St. Charles Kiwanis ship peanuts to troops overseas
St. Charles Noon Kiwanis Club recently proved that the effort to help others is met with positive response. Led by president John Radman, this club, with more than 80 members, counts on the peanut donations as one of the largest fundraising events. This year’s peanut chairman Bill Knotts, along with committee members Bill Cox, Stew Liechti and Pat Boyle, coordinated the club’s members into an outstanding team.
This year in particular, a dual purpose has been served and a new tradition started. First and foremost, STC Noon Kiwanians worked hard to get donations for 420 boxes of peanuts.
The proceeds from the sales go directly to serve local children’s agencies. However, a new idea began two years ago and gained momentum this year. The STC Kiwanis Club’s connection to Sarah Giachino, co-founder of Fox Valley Troop Support, was through a Kiwanis mother, Laurie Milbourn. Laurie’s son was serving in the Marines in Iraq.
Fox Valley Troop Support sends care packages to local deployed American troops. The Kiwanis Club decided to ask prospects if they would like to donate a box (or boxes) of peanuts to send to the troops. More than 70 boxes of peanuts were ordered this year to be shipped to the troops. Kiwanian Bob Brautigam also collected $200 from memebers to help pay for the postage.
The Christmas care packing event took place on a weekend in December. Chairman Bill Knotts and Bill Cox loaded up the truck with all of the boxes and brought them to the Batavia Veterans of Foreign Wars Post to be checked in Friday evening. That Saturday, Kiwanis volunteers Joe Cucci, Dave Mack, Bill Cox, Diane DeWitte, Laurie Milbourn, Bill Knotts and John Radman showed up to help sort and package the boxes to be sent in time for the troops to receive by Christmas. The Kiwanis volunteers were happy to pitch in as many have family members or friends who have served our country.
The St. Charles Noon Kiwanis Club members were pleased that not only local children’s agencies benefited, our own U.S. military men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan were the recipients of a lot of Kiwanis peanuts, packaged perfectly for easy carrying in combat zones.
President John Radman said, “Our annual peanut fundraiser has always benefitted our children and local communities with grants and scholarships. Now we can advance peanut sales by helping our well deserving troops. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
Kiwanis is an organization of service and community minded individuals who support children and young adults around the world. The St. Charles Noon Kiwanis Club places continuing focus on serving the needs of children in the Fox Valley, one community and one child at a time.
The meetings are held at noon Tuesdays at the PNC Bank building at 2600 E. Main. If you are interested in joining St. Charles Noon Kiwanis, call Lori Linkimer at (630) 841-3278.