For nearly 96 years, the Kiwanis Club has been at the forefront of service endeavors to benefit Clatskanie.
Comprised of devoted volunteers, the organization is dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time. The Kiwanis website at www.kiwanis.org states that the goal of the group is to have all children wake up in communities that believe in them, nurture them and provide the support they need to thrive.
Clatskanie Kiwanis’ spokesperson, Sandy Davis, echoed that sentiment.
“Our focus is always on the children. And we continually plan fun and safe activities for the kids of Clatskanie,” Davis said.
One of their most anticipated events is the annual Easter Egg Hunt. Held each year at City Park, it is an opportunity for Clatskanie youth to enjoy the thrill of hunting for hidden Easter eggs. This year, it will be held on March 30.
Local businesses that have signed on to contribute prizes for this “eggcellent” event include Big Guy, the Mobil Station, Farmhouse Coffee, Little Red Truck Designs, and Cryptid Cookies.
“We are doing the egg hunt different this year,” Davis said. “We wanted to make it more fun.”
Unlike past years, this year the extravaganza will have designated, separated areas and starting times, based on age.
Ages 0 – 4 will start at 10:00 am. Ages 5 – 9 will start at 10:20 am. Ages 10 and up will start at 10:40.
There will be prizes galore, and the “Snack Shack” will be open, selling coffee, cocoa, soft drinks, and water.
“Also very exciting, every child will be given a stuffed animal of their choosing,” Davis said.
Other endeavors
After the Easter Egg Hunt, the Kiwanis will start with their planning for Heritage Days, where they always incorporate the Rich Larsen Bingo Booth, named after longtime Kiwanis member and Bingo caller.
“We named it after Rich, in memoriam, because he was a wonderful Kiwanis club member for more than 63 years,” Davis said.
Every year, the annual gala is a fun time with delicious dinners and successful fundraising, according to Davis.
“We served more than a hundred dinners and raised more than 20,000 dollars,” Davis said.
These dollars go to worthwhile causes, such as scholarships for students, which help further their educations. The club is getting back to normal now after the pandemic halted meetings and events for a year.
“The dues were still paid,” Davis said. “And twenty-one people showed up at our first meeting. We could not have done this without our great community.”
