by Michael Laing
It started in May 2007. Michael Laing, then President of Front Royal Kiwanis Club, sought permission to start a K-Kids Club at the school where he teaches, E. Wilson Morrison Elementary School. Principal Margaret Holmes agreed to have the club with the stipulation that only the top three grades be eligible for membership. By June Michael had a fellow teacher, Angie Patton, volunteer to act as the Faculty Advisor. Then came the summer break and a period of inactivity, except for planning. September rolled around and students returned to school. By the end of September thirty-two students had shown interest in being a member of the K-Kids. Michael and Angie had a membership drive and by the end of October there were twenty-eight paid members of the club. Due to a family medical emergency the K-Kids Club did not have its first meeting until December. At that meeting they elected officers, and determined to have two meetings. Interbake, Inc., a new industry in Warren County, volunteered to donate snacks for each club meeting. Then came the Christmas break. In January the members developed by-laws and established two committees, Public Relations and Service Committees. The first order of business for the Public Relation Committee was to write a thank you letter to Interbake, Inc. If you have ever had a committee-of-fourteen try to agree on anything you know this was a feat. The Service Committee drew up a list of projects to start and hopefully complete. To say the least they were very energetic and had a list of fifteen projects. With adult suggestions they settled on two; Teacher Appreciation Week and Earth Week. In February the club continued working on the service projects and finished the thank you letter. In mid-February the President of the K-Kids, Chelsea Spicer, attended the Division 19 Governor's Dinner and stole the night. During the March meetings members created thank you cards for each teacher in the school and started planning for the April Earth Week Project. The documentation for the club was completed and sent to Kiwanis International. In April the club members held an "Aluminum Can Drive" Contest within the school to show how recycling can help. In a five day period they collected 82,000 cans, totaling 563 pounds, earning $416 for the club. With this success the May meetings were dedicated to electing officers for next year and planning the Charter Meeting. The last meeting of the year was held on June 11 and was a combined meeting with the Kiwanis Club of Front Royal. This was the Charter Presentation Meeting and was attended by twenty-two K-Kids, twenty-five Kiwanis members, and thirty-six family members. It was held at the school auditorium and was presided over by Front Royal Kiwanis President, Dick Hoover, and Division 19 Lt. Governor, Mike Didawick. Mike presented the Charter to Principal Margaret Holmes and the 2007-2008 K-Kids President, Chelsea Spicer. Following the presentation, Mike installed the new officers. The new president, Michael Duggan, presented a $100.00 check from the K-Kids Club to Mrs. Holmes for the new playground equipment fund. This was the second Service Project completed by the K-Kids Club of E. Wilson Morrison Elementary School. Over all this has been a very successful year.