The Aktion Club of Licking County in Ohio, U.S., partnered with three Kiwanis clubs and local Kiwanis Service Leadership Programs to host its annual Mother’s Day/Spring Flower Container Sale. Led by Marvin Saunders, the club’s sergeant at arms, volunteers created and sold over 60 handcrafted flower containers, each decorated with a ribbon and a personalized card.
Proceeds from the sale — held at Kiwanis club meetings and within the community — helped raise over US$350 for embroidered Aktion Club polo shirts and US$500 for a scholarship for an outstanding student graduate of the community’s Career and Technology Education Center.
Since launching the project in 2016, the club has refined and expanded it each year. Jennifer Lewis, the Aktion Club’s Kiwanis advisor, notes that the event is not only a successful fundraiser but also a way to spread kindness and bring the community together. Donations from local businesses, including potting soil from Hope Timber Garden Center, helped keep costs low. Volunteers from The Gathering Place, a local day program, also joined in, making the event an inclusive and collaborative effort.
Beyond fundraising, the project provided valuable learning experiences for Aktion Club members, helping them develop skills in budgeting, teamwork, event planning and marketing. With the support of Kiwanis volunteers, Circle K International members and Key Club advisors, the initiative showcased the power of service — bringing joy to both those who created and received the flowers.
The project was featured in the Kiwanis Ohio District’s “The Buckeye Bulletin,” highlighting its impact in blending service, community engagement and skill-building for members.