Shanda DeGagne-Begin
Dear Mr. Editor:
Sadly, the Kiwanis Club of Fort Frances is on the verge of handing in its charter.
In a last-ditch effort to avoid this, we are appealing to the community to help us keep the club alive.
Our community already has lost many of its service clubs—to the point where only a few clubs are struggling to exist. Once gone, there will be no replacements and the community will have forever lost a valuable resource.
The Kiwanis Club has donated money to a variety of causes, including equipment for the operating room at the hospital, $25,000 to the library building fund, “Rachel’s Challenge,” and the Robert Moore School breakfast program.
We also provide funds annually for the library’s summer reading program, 4-H, the Rainy River District Festival of the Performing Arts, and scholarships for high school students in Fort Frances and Rainy River.
As well as providing funding, the Kiwanis Club provides services such as the steak fry at the Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship, assistance at the music festival, and delivery of “Meals on Wheels.” We also sponsor and advise the Kiwanis Builders’ Club at Robert Moore School and hold barbecues for events like the “Youth at Risk” camp and the annual Teddy Bear Picnic, to name a few.
For years, the Kiwanis Club operated Sunny Cove Camp. Although we turned over ownership to the Town of Fort Frances, we continue to sponsor children’s camps to the tune of $16,000 per year.
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. It is designed for individuals who are looking for personal involvement in the leadership and improvement of their community.
We are looking for people who want to make a difference. New members will be asked to give a little of their time and talents to support fundraising and volunteer efforts, and to drive the club’s future programs and projects.
On a personal level, being part of a club also provides networking opportunities and a place to form new friendships.
We believe that there is still a need for volunteer organizations dedicated to improving our community. If you think so to, please contact us!
Call Shanda DeGagne-Begin (275-9946), Robin Wright (274-0057) or Alan Zucchiatti (274-9155), email us at: ffkiwanis@hotmail.com or check out our website: www.ffkiwanis.org.
Sincerely,
Shanda DeGagne-Begin
(on behalf of the
Fort Frances
Kiwanis Club
board of directors)
