On Friday, September 15th, the Kiwanis Club of the Adventure Coast held the Boots and Pearls Casino Night, which is not just an exciting night out. It raises money that enables the local Kiwanis club to perform their good works throughout the year. Tickets to the event were $75 per person, and that covered what was billed as funny money, food, entertainment, and fun.
This was a chance to have a casino experience while doing good. The players bought funny money, which they could use to play the casino games. The winnings could then be used to attempt to win donated gift baskets.
On Thursday, September 21st, the Kiwanis quickly put some of the raised funds to good use with donations of $1000 to five different groups:
Veteran’s Heat Factory, United Way of Hernando County, Boys & Girls Club of Hernando County, People Helping People, and Students & Families in Transition. The Veteran’s Heat Factory is dedicated to helping veterans and first responders suffering from PTSD. The United Way of Hernando County states that their focus is on education, health, and financial stability—the building blocks for a good quality of life.
The Boys & Girls Club of Hernando County’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens. People Helping People in Hernando County, Inc. (PHP) is an interfaith organization established to provide basic necessities to impoverished people in our local community. Students & Families in Transition addresses homelessness affecting students and their families.
The Kiwanis also provided $1000 to Champ1, which raises funds and awareness for kids battling a rare neurological disorder. CHAMP1, or Chromosome Alignment- Maintaining Phosphoprotein, is a rare genetic disease discovered in 2015; one located on chromosome 13 and critical in cell division. The mutation of the CHAMP1 gene, called haploinsufficiency, causes a loss of function and reduction in the CHAMP1 protein below the 50 percent necessary for proper neurological function and development.
In addition to supporting these charities, the local Kiwanis club sponsors the Pine Grove K-Kids, which is a Kiwanis club for kids. They provide them with t-shirts and monetary support. They also have programs for seniors, such as Santa for a Senior at Noble Senior Living. Last year, they provided two scholarships at the Student Recognition Banquet and hope to do at least the same this year.
Members of the Kiwanis Club of the Adventure Coast are doing well and are having fun doing it.
