As Christmas time approaches, the Elizabethton Kiwanis Club was able to play the role of Santa Claus.
The Kiwanis Club held their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 6, inside Dino’s Restaurant in Historic Downtown Elizabethton and presented a pair of checks to Carter County Head Start and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, held within the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library.
Having an opportunity to give back to the community makes the organization enjoy each year of service, according to Elizabethton Kiwanis Club President David LeVeau.
“That’s really what the core of Kiwanis is all about,” LeVeau said with a smile. “Giving back to the kids in the community,”
Kiwanis members received a special performance Tuesday during the meeting hours thanks in part to the Valley Forge Head Start students stopping by, belting out Christmas carols at the beginning of the meeting. Following the performance, LeVeau presented a check totaling $1,000 to the group. The Valley Forge Head Start is just one of eight programs offered within the county.
“Carter County Head Start is a wonderful program,” LeVeau said. “It’s a great opportunity for the preschool kids. We want to help out with any needs they have for the children that school maybe doesn’t have budgeted for the year. Coats, meals, anything they may need for the kids that need it.”
LeVeau followed up the performance by providing a check totaling $500 to Ashlee Williams, representing the library, to assist the Imagination Library.
“The Imagination Library is just another avenue to help the children,” he said.
The Imagination Library provides an age-appropriate book that will be sent directly to a child’s home, from toddler age to five years old. According to information provided to the Elizabethton Star, a child could easily receive 60 free books before starting kindergarten. In Carter County, the program mails over 24,000 books per year to families within the community. More information on the program can be obtained by contacting the library at (423) 547-6360.
With the new year less than a month out, LeVeau looked back at 2016 as a successful year for the group, citing various initiatives members were able to be part of in the county. The Kiwanis Club recently wrapped up a chili dinner on Saturday, Dec. 3, at First Christian Church in Elizabethton with high marks, according to event organizer Tim Broyles. Serving up multiple gallons of chili, the club offered items for $5, which went directly into the club’s funding to benefit children’s projects in Carter County.
“We just had our pancake fundraiser and followed it up with our inaugural chili dinner,” LeVeau said. “Everything has gone well. We hope the chili dinner will grow like the pancake fundraisers, especially having it with the Christmas parade. All the funds we raise go to the kids. So we’re looking in 2017 to continue doing the same and help each of the kids’ organizations within the school system with their service projects as well.”