Kiwanis help kids help kids

HELPING UNICEF––The Los Cerritos Middle School Builders Club works to help others. Members include, from left, Marisa McGynn, Rachelle Gibbert, Carly Pierson, Emily Rangel, Fabriel Duarte, Sherry Chen, Claire Thompson, Ruth Morgan, Kristen Caldwell, Kyle Warner, Lauren MacKinnon, Julia Dewing, Sabrina Cherfane and Hayley Martin. The advisers are Sherrill Hyink and Lori Pierson. The Builders Club of Los Cerritos Middle School is a service club sponsored by the Thousand Oaks Kiwanis Club. The 17 members have completed three projects since their first gathering in September. 

During the week of Halloween, the members collected more than $200 for UNICEF (United Nation’s Children’s Fund). This year, the UNICEF funds supported children in Uganda.

The next project were decorative pumpkins created by wrapping orange fabric around a roll of toilet paper and sticking a paper sack stem on the top. The pumpkins were given to residents of the Thousand Oaks Health Care Center and to recipients of Meals on Wheels.

Combining Veterans Day and Christmas, the group next prepared Santa Bags for soldiers overseas and instructions for “Special Soldier” letter writing. These were distributed to the English teachers for a letter writing project. The completed letters and gifts will be taken to the “Hugs From Home” group at the senior center.

The last project in November will be to join Kiwanis members at the Thousand Oaks Health Care Center on the morning of Nov. 25 to serve the annual Thanksgiving breakfast.

The Builders Club members will entertain with songs and greetings for a Happy Thanksgiving.