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2009-2010 Club Officers MEETINGS ARE HELD AT 7:00 A.M.
The Club meets at PVW - Pomona Valley Workshop
4650 Brooks Street, Montclair, California 91763
Contact phone: Lucy Yamas-Cortez (909) 624-3555, extension 232 at the Pomona Valley Workshop
Challenged adults get in on Aktion Club Club gives back to community
Suzanne Sproul, Staff Writer Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
04/17/2010 ONTARIO - Two years ago, local Kiwanians welcomed more enthusiastic members into their organization. It's been a win/win situation for everyone.
The individuals are people associated with PVW, formerly known as the Pomona Valley Workshop. The group is called Aktion Club and the name couldn't be more fitting - members enjoy being in on the action and helping their neighbors.
These members quickly and wholeheartedly embrace whatever service projects come their way, initiating many of them themselves. And the group upholds one of the strongest Kiwanis characteristics - caring for the community. Kiwanian Sharron Varga, a former Division 15 governor, thinks of this group as her baby. She's been behind it since the beginning and can't say enough good things about its members. "When it started there was about 22, and today there's about 55 people who regularly come to meetings and participate and they do so with open hearts," Varga said. "I'm so impressed with this group." Aktion Club is one of the newest of the Kiwanis International-sponsored organizations and programs. It involves adults who live with a disability. The idea is to provide them with a chance to get involved in their communities and demonstrate their leadership skills. The Aktion Club at PVW does that and more. "The members have been actively involved since the group started. They provide a lot of service to the community. They collect soda can tabs as a fundraiser, they help provide meals for families at the Ronald McDonald House at Loma Linda University Medical Center, they make trauma dolls for children who just need something to hold on to when they're scared, and they collect food and clothing for the homeless," said Karen Jones, PVW executive director.
The first year, the club worked to raise money to send two people to the Kiwanis convention, an organization tradition. Last year, the number rose to 22.
"What's so great about this is that this is their club. They get to pick their own projects, do their own fundraising and elect their own officers. They own it," Jones said. "And that's so important because these individuals usually have so little in their lives that they can call their own. This is their club and they're so proud. We're proud of them." The group meets twice a month at 7 a.m. at the PVW headquarters in Ontario. Members network and form friendships while they serve their community. At a recent meeting, representatives of the Ontario Parkway Kiwanis attended to promote the Kiwanis One Day event of community service. They asked for help from the Aktion Club and almost every hand in the room went up. Many said they were happy to help clean and paint at the local Kids Come First Community Clinic in Ontario because that's what they do. "The local Kiwanians, Sharron in particular, have been so supportive. We've seen the personal growth and everyone who is involved in this club has had their leadership skills sharpened. The partnership does a great service to the community," Jones said.
The Mission of an Aktion Club is: To provide these adults an opportunity to develop initiative and leadership skills. To serve their community. To be integrated into society To demonstrate the dignity and value of citizens living with disabilities.
The Objects of Aktion Club are the Objects of Kiwanis International: To give primacy to the human and spiritual, rather than to the material values of life. To encourage the daily living of the Golden Rule in all human relationships. To promote the adoption and application of higher social, business, and professional standards. To develop, by precept and example, a more intelligent, aggressive, and serviceable citizenship. To provide a practical means to form enduring friendships, to render unselfish service, and to build better communities. To cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism, which makes possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism, and goodwill.
MEETINGS ARE HELD THE FIRST & THIRD WEDNESDAY
OF EACH MONTH AT 7:00 A.M.
The Club meets at PVW - Pomona Valley Workshop
4650 Brooks Street, Montclair, California 91763
Contact phone: Lucy Yamas-Cortez (909) 624-3555, extension 232
2009-2010 Club Officers Peggy Mackey Club President | 
| Tina Myers Club Vice President | 
| Alex Gutierrez Club Secretary | 
| Brenda Abrams Club Treasurer |  |
Congratulations New Officers October 21, 2009
ASSEMBLY MEMBER NORMA TORRES VISITS INLAND EMPIRE AKTION CLUB AT PVW FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-- Montclair, CA- August 5, 2009--The Inland Empire Aktion Club was honored to have Assembly Member Norma Torres speak at their meeting held on August 5, 2009. Assembly Member Torres spoke about the State budget process, talked about her first few months in office and also shared information about her background and family. Aktion Club members were quick to question the Assembly Member about budget cuts and shared some of the impact seen by PVW and the services provided. Following the Aktion Club meeting, Assembly Member Torres took time to tour PVW’s production plant and see the PVW workforce in action. Executive Director, Karen Jones and PVW Board Member Sharron Varga discussed concerns about the State Budget with the Assembly Member. “The general lack of funding we have endured for years has now been magnified by additional cuts imposed on us through the State Budget. As we are forced to cut staff wages and reduce costs that are viewed as necessary, it is having a huge impact on our ability to continue to provide quality supports and services to our disabled clientele,” Karen Jones told the Assembly Member. During the Aktion Club meeting, Assembly Member Torres spoke about the various faces of stakeholder groups that come to see her in Sacramento. She was asked if she would be the face of PVW and the amazing individuals working here, and she said she would! The mission of the Aktion Club is to provide adults with disabilities the opportunity to develop initiative and leadership skills, serve in their community, integrate into society and demonstrate the dignity and value of citizens with disabilities. The Sponsoring Kiwanis Organization is The Kiwanis Clubs of Division 15.  The objectives of the Aktion Club are the objectives of Kiwanis International, to give primacy to human and spiritual, rather than to the material values of life; to encourage the daily living of the Golden Rule in all human relationships; to promote the adoption and application of higher social, business and professional standards; to develop, by precept and example, a more intelligent, aggressive and serviceable citizenship; to provide a practical means to form enduring friendships, to render unselfish service, and to build better communities; to cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism, which makes possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism, and goodwill. There are currently 32 members of the Inland Empire Aktion Club. Aktion Club meetings are held the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 7:00 am at PVW, located at 4650 Brooks Street, Montclair, CA 91763. For further information about the Aktion Club, contact Lucy Yamas-Cortez at 909-624-3555 extension 232 or contact by email: lucy@pvwonline.org. For more information about the impact of the State budget on PVW and its programs, contact Karen Jones, Executive Director, PVW at 909-624-3555 or email to karen@pvwonline.org
Bowlium Lanes
4666 Holt Blvd., Montclair, CA
Personal Products Bag Assembly Project, May 2008
Convention!
Lights...Camera...Aktion! CHARTER NIGHT DINNER & CELEBRATION Wednesday, June 18, 2008
5:30 p.m. Division 15 Council Meeting (DCM)
6:00 p.m. Barbecue Dinner, Ceremony & Celebration
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Q: What does an Aktion Club do?
A: An Aktion Club performs a variety of services for the community and cooperating agency. It conducts fund-raisers such as car washes, paper drives, and recycling projects to raise money for needs in the community. Aktion Club members perform a variety of community services, such as environmental projects, park beautification, food drives, nursing home visitations, and assisting Kiwanis clubs with their projects.
Aktion Clubs also take time out for fun! Aktion members visit zoos, go to sporting events, and visit museums, among many other activities. They play as hard as they work. If there’s an Aktion Club in your town, you can find its members anywhere there’s service to be rendered or fun to be had.
Q: What are the benefits of Aktion Club?
A: Individuals who live with disabilities often have many talents but little opportunity to develop or apply them. These special citizens have few chances to interact socially and sometimes little opportunity to function in society. Too often, they are isolated and dependent when they could be making valuable contributions to themselves and to the world around them.
Agencies that serve those who live with disabilities do their best to help clients reach their potential. Many of these agencies, however, do not have the funding or staff to provide the community-based social and recreational activities that their clients need. The volunteer effort of local Kiwanis sponsors can address these and many other concerns through Aktion Club.
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