Coastal Delaware Kiwanians Welcome the Holiday Season

by Rosemary Cummings

Starting the 2010 Holiday Season was the traditional tree decoration for the Grotto "Parade of Trees" where K-Kids from Rehoboth ES along with Kiwanians decorated the tree with miniature nutcrackers, starfish (the K-Kids schools' logo for good behavior) and the Key Club handcrafted lighthouses. After dining at Grotto's, members and friends can put a donation in a box by the tree of their choice in hopes the Kiwanis Foundation can continue to assist the kids and families in the Delaware coastal communities .

Black Friday, the Kiwanis family worked together in a new tradition this year, serving hot chocolate and distributing songbooks at the Rehoboth Beach Tree Lighting and Sing-Along ceremony. In just one hour the Kiwanis family served 1000 cups of hot chocolate and just as many songbooks and crayons to locals and tourists alike.

Jim Kunkle and his wife Marge did a great job restoring the Nativity figures after a hard winter, in time to assemble the Creche and complete Kiwanis Holiday preparations. Sunny, but cold weather, met the Kiwanians at their destination at the local Wilmington Trust bank where they set up the statues and lighting.. Jim Horn commented this was the first Christmas in 25 years without deceased member Jack Eliason, our crèche guide. George Blacklock carefully showed Margie Spaulding the lighting setup, as Jim Horn and Jim Kunkle staked the figures to protect them against a cold winter's night or even a mischievous passerby. Another year and the Kiwanis traditions continue to grow just as new members continue to join in leadership and service to the community and the kids.


K-Kids Giovanni B, Bobbi W and Brianna W smile as they finish decorating the Grotto Tree

002 Kiwanian Margie Spaulding and Key Clubbers, Brian Beitzel and Tanya Munyikwa give hot chocolate at Tree Lighting

George Blacklock and Margie Spaulding work on Creche lighting

Crowds in awe as tree is lit.