By Mercedes Thomas, New Era Staff Writer

The Millbrooke Kiwanis Kids Club kicked off its new year Thursday with a meeting at the Millbrooke Elementary School’s library. The K-Kids decorated placemats and pumpkins to give to local nursing homes for their service project of the day.

Indiana resident Don Canaday, the president-elect for Kiwanis International, attended the meeting to install officers and present a speech. Canaday was in Hopkinsville to attend a banquet for the installation of new officers of the Hopkinsville Kiwanis Club that evening.

The new officers for the Millbrooke K-Kids club this year are: Marley Joiner, president; Chad Cessna, vice president; Caroline Pinson, secretary; Karson Field, treasurer.

The Kiwanis Kids Club is a student-led community service organization for elementary students. It gives students the opportunity to develop self esteem and teaches them leadership skills, morals and standards, and respect for others.

Last year’s Millbrooke K-Kids club collected more than 600 books for the local Boys and Girls Club and more than 170 chocolate bunnies for Easter baskets that were distributed throughout the community.

The club’s current project is the Food Pantry Closet, which helps to collect non-perishable food items to give to families around the community who are in need.

Upcoming projects for this year include: Trick or Treat for UNICEF, which helps to raise money for the UNICEF organization, and bell ringing for the Salvation Army in November.

Mercedes Thomas can be reached at 887-3226 or at mthomas@kentuckynewera.com.