Congratulations and Thank You!!!

A heartfelt thank you to Heather Gilchrist for a great Kiwanis Year and continued service to the community as our outgoing president, and congratulations to Lenore Kure our incoming president for 2011-2012. If you see Lenore around, please thank her ahead of time for all that she does for Kiwanis and our community. Our club is looking forward to the new challenges and great things we will accomplish this year!

No cost to you Fundraiser

Do you have old electronic equipment, cell phones or other unwanted used electronics? Why not donate them to our club. Proceeds will help benefit area children!!!! Please visit http://sanduskykiwanis.gazelle.com/ for more details. The company will ship you a prepaid envelope to send the old phones, mp3 players or other items and any money recieved will be donated to our club!!!

New meeting time and place!

Our merger with the Sandusky Bay Club is complete. Our joined club is now meeting at the VFW 604 W Perkins Ave Sandusky, Oh 44870 every Wednesday!!!

Kiwanis Club of Sandusky News

Its been way to long between posts. Our club has been pretty busy and will have some exciting news to announce very soon. For some clues please read the newsletters available one our site at www.sanduskykiwanis.org. If you wish to join our newsletter email please send us a note.

Sandusky Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast

Our annual pancake breakfast is Sunday October 3rd at Sandusky High School 7:30 am to 1PM. Tickets are $5 each and each ticket admits 1 adult and 1 child under 10. A family of 4 can eat for $10. Please visit our regular site at www.sanduskykiwanis.org for more details.

8th annual Sandusky Kiwanis Golf Outing

Our golf Outing is Wed May 19th at Sleepy Hollow. Start 8am, 4 person scramble hot dog at turn with drinks steak lunch/dinner after outing, for $240 per team. Prizes include $300 for 1st, $240 for second and $100 for third, $10,000 hole in one prize and many many door prizes. Last year every golfer got something to take home. Flyer is available on the homepage as well as download section of our site at www.sanduskykiwanis.org If you dont play and want to sponsor, $100 for a hole sponsor along, $50 door prize sponsor, or any door prizes welcome. Hope to see you there!

Has it really been this Long? 2010 Sandusky Kiwanis Golf Outing update

Wow! No updates since November. Guess that's whats I get for having now mobile twin boys!!! :) I am glad I have some time to make a quick update concerning our upcoming Golf Outing. Our 8th Annual event will be on Wed May 19th, 2010 at Sleepy Hollow Golf Course in Clyde. I hope everyone can attend that attended last year. It is never to early to think about spring or golfing without snow!!! If you can help, donate or participate in any way please contact us or go to our website and download the flyer. Once again the costs of the event are the same at $240 per team. Hole Sponsors are $100 and door prize sponsors are $50. Once again thank you to all of our partners last year and we look forward to your help again!

Lost Luggage

(From Mary Baughman) Because of Adventures in Friendship, I was able to participate in doing something very nice for someone else half way around the world.

The history ... in 2008 at the end of the summer working season, a young woman from Romania left her luggage on the loading dock at the train station. We surmise that she assumed that the luggage would be loaded for her. She was only 17 years old.

Miracle #1: It was turned over to the Sandusky Police Department. During that year, Evidence Officer Sylvan Wahl tried to locate the young woman. She had worked at Cedar Point for the summer. After repeated attempts, a year had passed and he had not been able to contact the young woman and arrange to return her luggage to her. All his attempts ended with a language barrier he was unable to penetrate.

Miracle #2: Officer Wahl is good friends with Jeanne Schrader of Main Streets Association. After a frustrating year with the result that the luggage would be given to Goodwill or destroyed, he confided to his good friend, Jeanne. Now, Jeanne is aware that my annual Kiwanis project is Adventures in Friendship. Thinking that I might be able to help, she called me and asked.

Miracle #3: Adventures in Friendship only had one Romanian who had ever been an active participant. This was in 2005. I remembered her specifically because she was a dental student and I was so pleased to have paired her with the family of Dr. Steven Miely, a local dentist. I looked up her e-mail address from 2005, and SHE STILL USED THE SAME EMAIL! Dr. Madalina Cremene is now a practicing dentist in Romania, and it took her exactly one day to make contact with Giorgiana Murdu and tell her to contact me about her luggage. She did, and sounded very appreciative, and I will forward you her letter from that time.

Miracle #4: Kiwanis Club was excited to hear about this event, and they offered to pay a part of the cost of sending the luggage back to Georgiana. Several police officers offered to contribute. Jeanne Schrader and Joe Baughman also offered to contribute. So did the owner of Package Central, who handled the packaging and sending of the items. All were hopeful that she would have the items by Christmas, since it appeared that may of the items inside had been purchased as presents for someone back home.

Miracle #5: The luggage contents reached their destination by the US Thanksgiving holiday, adding joy to the holidays of several local families. Georgiana was delighted and has sent us a thank you letter and pictures.

Hi,Thank you so much for your prompt answers. I don't find the words to tell you how grateful i am for all you are doing. Please send my regards to everybody and tell them that you really made me happy. Although it may seem that i don't have a lot of thing in the luggage, it is very important for me...i have there pieces from all my life.All those little stuff that are there mean a world to me, and you are bringing a big joy into my life. I am really very grateful that you send my luggage but i am more grateful that people like you exist, people who are making this sort of kindness. I left USA with such great memories and with the regret that i might never return...and now you make me have more regrets, when i see what great people i left there. You are making me the best birthday present (on November 2nd is my birthday). I will surely send you a lot of pictures but unfortunately the picture will not be able to express all the joy, the happiness that you brought to me. I will make sure that everybody from here will find about your great act of kindness you've done for me. You've made happy not only me, but all my friends who cannot believe that you are really sending me the luggage. Once again thank you so so much to all of you and keep doing such nice things, you will bring so much happiness. I'll keep on writing to you in order to tell you about me, my life and I am looking forward to find more about you. I have another big favor to ask:can you please send me the e-mails of all the people who made this possible. I would like to send them some good thoughts. Kind regards,the most happiest girl from Romania

Hi,I just got home and opened the luggage you were so kind to send. I cannot describe how happy you made me..seeing all my staff in my home, i almost couldn't believe it. Thank you so very much, thousands of thanks to all of you who made this possible...my nephews will be so happy that their toys from USA are in Romania now and Santa will be able to put them under the Christmas Tree. All my summer clothes were there, a lots of gifts for my friends, my pictures, presents for my family, so many memories...as i told you before I am extraordinary happy that my luggage is home but i am happier that you made this act of kindness and such people of value exist..i may reconsider going back to USA. I cannot stop watching all the things lying in my living room while my dog is smelling everything. I attached some pictures while i was opening the boxes but they cannot express the joy, happiness and gratitude that i feel. I tried to call Detective Wahl but he wasn't there so i left him a message. I hope he gets it. It was so nice of you to send me things from your Police Department. I will proudly attached them to my back pack and I will tell the story of my luggage and your kindness to everybody. Thank you also for the books with Ohio...it's such a nice memory to have from you, guys. Once again, thank you for everything. In my language we say "multumesc" for thank you so Multumesc din suflet,Georgiana

Festival of Lights 2009

Join us and see our display at this years festival of lights:

10th Annual Festival of Lights & Silent Auction

Fri, Nov 27-Thu, Dec 31, 5-10 pm, Sawmill Creek Resort
Santa will be there 6-9 pm
This annual event showcases area non-profit agencies, schools and businesses with festive lighting displays. The Festival starts with the Ringing Swinging Silent Auction held on Fri, Nov 27, 6-9 pm in the Lodge at Sawmill Creek, Wilderness Hall.

The Festival of Lights is sponsored by Sawmill Creek Resort, Barnes Nursery and other area businesses. It is a wonderful holiday event for the whole family. Come join us!

Festival of Lights

This weekend we will be testing our Christmas lights for the annual festival of lights at Sawmill Creek. For some photos of the display visit our website and festival of lights page at http://www.sanduskykiwanis.org/lights.html. We will be setting up the display The weekend of Nov 20th.

Sandusky Kiwanis 90th Anniversary

On Wednesday November 4th our club celebrated its 90th Anniversary of service to the Sandusky Ohio Community. We had a very special guest for our event. Former Sandusky High and Ohio State University Head Coach Earle Bruce was our keynote speaker. Thank you to the several division clubs who were able to join us in our celebration. Each of you should be commended on your work you do for your communities too! Thank you Heather, Ed and Pat for putting together our history slide show that ran during the meeting. Coach Bruce had some wonderful stories about local kids as well as stories about his coaching days. At the end of the evening our club presented Coach Bruce with a donation to the Earle and Jean Bruce Alzheimer's Foundation at OSU. All members and guests enjoyed a wonderful program and he motivated us all to go another 90+...and of course had most of us ready to beat Penn St ourselves (Other than our very own Penn St alum Ed S). THANK YOU COACH BRUCE!!!! Enjoy the photos. There are more available on our facebook site! Please join us there as well!

Updates

On Oct 28th we handed out candy for the annual Cedar Point Trick or Treat. This year over 5000 kids came through the community booths. What a great event!!!! We also had a fantastic dinner meeting for our clubs 90th anniversary with a very special guest speaker. Photos will be up on the blog shortly. If you want to see the photos before they migrate here please join our facebook page to view them!!!

Wendy Kromer Specialty Confections

Our speaker on Tuesday November 10th was Wendy Kromer. What a fantastic journey she has made from runway model in Paris to working with Marth Stewart and baking wedding cakes! She currently resides in Sandusky and runs her wedding cake business and city bake shop on 137 E Water St Sandusky Ohio 44870. For more information please visit www.wendykromer.com 419-609-0450. Thank you Wendy for sharing your stories with our club!

Volunteers of America Northwest Ohio

Sondra Anderson, the homeless services director from Volunteers of America of Northwest Ohio was our speaker on Tuesday October 6th. She discussed the increase in homelessness and the different organization that help homeless families. The Crossroads Emergency Shelter in Sandusky offers sleeping accommodations for 30 days or less to help transition families to more stable homes. To reach the shelter call 419-626-6505. Volunteers of America of Northwest Ohio offers many more projects too numerous to list here. The Sandusky office is located at 1843 Superior Street. The local website is http://voanwo.org Please contact Sondra or the VOA office for volunteer opportunities.

Kiwanis Year

Congratulations to Jody Meisler for completing her year as president of our club. For our first meeting in October our new president Anne McGookey will be presenting her ideas for the future of our club not only for her upcoming year but also the near future. Jody, our club appreciates all of your hard work and effort!!!!

Sandusky Main Street Association

On September 22nd John Lippus from the Sandusky Main Street Association was our speaker. He discussed the top 10 myths of downtown planning. He also spoke about things happening in our downtown and ideas for the future. For more information please visit http://www.sanduskymainstreet.com/ or contact the Sandusky Main Street Association at 419-627-5942 or 279 E Market St Sandusky, Oh 44870.

Kiwanis Club of Sandusky Pancake Breakfast

Just another reminder our breakfast is to be held on Sunday October 4th from 7:30 am to 1pm at the Sandusky High School Cafeteria. Tickets are available now or at the door for $5 each with each paid ticket admitting an adult and one child under 12. Please contact us if you have not been contacted already! Look forward to seeing the community there. You can also get additional information at our main site at www.sanduskykiwanis.org as well as our page on facebook.

Salvation Army, Family Health Services of Erie County, Serving Our Seniors, Firelands Regional Medical Center, Firelands Symphony Orchestra

Unfortunately work and family life has taken time away from updating the blog on a more regular basis. (I usually updated at night, with newborn twins I sleep when I can!!!) I hope to be able to update more frequently once things settle down on both fronts. I apologize to our speakers who I normally write about after their visit to our club. At the very least I can get a quick mention out to support their causes. On August 4th Capt Mark Larrick from the Salvation Army discussed the Salvation Army Learning Zone. On August 11th , Wilson Forney CEO of the Family Health services of Erie County discussed their programs. On August 18th, Sue Daugherty from Serving our Seniors and Joe Bores from Perkins High School discussed the intergenerational program our club supported recently. On September 1st Mary Stacy from the Firelands Regional Medical Center discussed Sleep Apnea, its dangers and how it can be treated. On September 8th, our very own Pat Scheid was our speaker and discussed bible translations and the ongoing effort to convert the bible into as many written languages as possible. Our most recent speaker, Jamie Steinemann was our guest on September 15th to discuss the upcoming season of the Firelands Symphony Orchestra. The list is much longer than I anticipated. Once again I hope to be able to update more frequently in the near future. Next week John Lippus from the Sandusky Main Street Association will be our speaker. Feel free to contact us and our club would be happy to direct you to one of the above organizations or speakers for more information.

Pancake Breakfast 2009

Updates have been few and far between. I will be hopefully posting updates on a more regular basis with our upcoming meetings. Just a few quick notes in the mean time. Our annual Pancake breakfast is at Sandusky High on Sunday October 4th. If you need tickets please contact us. Our members will be out selling tickets and you can also purchase them at the door. Tickets are $5 each this year. Each ticket will also admit 1 child under 12 for free. For a family of 5 with 3 kids under 12 the meal would be $15. I hope everyone can make it for a great meal!!!!

Lake Erie Crushers

Zach Krantz and Randy Newell were our speakers today from the Lake Erie Crushers baseball team in Avon Ohio. The Lake Erie Crushers are members of the Frontier Baseball league an independent league of 12 teams. The league has an age limit of 27 unlike other independent leagues. Many of the players have minor league experience and are trying to get back with affiliated minor league team. The tickets prices are inexpensive and the team offers a fan friendly environment. Not to mention the team is doing well unlike the Major league team to the East :). Many of our members had great questions for Zach and Randy and I think I can safely say we would invite them back anytime to be our guests. For more information on game times and days visit http://lakeeriecrushers.com/.