At its June 14 lunch meeting, the Kiwanis Club of Glendale hosted a number of community non-profits that accepted grants from the club.

After a patriotic opening of the meeting that honored Flag Day, President Dr. Stacey Nishi announced that it would be a “big day” of giving for the club and that the club’s mascot “Quacky” would assist in the giving.

Monica Sierra, chairman of the Kiwanis Young Children Priority One project, invited Tri Fritz of Dignity Health Glendale Memorial to accept a check for $5,000 to be used for materials in the hospital’s Women’s Center. Also under the umbrella of Young Children Priority One, Nishi presented a check for $5,000 to the Cal-Nev-Ha Kiwanis Foundation to assist with its Pediatric Trauma Program. An additional club gift of $900 was awarded to the CNH Foundation. CNH Foundation parliamentarian Pat Liddell accepted the donation. Adventist Play to Learn Center, a local facility that works with autistic children and other children with special learning needs, was awarded $5,000. Kiwanian Page Whyte presented the check to Dr. Tracey Martinez, Marion Watson and President of Adventist Health Glendale Foundation Irene Bourdon. And finally, Toni Espinoza presented $2,750 to the Kiwanis Literacy Club of Southern California for two new book boxes to be placed in the community. Accepting the gift for the Literacy Club were founders Jean and Doug Chadwick and members Caesar Milch and Carol Derry. The total awarded at the meeting was over $18,000.

Funds for these donations are raised at the Kiwanis Annual Duck Splash that takes place every fall. This year’s duck race will be on Saturday, Oct. 19 at Verdugo Park, and Quacky invites everyone to attend this family event.

Currently in its 97th year of service, Glendale Kiwanians annually give more than 4,000 hours of community service and donate over $150,000 annually to its projects and philanthropies. For more information about the Kiwanis Club of Glendale, visit www.glendalekiwanis.info. The group meets Fridays at noon at the Elks Lodge at 120 Colorado Blvd. Visitors are welcome.

Submitted by Cathy KEEN

  Cathy Keen