A wonderful part of Manitou is the ACTION! It seems like there is always something going on or about to! How does each event come about? Where do all the volunteers come from?
Behind many of these events is the Manitou Kiwanis Club. A few years back, the Club celebrated the 100th Birthday of the founding of the Manitou Chapter.
Who belongs to this Club? Just a bunch of party folks looking for fun? Hardly!! Our Manitou Kiwanis is part of an international organization whose focus is on helping kids. All kids: local and around the world.
Kiwanis International sets a goal and (usually) a five-year program to achieve that goal. The most recent was to eliminate Iodine Deficiency Disorder worldwide. With sponsorship by Morton Salt and funds raised by Kiwanis Club chapters, this goal was accomplished by supplying iodized salt to pregnant women. Their babies are born without worry of possible brain damage, cognitive issues or thyroid problems caused by iodine deficiencies.
You can actually FEEL the camaraderie. – Judy Carnick
Local Kiwanis Clubs have the same motto in their communities. Our Manitou Kiwanis Club sponsors activities in the schools including the Robotics Program and other after school programs. The Manitou High School Kiwanis Key Club is extremely active. Students acquire leadership and character skills by participating in Kiwanis meetings and activities. This past October, the High School Key Club won first place in the Coffin Race competition! Our local Club donates scholarships to Manitou High School seniors. A Kiwanis member who is a former contractor acts as an advisor to the students in the Build project.
Whether it is a Kiwanis sponsored event or just an event that needs volunteers, Kiwanis hands can be counted on. They cook and run Breakfast with Santa and cook for Manitou Community Day. If the City needs volunteers for an event, they know Kiwanis will be there.
Local Kiwanis Club members will tell you they join because they want to do community service, but they stay for the fellowship. You can actually FEEL the camaraderie. These folks care a lot about each other. They are one of the few Kiwanis chapters in Colorado that meet in the evening for dinner because they want all their members to be able to attend. They laugh at each other’s jokes; they pull together when a member needs support. Together, they celebrate good news and console each other when there is sad news.
On Monday evenings, they meet for a home-cooked meal and an informational speaker in the community hall at the Manitou Springs Community Congregational Church. They keep membership costs down so they can keep their dues low.
These men and women are a team that really cares. They live out their commitment to each other and the Manitou community. Want more info or to attend a meeting? They would love to welcome you. Contact: ManitouKiwanis@yahoo.com.