O’side Kiwanis charters two new K-Kid clubs

Posted Wednesday, December 24, 2014 2:18 pm

Kiwanis President Tom Cesiro, (Back row) Long Island Southwest division past Lt. Governor Nancy Baxter, Principal Lori Welch-Storch, Kiwanis VP William Kallinikos, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jill DeRose, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Phyllis Harrington, Assistant Superintendent of Schools Robert Fenter and K Kids Advisor Amy Gigliobianco.

Courtesy Thomas Cesiro

Long Island Southwest past Lt. Governor Nancy Baxter, Kiwanis President Thomas Cesiro, K-Kids Advisor Lynsey Fruchter, Assistant Superintendent Dr. Jill DeRosa, Superintendent Dr. Phyllis Harrington, Principal Thomas Capone, (standing –Left to right) and Kiwanis 2nd VP William Kallinikos, Rows 1-2 – the members of the new club

Courtesy Thomas Cesiro

K Kids School Advisor Amy Gigliobianco, President Tom Cesiro, Oceanside Superintendent of Schools Dr Phyllis Harrington, also a Kiwanis member, and School Principal Lori Welch-Storch.

Courtesy Thomas Cesiro

Oceanside Kiwanis Club President Thomas Cesiro, School #2 K-Kids Advisor Lynsey Fruchter and School #2 Principal Thomas Capone.

Courtesy Thomas Cesiro

By Barbra Rubin-Perry

Oceanside Kiwanis club President Thomas Cesiro, presented the official charter to the first of two new K-Kids clubs formed this year to club advisor Amy Giglibianco and Superintendent of Oceanside Schools Dr. Phyllis Harrington on Dec. 2.

They join the four other K-Kid clubs chartered in Oceanside and the nearly 1500 K-Kid clubs chartered by the service organization around the world. The Oceanside clubs have about 20 members each according to Cesiro. The elementary school aged members work on service projects, develop leadership potential and build moral character. Their service also increases the visibility—and enhances the reputation—of both the club and the school or organization they represent. “Besides their own projects they help us at our community Halloween event, holiday happenings in December, stuff Easter eggs for our egg hunt in March – Kiwanis “One Day” in April – they help at our Super Bowl pancake breakfast fundraiser in February, and many of them did trick or treat for Kiwanis Foundation and UNICEF,” said Cesiro.

Cesiro presented its sixth and newest K-Kids club with their official club charter on Dec. 17. The members of the Florence A Smith School # 2 club were presented with their membership pins, cards and certificates. Joining the kids during their presentation were their parents and school administration.

North Oceanside School # 5 Kiwanis Kids Club lead their school in a classroom challenge to help raise fund for the Oceanside Kiwanis Club and the Kiwanis Foundation – Eliminate Project. School 5 K-Kids was one of several Kiwanis K-Kids Club, Builders Club and Key Club that participated in the Kiwanis / UNCIF Trick or Treat program in October. However the School 5 K Kids and their entire school went over and above themselves raising over $3,000 towards this project.

The Eliminate Project is a team effort between Kiwanis International and UNICEF working together to eliminate Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus around the world. Each year approximately 60,000 innocent babies and mothers die from this disease.

In addition to the K-Kids, the Oceanside club also sponsors a middle school ”Builder’s” club. Both programs are designed to fit member interests, while adult volunteers and staff at the regional and international levels are there to support the club’s success.

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