Burbank clubs

Burbank Sunrise Kiwanis

The Burbank Sunrise Kiwanis Club has been busy this past year, especially at the Burbank Boys & Girls Club. Some of its activities included planting a garden, hosting four crazy-countries classes that members chose (Ireland, Holland, Italy and Japan), and taking groups of kids to the circus and on a wonderful fishing trip.

The highlight this year though, was sponsoring the first Division 16 K-Kids Club at that facility.

The club offers up to a four-year scholarship ($1,000 per year) to two John Burroughs High School Key Club seniors who have enrolled in college. Also, they purchase the take-home school folders for all Burbank elementary schools each year.

Donations to the music programs in both elementary and junior high have been ongoing projects. Since Burbank’s Dodger Night started, the club has co-hosted this yearly event with the city. The Burbank Sunrise Kiwanis Club also assists the Salvation Army with bell-ringing and donations.

Some other very worthwhile causes that they support are Children’s Miracle Network, Providence St. Joseph Cancer Center, Counseling for Kids, Kids Dental Clinic, Family Service Agency, Burbank Temporary Aid Center, the YMCA, Junior Golf at DeBell Golf Course, Boy Scouts of America and Providence High School Science Center.

All of the projects, donations and scholarships are funded by the proceeds of the club’s Mayors’ Cup Charity Golf Tournament, which is scheduled for April 27 at DeBell Golf Course.

The Burbank Sunrise Kiwanis meets Wednesday mornings at 7:00 a.m. at the DeBell Golf Club Clubhouse.

For more information contact Donna Anderson at (818) 238-5880 or at danderson@ci.burbank.ca.us.

Aktion Club in Action

In early December, the members of the Aktion Club went to some of the Burbank convalescent homes to say hello and give the residents best wishes for the Christmas season and the New Year. Beautiful poinsettia plants were delivered along with the good wishes of the club, who sang “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” to the residents.

During their convention at Wonder Valley last September, the Aktion Club made, as part of the convention project, a bunch of warm blankets and brought home a portion of all that were made. This December, they took them to Ascencia, a Glendale homeless shelter which also houses some of Burbank’s homeless population. The donation was greatly appreciated. I am sure they will be making a whole lot more as they are really needed.

The Aktion club was really busy this holiday season. They voted to buy toys to donate to the Mexican orphanage that Councilman Dave Golonski sponsors. They bought the toys and one of the members took them to Mr. Golonski’s home. They were very helpful to the firemen during the Spark of Love toy drive as they not only had a box and collected donations of toys at BCR, but they also manned the boxes during the toy drive. That same evening, Santa paid a visit to locals at the Burbank Metrolink station. All in all, it was a great December.

For more information, contact Jan Loporchio at (818) 843-0535 or at panette@pacbell.net.

Isabel Adams can be reached at (818) 842-7359 or at izzieadams@sbcglobal.net.