Spell Bee Team

Kiwanis Spelling Bee Team; Patric McClarnon, Ellen Manolopoulos, Sandie Miller and Sue True

The Hancock County Adult Literacy Coalition had its annual adult spelling bee Sept. 17 to raise money for college scholarships. The Kiwanis Team spelled for three rounds and then allow Psi Iota Zi to win.  

The coalition’s 31st Annual Spelling Bee will be held at the library’s Greenfield branch and is co-sponsored by the coalition and the library. Businesses, charitable organizations, churches, schools or any group of four people can form a team, which is comprised of three spellers and a coach.

Money from the spelling bee is used to fund the Peg Strickland Scholarship for students who have earned their high school equivalency diploma at the Hancock County Learning Center and are pursuing a secondary education degree. Students range from teens looking to get their education back on track to adults seeking help to re-enter the workforce.

The Hancock County Learning Center is operated by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development in conjunction Warren Township schools’ Walker Career Center. Instruction is offered in Adult Basic Education, reading, math, writing, high school equivalency

Mindfulness and Creative Imagery

Katherine Murray, Hancock Regional Hospital Hospice Chaplain and Bereavement Coordinator spoke to Kiwanis about using Mindfulness and Creative Imagery to reduce the effects of stress and enhance your sense of well being.  Classes are offered on Mindfulness from 1-2 pm on the first and third Fridays of each month.  A class on Guided Imagery is held from 1-2 pm on the second Friday of each month.  For more information contact Katherine at 317.468.4124 or kmurray@hancockregional.org

Hancock County Community Foundation

Mary Gibble, President of the Hancock County Community Foundation, spoke to the Kiwanis club about the foundation.  The foundation is 27 years old and has over 300 funds totaling over $40 million dollars.  100 of the funds are scholarships for Hancock County Students.  The Greenfield Kiwanis club has three scholarship funds.  In 2018 over $1.4 million was granted from various funds. 
The Foundation also has unrestricted funds to take care of community needs. Three programs are currently funded by these unrestricted funds: Level Up for local non-profits; Excellence Academy and Y-GIVE (Youth _ Granting, Investing, Volunteering and Engaging), a youth program.
The foundation also is involved in education for all age groups.  The foundation provides funds to each of the four school corporation educational foundations in addition to the 129 scholarships provided to the students The foundation provides non-traditional adult learners with scholarships in partnership with LINK.  Early Childhood Literacy is accomplished through the Imagination Library program in partnership with the Dolly Parton foundation.  The program provides high quality, age appropriate, reading materials to registered children from birth to kindergarten,  They receive 60 books in conjunction with the Hancock County Public Library.   An endowment fund will fund this program forever.  Currently $1.9 million of the goal of $2 million has been raised for Imagination Library.  1,578 babys and toddlers are currently enrolled in the program.  For more information on the foundation or giving to a fund go to
givehcgrowhc.org.

 

Fill a Truck Fill a Pantry

Bring canned goods or other non-perishable food items to club Sep 10 or 17.

Bring your food to the Walmart Parking Lot on Sep 21 from 10 am to 3 pm

Bring a cash contribution to buy food to club Sep 10

Volunteer to load, unload or sort food on Sep 21.  
Click here to sign up to volunteer Sept 21 at Fill a Truck
and follow the directions on the sign up page

4-H Youth Development

 

Brian Greer, 4-H Youth Development Educator with Kiwanis Vice-President David Spencer

Brian Greer, 4-H Youth Development Educator with the Purdue Extension spoke to Kiwanis about the programs offered and how they operate.  Brian came to Hancock County from Blackford County in May of this year.  He held the same position in Blackford County for 3 1/2 years.

Brian noted that most people upon hearing 4-H think of the Fair.  He said the Fair is the showcase for what the 4-H youth have been doing all year long.  He also noted many automatically think of animals and agriculture when hearing of 4-H.  70% of 4-Hers do not live on a farm  The only requirement for membership is that you enroll in at least one project.  There are over 60 projects to choose from including Arts and  Crafts; Bicycle; Cake Decorating; Collections; Entomology; Legos; Rocketry; and Woodworking.

To find out more see @HancockCounty4HIndiana at Facebook, visit webpage purdue.edu/extension/hancock or e-mail greerb@purdue.edu