Tysons Corner/McLean Kiwanis is first club in District to respond to Division 23 Lt Governor's District-wide challenge for "Stop Hunger Now!"

by Tim Meyer, Lt. Gov. Div 23

"We challenge all Capital District divisions and clubs to come up with $100 per club to help make 100,000 meals a real possibility," said Division 23 Lt. Governor Tim Meyer in a recent email to his district peers. He was talking about a District Convention service project in support of Stop Hunger Now, an international organization that works toward the elimination of hunger world-wide.

Tim was issuing a challenge to each Capital District Club to make a $100.00 commitment to the project. The Tysons Corner/McLean Kiwanis Club is the first in the Capital District to pledge funds to support the August Stop Hunger Now project.

The published goal for the one-day effort in Williamsburg is to package 50,000 meals, but if Capital District clubs can raise enough, as many as 100,000 meals is a real possibility. According to Meyer, "We plan to have a work station set up at the District Convention in August. Anyone that comes can package meals for this great project. Our goal is to make over 50,000 meals during that weekend, but we could go as high as 100,000 meals, depending on donations. " That means we need at least $12,500 and the more we raise, the more meals can be prepared.

Meyer and other Kiwanians in Divisions 23, 21, 16 and 13, (the Hampton Roads Region) experienced first-hand the Stop Hunger Now meal packaging process at our February 2011 K-Family Reunion (Mid-Winter) conference in Norfolk. "Our Hampton Roads region during our mid winter conference prepared and shipped over 10,000 meals," he says. "You see each meal costs 25-cents each. We were able to raise more than $3000 at the mid-winter to help this great project." He emphatically adds, "Kiwanians actually assembled and packaged these meals and got them ready for shipment."

Tim wants to collect all of the $100.00 donations from clubs between now and July 1st. That's necessary to plan for the amount of materials to have on hand for use during the convention. He also recognized that there will be other expenses close-to and during the convention and is trying to take care of this project early, "By collecting funds now there will be no worry of funds at the convention and we can prepare and ship the number of meals that we have money for."

"Our goals is to provide a project at the convention that everyone can spend 15 or 20 minutes on while they are there and feel the power of this great project which helps so many. I have personally made these meals and have felt the immense feeling of doing something that will impact others lives," he said.

Clubs (or anyone else) can make donations by going to the Convention Web Site at: http://www.kiwaniscdc2011.com/Stop_Hunger_Now.html Fill out the on-line pledge form and then put a check in good old snail-mail to:

Stop Hunger Now
c/o Tim Meyer, Lt Gov Division 23
229 Mill Stream Way
Williamsburg, VA 23185

We will be showing these meal donations on our website www.kiwaniscdc2011.com. Be among the first to sign on to Stop Hunger Now as Capital District Kiwanis continues with "history in the making" this August in Williamsburg.