Kiwanis Club continues to impact lives positively

Despite the drastic changes that the coronavirus pandemic has caused to many livelihoods, it has not dampened the resilience and innovation of members of the Kiwanis Club of Barbados North.

Members of the club are still reaching out and caring for people in their communities in St James, St Peter, St Lucy, St Andrew, St Joseph and St Thomas. The Kiwanis Club North has responded to this situation in meaningful ways by assisting some of those affected and living within its catchment area.

Last October club members participated in a beach clean-up at Lakes Beach, Ermy Bourne Highway, St Andrew, under a project sponsored by CYEN. Twenty bags of non-degradable materials were collected, weighed and recorded by the organization.

Then in November the Club organized a second beach clean-up to complete the work started on the stretch of beach from Barclays Park to Long Pond on the Ermy Bourne Highway in St Andrew. The effort was supported by the Lions Club Scotland District and National Conservation Commission (NCC) who transported and disposed of the 55 bags of non-degradable materials collected.

In December, Kiwanis were involved in the distribution of 21 food hampers and 10 non-food hampers to needy families in the northern parishes and to the HIV/Aids Food Bank. The effort involved the support of club members and several companies. Massy Supermarket, Holetown and Jordan’s Supermarket (Fitts Village and Speightstown) facilitated the placement of collection barrels at their locations while WIBISCO and Discovery Bay Hotel made material contributions.

Last Christmas Day Kiwanis prepared and distributed 22 lunches. The members of the club made significant contributions towards the materials needed for the project while a
kind-hearted chef assisted with the preparation. The Belleplaine Seventh Day Adventist Church and WESTGAM were central to the distribution of these lunches as well as to the distribution of the food and non-food hampers.

On December 23 last year, the Kiwanis made a presentation of materials to the Elayne Scantlebury Centre, including cushions, olive oil, alcohol, anti-perspirant spray, cookies and biscuits. These items were included in a list provided by the Centre as critical to improved client care. Club members made a major contribution to the project that was supported by Pharmacy Sales Caribbean Inc. The Club will continue to pursue access to the other items on the list.

Two students of the Alleyne School who were former members of the St Bernard Primary School K-Kids Club, which is the junior school level of Kiwanis, were presented with two computer work stations.

The Club also made a donation to a Garden, St James family that included two children. The items provided were a food hamper, a non-food hamper, First Aid kit and clothes for children ages six months to two years.

In celebration of the club’s 34th Charter Anniversary, a week of activities commenced with an online church service via Youtube with The Garden Church of God.   

On the 17 February 2021, the Club planned and executed an “Acts of kindness Day.” In celebration of the Club’s 34th Charter Anniversary members were commissioned, as a club, to perform 34 acts of kindness on that day. A total of 46 acts of kindness were reported by members. While the majority of the acts related to telephone and other means of virtual contact with the elderly, the family and incapacitated persons, members were also involved in the sharing of vegetables grown by the latter and bread, shopping for groceries, cash donations, lunches and hampers and the distribution of uplifting materials.

The other activities for the remainder of the week included:   

• A stroll down memory lane – founding members and other members shared memories of the Kiwanis experiences.

• Anniversary celebration, awards and induction ceremony – members were awarded for their dedication and hard work for the year 2019/2020.

• An evening of fun and games – members competed against each other in a variety of fun activities.

For the remainder of this year, the club plans to be creative in catering to the needs of the community, while maintaining the safety protocols.

By utilising the telephone and social media Kiwanis North will reach out to the elderly and others who live alone to ensure that they stay connected. They will also examine the possibility of organising group chats for those who are technologically inclined. (PR)