The Kiwanis Club of Trail celebrated its 79th anniversary during the annual general meeting in September, reaffirming its longstanding commitment to supporting children and adolescents living in Greater Trail.
“We began supporting Holy Trinity Parish’s ‘Skool-Aid’ project when I first joined Kiwanis 10 years ago, and since then, our donations have expanded to include both local elementary and high school programs,” said Chris Vlanich, the club’s president.
(Skool Aid is a local volunteer-run program that provides new school supplies to students of low income families.)
This fall, five elementary schools — Glenmerry, Webster, Fruitvale, St. Michael’s, and Rossland Summit — each received $500 from the club, allocated to their Parent Advisory Councils to fund breakfast programs.
“Kiwanis members are deeply concerned about the issue of childhood hunger during school hours,” Vlanich noted. “By ensuring children have a good start to their early education, we’re helping build stronger, more resilient community members.”
Kiwanis’ commitment to help meet the needs of nourishing youngsters also extends to older individuals and families.
“Our local food banks have also seen an increased need, driven by inflation and the rising cost of food,” Vlanich continued. “Trail Kiwanis has long supported the Trail United Church Food Bank.”
Recently, Monse Lotecki from the Beaver Valley Food Bank collaborated with Kiwanis members to hold a meat draw at the Trail Legion.
Lotecki shared the needs of Beaver Valley’s "Outreach Meals" program, which led the club to donate $1,000 to support it.
In addition to food programs, the club donated $1,000 each to the Strong Start programs located in Fruitvale, Rossland Summit School, and at the Trail FAIR Society.
Hosted by Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL), Strong Start is an early learning initiative aimed at children up to five years of age.
The club’s commitment to local youth continued last week with a $1,000 donation to CBAL’s "Books For Kids" program.
In partnership with Black Press Media, Blue Sky Clothing Co., The Columbia Valley Pioneer, and local credit unions, funds raised through the annual Books for Kids campaign enable CBAL to provide free literacy and learning programs and books for children, youth, and their families.
Looking ahead, the club is preparing for the 75th anniversary of their Christmas Tree Sales, with both regular and cultured tannenbaums already ordered.
“This tradition is close to the heart of the Kiwanis Club of Trail, and we’re grateful for the City of Trail’s support in hosting it at Butler Park,” Vlanich said.
"Proceeds from recent tree sales have helped us provide $5,000 in scholarships for local high school graduates.”
