Community Corner
Local Kids Collect Candy for Troops
A joint effort between East Meadow and Levittown kids helped raise money for care packages to be delivered to U.S. soldiers.
The Levittown and East Meadow Kiwanis Clubs joined their sponsored K-Kids, Builders Clubs and Key Clubs to collect candy for U.S. Troops through a partnership with Soldiers’ Angels, a nation-wide charity that supports active duty U.S. soldiers through care packages and support for military families.
Levittown Kiwanian Matt Walsh first brought Soldiers’ Angels to his Kiwanis Club’s attention. Working with Walsh, Rich Santer suggested Matt’s suggestion for a candy drive becomes a K-Family project in honor of Kiwanis International’s celebration of K-Family Month during November.
Unfortunately, Walsh’s sudden and untimely death on Oct. 25 put the project in jeopardy.
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To honor Walsh’s memory, Santer and Club President Ann Torcivia pressed forward to see Walsh’s vision for this project through. With the help of the East Meadow Kiwanis Club, the candy collection was expanded to an additional location in East Meadow and the Bowling Green K-Kids and W.T. Clarke Builders Club volunteered to collect at the East Meadow Walgreens.
In all, candy collections were held at four locations on Nov. 4. Thanks to CVS, Rite Aid and Stop & Shop in Levittown, and Walgreens in East Meadow for allowing us to collect outside their stores.
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The K-Family volunteers received visits and support from Legis. Norma Gonsalves, R-East Meadow, Town Clerk Mark Bonilla, Soldiers’ Angels Coordinator Marie Wheeler-Nicholson and 2011 Ms. New York Nency Escamilla.
The Bowling Green K-Kids were especially excited to meet Escamilla, who made holiday cards for the soldiers with the K-Kids. She also signed autographs and let each girl try on the Ms. New York sash.
“This drive was a huge success,” Santer said. “We honored Matt in a manner fitting with his incredible dedication to service. Matt was a veteran, member of the American Legion and a great Kiwanian who enjoyed serving as Kiwanis Advisor to the Wisdom Lane Builders Club and as co-chair of Levittown’s Terrific Kids program. Today, the entire K-Family came out for our troops and to honor Matt.”
Over 500 bags of candy totaling 427 pounds were donated. In addition, shoppers donated over $500 to cover shipping and provide additional support to Soldiers’ Angels and its mission.
Anyone interested in becoming involved in community service projects like this should logon to www.kiwanis.org to find out more about Kiwanis International and their local Kiwanis Club. Those interested in helping support our soldiers can find more information about Soldier’s Angels at www.soldiersangels.com.
