8 The Courier sun • kiwanis • JUNE 18, 2015 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com kiwanis anniversary Kiwanis celebrates its 100th anniversary BY ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com/@A_GiudiceReport Kiwanis International is celebrating its 100th anniversary ••• Join your local Kiwanis club! ••• QUEENS WEST 69-46 Myrtle Ave., Glendale Ozone Park Astoria-Long Island City Founded September 10, 1953 President: Paul Capocasale President: Rose Alafogiannis Howard Beach Meets every Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Meets on the fourth Wednesday President: John Spagnuolo Prima Pasta, 161-15B Cross Bay Blvd., each month at 7:15 p.m. Meets every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Howard Beach at Ponticello Restaurant, 46-11 Broadway Lenny’s Clam Bar, 161-03 Cross Bay Blvd. Founded November 4, 1954 Founded January 7, 1987 Founded February 1, 1962 Queens Boulevard Corona-East Elmhurst Jackson Heights President: Liselotte Reinprecht President: Steve Stafford President: Maureen Allen Meets every Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. at Meets on the second and fourth Call 718-456-0384 for meeting info Flagship Diner Wednesdays each month Founded September 10, 1990 138-40 Queens Blvd., Briarwood at 7 p.m. at Buccaneer Diner Founded September 29, 1998 LaGuardia Airport 93-07 Astoria Blvd., East Elmhurst Sunnyside President: Cheryl Jones Founded March 25, 1989 Meets every Thursday at 1 p.m. at President: Carol Masiello East Elmhurst-Lefrak City Golden K LaGuardia Marriott Meets every second and fourth Thursday 102-05 Ditmars Blvd., East Elmhurst at 6 p.m. at Sidetracks Restaurant President: Larinda Hooks Founded December 6, 1940 45-12 Queens Blvd. Meets on the first Monday each Founded July 9, 1947 month at 11 a.m. at Elmcor Senior Center Lefferts-Liberty Woodside 98-19 Astoria Blvd., East Elmhurst President: Linda Guarnieri Founded June 24, 2013 President: Richard Belli Meets every first and third Thursday Meets on the second Wednesday each East River at 7 p.m. at Bruno’s Restaurant month at 7 p.m. at Donovan’s Pub President: Donna Furey 158-22 Cross Bay Blvd., Howard Beach 57-14 Roosevelt Ave. Meets on the second Wednesday Founded January 25, 1983 Founded November 28, 1977 each month at various locations Maspeth Richmond Hill-Woodhaven Founded July 23, 2014 President: Michelle Masone President: Antoine McCoy Forest Hills Meets every Thursday at 12:15 p.m. Meets every second and fourth at O’Neill’s Restaurant, 64-21 53rd Dr. President: Linda Dougherty Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Avenue Diner Founded December 8, 1947 Meets every first and third Thursdays 91-06 Jamaica Ave., Woodhaven each month at 12:30 p.m. at various locations Founded March 14, 1927 Middle Village Founded August 14, 2009 President: Al Gentile QUEENS EAST Glendale Meets the first Thursday of Bayside President: Ken Voisin the month at 12:15 p.m. at Villa Erasmo President: Margaret Mora Meets every Thursday at 12:45 p.m. at Restaurant, 69-61 Juniper Blvd. North Meets on the first Wednesday each Zum Stammtisch Restaurant Founded September 11, 2011 month at 1 p.m. at Bourbon Street Restaurant, 40-12 Bell Blvd. Founded September 12, 2012 Cambria Heights President: Carl Johnson Meets on the first and third Tuesdays each month at 7:30 p.m. at Cha Rosa Foundation, 228-08 Linden Blvd. Founded September 29, 1970 Flushing President: Linda Ng Meets on the second and fourth Thursdays each month at 7 p.m. at Kinyu Realty Flushing Office 133-31 39th Ave. Founded September 24, 2004 Hollis President: C. Janet Banks Meets on the second and fourth Tuesday each month at 7 p.m., Mateus Restaurant 222-05 Jamaica Ave., Queens Village Founded December 5, 2001 Jamaica President: Solaine Master Meets on the second and fourth Thursday each month at 7 p.m. at Robert Ross Johnson Center 172-17 Linden Blvd. Founded May 11, 2006 Golden K Rockaway Boulevard South Ozone Park President: Hyacinth Martin Meets every Thursday at 10 a.m. at Rockaway Senior Center 123-10 143rd St., Jamaica Founded February 10, 1977 this year. The Kiwanis was founded on Jan. 21, 1915, in Detroit, Michigan. On Nov. 1, 1916, The Kiwanis Club of Hamilton, Ontario, was chartered, making Kiwanis an international organization. By 1916, a year after its founding, the Kiwanis had only three clubs with about 500 members; today the Kiwanis has nearly 600,000 members with clubs in 80 nations. Those clubs and members address the unique concerns of their own areas, while tackling larger global issues. Members of the Kiwanis hold around 150,000 service projects, raise approximately $100 million and contribute more than six million hours of service each year. As Kiwanis grew around the world, it grew locally as well. The first club in the New York District was founded in Rochester in 1916. The Queens West Division of the New York District currently has 17 clubs. “Kiwanis, in general, is a lot of work and a commitment to the community, however, what it does is it challenges you…if you want to grow as an individual, it challenges you, it forces you to learn different things,” said JP DiTroia, Lieutenant Governor of Kiwanis Queens West. In June 2010, at the 2010 international convention in Las Vegas, Kiwanis pledged to raise $110 million and joined UNICEF to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus from countries still affected by the disease. This cause is known as Project Eliminate. Since Project Eliminate began, the Queens West Division has been steadfast in raising money for this cause through several fundraising events. One such event was the fundraiser wedding they held for the Kiwanis mascot, Kiwally the Koala, where the club raised $5,400 for Project Eliminate. That money went to save over 3,000 babies, according to DiTroia. “We have raised, our division, over $42,000 in four years,” DiTroia said of his club’s progress with Project Eliminate. For donating $1,500, DiTroia received the Centennial Award and pin from the Kiwanis. “I’m thrilled,” DiTroia said of being presented the Centennial Award. “It’s important to me, not just because I got the award, but the importance that I’m showing my fellow Kiwanians that it can be done. The reward in itself is saving the babies, but certainly to be recognized by your peers is the ultimate honor.” The Queens West Division is also involved with many other organizations such as the Heartshare School, the Ronald McDonald House, among others, according to DiTroia. “We raised money, $2,200, for pediatric Lyme disease,” DiTroia added. The Kiwanis continues to add new members and grow both locally and internationally, helping those in need across the globe with its charitable donations. Left to right: JP Di Troia, Lieutenant Governor of Queens West Kiwanis; Kiwally the Koala; Tina Di Troia; and Kiwanna.
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