Kiwanis Club of Poquoson

by Bruce Malkin

On November 15, The Peninsular Agency on Aging held its annual "Thank You" lunch to recognize volunteers who drive elderly clients to medical appointments. Without this community service, these aging recipients would have no other way to get to their doctors. The Program is called MEDTRAN and has been in existence since 2002. During that time, volunteers have donated 16,300 hours and logged over 183,000 miles assisting over 9,000 elderly citizens to receive the medical treatment they need. The Kiwanis Club of Poquoson is a major force in this worthwhile program and was honored by being the first club to be awarded the "Clifton U. Hayes Jr. Memorial Volunteers of the Year Award". This award is named in honor of Cliff Hayes, a long time volunteer who was tragically killed in a car accident. Attached picture shows Poquoson Kiwanians receiving the award. L-R Cyndi Yakshe, Marilyn Kuhn, PAA Director, Gerald Patesel, Ken Wissinger, Brian Wilson

Stratford Landing Elementary School's K-Kids Club hit the banks of the Potomac River at Riverside Park in mid-November to do a clean-up. In less than two hours, club members found more than 20 large plastic bags' worth of trash and recyclables. Twenty students, 7 parents, and 3 members from the sponsoring organization, the Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club, namely, Greg Engelking, Marilyn Valone, and Bob Valone also participated.

Family clients of New Hope Housing will be warmer this winter, thanks to the efforts of Stratford Landing Elementary School's K-Kids Club. Its 40 members gathered on November 17 and went into production mode to make 10 fleece baby blankets and nearly 50 fleece scarves. Chris Bramante (pictured, top right), community outreach and volunteer coordinator for New Hope Housing came to the club meeting to talk to the club members and pick up the blankets and scarves. This K-Kids community service club is sponsored by the Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club.

On November 14, Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club (MVKC) member, Bob Valone, presented a check for $750 to Lisa Vitale, Program Director for Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, (PRS) a day center in Sacramento Plaza. This contribution will partly fund a workforce training teacher, formerly funded by the county. MVKC also provides a bingo game or karaoke event almost monthly for PRS clients. Pictured: Bob Valone of the Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club, presents Lisa Vitale, Program Manager of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services with a check for $750.

On November 12, Progreso Hispano celebrated its 10th anniversary with a dinner at Good Shepherd Church honoring its 14 volunteer teachers. The theme was "Making a World of Difference". The volunteers, some of whom have served for 8 years already, were treated to a delicious dinner, DJ music, dancing, small gifts, and complimentary speeches, including one by Cristina Schoendorf, Executive Director. Progreso Hispano teaches immigrants English, computers, and citizenship preparation. Bruce Malkin teaches English once a week, and was proud to present to Cristina with a check from his Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club for $1000 to support these worthy programs.

MVKC's Malkin presents Progreso Hispano's Executive Director, Cristina Schoendorf, with donation of $1000

Volunteer teachers pose with Cristina for group photo

On November 10, the annual Kiwanis Gala Night honoring the community service clubs that Kiwanis Clubs sponsor at all the school levels in this part of northern Virginia was held at the Hyatt Fair Lakes. The panel of speakers ranged from Kiwanis school clubs in Division 20 from elementary school K-Kids Clubs, middle school Builders Clubs, high school Key Clubs, and college Circle K Clubs. The 4-state Capital District Governor, Jeffrey Wolff, was the final speaker. The VP from the Builders Club at Carl Sandburg Middle School, Nicole Freewalt, was chosen to make the presentation for all the Builders Club in this Division to an audience of several hundred Kiwanis students, Faculty Advisors, parent leaders, Kiwanis Club members, and regional dignitaries. This honor was a source of great pride to the club's sponsor, the Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club, which sponsors 7 student clubs in the Mount Vernon area.

Nicole Freewalt, VP of the Kiwanis Builders Club at Carl Sandburg Middle School, speaks to the ballroom full of Kiwanians about her passion for community service through Kiwanis

Nicole Freewalt, VP of the Kiwanis Builders Club at Carl Sandburg Middle Sdhool, speaks to the ballroom full of Kiwanians about her passion for community service through Kiwanis

On November 8 Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club (MVKC) member Bob Valone delivered checks to New Hope Housing, $500 for its participation in the Walk-A-Thon for the Homeless and $600 for its Teen Program. Later that day, he delivered another $500 check from MVKC to Good Shepherd Housing for its Walk-A-Thon for the Homeless. The photos show MVKC's Bob Valone presenting checks to New Hope Housing's Volunteer Coordinator, Chris Bramante and Good Shepherd Housing's Executive Director, Shannon Steen.


Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club member, Bob Valone, presents checks to New Hope Housing Volunteer Coordinator, Chris Bramante

Mount Vernon Kiwanis Club member presents check to Good Shepherd Housing's Executive Director, Shannon Steen