Former Rossmoor Kiwanis Club and TLC Share Extraordinary Moment
by The Treatment and Learning Centers

Former Rossmoor Kiwanis Club Donates $147,000 to TLC-The Treatment and Learning Centers Rockville, MD-In a moment that can only be described as extraordinary, members of the former Rossmoor Kiwanis Club in Silver Spring recently donated $147,465 to TLC-The Treatment and Learning Centers, one of the larger gifts received recently by the Rockville-based nonprofit agency. TLC will honor Rossmoor Kiwanis as "Benefactor of the Year" at its Annual Meeting of the Board of Trustees on May 21.

The name "Kiwanis," from an American Indian expression, means "we trade" or "we share our talents." Kiwanis International "focuses on the needs of ordinary people and children to create extraordinary, life-changing moments." Its service emphasis on the special needs of young children made TLC, which has served children in the community for over 58 years, the perfect match for the Rossmoor Kiwanis gift. TLC's longstanding relationship with Kiwanis led to naming its therapeutic groups for children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 5 years old the Kiwanis Clubs of Montgomery County Interaction Groups. The therapeutic groups provide speech/language and occupational therapy for young children with special needs.

Kiwanis members Charles Falck and Betty Gardiner were among the Kiwanians who facilitated the grant to TLC. Merger of the Rossmoor Club into the Leisure World Club created a one-time opportunity to award a substantial grant from the former club's foundation, and TLC was chosen to be the sole recipient of the funds.

Says Falck, "When it came time to decide where the funds should go, the club's choice was crystal clear. TLC has always been a perfect match for the Kiwanis Young Children Priority One Program." Adds Gardiner, "The Kiwanis Clubs of Montgomery County have supported TLC for over 25 years and the members of the Rossmoor Club felt that TLC was the natural recipient; since both have a mutual focus for helping young children."

TLC Executive Director Dick Pavlin, who has headed the agency for over 28 years and cultivated the Kiwanis relationship, says that when Falck called him, "I literally dropped the phone!" Pavlin adds that "This grant will enable TLC to help the families of young children with special needs on levels never before possible." Increased tuition subsidies, new scholarships for low-income families, enhanced parent support groups, staff training and new technologies all are areas where the funds will be used.

About Kiwanis International
Founded in 1915, Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers comprised of 600,000 adult and youth members and 15,000 clubs in over 90 countries and geographic areas dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. Kiwanis International and its service leadership programs for young people dedicate more than 19 million volunteer hours and invest US$100 million to strengthen communities and serve children annually. For more information visit www.kiwanis.org.

About TLC
TLC-The Treatment and Learning Centers' mission is to improve lives and expand possibilities for individuals with special needs. Its vision is to be recognized as the leading center for care, service and special education. TLC plays several roles in furthering its mission and vision, advocating for the people served, catalyzing change in the community to build effective partnerships and strategically investing in program innovation. With over 57 years of service to the community, TLC strives to assist all, regardless of their ability to pay. For more information visit www.ttlc.org.