By Greg Ellison

(Dec. 3, 2020) Despite concerns about operating simultaneous charity campaigns, Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City set new collection records for both its toy and coat drives last month.

Marketing Chairman Dave Landis said the club’s annual toy and coat drives were combined and adapted for covid-19 considerations, with members accepting donations on Wednesdays in the Ocean Pines community center parking lot.

“I can’t believe people turned out the way they did and just opened up their hearts,” he said. “It was fantastic.”

Over the course of November, an abundance of unwrapped gifts was received by Kiwanis members that were incorporated into the larger campaign conducted by Worcester GOLD (Giving Other Lives Dignity).

“We collected four SUV loads of toys that I personally took down to Worcester GOLD,” he said.

The Kiwanis annual winter coat drive, co-chaired by Susan Wineke and Kitty Wrench, was originally slated for October, but ended up with a record number of donations despite the delay.

“The same thing happened, and we had about 400 coats donated,” he said.

Landis said the group’s coat drive originated during 2014 in anticipation of Kiwanis 100th anniversary celebrations the following year and typically totals upwards of 100 lightly used and new outerwear for the young and old.

“It was quite a bit more than past years,” he said. “We did them together, where in the past we did them separately so that we weren’t trying to compete with each other, but it didn’t matter this year people just turned out.”

The bulk of the cold weather gear was distributed to the Joseph House in Salisbury, with a smaller contingent earmarked for St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Ocean City.

With covid-19 concerns causing the cancellation of a multitude of traditional Kiwanis fundraising endeavors, members brewed up a number of fresh concepts to try and meet their objectives. That includes the club’s 2021 pick-three lottery campaign launched in August.

The Kiwanis “Lottery Raffle” tickets are tied to Maryland’s daily evening straight pick-3, with 1,000 tickets numbered from 000-999 available for $20 each.

“The lottery that we’re doing, which is our first time, we’ve sold approximately 840 tickets so far,” he said.

Landis said the lottery tickets are being sold on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon at the Ocean Pines Farmers & Artisans Market in White Horse Park.

“We’re just trying to sell all the tickets because that’s the only fundraiser we really have for this year,” he said. “It’s not going to cover all the expenses that we usually have but it’s a nice chunk.”

Landis credited Kiwanian Tom Southwell for coordinating the group’s table at the Ocean Pines Farmers Market.

“If he doesn’t get anybody, he shows up or I show up,” he said. “This last week both of us worked together.”

Also on hand in recent weeks at the Kiwanis table was member Jim Spicknall, who has been selling handmade lanterns

“He has sold everything,” he said. “He took orders last week and he’s going to be there one more week.”

With both toy and coat efforts now put to bed, Kiwanis members will continue the Wednesday collection routine through December at the Ocean Pines community center with a weekly “Food Drive For Diakonia.”

Landis said Kiwanis members would be present each Wednesday through Dec. 23 from 9 a.m. until noon to collect non-perishable food items.

“We’re doing the food drive in December every Wednesday until Christmas,” he said. “We did one back earlier this year for Diakonia.”

Noting that attracting new members is the life blood for any volunteer group, Landis said Kiwanis International just unveiled a free yearly membership offer through the end of December.

“If people out there want to give us a try, it cost them absolutely nothing,” he said. “We hope that the public would take a chance.”

Community members curious to learn more and save on annual dues can contact Kiwanis Club of Greater Ocean Pines-Ocean City President Steve Cohen at (301) 667-3099 or by email at stevecohenjd@gmail.com

“I’m really proud to be a member of Kiwanis,” he said.

“We just kept fighting through and we’ve been able to accomplish some pretty good stuff.”