Good Times

It is almost one of the times of year when Nice Guys get to do what they do best, be Nice. The end of the school year means scholarships. And our organization hands our scholarships to deserving students. I usually do not mention businesses or organizations, but ours is a non-profit so I do not see why I cannot. I belong to our local Kiwanis club. I am two times past president and I am also the Kiwanis Advisor to two area High Schools. It is very rewarding to work with these students. The run their own clubs, set their own agenda, elect their own officers and decide what charity raising events they want to participate in or what group of people need their help. My job is only to advise them, to act as a go between for their clubs and ours. Our club raises about thirty thousand dollars a year and we give nine thousand out in scholarships. I am the one that reports on the clubs activities and hands out the awards once the scholarship committee has decided who they go to. Working with the kids all year is great. When they get enthused about a project there is no stopping them.

There have been low points when they have a hard time rallying the club or other organizations take precedence. Many other clubs have mandatory meetings and the Key Clubs lose out at these times. The Key Club is the high school equivalent of the Kiwanis club. At these time it takes a little prodding but they always come around. Ti is exciting to see their functions in the local paper and the community get behind them. They help us at our Pumpkinfest in the fall, at bike rodeos, fishing derbys and many other activities that we run. They have run many of their own like a coffee house where kids perform and applaud in the style of the Beatniks in the 60”s, dances for the elderly, walks for cancer and raising money for Unicef. It is a good organization the gives them a sense of community and responsibility, and helps them learn what volunteering is all about.

We award five scholarships to those who have worked hardest and have given the most of themselves to the organization. I have the very desirable job of calling up each member to receive their scholarship. The look of appreciation that we receive and the thank you letters after is the reason that we do this. We have made a difference in their lives and they will continue the good work later on. Hopefully, they will even join our club when they go into society and start lives of their own. This will keep the good work going on and create more Nice Guys. It is good to be a Nice Guy when you can help others, it is good to help other when they are the people that are around you, and in the end aren’t all people around us?