Reading is fundamental, and we support numerous literacy projects in our community.
We have three, Little Free Libraries in Kiwanis Park at Woodlawn, each has a reading range appropriate with the playground they are near. You can use the Little Free Library App to locate them. We have a storage building on site to store thousands of books which are used to keep the libraries full. A group of our Kiwanis Club members monitors our libraries and is chaired by a retired librarian.
Our club also builds and distributes, Kiwanis Bookshelves, filled with books. These bookcases and books are given to families through Habitat for Humanity, Helping People Succeed, and Family Promise.
Every year our club provides Readers for children for the Martin County Fair and distributes free books to children at the Fair.
Every first Saturday in March is PANCAKES and READING in KIWANIS PARK, this is the Club's annual pancake breakfast and literacy event. The event has a reoccurring theme each year in Celebration of Dr. Seuss' Birthday and in conjunction with Read around the World. We sell tickets for an all-you-can-eat breakfast which includes Pancakes, with Green Eggs and Ham and we have numerous Reading and literacy themed events in the Park. Additionally, we have vendors, which reinforce the theme and provide free items or games that encourage reading to the participants in lieu of a vendor charge. Much anticipated by our kids, there is also an "Art in the Park" contest and Kiwanis Rocks! (Approximately 400-500 painted rocks are hidden in the park for finding during the event.) Our Celebrity Readers, many in costume, will be featured and reading to the children throughout the event, as well as the ever popular, Humane Society's Paws for Readers. The event brings in about 850-1200 guests and supplemental parking along with tram service is available at the Courthouse Parking lot, follow the signs.
SUPER SATURDAY in KIWANIS PARK is every 3rd Sat. morning from 9-11 AM during the school year and is co-sponsored by our club and the City of Stuart's Parks and Recreation Department. We work with various community groups, Helping People Succeed, the American Heart Association, the Martin County Library and others. We rotate literacy, health, music and art learning activities for children and their parents.
