October Kapers | Page 4

After having a tough week at work and school, as I know all CKI members have from time to time, I cannot express how excited I was to be driving up to the FFA Center to attend the 3rd Annual Aktion Club Conference! Having attended last year, I knew that the group of people I was about to share the weekend with was no less than amazing. The Aktion Club members were more than excited to meet new people and other members from all over the state. Friday night, they showed their leadership skills when they did an activity that aimed to show support for others and learn that leaders can have many different styles to guide people. Throughout the rest of the evening and into the next day, so many people came up to me with the biggest smiles saying, “I love Aktion Club!” After asking them why, many said “because I like helping people.” The weekend was filled with stories about what many individuals did to contribute to the community. For these members, life is about being happy, proud, and giving back to the community. I was happy to work with them this weekend in their celebration of the past year. Some of the fun things that we were able to share were water slides, temporary tattoos, crafts, bingo, a scavenger hunt, and even a reptile show. My week became one of the best I have had in long time all thanks to these Aktion Club Members. I hope that everyone will seize an opportunity to get involved with this branch of the K-Family and support those that share the same passion to help others! What is Aktion Club? Aktion Club is the only service club for adults with disabilities, with more than 12,000 members worldwide. Aktion Clubs draw members from various organizations that support individuals with disabilities, as well as other community programs. Aktion clubs can also be established at churches, libraries, YMCAs, lodges or similar facilities. A Kiwanis club, composed of like-minded, service-oriented people from the community, serves as the club’s sponsor. Aktion Club is a branch of Kiwanis Interna- tional with core values of: character building, leadership, inclusiveness, and caring. 4