The Chelsea Kiwanis Club held their annual meeting last Thursday and elected Elaine Monge to be their President as of October 1st. The installation and luncheon took place in front of a full house at the Wyndham Hotel in Chelsea with many members and guests, both from Chelsea and surrounding communities in attendance. The oath of office was administered by Marisa DePietro, the Kiwanis Lieutenant Governor for District 14 and member of the East Boston Kiwanis Club.
The meeting started with Salvation Army Pastor Captain Scott Peabody blessing the members and their work in the community. Club Secretary Laura Assade then reported on the many contributions made by the Chelsea Kiwanis Club to various organizations and causes in the 2012-2013 administrative year. In President Elaine’s acceptance speech, she credited and thanked outgoing President Paul Swart’s strong leadership for the Club’s many accomplishments. “Under Paul’s leadership, over $10,000 was donated to local organizations last year and another 100 hours of community service was volunteered by our members” stated President Elaine, “and this is a record of accomplishments I want to build on.”
Other Chelsea Kiwanians installed as officers for the coming year include Patricia Williams as Vice President, Laura Assade as Club Secretary, and Gerry McCue as Club Treasurer. Joining the Club’s Officers on the Board of Directors are John Chirichiello, Renee Griffin, Sylvia Ramirez, Patricia Ridge, and Bob Shoemaker.
Support for the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Unit at the Tufts New England Medical Center is a signature fundraising project for Kiwanis. The Kiwanis Foundation of New England provides a red jacket to a person or Club for every $1,000 contributed to the Pediatric Trauma Unit. Last year, the Chelsea Kiwanis Club raised and donated $7,000 to this cause and awarded seven red jackets as part of the ceremony. Mr. Alan Hartnett, from the Danvers Kiwanis Club, served as Master of Ceremonies for this part of the program and issued red jackets to Laura Assade, Bill Carafa, Renee Griffin, Elaine Monge, Sylvia Ramirez, Bob Shoemaker and Tricia Williams.
Two new members were also inducted into the Chelsea Club, Jeffery Gigliello, representing Frank A. Welsh & Sons Funeral Home and Patricia Ridge, a local attorney working at the firm of John Mackey, Attorney-at-Law. President Elaine ended the meeting by putting the Chelsea Kiwanians on notice that they were in for a busy, but fun-filled year.
The Chelsea Kiwanis Club is a member club of Kiwanis International, a global organization of volunteers changing the world through service to children and communities with 8,000 clubs in 96 countries. Meetings are held most Thursdays at 12:15pm at the Wyndham Hotel.