I watched yesterday as a small group of five Kiwanis Club of Rochester members under the leadership and planning of Past President Joe Simeone brought much happiness and even tears of joy to 170 wheelchair residents from 14 area nursing homes at the clubs annual Seniors Picnic held at Charlotte Ontario Beach Park.
After transporting and setting up 15 folding tables for wheelchair accessibility and 30 folding chairs, the team of Past President Joe, VP Tracy and Kiwanian Jason Boland began greeting and unloading the buses. The largest beachfront pavilion soon filled to capacity while Ezzy from Ezzys Restaurant cooked more than 200 hots and burgers over a charcoal grill. At noon VP Tracy, Jason and Secretary Joanne manned the food line serving hots, burgers, macaroni salad and ice cream to over 190 people. Inside the pavilion DJ Jerry Falzone and Rosco the clown entertained our guests with 40's music while Rosco made balloons and danced with seniors some even getting out of their wheelchairs and dancing to the "Mockaraina".
All the while Kiwanian Ron Palermo was taking pictures and video taping the event presenting a copy to each nursing home later. This was our largest, most attended annual Seniors Picnic ever and really what Kiwanis is all about. At 2 p.m., the buses were back, loaded with happy, grateful seniors,many not wanting to leave as Tracy and Jason did the grunt work of packing up the tables chairs, loaded them onto Tracys truck and returned them to Jasons church.
I am proud of my Kiwanis club member friends who made this event such a huge success and find it hard to find words of sincere thanks to them for their hard work and dedication!
"Never doubt that a small group of committed, dedicated Kiwanians can improve the lifestyle of disadvantaged people in our community ... Indeed, we we already have!".
- Past Gov. Jack Tetamore
(Posted August 11, 2015)
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