Service Events

Service Day at Camp Independence – May 11, 2024

YMCA Camp Independence teaches self-reliance, a love for nature, and the development of healthy practices and meaningful relationships for campers with spina bifida. Campers participate in fun activities like arts and crafts, swimming and boating. The camp is located in Ingleside, Illinois.

On May 11, Palatine Kiwanis was privileged to help prepare the camp for the upcoming season. Also participating in the service event were the Blooningdale-Roselle, Arlington Heights, Park Ridge and Des Plaines Kiwanis clubs.

Some of the cleanup and repair tasks included:

  • Power wash of playground, inspection of all hardware and identification of deficiencies/safety concerns, installation of wheelchair swing
  • Refresh of planter boxes
  • Exterior inspection including gutters and electrical outlets, with outlet cover replacement
  • Interior and exterior window cleaning
  • General area cleanup and drainage improvement with gravel stone

All the hard work was followed by a wonderful cookout of burgers and hot dogs!


Annual Holiday Party (co-sponsored with Palatine Jaycees) – December 19, 2023

The 2023 holiday party was held at Palatine High School, with around 150 families in attendance.

Guests visited Santa and Mrs. Claus, and gifts were distributed with the help of a most friendly elf.

Guests were served pizza, ice cream and cupcakes. Games, crafts and balloon art were provided by the Jaycees, with assistance from the Spundling Junior High Builders Club.

Many thanks to all of the volunteers and participants who helped make this event so enjoyable.


Kiwanis Woods Rock Cleaning – October 28, 2023 (District Governor Service Day Project)

Kiwanis members were on hand to spiffy up the Kiwanis Woods rock at Camp Reinberg (in Deer Grove Forest Preserve in Palatine). We cleaned the rock and cleared the surrounding area to make the rock more visible to visitors.

The Kiwanis rock inscription is dated 1938, at which time Chicago area Kiwanis donated $530 for materials to build the first cabin at Camp Reinberg. The rock was recently discovered by camp staff as they performed cleanup. What a find! Hopefully the rock will spark interest in Kiwanis by campers and hikers. Further attention will be drawn to the rock in spring when native flowers are planted around it.

This is the rock before cleaning:

This is the rock after cleaning:


Flying 4 Kids – September 9, 2023

The weather was perfect for our 2023 Kite Fly at the Margreth Riemer Reservoir Park in Palatine. Click here to see more pictures taken at this fun event.


Palatine Cleanup Event – April 22, 2023 (Earth Day)

Great cleanup day at Rand Road and 53, with 29 bags of trash and debris removed! Thanks to volunteers from Palatine Kiwanis, Spundling Junior High and Palatine Clean Up – Give Back.


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