Kiwanis International of Benicia received a Kiwanis award for their efforts to help kids read.

BENICIA – Benicia Reads, a partnership between the City of Benicia and Benicia Unified School District, was formed to improve literacy for all children. These two organizations reached out and brought together a wonderful array of partners to develop a program to address the 40 percent of children in the district who cannot read at grade level and to have our community come together to build a culture of literacy and a love of reading and books. Then COVID struck. Now the program and its wonderful intentions have been put on hold. 

Benicia Kiwanians have the benefit of a singular focus on improving the lives of children. Club members participating in Benicia Reads quickly identified a project that would benefit local children even with the Shelter-in-Place constraints. The Club kicked off the “Summer Reading Program” for all 322 students leaving third grade.  

Pam Dodson, committee chair, worked with the equally child-centric owner of Bookshop Benicia on First St. to secure gift certificates at a discount.  The school district then helped to get the certificates out to the kids during the End of School Year drive through.

Because of the passion and out-of-box thinking, the Benicia Kiwanis Club was honored with the Res, Non Verba Award from Kiwanis International. The “Action, not words” award was given for a unique service project performed during the restrictions and turmoil of the pandemic.  

During this time, the Benicia Kiwanis Club continues Board Meetings, General Meetings and social gatherings. They even hosted a District/Division wide gathering stretching from Healdsburg to Baton Rouge, LA to Benicia.

All this on Zoom! President, Heidi Cotler, said “Virtual meetings have allowed our club to continue our work in the community, feed our member’s spirits and better protect our member’s physical health.”

“Making the world a better place, one child at a time” isn’t just the mission statement of Kiwanis, it is what drives us to serve our community in the best way possible.

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