By Natalie Covher

Kiwanians met for their first monthly social Thursday, Oct. 13 at Dickey’s Barbeque Pit. They played games and enjoyed watching football together.

Kiwanians love to have fun but their main goal is service. Kiwanis has an ongoing service called the Eliminate Project. Kiwanis International and UNICEF are working together to complete their mission of eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus.  The numbers are startling. Nearly 49,000 innocent babies and a significant number of women lose their lives to maternal and neonatal tetanus each year.

Kiwanis of Natchitoches has raised over $12,000 this year and a total of $70,000 in the last three years for the Eliminate Project. The club has a goal of $100,000 and has three years left to reach it.

“Our local Kiwanis club is excited to join other Kiwanis clubs around the world to beat maternal and neonatal tetanus,” said President LaCarsha Babers. “It gives us great pleasure to ease the minds of mothers across the globe by providing them the opportunity to get vaccinated and give their babies a chance to live.”

One fun way the club raises money for the Eliminate Project is Happy Dollars. At each meeting members donate a $1 to tell the group something they are happy about. Happy Dollars is a great way to toot your own horn, share exciting news or simply say I’m happy.
Kiwanian Tony Hernandez recently made a donation to the Eliminate Project. A Zellar Medallion was presented to his wife Rhonda for their contribution.

“I want to help spread the message that you don’t need to be a member to donate,” said Tony. “No mother should have to see their baby die such a terrible death. When you give $1,250 to the Eliminate Project, you can become a Walter Zeller Fellow and save or protect more than 690 women and their future babies. We are so close to wiping this terrible disease from the face of the planet.”