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Community Beautification Projects
Over the years, our club has been involved in several
projects designed to beautify the City of Allentown. We
have “adopted” a mile-long stretch of the American
Parkway, which we clean up twice a year. In 2002, we
painted the entrance ways to West Park in Allentown. The
year before, we repainted the boat house at Lehigh Canal
Park.
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Salvation Army Kettle Drive
Each Christmas, our members “ring the bell” for the
Salvation Army at the Lehigh Valley Mall.
Money donated in the kettles goes directly to
serving the poor and homeless of our community. Our
club has had a strong relationship with the Allentown
chapter of the Salvation Army over the years. We
assist with packaging food baskets over the holidays,
and our Foundation awarded a grant of $40,000 to
Salvation Army in 2001 for the construction of a new
shelter for homeless women and their children in
downtown Allentown.
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Christmas Shopping Project
Our club “adopts” two needy families every
Christmas season. Through fundraising, we raise $1,000 for the
families to use to buy gifts for their children. The families
are headed by a single parent who is working or in job
training. Families are selected by organizations such as
Lehigh Valley Child Care, Girl’s Club of Allentown, and the
Boys and Girls Club of Allentown.
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“All Their Shots” Magnets
The Kiwanis Club of Allentown’s newest service
project is a “Young Children- Priority One” initiative. In
2002, our club has become involved with birth centers at
hospitals in the City of Allentown. We began with Sacred Heart
Hospital. On Valentine’s Day, February 14, we presented
Sacred Heart’s “Birth Place” with 300 “All Their Shots
While They’re Tots” refrigerator magnets, which will be
distributed to new moms at the facility. These magnets remind
parents of important immunization schedules. Joining club
President Tom Harp in the presentation of the magnets were
representatives of the Central Catholic Key Club, including
their faculty advisor, Mary Ellen Strohl. We hope to expand
this project to St. Luke’s Hospital- Allentown Campus, which
delivers over 1,000 babies a year.
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Thanksgiving “Meals on Wheels"
On Thanksgiving Day, our club delivers meals to
hundreds of elderly and infirmed clients of Lehigh County’s
“Meals on Wheels” program. Students from the Allen HS and
Allentown Central Catholic HS Key Clubs join us in this
activity. The Girl’s Club of Allentown has partnered with us
by having the girls in their program create and assemble
Thanksgiving favors to be distributed with the meals. This is
a special treat for the clients, and makes their holiday even
more enjoyable!
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