In September, the Santa Clarita Aktion Club went to the inaugural Aktion Club Convention in Wonder Valley. Thirteen Aktion Clubs from California were represented and all of them had a great time swimming, canoeing, fishing, going on hayrides, singing around the campfire and making s’mores. More importantly, they enjoyed learning about other ways to help their communities and making new friends. The Santa Clarita Aktion Club did a great job presenting one of their fundraising ideas to the other clubs. While some of the members talked about the fundraiser, the other club members walked around the room with the large posters they had made. The club received many compliments about their presentation.
The Santa Clarita Aktion Club is a Kiwanis sponsored community service group for adults with mental disabilities. The members of the Aktion Club truly understand the meaning of giving back to their community. One member, Daniel Millstein, said he enjoys being in the Aktion Club and helping the community. Other members have said that they want to give back to the community that has been so nice to them and has helped them. Since their inception two years ago, the club members have made care packages at Christmas for a needy family, held a canned food drive and donated the food to the Hunger Defense Fund, helped clean up the Santa Clara River at the River Rally, held a carwash with the Key Clubs to buy items for the troops in Iraq, stuffed cloth dolls for pediatric trauma patients, and painted over graffiti. They have also gone Christmas caroling at the local senior apartments. Many of these projects were the members’ own ideas and as a club voted upon which ideas they wanted to use. They are now planning upcoming projects for November and December. Santa Clarita is very lucky to have such a dedicated and willing group to help our community.
If you would like more information on the Aktion Club please call Doug or Laura Ridnor at 661-513-0475.