charityspin
by Maria Goddard
Options and Kiwanis offer people
with disabilities their own organization
The Aktion Club visits LSU and
pauses for a photo at the 50yard line in Tiger Stadium.
20
The Aktion Club is as
unique as the members in
it because there is no other
service group for adults with
disabilities in the world. The
group has been changing
the face of the Hammond
community and beyond,
one “aktion” at a time.
With
over
12,000
members in 500 clubs
worldwide, these volunteers
stop at nothing to put a
smile on someone’s face.
Each club is sponsored
by a Kiwanis Club, an
international,
nonprofit,
service organization.
“What I admire most
about all of them is that they
get excited about helping
their community,” said
Emma Hecker, OPTIONS
representative
for
the
Aktion Club. “They have
enthusiasm to make things
better for others.”
Those 15 members
trying to make a change
Members of the Aktion Club
enjoy an outing to the Louisiana
Army National Guard facility.
in Hammond’s Aktion
Club are also part of
the OPTIONS family.
OPTIONS is a non-profit
agency that assists people
with disabilities.
“Aktion Club is the
same thing as a key club
organization, but for people
with mental or physical
disabilities,” said Terry
King, who had the idea of
starting the group locally.
After King’s researching
and
consultation
with
the Hammond Kiwanis
Club, the first meeting was
held on June 18, 2012. In
attendance was LouisianaMississippi-West Tennessee
District Gov. Greg Beard.
“I have been in the
Hammond Kiwanis Club
for 18 years, and one of
the best things our club
ever did was to charter and
help build the Hammond
Kiwanis Aktion Club,” said
Judy Couvillion, Hammond
Kiwanis treasurer and
district trustee for the Florida
Parishes Region. “The
Aktion Club has given its
members a new perspective
on what it means to be part
of an organization that gives
back to the community.”
Some ways the Aktion
Club builds community
is by volunteering at the
Annual 4th of July parade
called Celebrate America
where they clear the streets
and serve food.
“I see what I call
unconditional love,” said
King. “None of them have
an agenda. They have
accepted me into their
world.”
Even
though
the
volunteers may face daily
setbacks, their intention is
simply to benefit others.
After they partnered
with the Keep Hammond
Beautiful Committee to
pick up trash in the roads,
their willingness to help did
not go unnoticed.