The La Cañada 8th-grade Builders Club, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of La Cañada Flintridge, had a successful school year. This year, 25 8th-graders volunteered to be part of the community service organization. Their faculty adviser, Sam Picture, has led the Builders Club for eight years.
Builders Club students took on four projects that exceeded last year’s success. Their first project was to help UNICEF raise money to provided medicine, clean water, school supplies and more for kids all over the developing world. The students raised $1,465 over a four-week period, which grew to $2,465, from an additional grant from the Kiwanis Club.
The second project was to assist the LCF Community Center’s annual Food Drive. Many of the La Cañada High School 7/8 teachers supported this program and in just a couple of weeks, they collected about 300 pounds of food items, which the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s station distributed to local families in need. The third project was “Pennies for Patients.” Each year, Builders Club helps the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Southern California raise money to fund blood cancer cure and treatment research. Since, unfortunately, almost everybody knows someone who has been touched by cancer, there was a tremendous outpouring of support and members raised $1,374, which was a new record and earned the Builders Club a Gold Pennant Award from the Society. Lastly, students helped Ascencia with the “Hygiene for Hope” campaign collecting travel-size personal hygiene items. The Builders Club collected more than 800 items and they hope to do even better next year.
Information on the club, its service and meeting times is available at lacanadakiwanis.org. The club meets every Wednesday at noon at Descanso Gardens and new members are always welcome.
