Kiwanis Glo Run

We are hosting the Light Your Night Fun Run (as part of the Fort Campbell Eagle Fitness Challenge). The Run will be held July 8 at 8:30 pm at Western Hills Golf Course in Hopkinsville, Ky. The run will follow the cart path along the front and/or back nine holes of the golf course. A festival-style atmosphere will be great for families and kids, young and old. We are working with Parks and Recreation for registration for the event. Click here to register. Also, we need Kiwanians to volunteer to work the event. Contact Elissa Tucker to let her know if you can help.

The 2017 Christmas Ornaments are IN!!

If you are thinking that it is a little early for our Christmas ornaments, then you are correct.  But they are early for a very good reason. This year we are cashing in on a celestial phenomenon that Kentucky hasn't seen in over a century.  So be on the lookout for the 2017 Solar Eclipse ornaments and make sure you tell your friends about them.

Ornaments are for sale from any Kiwanis member (yes, that means people may be asking you about them). They can also be purchased at the Chamber of Commerce, the Pennyroyal Area Museum, the Pennyroyal Arts Council, Pennyroyal Hospice, Dr. Mark Johnson, and EZ Auto Parts.

So much to catch up on...

If you missed Kiwanis in June, you missed a lot of fun!! We completed the 12th Annual Soapbox Derby and took the time to honor former President Steve Barrios with the Spirit of Soapbox Award. 

That same night, Mayor Carter Hendricks presented him with a Key to the City for his commitment to the kids of Hopkinsville.

Check out the Soapbox Facebook or website for all the fun that was had, but if you see Samantha Grace Stagner, Cayce Bledsoe, Connor Bledsoe, or Courtney Planka out anywhere, congratulate them on taking first place in one of our four divisions.

Commanders Command Sergeants Major Luncheon

It was an honor to host Fort Campbell leaders this week.  The annual Commanders-Command Sergeants Major Luncheon is an opportunity to speak with and share our missions with the men and women in charge at the 101st Airborne Division.  Major General Andrew Poppas, the Division Commander, extended an invitation to participate in the Week of the Eagles Celebration, which starts Friday.

Congrats to Member Selina Pyle

Our very own Selina Pyle was recognized at the 35th Annual Pennyroyal Hospice Dinner as the Employee of the year. She joined Kiwanis in 2011 and since then has been a quite force behind the scene.  It's the same perspective she takes on at her job.  Selina currently services as our Sponsored Youth Committee Co-Chair and has previously served as the Public Relations Committee Chair and on the Board of Directors. We appreciate everything Selina does for the club and our community and know that Pennyroyal Hospice does as well, especially since they chose to honor her this year.

BIG News This Week!!

The Kiwanis Club of Hopkinsville was honored this month as Blue members of the Today Club.

There is no other way to give to so many areas—to touch the lives of so many children and communities—and in so many different ways than by giving a Gift of Today. Gifts of Today come to the Kiwanis Children's Fund from individuals, clubs and other entities. 

Along with all the dollars kept locally, the Hopkinsville Kiwanis Club donated $10 per member to the Today Club to help with international efforts.

 

National Day of Prayer

This week we celebrated the 66th Annual National Day of Prayer with Oak Grove Pastor Kyle Shearin.  He shared the parable of the Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well encouraging us to continue our selfless service to the children of our community.  Shearin is the head pastor at Faith Family Church, which is growing and has a need for additional services to be added later this year.  He and his wife, along with their two sons, joined us for lunch.

April: Wow it's over already

We spent the month of April at the First Presbyterian Church on East 9th Street and we want to offer a huge thank you to them for opening their doors to us. It's been a crazy busy month as the 12th Annual Soapbox Derby preparations got into full swing, but we also took time to hear from several community groups, so here's a recap...

On April 6, we learned about all that goes into making moonshine and all the added taxes paid into our community because of the businesses (two schools and two fire departments see additional monies). Peg Hays extended an invitation to the club to visit Casey Jones Distillery anytime!

April 13 Schmidt Award.jpg

On April 13, the Club honored Willie Renshaw with the Bill Schmidt Spirit of Kiwanis Award. He is one of only a handful to be given the honor.

We also heard from Alpha Alternative Pregnancy Care Center Executive Director Amanda Westerfield. The organization recently launched its mobile ultrasound unit and hosted its annual dinner May 1, raising $111,729.

And we presented the Hopkinsville High School Key Club with two checks for their help at the pancake breakfast and to help with the recharter of the club.

On April 20, Sanctuary Inc Executive Director Marion Brown spoke with us about the services they provide on a daily basis and encouraged our members to participate in the Annual International Denim Day April 26. Sanctuary is one of the non-profit organizations the Hopkinsville Kiwanis Club supports.

On April 27, we heard about the good work going on at the Aaron McNeil House.  Tamara Watts-Standard and Makayla Houchens said 27 tons of food were handed out last year to people in the community through one of their programs. 

 

That's not to mention the Soapbox Derby training that took place April 8, Car Assignment day April 15 and the first Build Clinic April 22.

STEM is important

Patriot Chevrolet Buick GMC presented the Hopkinsville Soapbox Derby with a check today for their Derby Sponsorship! We greatly appreciate the Renshaw Automotive Group and all they continue to do to grow our derby.

Also, Stuart Zieman joined us from Hopkinsville Community College Workforce Solutions to talked about the KY FAME Program. It is good to know there are programs out there encouraging college and providing jobs at the same time!

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math -- or STEM -- tie the Soapbox Derby and the KY FAME program together. Maybe some of our racers will one day participate in FAME.