You might have heard of K-Kids, but how much do you know about what this organization does for our community?
The service and leadership organization for elementary students is sponsored by the local Kiwanis Club. Here, they operate with a mission that caring is a way of life. WIth leadership, character building, caring, and inclusiveness, the program leaders help Camdenton kids thrive in and beyond our community.
One of those leaders is Vickie Vest, a client at McGrath Insurance Group.
About the K-Kids Club in Camdenton
Vickie doesn’t do this full time. She is an third and fourth grade teacher at Hawthorn Elementary School. Here, she works with four other faculty advisors each year to plan and carry out service projects at school and around the community.
Some of the past Kiwanis and K-Kids Club projects include:
Sponsoring a food drive in the school to benefit the food pantry that serves the Lake of the Ozarks community;
- Sponsor a penny drive to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
- Make dog treats for the area animal shelter;
- Sing Christmas carols and read books to the residents at our local nursing homes;
- Pick up trash around the school;
- Walk in Camdenton’s Dogwood Festival parade each April (this is a particular favorite among the kids)!
The food drive and penny drive are both school-wide events, while the other service projects happen during the Kiwanis Club’s biweekly meetings. There are a lot of events packed into each school year!
Why Do They Do It?
According to Vickie, “I absolutely love working with the kids and each year’s club seems to be different because of the students who join.”
One of her favorite parts of the club is watching the leadership potential that emerges out of each student throughout the year. The kids take pride in being K-Kids members. The advisors stress that they use that pride to become role models for others in the classrooms and communities. By doing so, the club helps foster the leadership potential through service to others.
“It’s rewarding to see students blossom through their participation in this group,” Vickie says.
What You Need to Know About K-Kids
This group is a success year after year because of the amazing kids that participate. The group of kids can make amazing changes and improvements to the Camdenton community and world when provided the opportunity. Although some might think elementary school students are too young to really help or make a difference, they’d be wrong. K-Kids are rewarded by caring for others and love the fulfilling feeling of being able to help.
Click here to learn more about the Kiwanis Club of Camdenton, Missouri.
