Letter

The Kiwanis Club of Kirkland would like to extend its deep appreciation to the Kirkland community and surrounding neighborhoods for its continued support of its Christmas tree lot.

January 30, 2013 5:47 pm
Kiwanis Club of Kirkland members in the parking lot at Juanita Beach Park where the club's annual tree lot was set up in December. Proceeds from the tree sale will benefit the local community.
Kiwanis Club of Kirkland members in the parking lot at Juanita Beach Park where the club's annual tree lot was set up in December. Proceeds from the tree sale will benefit the local community.

The Kiwanis Club of Kirkland would like to extend its deep appreciation to the Kirkland community and surrounding neighborhoods for its continued support of its Christmas tree lot. The annual sale of trees, wreaths, nuts and candy is the club’s largest fund-raising event.

This year’s tree lot was a huge success and due to that success the programs the club sponsors will be well supported in the coming year.

The all-volunteer Kiwanis Club of Kirkland is one of the oldest and largest service organizations in Kirkland with 80-plus members. All proceeds from fund raising go directly to children and families in need, including student scholarships, Kirkland Interfaith Transitions in Housing , March of Dimes, Eastside Baby Corner and many other charitable causes.

The club also sponsors four different leadership youth groups in our local junior and high schools, known as Builder’s Club and Key Club, as well as offers mentoring and support to the Kirkland Teen Union Building. Each year Kiwanis sponsors a pancake breakfast in support of KITH over Memorial weekend and hosts the community Easter egg hunt held at Park Place as well as offers support to many community events such as the annual Music in the Park program.

Separate from other Kiwanis Club activities, the Kirkland Kiwanis Foundation assists with fund raising for the Eliminate Project, a joint effort between Kiwanis and UNICEF, whose goal is to eliminate the scourge of maternal neonatal tetanus that kills so many tiny newborns around the world.

Another soon-to-be launched program is the Bill Petter Memorial Scholarship, which will focus on helping young high school graduates pursue technical careers in transportation technology at the Lake Washington Institute of Technology. The Kirkland Kiwanis Foundation has also been instrumental in helping to raise money to replace the dilapidated playground equipment at Kirkland’s Woodlands Park “Tot Lot.” This work will take place in late Spring.

If you are interested in being a part of a group of volunteers who truly make a difference in your community, please contact club secretary Matt Gregory at 425-828-0231, attend one of their weekly Wednesday lunch meetings at noon at the Crab Cracker or visit kirkland.kiwanis.org.

Kiwanis Club of Kirkland