Shout-Out: Weston Kiwanis

Photo: Namuk Cho

November 21, 2018 — One of the many things Weston can be thankful for this year is the good work of Weston Kiwanis.

Last week, club volunteers ran a food drive at Weston Center. Thanks to the generosity of Westonites, the club collected more than 70 shopping bags of non-perishable food and household supplies, plus cash donations of more than $500, for the Weston Food Pantry. The food and funds will help keep the Pantry’s shelves full into the holiday season.

Other Kiwanians are engaged in a community service project for Homes with Hope residences for single parents and their children in the Bacharach Homes near exit 42 of the Merritt Parkway. Volunteers are repairing a long fence that was destroyed in this year’s winter storms. They typically work in two or three hour shifts rebuilding stockades and replacing broken posts.

If you’re up for it and would like to give back, we understand more hands are always welcome for this and other projects. Contact Kiwanis president Tom Failla by email.

And then there is the Reservoir Run.

Kiwanis has organized the annual Run since 2011. It is an extremely popular regional event for runners from Weston and elsewhere, consisting of a half marathon, a 5K, and a kids fun run.

The event occurs at the end of October and draws well over 400 participants. This year nearly 200 ran the 5K and more than 250 ran the half marathon. Runners pay a registration fee, which becomes a donation. Many runners chip in even more.

We understand this year’s Reservoir Run collected more than $20,000. Proceeds from the half marathon help feed needy children through the Connecticut Food Bank Kids' BackPack Program and other worthy charities supported by the Weston Kiwanis Foundation.

If Reservoir Run sounds like a massive production, it is. Mr. Failla told us that the work of organizing the event started last December, and involved 67 volunteers performing 173 tasks.

To learn more about Weston Kiwanis, visit the website.