Taking Children To Heart
Newcastle Herald
Monday August 28, 2006
Kiwanis troopers like Ken Archer are distinguished by their service to our nation's youth, writes Tess Campbell.
UNSUNG HERO KEN ARCHERKEN Archer believes in changing the world, one child at a time.He is the Lieutenant-Governor of one of the globe's oldest and largest service clubs, Kiwanis.He presides over District Two, which takes in Newcastle to Brisbane."I've been involved for 23 years and in that time we've helped countless kids," Mr Archer said.Kiwanis is a global organisation of volunteers founded in the US in 1915 and the Australian arm now boasts more than 1000 members.The Newcastle club played host to the Kiwanis International District 38th convention in town over the weekend and gave a $60,000 cheque to Heart Kids, the charity that supports children with heart disease. Mr Archer said the club's fund-raising work was being hampered by a shortage of volunteers. "It's getting harder and harder to get volunteers because life presents so many other pressures and activities for people to commit to," he said."I guess people are happy to be distracted."Unless you make a conscious effort to help out it goes to the back of your mind."The rewarding part of the work is seeing the children who benefit, he says."Parents sometimes bring in the children to our meetings and we see how their lives are that little bit easier now because of our donation. It's heart-warming." The Kiwanis Newcastle/Maitland club has about 60 members, but like most charities, more were always welcome, Mr Archer said."Everyone is out there trying to do what they can for their charity, so I guess that's enough."The Newcastle Kiwanis recently raised money for a liberty-swing at the Hunter Orthopaedic School to give disabled children a chance to play like their able-bodied counterparts."We have also donated to Camp Quality, the John Hunter Hospital and every Christmas we go to Taree to buy trees and sell them here, making about $8000," Mr Archer said.Next year the group is taking on the issue of iodine deficiency. "UNICEF do a lot of work with this overseas but the issue is largely ignored on the home front."The Unsung Hero series acknowledges people who do good deeds in the Hunter. If you would like to nominate someone, phone 4979 5999 or send information to Unsung Hero, The Herald, PO Box 510, Newcastle 2300.
© 2006 Newcastle Herald