What We Do

OUR SIGNATURE PROJECT FOR OVER 75 YEARS IS CAMP KIWANIS

Kiwanis Club of Ocala owns a camp in the Ocala National Forest with dormitories for 104 campers plus advisors, the Camp Director, and the Caretaker. It has an infirmary, a multipurpose dining hall that can seat 300, a lake for swimming and canoeing, an archery range, a crafts cabin and playgrounds for various sports and games. One week summer sessions are held for children aged 7-13. These sessions are administered by the Marion County School System for safety and best practices. Our club furnishes the camp to the Marion County School system which operates the summer camp program. We provide camp scholarship for about 25% of campers so those who cannot afford the fee are still able to enjoy the camping program. The camp is available for rental at other times.

Key Club Sponsorships

KEY CLUB STUDENTS WORKING AT OUR ANNUAL PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Kiwanis Club of Ocala Sponsors Key Clubs in several local High Schools. Key Clubs are High School Level service Clubs bases on the Kiwanis model. Key Club members provide valuable services which they determine for themselves. they may provide assisting the Kiwanis Club as shown above, or assisting the local Habitat for Humanity with their huge Strawberry Festival, food drives or whatever need they see to help.

Key Club membership not only helps develop appreciation for service attitudes, they also train children how to be an officer in an organization, Roberts Rules of Order, keeping minutes, using agendas and other valuable training not usually covers in high school classwork.

Kiwanis Terrific Kids Sponsor

Pizza, certificates, pens and ice cream coupons! We honor student achievement through their deeds and actions at school. We are currently sponsoring the following Kiwanis Terrific Kids clubs:

BUGS (Bring Up Grades)

Kiwanis Bugs program is designed to recognize kids who are trying hard and actually are improving grades even though they lack the ability to be on Honor Roles. To get a BUGs award they must have good deportment, pass all subjects and bring up their grade in at least one subject from the prior grading period. BUGs recipients get a certificate, a bumper sticker and a small prize to celebrate their success.

Reading is Fundamental (RIF)

Our RIF program goes to 8 schools three times a year with a large selection of appropriate books to give to students in preK-4th grade. We take a selection of books so each child picks out a book that interests them. They get to take it home and keep it for their own little library. When scheduling permits we have a police officer meet us at the school and read to the kids during the RIF period. This is called “Reading with a Cop and has been very successful.

EVERY CHILD A SWIMMER

We donate fund to the City of Ocala’s swim safety program where children learn to swim. Drowning is a leading cause of death in young children. Knowing how to swim greatly increases the safety of children playing near pools of other bodies of water.

Students against Destructive Decisions (SADD)

Students participating in SAAD groups are working to keep themselves and others from making bad decisions. The Good decision making helps students make good decisions about many temptations are much less likely to be involved with Drug abuse, alcohol abuse, dangerous driving and many other temptations faced by today’s students.

REACH OUT AND READ (ROAR)

Roar is a program where pediatricians instruct parents of children aged 0-5 (with a written prescription) to read to their child for an appropriate number of minutes a day. Research has proven that children that children who are read to at very early ages have better life successes. Our club provides funding for the health Department pediatricians to give books to parents to read to their children

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