Three Rivers Kiwanis

Kiwanis Young Children Committee

Young Children Priority One (YCPO)

Committee Meeting

 February 18, 2009

Members present: 

Val Robertson

Cathy Graves

Jan Barton

George Barton

Heidi Finson

Lois Trask

We discussed projects that we already do that would meet our requirement for 2 YCPO projects a year.  Typically the age group targeted is birth to 5 years old.   RIF is one of the projects and the support of preschool playgrounds with a $500 contribution to Milo Head Start (spring of 2008).  Note:  We may need to consider this as counting towards last years activities, not this year.

The bike rodeo can count for YCPO though the children are of elementary age and this was supported at a recent Division 2 meeting on February 18^th.   Our Key Club is quite active with collecting books for young children and provide Kiwanis Bears to children who have gone through some kind of trauma.  These could count as joint projects if the Kiwanis work with the Key Club.

We discussed the Library Reading Program that Val will be organizing later in the spring.  The program will start in April and will end the last full week of school and lasts from 4-6 weeks.  The programs goal is to get kids to use the library and get their own library card.  This also supports the library in receiving state funding based on numbers of people using the library.  The children from 1^st to 3^rd grade meet Wednesdays at the library for reading and activities.  We discussed what Val needs for support from the Kiwanis members for this project.

Students walk to the library weather pending, the bus drops off otherwise.  Val needs 4 volunteers counting herself each week.  She needs 2 to walk the group from the school and 2 more to volunteer at the library when the children arrive.  Val plans activities for the children who typically like beads and rubber stamps.  Val will inventory her supplies for the spring and let the committee know is she has any needs.  Members present volunteered to assist in setting up activity kits to be prepared for the weekly project.  Val has been assured that Kiwanis members will support this project with volunteers.  Frank typically volunteers each week.  Val would like volunteers to know that the kids like to have fun, are loud (there is about 30-35 children), and they are busy so come prepared to have fun with them.  Val will keep us posted on the date starting.

We discussed other services we could provide to the community for young children with an emphasis on safety.  The bike rodeo offers an opportunity for safety booths for parents if it takes place on a weekend.  There is some discussion of it taking place on a school day in the spring and this is supported by the schools.  More information will be provided as the event is planned with the school.

We discussed fingerprint kits and outlet covers as prevention approaches to safety.  The Variety Show could provide an opportunity to provide families with young children a safety kit.  We will look into the items that can be acquired free or low cost through Kiwanis for these kits.

We discussed other items that are available such as a Spinoza Bear for therapeutic relaxation for young children.  Heidi will bring in a bear to share with members to see if it is something we would like to get for the area preschools. 

We would also like to know what is available for preschool children in the Brownville-Brownville Jct. area because we would like to support these communities.  We also discussed the project areas that addressed by Kiwanis International such as Maternal and Infant Health, Child Care and Development, Safety and Pediatric Trauma, and other general projects with education and support focuses.  These topics and project ideas can be found on the Kiwanis International website www.kiwanis.org .

RIF will have a distribution in March and volunteers will be needed once we have a date with preschool and elementary school.  Heidi also reminded the committee that the children at Head Start can benefit from community volunteers in their preschool at the Derby Community Hall and Head Start is a frequently supported program within Kiwanis nationwide.

Committee Members To Do List 

·        Cathy Graves will call Tom Lizotte to identify a speaker on Maternal and Child Health for our weekly meeting 

·        Val will provide us with a schedule of when the reading program starts and any materials needed 

·        Heidi will bring Spinoza to a meeting to review  

·        Heidi will contact Kiwanis for availability of fingerprint kits and safety kits for birth to 5 to hand out at the Variety Show 

·        George will put Val’s reading program on the agenda to discuss with members 

Minutes recorded by Heidi Finson.  There is no scheduled meeting for YCPO committee at this time.  Thank you all for volunteering your time from your busy schedules to discuss the needs of the children in our community.