Georgetown DE Kiwanis Collaborate with Boys and Girls Club

by Rosemary Cummings

The start of the New Year saw several collaborative initiatives between Georgetown Kiwanis and the Georgetown Boys and Girls Club (BGC). President Shirley Dennis met with BGC Director Buzz Matthews (also a Kiwanian) to discuss the start of the new K-Kids Club program. While signing the K-Kids Charter agreement and Bylaws, Buzz asked if the Kiwanis Club could help with the young children in any way. The following Tuesday, a Read-Aloud program was born, when Kiwanians Shirley Dennis and Holland Van Valkenburgh read to the morning kindergarten students. Rehoboth Beach Kiwanian Julie Beebe, a Reading teacher for 25 years, joined them and shared some of her effective teaching secrets. The result was one hour of interaction with ten kids asking questions, interacting with the book characters, and having a wonderful time. When asked if the Club returned to Read Aloud, Shirley Dennis enthusiastically said yes and after reporting to the Club, their members signed on to read in future weeks. The new service project is a win-win, for the Kiwanis Young Children service and BGC programming.