Kiwanis Club of Oakland Park

Welcome to the Kiwanis Club of Oakland Park! We are residents or people with ties to Oakland Park from various backgrounds and interests. Our club is passionate about making our community and the world better for children. Kiwanis means “we share our talents,” so please join and share your talents to help the children in our community and worldwide.

Featured Projects

Annual Pancake Breakfast

Great Beginning of 2024-2025

It was a great start of Fiscal Year 2024-2025!! A big thank you to Tom Blanski for his 2 year’s of presidential service and a welcome to incoming President, Dennis Buchta. Two members received their certificates and pins…. Letitia Newbold, who joined during the year and returning member, Barbara Ives. We also had the pleasure of having Jordan Davis and Fatima DeLeon from Rickards Middle School. They were very appreciative of our help funding their Saturday Extended Opportunity Program.

Great Breakfast Meeting – Sept 4

Great meeting today. President-Elect Dennis Buchta conducted our meeting. We were honored to have guest speakers, Principal Martie Lovely of SunFire High School, 2360 W Oakland Park Blvd, Oakland Park and Principal J. Erick Gurreonero and Asst. Principal of the year for Broward, Rosheika Rolle of Rickards Middle School. Everyone gave an update on all the great things happening at their school.

Florida Kiwanis Convention in Orlando

The 2024 Florida Kiwanis District Convention was held in Buena Vista, FL from Thursday, August 15, 2024 through Sunday, August 18, 2024. Dennis Buchta, Marylou Adams and Paul Adams represented the Oakland Park Kiwanis group. Dennis and Paul spoke with other members about Ronnie’s Stars, our signature project. Marylou made a centerpiece depicting our signature project. And, we see Dennis with a large, scrumptious-looking dessert! A great meeting for the Oakland Park crew!

Back to School Bash

Oakland Park Kiwanis volunteers helping out at the Back to School Bash at Mount Mt Zion A.M.E. Church of Oakland Park. Thanks to all who participated.

Ronnie’s Stars Delivery to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital

Ronnie’s Stars Delivered 47 blankets, 25 infant hats, 6 painting smocks, 2 pillows, and 3 stuffed zebras for cuddling and 90 Pillowcases by the Pillowcase Lady to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital! Thank you Cathy and Sandy for your beautiful work. The kids get to select the designs they love. A very Big Shoutout to Morning Day and Marylou. Dennis made the drive safe and comfortable.

School Visits and Interviews

We have several Kiwanis members who have been in contact with our schools to find out what they need: instructional materials, uniforms, food and volunteering to read, etc. Shown below are some of the schools we have visited and how we have been able to help. As Kiwanis members, we are thrilled to provide these needed tools for our local students. See the caption below each picture.

Through our fundraising and donations, **Oakland Park Elementary** provided several grade levels with a tool called Mountain Math to help students increase their mathematical learning.

One of the schools we worked with this year is **North Andrews Elementary.** Through our fundraising and donations, Oakland Park Kiwanis provided a large speaker for school functions. The school is using this speaker for morning announcements and playing some music to help the students have fun with their learning. Also, we provided headphones so students can hear their lesson individually and speak back to the microphone to improve their language and reading skills.

Oakland Park Kiwanis provides a book for each kindergarten student at all of our schools as they leave school for the summer break. This picture shows students from **Lloyd Estates Elementary School** with their books. We hope the students enjoy their new books.

Terrific Kids at Floranada Elementary. This Kiwanis student recognition program promotes character development, positive self-esteem, and perseverance. Students work with their classroom teacher and establish goals to improve behavior, peer relationships, attendance, or schoolwork.

Rickards Middle Heartfelt Thanks for Your Support

We received a letter from Jordan Davis, Math Dept. Chair at Rickards:
Dear Oakland Park Kiwanis Club,
On behalf of Rickards Middle School, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for your generous financial donation towards our extended learning camps. Your support was instrumental in enhancing our Saturday learning camps, which focused on math, science, civics, and language arts. As state testing has ended, Rickards school score has increased and your contributions from Saturday camp definitely was impactful in our success.
Being able to provide snacks, rewards, and teacher resources kept our students engaged and allowed us to sustain a phenomenal enrollment of at least 110 students every Saturday.
We deeply appreciate your commitment to our community and your dedication to fostering academic growth. Thank you once again for your generosity and support.

Jordan Davis, M.Ed
Math Department Chair
Athletic Director
Rickards Middle School
We’re On “A” Mission To Be Outstanding!

Interfaith Prayer Breakfast

Oakland Park Kiwanis joined Kiwanis clubs from Divisions 23 and 24 for the 47th Annual Interfaith Prayer Breakfast. Four from our club attended: Marylou Adams, Fitz Budhoo, Bill Tobias and Kathy Shields. In our picture, we are joined by District 23 Lt Governor Joseph Santiago. Marylou lit the Oakland Park candle in memory of our long-time member, Layne Walls.

Oakland Park Youth Day Parade

Established in 1957, Youth Day is Oakland Park’s longest-running celebration! This year’s theme – Wizards, Warriors, & Wonderlands – allowing attendees to explore a world of magic and adventure with immersive activities. Oakland Park Kiwanian, Caryl Stevens, was the Grand Marshal of today’s parade. Our Kiwanis members had a great time at the parade handing out snacks to the children.

Broward County Waterway Cleanup

Oakland Park Kiwanis participated in the Broward County Waterway Cleanup today, March 2, by focusing on the Greenway. Great work to our Kiwanis members and volunteers! Lots more pictures on our FaceBook page.

Rest in Peace, Layne Walls

The City of Oakland Park and Oakland Park Kiwanis are feeling a great loss.

NW 39st Greenway/Waterway Cleanup

Wow!! What a great day for the environment. The City Volunteer Corp teamed up with Oakland Park Kiwanis and cleaned up the NW 39 St Greenway along with the C-13 Canal that borders it. Thanks to all who volunteered. Many more pictures on Facebook.

Hope for the Holidays Give Care Love

Hope for the Holidays Give Care Love Thanks to all that participated in this helping hand event. Special thanks to Coby King, City of Oakland Park, Kiwanis Club of Oakland Park and Light of the World Clinic. When a community comes together goods things are achieved. Many more pictures on Facebook.

Holiday Turkey Dinner Distribution

Oakland Park Kiwanis just completed the Holiday Turkey Delivery to provide complete turkey meals to 75 needy families in our community. The club repeated the great work from Thanksgiving and now many families will have a nice meal for their upcoming holiday. Many thanks to Publix, Harvey Ross and all the members who donated money and time for this event to happen. Many more pictures on Facebook.

Kiwanis Holiday Party

Yearly Thanksgiving Turkey Dinner Distribution

Many of our members helped to deliver a Thanksgiving meal to 75 of our Oakland Park families. We thank Publix for their help and commitment to our neighbors. Also, a very special “thank you” to Harvey Ross for his great work to manage this needed program. Thank you to all of our Oakland Park Kiwanis members and friends who donated money to purchase the turkey dinners.

Annual Halloween Pancake Breakfast

What a special day at our Oakland Park Kiwanis Halloween Pancake Breakfast this morning. A great effort by our Set up crew, Ticket Sellers, Ticket Takers, Parking Crew, Chefs, Sausage Grillers, Batter Stirrers, Pancake Flippers, Bakers, Rafflers, Crocheters, Table Waiters and Waitresses, Coffee and OJ Dept, Mixmasters, Sanitation Dept, Northeast Key Club and Boys and Girls Club, Tear Down Crew and anyone we might have missed. What a team effort. A special thank you to Dennis “Woody” Buchta for making it all possible. More pictures of FaceBook. www.facebook.com/opkiwanis.