May 22, 2017
The Heroes of Kiwanis
Who or what are Kiwanis?
My first impression was, "Oh
crap... a cult." I dreaded a circle of holding hands and a quick “Dear
Being From Beyond” preamble followed by a prayer I could not join and my sad
withdrawal behind a polite smile
Nothing of the sort.
Despite a name that made me think
of loin cloths, painted faces, and feathered spears Kiwanis was a group of
individuals who simply wanted to help children and those in need. They didn't ask for anything in return. They didn't ask for recognition.
They wanted nothing but the satisfaction of a good deed.
Seriously. Talk about endangered.
How did I become involved with
these fools; these individuals who gave of themselves to help people they
would, in most cases, never meet? As all things horrible and millennial, I
blame social media. Curse you modern age.
These dastardly Good Samaritans
roped me in through the Meetup App and into their group: Orlando Volunteers.
As a stranger to Orlando, a
traveler from Puerto Rico seeking greener pastures, I wanted to meet others who
shared the on-and-off itch to help for the sake of helping.
Camp Challenge popped on my
browser. From the meetup:
Camp Challenge's
mission is to provide safe, fun, and fair recreational activities for children
and adults with physical disabilities and special needs in an outdoor
environment. You can learn more about the camp at their
website.
Guess what happened? I'll tell you.
Since you asked.... *shifty eyes*....
About fifteen people went into a
multi-room cabin and spent two happy and communal hours talking while slapping
brown paint on just about everything vertical. Rhinos didn’t rampage. No one
sang Klingon opera. Megan Fox didn’t dance for us.... so much the pity. We
worked, shared an uplifting moment, and left with a feeling of satisfaction.
There was some attempt to recruit
the newcomers, but it was a simple invitation to see and experience. Being part
of Kiwanis was not a necessity for helping. There was no entrance
exam. There was no coercion.
**There was no Witch Doctor in a corner chanting “One of Us. One of Us” while holding a doll dressed in
cleverly tailored Dorito bags. That never happened. Never.**
I thank my new Kiwanis friends for
the experience. I thank them for being out there, in the shadows and lack
thereof, helping without an ulterior motive. I thank them and invite others to
partake from this wonderful atmosphere that shows there really is good out
there in the world. There is no need to join Kiwanis. Just meet them. Grab a
brush and paint a little joy in a child's heart.
I am an independent novelist, poet,
and general bum with a joy for the written word.
My Twitter: @JYCalcanoauthor Twitter Account Page
My Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/GoodreadsCerberus
My Facebook: Facebook
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