It was a celebratory day Thursday for the Kiwanis Club of Warsaw.
It not only raised $62,441.29 to help eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus, but by fulfilling its pledge, Kiwanis Club of Warsaw is playing a key role in The Eliminate Project and earned Model Club status.
“It was important for our club to make this pledge, and we raised over $750 per member to help eradicate this disease,” said Club President Joni Truex.
The money was raised through personal donations of club members for The Eliminate Project, a global campaign of the Kiwanis Children’s Fund and UNICEF to save or protect millions of mothers and newborns, according to a news release from the club.
Truex said, “Today we are celebrating this achievement and offering special recognition to the past and current officers, board members and club members that have given so freely to meet this significant milestone.”
Maternal and neonatal tetanus steals the lives of 34,000 babies annually, and Kiwanis Clubs are raising money to provide vaccinations for mothers and babies to prevent the disease.
Tetanus is a painful and deadly disease that is caused by a lack of access to sanitary birthing conditions, according to the release. When a newborn is infected, tetanus causes extreme sensitivity to light, sound and contact, even preventing a mother from touching the child. One newborn dies every 15 minutes from tetanus. However, it is highly preventable by giving women of child-bearing age a series of three vaccine doses.
Upon completion of all pledges, The Eliminate Project will have helped save or protect more than 55 million women and their babies. It also is creating a path for other services, such as health education, clean water, nutrition and other vaccines, the release states.
Since teaming with UNICEF in 2010, Kiwanis International has pledged or raised $110 million and 24 countries have been validated as having eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus. It remains in 15 countries.
Ann Updegraff Spieth, chief operating officer for Kiwanis Children’s Fund, said, “Kiwanians like the Kiwanis Club of Warsaw have embraced the children of the world through this project. This club’s leadership in completing their Model Club commitment shows their heart for these mothers and babies whose lives are being saved through these gifts.”
Along with the commitment to The Eliminate Project, the Kiwanis Club of Warsaw hosts fundraisers to support Riley Hospital for Children and the KC Riley Kids Fund; and rose and fruit basket sales to raise money to support projects that benefit Kosciusko County children.
Information about becoming a member of Kiwanis is available by email at kiwanisclubofwarsaw@gmail.com or by attending a weekly meeting at Connections, 1692 W. Lake St., Warsaw, from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday.
More information about Kiwanis is at www.kiwanis.org; and about The Eliminate Project at www.kiwanis.org/childrensfund.
