By Carrie James
"Unlike the chamber, the Kiwanis is strictly a club of community service, of giving back to the community," said East Meadow Kiwanis President Fred Frankel. "There's no club that does more than us here."
It all started almost 50 years ago on April 28, 1952. The Uniondale Kiwanis brought together a group of interested East Meadow residents and helped them to form the East Meadow chapter of Kiwanis Club International, Frankel said.
Mike Kostynick, who served as the club's first president, scoured the community in search of members to join the then infant chapter. Even back then, Frankel said, the membership included noted figures such as Sen. Edward Speno and Dave Rothbaum, who had often been referred to as the mayor of East Meadow.
"In all, about 30 to 40 men got together, fathered and formed this club," Frankel said. Over time, the club has evolved and grown. It now comprises 177 members, providing them with an opportunity for fellowship and a way to help in the community.
"Our members are from all walks of life. We have men, women from all professions," said Ivan Launer, member and public-information officer. "Our meetings are a relaxed atmosphere. We have visitors from other clubs, and they can't believe how much fun we have."
Kiwanis is primarily about community service, Frankel said.
"Over our 50-year history, we have provided Thanksgiving dinners for 9,990 seniors, built numerous ramps for seniors, helped collect chairs for a wheelchair program, sent more than 400 kids to camp, helped create a computer section at the East Meadow Library, sponsored kids [little league] teams and helped maintain their [ball] fields.
"We react to the needs of the community," he continued. "If there's a child in school who needs glasses, we'll buy them. We're made aware of people who need things."
Each year, East Meadow Kiwanians perform a wide range of community-service activities, from raising funds to send disadvantaged children to Kamp Kiwanis in upstate New York to cooking Thanksgiving Dinner for about 500 to 600 senior citizens each year at East Meadow High School.
At least three times a year, the East Meadow club gives out food baskets to families in need around East Meadow.
"This year was the largest amount ever," he said. "We had 76 families for the holiday season."
The food baskets, which come from store donations and fundraisers, include turkeys and two to three bags of assorted food items, Frankel said.
Each year, the club also gives out donations to worthy causes, such as helping a Woodland Middle School sixth-grade class complete a mission that involved sending a project into space. Kiwanis also gives out scholarships each year to graduating students at both high schools.
In addition to service, the East Meadow Kiwanis fosters a sense of community spirit in youngsters by sponsoring several junior clubs in the East Meadow School District. According to Frankel, they sponsor a Key Club at each high school, a Builders Club at each middle school and are looking into forming K Kids clubs in the elementary schools.
With the 50-year anniversary just around the corner, Frankel talks about how he and other East Meadow residents help keep the Kiwanis Club fresh and exciting, making it so successful.
"Staying fresh with new ideas comes from getting new people," he said. "Really, the experiences of new people keep it interesting. And it's the caring and giving of the older members that make it last. There's a lot of people who nave need and what keeps us going is to help these people."
