Kiwanis Club of Lindenhurst, N.Y., Inc.
Serving the Children of the World
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Volunteering makes you healthy and happy
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New Officers and Directors installed and our newest member
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Key Club helps promote KiwanisOne Day
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The challenges of change
Inside this issue: President’s Message
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Kiwanis Kalendar
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Vo l u m e
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I ssu e1
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Lt. Governor's Message
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New Member Profile
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De ce m b er
2 01 8
Make the Time By: Ralph A. Somma
There never seems to be enough time. Especially around the holidays. Todo lists keep growing and obligations to family, home and work make service to community and even one’s self seem impossible. But making the time to volunteer has innumerable benefits. Among the more obvious ones are helping to improve your community; making new friends and contacts; and improving social and relationship skills. But did you know that studies show that people who volunteer are actually happier and healthier? Need a boost to your self-
Key Club Korner 3 Country Music Party II
Lindenhurst Kiwanian confidence, selfesteem, and life satisfaction? Volunteer! How about a sense of accomplishment, pride and identity? Volunteer! Doing good for others and the community will help make you feel good about yourself, foster a positive view of your life and your future goals. So how to make the time for Kiwanis? A good place to start is to attend a meeting. We meet the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month at 6:30 PM at Goc-
Installation 2018-2019 By: Alice Cromarty
The Lindenhurst and North and spirit. The trigger to the transformation can be when Amityville Kiwanis Clubs held a joint Installation Din- you stoop to help a child; ner on Oct. 4th. Lt. Gov. Janice Bar swore in the new officers and their executive boards. One of the highlights of the evening came during new president Ralph Somma’s acceptance speech when he encouraged all Kiwanians to find their “Kiwanis moment.” It happens when you become a Kiwanian in heart
when you help put food on someone’s table or perhaps when you see the smile of accomplishment on a high school senior’s face when he
cia D’oro Restaurant. Put it in your calendar and commit to attend a meeting. If not this month then January. No obligations ... just an opportunity to connect and see firsthand what we do. We wish you and your family joy and happiness this Holiday Season and urge you to experience that spirit of giving without expectation of return. Volunteer!
or she receives a scholarship. One of the goals of Kiwanis is to be a good neighbor in our community. Officials from the Village of Lindenhurst and the Town of Babylon, presidents and members of the Copiague and N. Babylon Clubs and other civic organizations were there to congratulate all. Board members installed that evening were Ralph A. Somma, president; Paula Magdalena Vidal, president-elect; JoAnn Boettcher, vice president; Kelly Drummond, treasurer; Angela Petri, secretary; and directors Anthony Chironno, Garry Biggs, Richard J. Renna, John Plevritis, George Bryant and Chuck Hager.
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President’s Message: Change is Afoot By: Ralph A. Somma
“There is nothing permanent except change.” Heraclitus
In the two months since my installation as President of the Kiwanis Club of Lindenhurst, I’ve learned a few things about Kiwanis. It’s likely you’ve learned a few things about me too. For instance, if you haven’t been to a recent Kiwanis event, you might not know that photography is a favorite hobby of mine. I’ve always been the guy sticking a camera in the face of friends and family asking for smiles or just surreptitiously clicking away. While my persistence has received an occasional accusation of annoyance, ultimately the displeasure gives way to gratitude for having captured and preserved precious moments and memories. I think the same is true of
some of the changes I’ve been urging to the way our club operates. Change is often difficult. It causes us to step outside our comfort zone. And while my persistence in trying to implement change might be as annoying as my shutter clicks, it’s my hope they will make the Kiwanis Club of Lindenhurst stronger for us and future Kiwanians. For instance, we’ve started using online tools to improve scheduling, communications and document collaboration. In order to increase awareness of Kiwanis projects and events, we’ve beefed up our social media presence. (Follow, like, share!) We’ve also sought to maximize publicity of events via e-mail market-
ing, print and online news and magazines. And the great news is: it’s working and hasn’t cost us a dime! Ultimately, it’s my objective, and the goal of all Kiwanians, to strengthen and increase our membership so we can achieve our goal to improve the world one child and one community at a time. To reach that objective, the cooperation of all members is key. I realize some of these changes may seem daunting. That’s why I’m always available to answer any question and demonstrate the tools we’re using. With a little patience, faith and practice, I am sure we will make it through and flourish. Smile!
Kiwanis Kalendar Dec. 2 - Children’s Christmas Party. American Legion Hall. 10am12:30pm. Dec. 2 - Testimonial Luncheon for Past Lt. Gov. Chris Lindsley. Villa Gaia. 1-5pm. Dec. 5 - Rainbow Community Center Holiday Celebration. 1pm. Dec. 11 - Deer Park/North Babylon Children’s Christmas Party. Moose Lodge. 7pm. Dec. 13 - It’s a Wonderful Life Radio Play. BACCA Arts Center, 149 N. Wellwood Ave. 6pm. Dec 14-16 - Winter on the Bay Festival. Fri 5-9; Sat. 12-9; Sun. 12-8. Tanner Park. Dec. 24 - Happy Birthday Patricia Gannon!
Volume 2, Issue1
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Key Club Korner By: Victoria Foltynski and Robert Hager
Want to make new friends and do community service? Key Club is a student-led club at Lindenhurst High School whose core values are character-building, caring, inclusive-
ness and leadership through community service. “We are a group of teenagers helping better our community to the best of our ability. Key Club isn’t just about performing community service, it’s where you can feel like you belong in a family, while being empowered to put true passion toward what you want to do with a genuine smile on your face,” said Brianna Kern, the club’s president. The club sponsored a challenge to help raise money for the wife of one of its teachers who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast
cancer. The Team Nicole Challenge raised $1,436.00for the Seaman family and $622.50 for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Videos of all of the challengers have been posted on the Key Club’s twitter page (@lindykeyclub1). Key Club also participated in the Trick or Treat on Charles Street in October. We decorated a room in the high school with a theme of Monster’s Inc. which the younger kids enjoyed greatly. The next day, Saturday, October 27, Key Clubbers volunteered at the Lindenhurst Memorial Library to read to children for the International KiwanisOne Day. In November we held a Blood Drive to address a blood shortage in New York. And on Nov. 28th we helped decorate a tree in our community with ornaments made by us. All of the events were a success!
Country Music Dance Party II By: Paula Magdalena-Vidal
Our club held its second Country Line Dance event to benefit our scholarship fund on Oct. 26. Nearly 100 guests attended and danced with leaders Dee and Marilyn to the band UnWined, a popular country band who are Lindenhurst residents. We had extra special prizes brought up directly from Nashville to New York by
Alice Cromarty, one of our members. There was a live auction for an acoustic guitar autographed by country legends Vince Gill and Amy Grant, autographed and framed song sheets by the duo and a collection of all things moonshine from The Moonshine Company in
Nashville! We also raffled several prizes donated by local businesses and members. Our club is planning additional parties for the spring and next fall with all money raised going to support students in our community with college expenses.
Lt. Governor’s Message By: Lt. Gov. Janice Bar
Welcome to the 2018/2019 Kiwanis year. It has been a very busy schedule already. Almost all eight clubs held installation of officers and our first divisional meeting was on Nov. 29th, hosted by the East Farmingdale Kiwanis Club. Before the meeting, we held a presidents/ secretaries’ meeting where everyone re-
ceived a NY District Directory and a Suffolk West Kiwanis Manual with tools needed for our club presidents and secretaries. Some highlights of the coming year include Governor Hank’s project to send military children to Kamp Kiwanis. The First Lady’s project will collect items to bring to the camp. The mid-Winter Conference will be at the Desmond Hotel in Albany from Feb. 14-17, 2019.
members. That person will receive a special Distinguished pin and recognition from Governor Hank. The Eliminate Project is continuing to reach its goal of eradicating childhood tetanus. Our next Division Meeting & presidents/secretaries’ meeting is Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019 at One Sushi on Merrick Rd in Amityville. It will be hosted by the Amityville Kiwanis Club.
I look forward to working with A second Governor’s project is the Disyou and a prosperous Kiwanis tinguished Kiwanian. This is for a mem- year ber of your club who brings in two new
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.
Kiwanis Club of Lindenhurst, N.Y., Inc. Serving the Children of the World PO Box 406 Lindenhurst, NY 11757 Phone: 631-388-7891 Fax: 631-587-1760 Email: lindenhurstkiwanis@gmail.com www.lindenhurstkiwanis.org
Since its original charter on April 5, 1950, the Kiwanis Club of Lindenhurst has proudly served the children of its community and the world through the dedication and sacrifice of its members and supporters. Thank you for helping us continue the mission of Kiwanis. For more information about Kiwanis or our club, please do not hesitate to contact us or be a guest at our next meeting. We’d love to have you! We meet at 6:30 PM on the 2nd and 4th Thursday at Goccia D’oro Restaurant 118 S. Wellwood Ave. Lindenhurst
New Member Profile: Lisa Kropp By: Paula Magdalena-Vidal
On October 4 the Kiwanis Club stronger community through our of Lindenhurst swore in its new- youth are very important topics to est member, Lisa Kropp. Lisa is Lisa, so joining Kiwanis in the neighborhood where she works, and spends a large amount of time, seemed like a perfect fit. “Already, the club has made me feel welcomed as a new member, and I’m happy to assist where I can on projects that help the local community”, said Lisa. Lisa was especially inspired by the active participation of the Lindenhurst High School Key Club which took part in the International KiwanisOne Day event on October 27 where, as part of Lindenhurst Kiwanis Read2Lead project, Key Club members read inspiring books to younger children from the community.
the Director of the Lindenhurst Memorial Library. She shared what motivated her to join Kiwanis: “As a librarian who has specialized in working with youth, the Kiwanis club’s misLisa described her first experience sion of “serving the children of with Kiwanis: “This was a natural the world” spoke to me.” Early collaboration as we helped promote learning, literacy, and creating a it and inviteed families to the li-
brary. The library staff selected books on the theme of community service and participants received a button we designed that they participated in the event.” Lisa looks forward to spending many years volunteering with the Lindenhurst Kiwanis Club to help build a stronger Lindenhurst community. Lisa Kropp grew up in nearby Farmingdale, is married and the mother of two children. Welcome to Kiwanis Lisa!