On the Town: Noon Kiwanis Club makes literacy a priority
The Glendale Noon Kiwanis Club gathered at Damon’s for a social on a recent Thursday night where the hot topic was Glendale Unified School District’s Reading is Fundamental project.
Chair of the project is the club’s First Lady Monica Sierra, wife of Kiwanis President Jose Sierra.
Kiwanis has been doing the literacy project for several years, Monica Sierra said. The Kiwanis Club purchases the books from the Reading is Fundamental program and then the members distribute the books to students who get to keep them.
There are three schools in the program and grades involved are pre-kindergarten to third grade. She hopes it will expand to other schools in the district soon, providing they qualify.
“It’s a great experience!” she said. “It’s very rewarding to see the kids with their new books. We help them write their names in the books and we read to them and that’s a great part of the project.”
The project helps economically challenged students build their reading skills, said Kiwanis member Karen Swan, a project volunteer. About six Kiwanians visit elementary schools three times a year to read to the children and help them make their book selections.
“It’s so rewarding because we see the growth from the beginning of the year when we start with the children and see the joy that we bring them,” she said. “We help promote the language arts and reading skills for the California state reading standards and to see the children make progress each semester is just amazing.”
Jose Sierra is also working on increasing the club’s programs and building membership in the Kiwanis Club, which meets at noon Fridays at the Glendale Elks Lodge.
“The more members we have, the more outreach we can do in the community,” he said. “We contribute approximately $200,000 every year back to the community that we raise through such projects as the annual Duck Race. We have a poker tournament coming up on March 12 at the Elks Lodge. All money raised goes back into the Glendale community. We have no overhead costs.”
The local club also supports the Kiwanis International Eliminate Project. Kiwanis International and UNICEF have joined forces to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus around the world. This deadly disease steals the lives of about 49,000 babies and a significant number of women each year. The effects of the disease are excruciating — tiny newborns suffer repeated, painful convulsions and extreme sensitivity to light and touch.
To eliminate the disease around the world, more than 100 million mothers and their future babies must be immunized. This requires vaccines, syringes, safe storage, transportation, thousands of skilled staff and more. The cost of the program is estimated at $110 million.
“Our club has donated $200,000 to that program,” Jose Sierra said.
Women’s Council to host Mardi Gras Casino Night
The Women’s Council of the USC Verdugo Hills Hospital Foundation will host a Mardi Gras-themed Casino Night in the renovated council rooms at the hospital. The event is from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Feb. 20 and benefits the hospital’s nursery department.
The cost is $55 per person. Space is limited and tickets can be purchased in advance. For reservations, call (818) 952-2226.
“Our commitment is to continue to help renovate USC Verdugo Hills Hospital to bring the latest medical services in the right environment to the community,” said Ruth McNevin, chair of the Women’s Council.
This fundraising arm of the Hospital Foundation recently released $25,000 for breast pumps, fetal monitors and décor improvements to the OB department. Since its founding in 1973, the Women’s Council has raised more than $3 million for the hospital’s programs and services.
Panhellenic has annual social
A scholarship social introducing high school seniors to sorority membership is being held by the Alumnae Panhellenic on March 1 at La Cañada Presbyterian Church, Burcham Hall, 626 Foothill Blvd., La Cañada Flintridge. Check-in starts at 6:30 p.m. and the program starts at 7.
The social is for students planning to attend a four-year school in the fall. They will learn about sorority membership and how to apply for a scholarship. Scholarship applicants must reside in Glendale and surrounding cities. Reservations to attend the social can be made at GAAPScholarshipRSVP@outlook.com by Feb. 27.
Scholarships are also available to a collegiate member of a National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sorority. Applications for college member scholarships are available on the website, and must be returned by April 2.
For more information, visit www.glendalepanhellenic.org and select the Scholarship Programs and Scholarship Guidelines link.
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JOYCE RUDOLPH can be reached at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com.