What the Kiwanis Club is about
- Evaluating both children’s issues and community needs on an ongoing basis
- Conducting service projects to respond to those identified needs
- Maintaining an active membership roster of professional business people
who have both the desire and the ability to serve their community
The Akron Mentone Kiwanis Club chartered in 2004 so we are a new club. We have really hit the ground running in our communities though. We implemented a program in the Akron Elementary school in 2005 called the B.U.G. program, which stand for Bringing Up Grades. Students in Kindergarten - 5th grades are able to receive an award based on improving a grade but not letting any other grades drop. Any student with straight A's and able to maintain the A's also qualifies for the B.U.G. Award. This has proved to be a huge success with the students. We average each semester around 100 students, we have seen as many as 140 achieve this honor. This is especially helpful in improving a child’s confidence that may not otherwise get on the A-B honor roll. They can have low grades and if they bring up at least one grade and stay the same on the others, they qualify. Mr. Boggs implemented the “Clap Out” to go along with it. When the children receive their awards, and their names are announced they march down the school halls as he other children clap for them. We are in high hopes of implementing this in the Mentone Elementary School as well next year.
For the second year the Kiwanis Club is a sponsor for the Toys for Tots.
We joined forces with the Local Marines Corps and, USMCR to collect toys
for over 400 children in need this past year. This was an overwhelming year
for SSgt Seibert, as he collects toys for five local counties and is considering
adding one, possibly two more this coming year.
The Akron / Mentone Kiwanis is also a sponsor both the Akron Cubs Scouts
and the Mentone Cub Scouts. They will be donating the funds for the annual
Blue and Gold banquet. The Blue and Gold Banquet is a tradition where Cub
Scouts, leaders, and parents, get together to celebrate Cub Scouting and
recognize both Scouts and leaders for their hard work through an awards
ceremony. This is one way that the Kiwanis found they could take some stress
off the leaders and they in turn, can use the money they do have, to do
more group activities and field trips with the boys.
The Club donates a monthly amount to both the Akron Church of God Day Care, which they are planning on uses this money to upgrade their playground equipment this spring and the Mentone Day Care Center to help with their expenses.
We are always looking for motivated individuals who want to help their communities by way of volunteering their time. We are a group of people who are committed to doing our part in leaving something behind.
“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone
monuments,
but what is woven into the
lives of others.”
"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was,
the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...
but the world may be different because
I was important in the life of a child."
Front row, left to right - Lois Miller, Mary Boggs, Penny Ramsey and Melinda Burton.
Back row - Rod Eaton, Mark Gast, Gov. Dunno, Mark Hartzler, Darwin DeLaughter, Karen Francis, Kristin Shriver and Dennis Helvey
Schedule (we welcome everyone to join us)
- First Wednesday of every month 7 A.M. at Akron Country Kitchen in Akron, IN.
- Third Wednesday of every month 7 A.M. at Teel's Restaurant in Mentone, IN.
Board Meeting
- Last Wednesday of every month 7 A.M.
- Odd Months - Teel's Restaurant in Mentone, IN.
- Even Months - Akron Country Kitchen in Akron, IN.
Press Releases
Current Newsletter
Membership Application (pdf)
Membership Information (pdf)