Kiwanis Welcomes New Members

The Kiwanis Club of Marco Island is delighted to announce and welcome their three newest members, Annette Mennella, Maureen Gold, and Helen McCullough. They are familiar faces at various community events and organizations, sharing a friendship that began years ago in the Newcomers Club. They have continued their comradery through Just Friends and now bring their abundance of talent, energy, and enthusiasm to Kiwanis. 

Annette Mennella originally hails from Brooklyn, New York, and later moved upstate to Orange County in the beautiful Hudson Valley. She enjoyed life as a stay-at-home mom, raising two daughters. After chaperoning many of their school trips, she decided to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) so she could drive the bus! Annette drove a school bus for a private company serving the Newburgh, New York school district for seventeen years, retiring in 2009. The following year, she moved to Marco Island. Annette is an amateur actor in the Charm City Players. She joined Kiwanis to help children as they navigate the road to becoming productive members of the community. She looks forward to reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.

Maureen Gold is originally from Hull, Massachusetts. She has been enjoying retirement here on Marco Island for eleven years. “I wanted to become a member of Kiwanis because I wanted to donate my time to a worthwhile organization, especially one that benefits children. Kiwanis has a reputation in the community for doing just that. I am looking forward to many rewarding years with the Kiwanis Club,” said Maureen. Kiwanis thanks her for her kind words as we look forward to many years with her!

Helen McCullough was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, went to St. Joseph’s University, and taught second grade at St. Anthony’s School. She and her husband, Tom, have been married fifty-six years and have called Marco Island their home for the past twelve. They raised their five sons in north central Pennsylvania’s dairy farm country. Helen once served as a Chaplain at CMC Medical Center in Scranton, Pennsylvania. She has been a member and officer of the San Marco CCW, participating in their scholarship fundraising efforts, and has volunteered with Al’s Pals, Lunch with Friends Over 60, and other outreach programs. Helen embraces the opportunity to help children, in her words, “to ensure they not only have necessities but also the opportunity to qualify for scholarships.” She adds, “One never forgets the look on a child’s face when they are given what so many others take for granted.”  

Serving the children of the world! That is the motto of Kiwanis International. We are so glad that Annette, Maureen, and Helen have joined us in our mission to improve the world, one child and one community at a time, beginning right here in the beautiful community we call home. 

Wouldn’t you like to join us, too? We would love to have you! For more information, please contact club secretary Cindy Crane at lucindaed@aol.com or visit https://marcokiwanis.com.