MY KIWANIS MOMENT
FROM DLG HOPE MARKES
KIWANIS CLUB OF HOPEWELL
DIVISION 25

I experienced this moment almost 4 years ago when I was President.

I wrote to Kiwanis International Foundation on behalf of the club for a grant in the amount of USD15,000.00 for playground equipment for a playground we were planning to construct on land donated by one of our members Laura Bryan.

Four months later the club received their response, which was negative but we did not give up, we wrote another letter.

Another four months later we received their response, which was also negative but we did not give up and wrote a third letter.

Another four months we received another letter addressed to me, I expected to be disappointed and felt a bit apprehensive so I did not open the letter and did not tell the club immediately about it even though it arrived on a day we would be holding our weekly club meeting.

On returning home after the club meeting I decided to open the letter, it was about 11pm.
I was still feeling apprehensive. Tears immediately came to my eyes when I read that our request had finally been approved. I called as many members as I could (forgetting the time of day) and we all had a good cry of joy.

Two days later I received an email for the club from the vendor Playworld Systems in Philadelphia to advise us that they had received the funds from KIF and would be shipping the items to Miami free of charge as their donation to our project.

Aunt Laura’s Playground for young children is now a household name in the community and even now while I am sharing this moment my spirits are lifted.