In response to your first question about Kiwanians who have gone the extra mile, something very sad and very beautiful happened recently in our club. It actually suggests something that members of other clubs might want to consider doing.

I'm with the Kiwanis Club of Mountain Road Pasadena. Bob Baxter, our club's oldest member, passed away several months ago at the age of 92 after a rich and full life of community service. Bob had been a dedicated Kiwanian for over 52 years, a beloved member of our club, and a stalwart of the Pasadena community.

When the funeral arrangements were announced, we learned to our surprise that Bob's family had asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to our club. Over $750 was donated to the club in Bob's name. For a small club like ours, these donations will be really helpful. Of course, the money was not nearly as important as the idea behind the gift. I don't know if Bob asked his grandchildren to do this before he passed away, or if they did it on their own. Either way, we were very surprised. It was a beautiful and deeply appreciated gift that will help us continue to serve the community Bob loved. We have renamed in Bob's honor a scholarship that our club gives each year to a local High School graduate.