Newark DE Club Presents Award, Key Club Active
by Dick Holmes

Now here's a Key Club that's really busy. The Newark, DE Key Club, sponsored by the Wilmington, DE Kiwanis organization is making themselves known - and appreciated. They provide volunteers for all their home basketball games and wrestling matches, and provide ushers for the music department concerts. They'll soon decide on a date for a Spring "induction-pinning" when they will be inviting Kiwanis members to be present for the ceremony, amid they're also preparing to attend the April convention in Virginia. Some of their members went to Ocean Pines in January for the Winter Conference - and there are plans for a "new member" drive for Freshmen (and any stray upperclassmen) who were unable to join the Key Club in October. Other community projects on the horizon: They hope to have a team in the American Cancer Society's "Relay For Life" to be held at a nearby Technical School in June - and plan to assist the Easter Seal Society when they hold their up-coming Volley Ball tournament. Another recipient of their unbounded energy: The Wilmington, DE Food Bank. Kiwanis Vice President Charma Bell is our contact person with the Newark group.

The Wilmington, Delaware club presented their Annual Civil Service Award on January 30 at a dinner meeting at the Hotel DuPont. They honored the outstanding Wilmington Police Officer, and outstanding Firefighter for 2007. The honorees are chosen from quarterly winners nominated by their respective department heads. The Police award was initiated by former Kiwanian Albert Poppiti back in 1967 then the city's Director of Public Safety. The ceremony was later expanded to include outstanding Firefighters.

The winners of the Kiwanis Annual Civil Service awards for exemplary service in 2007 for the city of Wilmington are shown right.

On the left, Brian Conkey, a 3-1/2 year veteran of the Wilmington Police Department and, according to his supervisors, a good example of a community police officer. He identified problems in his assigned area and devised plans to reduce violent crime, after making contacts with the community and gaining their trust. He is credited with taking investigations past the preliminary stage, producing dramatic results.

On the right, Firefighter Brian P. Waynant, an Inspector who previously served 16 years with the Wilmington Police Department, achieving recognition as a highly decorated officer in Criminal Investigation, then transferring to the Fire department. His police background proved to be a valuable asset; he was able to initiate numerous investigative arrests, producing a 100% conviction rate. He also took on the responsibility of writing an SOP for background investigation for new hires.