Whitewater Middle School students formed a new Kiwanis partner club, the Builders Club, and spent Thursday, October 24 raking leaves for area community members.  Sixteen students helped to clean up yards at area homes, beginning with the home of Lorrie Koppein, President of the Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club.

Koppein said, “I am very proud to be personally involved in the Middle School Kiwanis Builders Club’s first event of raking leaves for several residents of Whitewater. They have done a great job today as they perform a wonderful service to the community.”

Kiwanis Member and Whitewater Middle School Associate Principal Ben Holzem said, “Builders Club provides our students with the opportunity of getting out into our community and serving others. We are finding that it promotes leadership and good citizenship among our students. From that perspective this program is absolutely invaluable. It also provides our community with the opportunity of witnessing the efforts of the great students we have at Whitewater Middle School. We are genuinely proud of them and their efforts.”

Whitewater Kiwanis has other partners in town, including the Whitewater High School Key Club and the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Circle K.

The Kiwanis Whitewater Breakfast Club is made up of dedicated volunteers who help children in the Whitewater community and the world, all with 100 percent of funds raised going directly to projects and zero to administrative costs.  Each year, the club distributes approximately $20,000, with over half going to the Whitewater Unified School District, including Ferradermis Robotics, ELL Summer School Transportation, shoes for students, Badger Boys State and Badger Girls State, and scholarships.  Kiwanis helped to build and maintain the Flowing Well Shelter, the shelter and accessible playground at Starin Park and Treyton’s Field of Dreams, as well as adopting a highway to clean up.  In addition, the group donates to the Whitewater Youth Soccer Club, the Friends of the Whitewater Aquatic Center Family Partnership Fund, the Whitewater Food Pantry, Bethel House and more.

Funds are raised through annual Pancake Breakfasts that have been served continuously since the 1950s, the Discover Whitewater Series Half-Marathon Pancake Breakfast since the race began, and yearly poinsettia and lily plant sales. More information can be found on the Whitewater Kiwanis Breakfast Club Facebook page.