Wendy Werner
CherryRoad Media
If you are wondering who did the beautification projects in Otoe, specifically cleaning out and planting flowers in flower beds throughout the Village of Otoe, cleaning the Otoe park of trash and debris and cleaning Main Street parking in front of the Post office, it was the Otoe Kids Club.
The flowers were planted at the Otoe Fire Department and Community Building and trash was removed from park and main street. Weeds and compacted dirt and sand were also removed from Main Street. These are just a few of the projects this group focused on volunteerism and whose motto for impact missions is “Tiny hands make a big difference too” has done.
A 501(c)(3) led by a board and Executive Director and supported by volunteers, the Otoe Kids Club or OKC held its first club day on December 29, 2023. That initial meeting was a movie night with food, snacks and drinks. At their bi-monthly meetings they have done a variety of activities including team building exercises, crafting, movies, celebrating members’ birthdays, celebrating holidays together, and Zoom calls with their OKC mascot Tiny Tunes, a wolf OKC adopted from Twin Rivers Wolf and Wolfdog sanctuary located in Texas. Volunteerism is central to everything they do. Executive Director, Nichol Scholting explained, “Together as a club it is our mission to make a difference in our community. Our members take pride in doing things as a club to make an impact in Otoe County. They truly enjoy our volunteer missions.”
Other ways the Club has made a big difference is by hand-delivering candy bags and Valentine cards to every resident at Good Sam’s nursing home room by room; gathering food donations for a month and donating it to the Syracuse Food Pantry; and gathering gently used clothing items to donate to OKC members and their families to shop free of charge at their first annual back to school program. This month OKC will clean the Otoe cemetery and abandoned headstones.
OKC was founded by Scholting, a resident for of Otoe for over 20 years. Scholting and her husband raised five children in the community and she felt there was a need for something for children to do in town. “Our club provides a safe and supportive environment for the kids to develop their social and emotional skills,“ Scholting said. She wanted to start something where youth could consistently gather, call their own and become a source of pride. The mission of OKC is for children to learn and grow together as members of the community.
OKC is for school aged children to participate and join free of charge. The 46 members are mostly from Otoe and meet twice a week. Schedules are determined on a month-to-month basis navigating volunteers’ schedules and members’ schedules. It is led by Scholting, board members and parent volunteers. “Without my team, OKC board members and supporters from within our community OKC would not be a successful program for our youth,” Scholting said. She went on to say their collective vision to help the youth become engaged in the community aligns perfectly. OKC Board Members are President, Robi McKenzie; Secretary, Kimberly Dixon; John McKenzie, Treasurer; and Megan Haag, Committee Chair. Scholting says volunteering has always been in her heart. is and has been volunteering in some capacity most of her life. As a youth, she volunteered at a nursing home five to seven days a week and is the recipient of the prestigious Jefferson Award given to her by President George Bush at the White House.
The Club is reliant on donations. Scholting explained, “Donations have been the backbone to our success and allow us the ability to keep our members engaged, mentored and on a positive volunteerism path.” Donations have been used to purchase food items; arts and craft supplies; and games as well as recreational equipment including a volleyball net, tetherball set, gym floor scooters, jump ropes, movie projector, and a karaoke machine. Scholting stressed donations allow the Club to give back to the community through community impact missions. Donations also allowed us the opportunity for Otoe Kids Club to pay for 43 back to school haircuts for members. We are extremely grateful for all of the donations and support we have received from throughout our community.
Together we can make a difference in our community! We look forward to the future of mentoring the youth in our community with the help of our supporters.
Scholting concluded, “Volunteerism has always been in my heart. It is my personal mission to pave the way and show our youth how they too can be outstanding citizens in the community no matter what age they are! I am just blessed beyond measure to have a great OKC team of volunteers and a generous community that is willing to stand with me and help pave the way for our youth.”
