What did the Kiwanis Rough Risers Do During the 2020 Pandemic?

What does a service club do in a pandemic time when their primary source of funding comes from selling delicious kettle corn at public events? 

The Cedar Falls Kiwanis Rough Risers club actively supports youth and community programs in the Cedar Valley through donations and service.  Local commercial sponsors have also provided a significant portion of the funds we donate to our community.  But this year's events have required rethinking our strategies for supporting our community. 

Donating Support: This year has been an eventful year. As people’s needs changed, we decided that it was necessary to revamp our budget to give more money to areas of need. We dedicated our club donations to:

• 
  Food Bank of Northeast Iowa
• Salvation Army
• Several childcare centers

Our club donated to the Cedar Falls Community Schools to purchase books and materials to help teachers meet the extra social and emotional needs of students under stress from Covid-19. 

We opened our own wallets and gave $1,400 in HyVee food cards to the tireless workers in the People’s Clinic for the amazing work they have done fighting Covid-19. 

Working with the Salvation Army, we raised and donated $1,400, plus needed household goods, to support a family that had lost everything.

Service Support: We built an outdoor shelter for the YMCA to provide activity space for kids with healthy fresh air.  This 20' x 20' shelter will be used to protect the many boys and girls who attend the YMCA during the summer.

We repaired a shelter for the Cedar Falls Recreation Department. Repairing this Pfeiffer Park structure is part of our Rough Risers' ongoing program to better the Cedar Valley

Though we were unable to pop much Kettle Corn, we still worked to help our community. When it is safe again, we hope to resume popping. In the meantime, we have a greater appreciation of the help we get from our sponsors, which enables us to Serve the Children of the Cedar Valley!

Thank You!