A Gift That Keeps on Giving
These days, across the nation, there is a noticeable lack of community service being done by organizations which used to have the neighborhood as a reason for their existence. Many service organizations no longer are a viable part of a city’s social core because it seems to have gone out of fashion.
The Kiwanis Club of Lakewood, however, continues to serve the city generously and unselfishly. As a small example, a club member recently attended a Sunday band concert at Lakewood Park. The sound system employed by the city was not operating properly. The band could not be heard well, an embarrassment for the audience, band, and city employees. The system had been damaged the previous week in a rain storm and many parts were continuing to short out during the band’s performance. About two thousand people were subjected to a less-entertaining than they had hoped for.
The Kiwanis Club saw an opportunity to give back to the citizens of Lakewood in a way that is different than its normal focus on young people. The thought was that since the adult population supports the pancake breakfasts, spaghetti dinners and Kiwanis hot dog sales, and the club has the funds due to the support of Lakewood folks, why not give a new sound system to the City? That way concerts at Lakewood Park can continue to be a wonderful tradition during the summer and the system can be used for Veterans Day, Christmas Tree Lighting ceremonies, and other civic occasions.
The Kiwanis saw the need and provided a solution with a check for about $2,530.00 for the new sound system to Mr. Michael Coletta, Information Systems Manager for the City of Lakewood. Coletta said, “Sunday summer band concerts are a special Lakewood tradition that I hope we can continue to provide in a quality fashion. I appreciate the Kiwanis’ concern for the City of Lakewood and its citizens.” This is a gift that will give pleasure to many Lakewood people for a long time to come.
In addition, Lakewood Kiwanis last year donated ten college scholarships worth $2,500.00 each. The scholarships are renewable for four years. That means if a student gets a scholarship, over a four year span they will receive $10,000.00. Since it has been in existence, over $1,200,000.00 has been provided to youngsters who live in Lakewood. Only students who live in Lakewood get scholarships.
The Lakewood Kiwanis Club meets every Tuesday at the Masonic Temple at the intersection of Detroit and Andrews avenues at noon. The club is anxious to have men or women over eighteen years of age come to a meeting and see if any of the many projects the club performs would be of interest and appeal to their willingness to make their city a more enjoyable place to reside.