Serving Bellingham for 80 Years

Meets every Tuesday Noon - Bellingham Golf and Country Club - Bellingham, WA

Committee Projects:

Bellingham Food Bank

Two Baby Food drives were held at the local Haggen Food Stores in Bellingham. 452 lbs of baby food and $796 in cash was collected and given to the Bellingham Food Bank.(Young Children: Priority One project) (YC: PO)

Kids and Cops Bike Rodeo

Kiwanians and family members and Circle K members volunteered at the Annual Bellingham Kiwanis Bike Rodeo held at the Boys and Girls Club. Young bike riders learned about bike safety, received helmets, and participated in an educational and challenging obstacle course. This year was a great success..........[READ MORE] [GALLERY LINK] (Community Service Project)

Bellingham Technical College

$800 scholarship support for Baby 'N Me parenting classes. Our contribution is used to provide scholarships for low-income parents wishing to improve their parenting skills.

A work party was held to clean up the play area for the Family Learning Center at the college. Members and families revitalized the landscaping and did general spring cleaning in the yard.....[READ MORE] [GALLERY LINK](YC: PO Projects).

Computers for Kids

The Club presented a check to this agency for $300. They receive donated computers and refurbish them so they can be given to children from low-income families.(Community Service Project)

Brigid Collins House

The Club was an official sponsor ($1,000) of the Auction which raises hundred's of thousands of dollars for the program. Two members gave many volunteer hours preparing for the auction. Thanks go to Alyson Batchelder-Bestle and Doug Bestle.(YC:PO Project)

Key Leader Program

This program sponsored by Kiwanis International provides leadership training for high school students. The club sponsored one student this year.

(Youth Services Project & Sponsored Youth Project)

Smile Train

A combination of donations from members and from the club sent over $1,800 to The Smile Train. This nonprofit agency sends doctors to 3rd world countries to repair cleft palates in small children. This has a profound affect on the lives and futures of these children. At $250 per surgery, our Club gave new life to 7 children.(YC:PO Project.)

Whatcom Center for Early Learning

The club donated $500.00 to WCEL. This program serves developmentally disabled babies and toddlers in Whatcom County. Parents are taught to work daily with their infants to improve motor skills, speech and physical development.(YC:PO Project)

Salvation Army

Kiwanians and Key Clubbers (Kiwanis sponsored High School service Clubs) collected food for the 2nd Annual Salvation Army Neighbor to Neighbor Food Drive. Kiwanians collected the food for the Salvation Army food bank.

Kiwanians and Key Clubbers cooperated on the Salvation Army Christmas Bell Ringing. Kiwanians and Key Club members were present at multiple sites. (Community Service Projects).

Women care Shelter for Battered Women

"Just for Baby"; The project provided emergency overnight kits for infants and babies in the shelter. The kits contain baby care supplies such as shampoo, Vaseline, powder, pacifiers, baby wipes, q-tips etc., which women seeking emergency shelter might not have for their infants and toddlers. (YC: PO Project).

Association for Advocacy of Citizens with Disabilities - ARC

$500 was donated to this agency that advocates for people and children with mental and physical disabilities. Funds will be used for infant and toddler programs. (YC:PO Project)

CHOICES Program

8 members of the Kiwanis Club of Bellingham brought the CHOICES program to 750 eighth graders in three middle schools in the spring of 2009. This program provides an opportunity for the business and professional community to present in relaxed, friendly, but structured manner information, which broadens student's perceptions of what to expect after graduation. (Youth Services Project).

2 - $1000 College Scholarships

The Club presented 2 - $1000 scholarships this year to Whatcom County High School Seniors. (Kiwanis Club of Bellingham Foundation Project).

Kiwanis Family Wayside Park

Clean up of our park behind City Hall was done 2 times this Kiwanis year. Kiwanians, Key Clubbers and local volunteers worked many hours to plant, rejuvenate and weed the park, which we created for the City of Bellingham. It is located along Whatcom Creek behind City Hall in Bellingham. Workers are rewarded with a picnic lunch......[MORE (SPING)] [MORE (FALL)] [GALLERY] (Community Service Project)

Bill Mize Political Forum

The Forum was held in July for the 44th year. The Kiwanis Club provides the debate staffing, set up, welcoming committee, and parking attendants. This project is co-sponsored with the Rome Grange and is the first political forum in Whatcom County each year. (Community Service Project)

Royal Family Kids Camp

Camperships ($825) were given for three students to attend the Royal Family Kids Camp, a camp for abused and neglected children. (Youth Services Project)

Sponsored Youth Commitment

We sponsor 2 Key Clubs (High School). The clubs meet weekly during the school year. Each club has 1-2 Kiwanian sponsors. Kiwanis sponsors attend weekly meetings and chaperone activities such as dances and certain special projects. Members of all of the clubs are invited to help with our projects also. (Sponsored Youth Project)

Agape House of the Lighthouse Mission

Our club raised and donated $1500 for the Agape House of the Lighthouse Mission. AH provides food, lodging and support for women and children who are homeless. We are contributing toward a play area in the new facility at Holly and F Streets.(YC:PO Project)

Foster Parent Association

The club donated $450 toward scholarships for Foster Parents to attend the classes that are required by DSHS. In many situations, grandparents are forced to raise their grandchildren because the parents are methamphetamine users. The scholarship money was given for these grandparents.

The club also donated $450.00 to prepare Emergency Backpacks for children 5 and under when they are removed from their homes because of meth drug problems. Included are underwear, personal items and toys. (YC:PO Projects)

Cambodian School Project

The club donated $500 for ongoing support of this project. The school was founded on donations from one of our previous members-Ham Hayes. (Youth Services Project)

Pacific Northwest District Kiwanis Projects:

SIGN ProjectOur club raised $5,300+ through book sales, club and member donations to support the Surgical Implant Generation Network. This is a Kiwanis Pacific NW District project that funds the cost of implant surgeries (intramedullary nails to stabilize severely broken bones) for people in 3rd world countries. $100 will fund one surgery, saving the patient from months of disability/permanent disability/ or death.

Lyla Tjoelker took her daughter and grand-daughter to Lusaka, Zambia to dedicate Division 18's second SIGN Center.

Our Club alone has raised over $17,000 and chose the Mercy Hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan for our own SIGN Center (@$15,000/center).(KI & PNW Projects).

Lusaka, Zambia School Books and Supplies

Project - Club members donated $143 of $1,000 to this project. The project was a combined project between Division 18 clubs and Nooksack Elementary School teachers, spear-headed by Lyla Tjoelker and her daughter.

Mother and Baby Center

We delivered our Kiwanis International YCPO flyers, as well as our car seat stickers and "Ten Simple Ways to Encourage a Child to Learn" brochure from Children's Hospital to the Mother Baby Center and to the Agape House. (YC:PO project)

Boys & Girls Club

We donated $250 for a Summer Baseball/Softball Sponsorship.(Youth Services Project)

Kiwanis One Day (April 4th) was the day that Kiwanis clubs around the world join in community service. Our project was a general "spruce-up" of the Boys & Girls Club. 19 Kiwanians, family members, and 5 WWU CKI members spent 215 hours weeding and gardening outside and scrubbing, painting, and organizing inside to give the club a renovation and fresh look.... [READ MORE] [GALLERY LINK](Community Services Project)

PNW & KI Donations:

Club Social Events:

Annual Installation Banquet:

The banquet, which was held at the Melody Hall, proceeded without a hitch and at the end of the night; the Bellingham Kiwanis installed Rich Emerson as their new President. Rich started his year with the goal of making our club the Premier club of Whatcom County.

The President's Potluck & Barbeque:

Kiwanians and family members enjoyed a wonderful meal and afternoon in Cornwall Park.

Kiwanis Club of Bellingham 2008-2009 Publicity Report

Thanks goes to:

l. President Rich for making 2008-2009 a great year.
2. The Committee chairs who coordinated the work.
3. Those people behind the scenes who make it work.
4. All of our Kiwanians and their families who have made it all possible.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time.