Kiwanis Club mulling return to Valley Stream

I strongly believe that communities like Valley Stream need a Kiwanis, because children need Kiwanis.”

Richard Hall, the New York district secretary for Kiwanis International

The Valley Stream Kiwanis Club disbanded in October 2015 due to dwindling membership. Now, the organization is campaigning to revive its Valley Stream operation.

In February, Kiwanis International’s president-elect, Jim Rochford, and Kiwanis of New York’s District Governor, Stephen Sirgiovanni, spoke at a Long Island Southwest Division meeting in Oceanside about creating three new clubs: one in Westbury, one in Lynbrook, and re-establishing the one in Valley Stream.

“I strongly believe that communities like Valley Stream need a Kiwanis, because children need Kiwanis,” said Richard Hall, the New York district secretary for Kiwanis. The club separates itself from other international organizations because it focuses on helping school-aged children with anti-bullying and anti-drug campaigns.

Thomas Cesiro III, the lieutenant governor of Long Island’s Southwest Division of Kiwanis, has been speaking with elected and school officials to garner interest in the club. The goal is to get these officials to sign a petition stating that they are in favor of having a Kiwanis in Valley Stream.

“It [the petition] says all these people are in favor of having a Kiwanis,” said Cesiro. “It’s a petition of interest.”

One of these officials is Nicholas Stirling, the superintendent of district 30. At a school board meeting on March 20, Stirling said that the district is looking to partner with the future Kiwanis club, and start a K-Kids club in the elementary school to encourage students to serve their community. The Central High School district already has a club in place for students.

“We do have a high school Key Club, which is the high school end of our organization,” said Cesiro. “So we want to make sure we have a club to work with that club.”

To start the club, Cesiro would need 15 dues-paying members. As a new club, members are offered a discounted rate, but next year the club itself will have to decide how much the dues will be. Once he has the 15 applications and checks, one dues-paying member will have to agree to be the president and set a meeting date. At the meeting, officers will be selected.

In the past, the Valley Stream Kiwanis Club provided local graduating seniors with scholarships and awarded these students at an annual dinner. In May 2008, the Valley Stream Kiwanis Club teamed up with the Crochet Club to install pediatric trauma kits at Blessed Sacrament and Holy Name of Mary schools.

Should the Kiwanis Club return to Valley Stream? Send letters to the editor to

nciccone@liherald.com.