Kiwanis Club of Marco Installation Dinner

On Thursday night, October 7, 2021, the Kiwanis Club of Marco Island was re-energized, both by the installation of new leadership and the pinning of five brand new members. This group, like many civic groups across the country, suffered losses due to COVID and the well-deserved retirement/resignation of many of the club’s initial founders, which occurred some thirty plus years ago. It is challenging for any group to survive the loss of those individuals who provided the foundational structures of its being, but a feisty group committed to the Kiwanis mission of “changing the world, one child at a time,” declared at this Installation Dinner/Meeting, held at the beautiful Cape Marco Tennis Club, not only that they will they continue, but that they intend to thrive in the coming years. 

In the invite letter sent to current and potential members, incoming President Kathleen Reynolds noted the importance of Kiwanis to Marco Island. One of the strongest assets of the organization is its connections to children through well-developed relationships with Tommie Barfield and Manatee Elementary schools, Marco Island Charter Middle School, Marco Island Academy, the South Collier YMCA and early learning facilities. A keystone activity of the Marco Island Kiwanis Club is the distribution of Christmas gifts to every child at Manatee Elementary, a school with better than an 88% poverty rate. 

The new leadership installed by visiting Kiwanis Lieutenant Governor, Billy Ricigliano (Mr. Kiwanis) on Thursday are Kathleen Reynolds - President, Lucky Lang- Past President and Treasurer, Cindy Crane – Secretary, Melanie Boyd-Member, Brian Hauser-Member, and Marie Lynn McChesney-Member. Mr. Ricigliano, talked about the upcoming Florida Convention to be held in Naples this year and the importance of "Priority One" that addresses the needs of children aged birth to five. He also inducted the following five new members:  Ed Crane, Randle Grossman, Ilya Langley, Mila Langley, and Cathy Mendygraw.

Mr. Ricigliano also noted the energetic presence of youth with the attendance of the Key Club officers from Marco Island Academy, accompanied by their dynamic and supportive faculty leaders, Michael Butler and Lori Galiana. Key Clubbers have played a significant role in many Kiwanis activities and hope this year to work with the organization again to hold a Five-K Run. 

Everyone is welcome to join the Kiwanis Club of Marco Island and become involved in both the many fun and social activities the Club undertakes, and also to join in the actual work of fundraising that has in the past produced so much good for Marco’s children. Please contact Cindy Crane at 239-784-8294 for further information and an application.