The Kiwanis Club of Swainsboro held its weekly meeting Tuesday night, Jan. 5, 2021, at the New China Restaurant at 7 p.m. With President Dess Smith III presiding, there were 21 in attendance including six Zoomers and two guests, Cassie McIntyre and Brianna Librizzi.
The sour-cream pound cake, donated by Ginny Smith and baked by Petite Garrett, brought $46 and was won by Tim Goodman. The Domino's pizza donated by Domino's pizza was won by Bobby Seamans. The program for the evening was hosted by Pepper Fields. He enlisted fellow Kiwanian Dianna Wedincamp to give the program.
Wendicamp gave the program on the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) network. She is responsible for recruiting volunteers for the network in Emanuel, Candler and part of Toombs counties. She currently directs 10 volunteers who assist 68 children in her area. She noted that a presentation on the network at a previous Kiwanis meeting led to her joining the effort. CASA is a volunteer-powered network of people committed to ensuring foster children have a chance at a better life. Volunteers are trained to advocate for the well-being of foster children and are appointed by the court to speak in the best interest of the children. They provide individualized attention to each child in a safe environment and are a stabilizing influence in the life of the foster child. They contact each child under their care at least once per month and work with teachers, doctors, lawyers, social workers and foster parents. Librizzi, a CASA volunteer, read us a poem she had written about her CASA experience.
President Smith thanked all the Kiwanians who helped Santa with the Pre-K Christmas Bike Project. Santa gave away 42 bikes. He also thanked all those who sold shotgun raffle tickets. The winner of the shotgun this year was John Larisey.
If you would like to become a member of the Swainsboro Kiwanis Club, please contact membership chair Jane Durden at 478-494-4113 or e-mail her at hsdurden@bellsouth.net. Also, if you would like more information about this club, visit the club’s website: http://www.swainsborokiwanis.org or the Swainsboro Kiwanis Facebook page.
