March means spring is right around the corner – the early flowers have grown pretty high already. It also means I have officially begun my candidacy for the governor-elect of the Kiwanis Pacific Northwest District, the third-largest district in the world. It involves lots of travel and speaking to clubs and divisions over the next five months, leading up to our District Convention in August. Can you tell I’m excited? Kiwanis proud. But enough about me.

Rilla Phillips, a longtime college professor, donated her estate to the Port Townsend Kiwanis Club for scholarships several years ago. With this endowment, we are able to give $30,000 in scholarships to graduating seniors in Jefferson County this year. Scholarship applications are now available online at washboard.org. The deadline for applications is April 22. If you have any questions, please contact Marilou Sullivan, scholarship chair, at 360-301-1271.

We had another amazing Kiwanis Stars of Tomorrow show a week ago, with 24 performances that included more than 60 talented Jefferson County young people. I’m sure the judges had their hands full selecting the winners. Congratulations to everyone involved and huge thanks to Mary Crozier and her committee, as well as all the businesses and individuals who supported the event with ads in the show program. You might want to put next year’s auditions date (Jan. 17) and show date (Feb. 24) on your calendar.

Next up on our Kiwanis calendar is the annual Thomas J. Majhan Kiwanis Teen Leaders Awards on Sunday, March 11 at the Elks Club. The Teen Leaders Awards program, in its 15th year, recognizes and honors teens for their community service excellence and outstanding leadership. The teens who were nominated and are to be honored this year are Emma Craighead, Meigan Kunz, Caleb Lumbard, Hanna Marx, Kaitlyn Meek, Max Morningstar, Marley Music, Kaiden Parcher, Ingrid Schultz and Anna Tallarico. Thank you to those who nominated these very deserving young people. This year, we are pleased to have Barbara Carr as the keynote speaker and many local public officials as presenters at the ceremony.

At the end of the month, the annual Kiwanis Golf Tournament benefiting Camp Beausite Northwest is held. Sponsors are needed, and golfers, of course. The tournament takes place on Saturday, March 31 at the Port Townsend Golf Club. Event chair Bill Metzer is the contact for information about sponsoring, participating or helping. His email address is

metzer@olypen.com.

ROCK ’N’ ROLL

Planning is well underway for the club’s Rock & Roll Party on April 7 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the PT Elks Lodge; it’s a great time. This party is a social event to support the club and again features The Copy Cats & Friends. There are snacks and pizza available by donation, as well as a cash bar. A dessert auction, an East Coast swing dance lesson at 6 p.m., 50-50 raffle, photo props, and dance and costume contests are also part of the fun. Tickets, only $15, are available from Kiwanis Club members or by calling Dick and Gloria Atkins at 360-385-2585 or Don Fristoe at 360-301-5521.

Work is continuing with the club’s new Food Bank Garden, as well as other service projects to benefit the community. Planning is to start soon for the annual Brats & Beer event during Rhody Festival and the Classic Car Show in August. There are always fun things going on with Kiwanis Club of Port Townsend. Let me know if you’d like to join us.

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time. Anyone interested in joining or obtaining information about the club may visit the website at

ptkiwanis.org or send an email to porttownsendkiwanis@gmail.com. The club welcomes businesses, organizations and individuals to present a 15- to 20-minute program during the weekly meeting. Please contact the program chair, Marilou Sullivan, at 360-301-1271 or aboutaccommodations@olympus.net, to arrange a date.

Melanie Bozak writes this column monthly as a member of the Port Townsend Kiwanis Club.