Williamsburg Kiwanis Club recognized

The Williamsburg Kiwanis Club has been recently recognized as the fastest growing club in two states.

Out of the 141 Kiwanis clubs in the Kentucky-Tennessee district, the Williamsburg Kiwanis Club is the number one club in terms of new growth with 76 percent grown since October.
During the club’s Jan. 7 monthly meeting, 14 new members were pinned by Kiwanis Kentucky-Tennessee District Governor Chuck Fletcher Governor-Elect Leigh Chagnon.

“I am so excited about what you all are doing in your community and reaching out in the community. I want to say thank you for doing that. You are doing a great job and I want to challenge you to do a greater job,” Fletcher told the club.

Fletcher noted that his Kentucky-Tennessee Kiwanis District is in first place in the nation because of growth in part because of clubs like Williamsburg.

Fletcher noted that attending the meeting was a homecoming of sorts for him.

“I really enjoyed my days at Cumberland College when I was here,” Fletcher said. “Most of my times at Cumberland College were very good. It gave me a good education and a good background.”

Those pinned during the Jan. 7 ceremony, included: Gary Barton, Jimmy Bates, Andy Croley, Crayton Ellison, Patty Faulkner, Charles Fritts, Randy Greer, Nannie Hays, Cissy Lunce, Donevan Storm, Pat White, Holli Burton and Paul LaBonte.

Other recent new members, who weren’t pinned on Jan. 7, include: Virginia Arnett, Regina Bunch, Roddy Harrison and Mike Marple.

Fletcher noted that Kiwanis clubs are a good place to have fun, and he remembers going to his first meeting after getting an invitation from a friend and feeling like he was at home.

“Let me just challenge the folks that have become new members. Let me say to you that I think personally that you have joined one of the outstanding clubs in the nation and the world. Kiwanis is known throughout the world,” Fletcher said.

“You belong to an organization with over 600,000 members. We are doing a good job but you all are going to be able to help us do a better job to be able to tell the story to the community you live in both in Williamsburg and Whitley County.”

Fletcher noted that the Kiwanis motto is “serving the children of the world.”

“Kids in your community need you. They need to know what true examples are about what it means to not only be a Kiwanian but also to give service,” Fletcher said.

He noted the example of one K-Kids group, which is a children’s Kiwanis group, where K-Kids students in a school decided to do a fundraiser for their school’s backpack program, which sends food home on the weekends for less fortunate children.

The K-Kids did various art projects that they sold, and were able to give over $600 to their school’s backpack program.

“They didn’t want their friends to go home hungry during the weekends that is what it is all about,” Fletcher said. “The joy comes in where you see kids making a difference in their schools but also making a difference in the community in which they live in.”

In addition during the Jan. 7 meeting, the Williamsburg Kiwanis Club presented the Border Bowl with a $500 donation.

Beginning in February, the Williamsburg Kiwanis Club will regularly meet once a month on the second Thursday of each month.