Toronto Kiwanis Celebrates 100 Years

Make history of your own when you celebrate Kiwanis’ 100th anniversary with a gift to The Eliminate Project. Starting in 2015, when you give US$1,500, you will save or protect more than 833 lives and be honored with a Centennial Award—complete with a custom-framed medallion and other exclusive recognition items.

The Centennial Award is available for gifts made during the centennial year. Starting October 1, 2014, the Kiwanis International Foundation will start accepting early gifts and pledges, and recognition will be available beginning in January 2015.

Your opportunity to leave a lasting legacy is here. Help eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus and celebrate our centennial. Find out more at www.theeliminateproject.org/recognition.

Youth Protection Week September 7-13, 2014

There are more than 300,000 members of all ages involved in Kiwanis youth programs. Almost all Kiwanis clubs sponsor an SLP club and do projects with youth. When we work with and mentor youth during projects and activities, their care and welfare are being entrusted to us.

Read more Youth Protection Guidelines at Kiwanis International

http://ls4.co/HEP

AUGUST CLUB SPOTLIGHT- KIWANIS CLUB OF TORONTO

Interview with Deborah Knight, August 22, 2014

Becoming a 100K Club is no small feat, especially for a club of 28 members. But that did not intimidate the Kiwanis Club of Toronto. In fact, their total gift to The Eliminate Project reached US$130,000 and helped save or protect more than 72,200 women and their future babies from maternal and neonatal tetanus.

The club, which is now a Legacy Model Club and Platinum Club with a per-member average greater than US$2,000, knew from the beginning they wanted to be part of The Eliminate Project. Deborah Knight, Kiwanis Club of Toronto president, says that the club reminds members that no amount is too small. Read more about what motivates the club members to save lives and support this monumental effort.

1. Tell us how your club first got involved with The Eliminate Project.
Every year The Kiwanis Club of Toronto Foundation supports an international project, usually around US$25,000-$30,000. We had been involved with the Iodine Deficiency Disorder campaign, so when we learned about The Eliminate Project, we definitely wanted to be a part of it. We donated US$100,000 from our club’s foundation. Then the Kiwanis Foundation of Canada added another US$30,000 for a total of US$130,000. We contributed all of that in one year and became a Model Club. We announced this at the 2012 Kiwanis International convention in New Orleans.

2. What advice or encouragement would you offer to other clubs who might be considering a 100K Club commitment?
It’s a big commitment. We found that by spending the time, it connected us more closely to the mission of Kiwanis. That has to be ingrained with people at the beginning and you need to talk about it regularly.

The key is to keep it top of mind. We used all kinds of resources that are online from The Eliminate Project, especially the amazing video, It Starts with You. We did a lot of fundraising and told our members that no amount was too small. We had several interclub meetings to share the story. We didn’t want to just write a check and then forget about it.

3. What has surprised you most about supporting The Eliminate Project?
I’ve been surprised and happy about the enthusiasm that has been generated in the club. We all became Walter Zeller Fellows. When Dr. John Button, 2014-2015 Kiwanis International president, spoke at our club about his trip to see The Eliminate Project in action, he painted a vivid picture for us. The room was in complete silence when he told us about bursting into tears when the women came to receive their shots. It was a big moment. It was a memory for a lifetime. It was so important to have that moment. That’s what makes it real for people.

4. What do you wish other people knew about The Eliminate Project?
I wish people knew that it only takes the price of a cup of coffee to save a baby. We need to remind ourselves that we have so much and that we can help other people. There is hope in the world, and Kiwanis is here to provide that hope.

5. What is a fun fact that you would like people to know about your club?
We only have 28 members, but we are lucky to have a foundation that has been built over the last 50 years. Our club built the Toronto Kiwanis Boys & Girls Club several years ago. We continue to support the club, including a US$1 million donation to renovate the building. This is an ongoing commitment, like they are a part of our extended family.

We considered carefully to make sure we could do both – support locally as well as internationally. But whether we are supporting local projects or international ones, we are still helping kids.

A FROSTY FROLIC - Thursday, July 24

We'll kick off the summer season with A FROSTY FROLIC on Thursday, July 24 at 5:30 p.m. at The National Club on their new 4th floor Patio. This event will launch our WINTER COATS FOR KIDS drive and so please bring a good quality coat of any size, for a boy, girl or teen.

Also, bring your own older teen, adult child or your colleague so that they can see and learn just how important it is to give to others in need.

We'll be joined by The Children's Breakfast Club founder Rick Gosling who is running the WINTER COATS FOR KIDS campaign. Rick's Breakfast Clubs are now in 20 plus locations across Toronto and through diligent fundraising, they serve over 4,000 meals a week “Fuelling Young Minds and Bodies.” Rick does a lot more than breakfast for kids-at-risk and we can't wait to hear what he has to say and learn how we can be involved.

See you on July 24—show how YOU give!

Why join Kiwanis?

Kiwanis is fun….and friendship, leadership, services, educational programs, networking, personal growth and recognition. We believe children and their communities benefit from the efforts of a dedicated group of caring and hands-on volunteers.

HOPE is a word that is often used in the Kiwanis world to speak about what Kiwanians do – they provide hope to others in terms of dollars, encouragement and just showing up when there is a need in our community.

But what is it that it really means to me? Here is what the word HOPE stands for me:

Humility – Kiwanis volunteers believe in “Service before Self” and it is our mission to raise awareness and money for service projects around the world.

Opportunity – This is what Kiwanians are always great at finding: new opportunities for caring about others. A wonderful quote by Edward Hill that applies very well to our Kiwanis Family is this: Kiwanis volunteers know that “I am only one, but still I am one. But…because I am only one it will not stop me from helping one.”

Purpose – Kiwanis volunteers never fall off the rollercoaster of the ups and downs of fundraising for causes with ever increasing need, and celebrating their achievements and then engaging again at every level and find new opportunities in change.

Engagement – Is about honest communication with ourselves and the people Kiwanis serves – children and families. We talk a lot lately about the magic of “Kiwanis Moments”. We will only have a “Kiwanis Moment” when we are all fully engaged in the purpose of why we are helping an individual or an organization in need when we are actually doing the service project. “Kiwanis Moments” occur when our emotions meet our souls purpose.

We can stop looking at what we cannot do and appreciate what we can do with one hour or one day. We can dare to find what we are passionate about and make it our life’s work not because it is expected of you as a member but because you expect it of yourself.

Have yourself a summer season full of HOPE!

Deborah Knight
President

Today is the Day! Eliminate Project Worldwide Report Day

Today is Worldwide Report Day. It is your chance to find out where the Kiwanis family currently stands in our efforts to raise US$110 million and protect the connection between millions of moms and babies.

Team members, supporters and partners from all over the world are tuning in, including UNICEF. “I am thrilled that Kiwanis leaders around the world take the time to report on the amazing progress that their regions and districts are achieving,” said Caryl M. Stern, president and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

Don’t miss your chance to join. Visit www.TheEliminateProject.org/wwrd from your computer or cell phone throughout the day for important campaign updates. You can also follow on Twitter and Facebook.

“Each step forward brings us closer to our goal,” adds Caryl. “It is so encouraging to see the continued commitment of one of UNICEF’s greatest partners.”

“Future generations are counting on us,” says Campaign Chairman Randy DeLay.

Eliminate Project Message from the President of Kiwanis Toronto

This year our Club became a model club, we gave $100.000 to the Eliminate Project, a very important international initiative of Kiwanis and UNESCO to help save thousands of mothers and babies around the world. Together with Kiwanis Toronto Foundation and Kiwanis Foundation of Canada we have been able to present a cheque of $100.000 for this project on March 26.

Congratulations to everyone who was involved and helped to make this happen.

Deborah Knight