(ROCKLAND, MAINE) - Members of the Kiwanis Club of Rockland served over 200 spaghetti dinners on Monday, April 28, 2008 at St. Bernard’s Church in Rockland, Maine raising a record setting total of $ 3,100 for the Special Olympics. This dinner was the Kiwanis Clubs 19th annual dinner for this cause which is typically a pot-luck supper. Event organizer Marjorie Kinney added a new twist by gathering her fellow Kiwanian s to cook an Italian style spaghetti supper to attract more attendees. Well, it sure worked! There more people and supports at this event than the group has ever experienced – it was a wonderful and inspiring turnout from the community.

Kiwanis and the Special Olympics heartedly thank everyone who participated, donated and attended the event. We hope you join us again next spring. Special thanks goes to Cafe Miranda for making the spaghetti sauce, the Samoset for making the salad and St. Bernard's Church for allowing us to use their hall and kitchen. Major contributors were Breakwater Management, Central Maine Power, Dragon Products, Knox County Council of Social Agencies, and Maritime Energy. Other contributors were Amato's, Applebee's, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, Billy's Tavern, Brick's Restaurant, Brown Bag, Burger King, Camden National bank, Chambers Jewelers, Dairy Queen, Dominos Pizza, Down East Magazine, Farnsworth Art Museum, Flagship Cinemas, The First, Green Thumb, Hannaford Supermarket, Home Depot, Limerock Inn, Lyn Snow, McDonald's, Mid-Coast Gym, Movie Gallery, Mr. Tire, O'Hara, Owls Head Transportation Museum, Gordon & Janet Page, Pizza Hut, Plants Unlimited, Rite Aid, Rock City Coffee Roasters, Rock Coast Sports, Shaws, Supermarket, Staples, Thomaston Cafe, Thomaston Grocery, TD Banknorth, Texaco Express Lube, Tim Horton's, WBACH The Classical Wave, Wasses Wagon, and Deborah Bechwith Winship . Many thanks to anyone we accidentally omitted.

The Special Olympics program provides a way for mentally handicapped children and adults to participate in track and field and winter sports at their own level. The Special Olympics of Maine brings together handicapped athletes from all schools and workshops within the State.
 

11/26/2007 Café Miranda’s September Fire Sparks a Chain of Giving & Thanks.
(ROCKLAND, MAINE) - On Tuesday, November 20, 2007 restaurant owners Kerry Altiero and Evelyn Donnelly, along with Fire Chief Charles Jordan, Jr. and Chief of Police, Bruce Boucher, presented Keith Wass President of the Rockland Kiwanis Clubwith a donation in the amount of $2,345.39.

Kerry and Evelyn nearly lost their beloved restaurant and building located at 15 Oak Street in Rockland late this past September due to an accidental kitchen fire. Fortunately, in the late night hours, Rockland’s Fire Department saved the building. At the moment, Altiero was in Nevada with his son, Evan feeling somewhat helpless being thousands of miles away. He simply had to trust the situation to the employees of Café Miranda, the fire and police departments.

What Kerry, Evelyn and Evan experienced was more than just expert safety work in action. From the moment they heard about the fire until the day Café Miranda re-opened on Sunday, October 28th – the entire community supported their efforts in a variety of ways. From quick and careful demolition of the damaged building materials, to daily coffee delivery to crews and Miranda employees and many other displays of support.

This overwhelming community outreach inspired Kerry, Evelyn and Evan to donate back to the community to express the gratitude. They raised the funds by donating all proceeds from Café Miranda Sunday Blunches from Oct 28th & Nov. 4th. Plus that entire week when guests wore or gave the restaurant fire related garb and trinkets an additional 10 % from all meals were donated to the cause. And, finally they raffled off 24 first-edition Official “Café Miranda After the Burn” series Mugs, By Pinnacle Graphics. And, the remaining funds were simple cash donations.

Now all those funds will flow back into the community via the Rockland Kiwanis – a service organization that primarily raises and donates funds back to local children’s’ organizations and for scholarship monies.

Clockwise from Top: Chief of Police - Bruce Boucher, Fire Chief Charles Jordan, Jr., Chef -Paul Lombardo Jr., owners Kerry Altiero and Evelyn Donnelly, Kiwanis President - Keith Wass.

Café Miranda Information: www.cafemiranda.com
15 Oak Street – Rockland
Supper, seven days a week, year-round, from 5:30 p.m.
Sunday Lunch & Brunch, 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

11/26/2007 Rockland Kiwanis Makes Ready to Sell 725 Christmas Trees - Raising Money for Local Scholarships.  (ROCKLAND, MAINE) - Starting December 1, 2007 the Rockland Kiwanis Club will be selling Christmas trees at the Hannaford & JC Penny parking lots located on Maverick Street in Rockland. This year, as with every year, the
club will raise funds for scholarships and for local children's organizations by selling 725 trees in total. Every year, the come together to spread holiday cheer and sell every single tree! These trees are fresh cut, Maine grown trees in a variety of sizes. Prices will be $25, $30 and $40 according to tree size and height.

Hours of Operations:
* Monday through Friday 11:00 am to 7:00 pm
* Saturdays 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
* Sundays 9:00 am to 7:00 pm

Support local children, make a difference and buy a Rockland Kiwanis
Christmas Tree this year.