Project Descriptions                      (Scroll Down)

Box Tops for Education

Kiwanis is continuing to collect the BOX TOPS for EDUCATION that you see on many products. Check the wrapping of the product for the small BOX TOPS for EDUCATION logo. There are different logos on different brands. A complete list of participating box top products can be found at http://www.boxtops4education.com/Image.aspx?id=2164. Schools turn in the box tops for cash. Turn in the box tops to Gloria or Shelley.

Terrific Kids

The Kiwanis Club of Oakland Park will again sponsor the "Terrific Kids" program at four elementary schools in or near Oakland Park. This Kiwanis student recognition program promotes character development, positive self-esteem, and perseverance. Students work with their classroom teacher and establish goals to improve behavior, peer relationships, attendance, or schoolwork. Students then work toward achieving the goal during a specific time period.

At the end of the time period all students who achieved their goals are recognized as terrific kids. Recognition includes presentation by a Terrific Kids Ambassador of a certificate, bumper stickers and other giveaways at a special school ceremony, generally at the end of a grading period.

The terrific kids program provides teachers with a tool to reward students for special achievements that may otherwise go unnoticed.

The program at Oakland Park Elementary will be presented by Eugene Andresen, at Lloyd Estates Elementary by Jennifer Lovell, at Floranada Elementary by Sandy Barry and at Shepherd of the Coast Lutheran School by Becky Norwood.

Caring Wednesday

This is a"caring" project that started from an idea within our club and has grown into one of most rewarding and continuing outreach. Each month a different organization/identiy is selected and our members have an opportunity to participate with their own donations. The objective for this special project is to make it simple, available, cost, no obligation to donate each month. A few examples: children socks for Family Services; Tuna fish for Jewish Outreach Foundation, can goods for Father Bob's Feeding Program, laundry soap for Ronald McDonald House, etc. ANYONE can offer a caring situation and we are there!!

Tremont Assisted Living Project
The second Sunday afternoon of the month, members of the the Oakland Park Kiwanis and high school Key Clubs throw a party at the Treemont Assisted Living facility in Oakland Park. The members bring homemade desserts, decorate the home for the current holiday, celebrate birthdays, and sing songs with the residents. The residents have said repeatedly that this is one of their favorite days of the month. Come join us one Sunday for a lively and rewarding afternoon.  The address for Tremont is 3881 NE 3rd Ave., Oakland Park.

Pop Top Collection for Ronald McDonald House - Chairperson - Dennis Buchta
Kiwanis of Oakland Park supports the Ronald Mcdonald House in Fort Lauderdale with the collecting of Pop Tops. What is a Pop Top? A Pop Top is the piece of metal that opens aluminum cans. Like the can, the Top is recyclable. It is small, yet a refundable piece, and easier for us to recyle. The money received is determined by the weight of the aluminum collected. This year we will have the Northeast High and Cardinal Gibbons High Key clubs challenge each other in a competition, collecting the Tops, with a Pizza Party as the reward. Let's have fun and help Ronald McDonald House!  See a list of items needed by Ronald McDonald House

“Cookies by Design ” Ongoing Fund Raiser

To Our Sponsors, Families and Friends:  Kiwanis will receive 10% rebate for all local orders from Cookies by Design.

Pet Therapy Visit - Broward Children's Center

The first Sunday of the month , Kiwanis members and their pets visit the Broward Children's Hospital to bring cheer to the patients. If you have a child friendly pet, join us to bring a smile to the children's faces. We now have a permanent date for the pet therapy at Broward Children's Center. It will be the first Sunday of each month.

Printer Cartridges Recycled for Kids

Oakland Park Kiwanis collects and recycles expended ink cartridges from computer printers.
Traditionally Dave Mackey will collect them at our breakfast meeting and recycle them through a rewards program at Office Depot. The funds that are generated are donated to the local elementary schools as un-budgeted monies for the schools. It's good for the environment and good for the kids - please help us out.

Waterway Cleanup
Kiwanis members along with Northeast High School Key Club have been collecting garbage in and along the C-13 canal. Over the past 23 months, over 1000 bins (see photos) of trash have been collected. Collection takes place by boat and by walking along the waterway bank. The trash is then recycled with the Oakland Park Recycling Program.

Cell Phone Collection

Oakland Park Kiwanis is raising funds through a Used Cell Phone Drive. We are collecting your used cell phones whether working or not. If the cell phones are resalable, the company we send them to resells them. If they work but have no resale value, the phones are donated to shelters and needy organizations such as Women in Distress for use as emergency phones. If they are inoperative, they are responsibly recycled. All proceeds from our Used Cell phone collection goes to our local Women in Distress. This is a real win-win-win situation - Women in Distress wins, Kiwanis wins and the planet wins!!!
Not only are Kiwanis compensated financially, but by recycling used cell phones we are taking a stand against environmental degradation by keeping the toxic chemicals in cell phones out of landfills.
There are many harmful materials in cell phones, such as, lead, arsenic, and beryllium. These toxic and persistent materials have a very negative and long lasting impact on our environment, groundwater, and if handled incorrectly, our local workers. According to industry reports, the number of wireless devices in the US is approaching 300 million and in 2005, global cell phone usage estimates were in excess of 2 billion. Recycling just 1 million phones is the equivalent of taking 1368 cars off the road for a full year.
Better yet, for every 250 phones submitted, Oakland Park Kiwanis will receive a free $50 Visa gift card. Please recycle your phones to benefit Women in Distress and ensure proper disposal of your cell phones. If you have any questions, contact Anne Sallee.

Kiwanis Reading Program at Oakland Park Elementary School

Kiwanis members have been volunteering at Oakland Park Elementary School, reading to the first and second grade classes. Our volunteers read right after our Wednesday morning breakfast meeting and read only about 20 minutes per class. Timing is perfect, and the school is just a few blocks away at 936 NE 33rd Street, Oakland Park, FL 33334. In order to be cleared to read in a public school you first need to go to the website www.browardschools.com about a week in advance and fill out the volunteer application form online. A volunteer must stop in at the front office of the school; check in by showing the secretary your driver’s license. An ID will be made for you with your picture on it. If you have not been processed then a temporary ID may be made for you if approved by the principal, Mrs. Joanne Krisel.
Contact Shelley Stunson for a prescheduled time to read. You may bring your own book to read; ask Shelley for a book or ask the teacher for a book. This is a very rewarding program and you will enjoy the children and the enthusiasm of the teachers and staff at Oakland Park Elementary School.

Key Clubs at Northeast, Cardinal Gibbons

Kiwanis members and area Key Club have been involved with the many activities.

• tab top contest

Starlight Blanket Project

Blankets are knitted or crocheted for the Starlight Starbright Blanket Foundation. The suggested guidelines for these blankets are:   34" by  43"    and    42" by  52".

The smaller blankets are for premature babies while the larger blankets are for keeping children warm after chemotherapy. The blankets are primarily distributed by the foundation to The Chris Everett Cancer Center and Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital. Contact Michael Goldstein at 954-829-2523 for more details on how to help.

Backpack Food Program

The Kiwanis Club of Oakland Park is sponsoring a project modeled on a charity that Naomi Judd supports in Appalachia. Knowing that many kids do not eat from the time they leave school on Friday until they return on Monday, Kiwanis is sending food home in a backpack for those children every weekend. As of 3/1/11 we are assisting 22 families.

Denny's 15% Savings Card

Use the Denny's Savings Card and receive 15% off your bill and 5% will be returned back to the club.

Youth Mentoring

"Now more than ever there is a need for mentors to serve as role models and provide youth with guidance and support. Caring adults can play a vital role in helping students deal with the challenges they face. Mentoring is a powerful way to support education and make a real difference in a child’s life. Share what you know – become a mentor today." This quote is from Broward Schools' web site and Kiwanis encourages and participates in youth mentoring. Signing up to be a youth mentor is more involved than volunteering. You go to the same web site as you do to be a volunteer in the public schools www.browardschools.com. A separate form is necessary for youth mentoring, taking of a short class is required and so is fingerprinting. Mentoring is well worth the effort. Contact Shelley Stunson for more information.

Christmas in July

The purpose of the CHRISTMAS IN JULY, INC.  event is to provide a ray of hope to the homeless children of the Broward County and their parents  – to show that “someone cares”– and also provide a day of fun and frolic. For more information visit  www.christmasinjulyinc.com.