Sandman K-Kids Raise $150 for CARA

COLD SPRING – Who can resist a freshly-iced cupcake?
The K-Kids of the Sandman Consolidated School raised $150 for the Coalition Against Rape and Abuse (CARA) by selling 600 cupcakes for 25 cents each. The K-Kids are sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Cape May.
CARA provides free, confidential support services to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Cape May County.
Georgia Dougherty, CARA youth advocate and volunteer coordinator, told the K-Kids that $150 may not seem like a lot of money but to someone who has no money, it’s a lot. She explained children ranging in age from infants to18-year olds come to the CARA Shelter with their mothers with nothing but the clothes on their back.
She said eventually their possessions are retrieved with help from police and the County Prosecutor’s Office, but for a few days, children have none of their favorite possessions.
Doughtery said $150 would buy 10 jackets. She said CARA would like to buy a Wii game system, so displaced children have something to enjoy.
Kiwanis Club of Cape May President Harley Schuler was on hand for the presentation of a check to CARA Fri. Nov. 12 from the K-Kids along with members Robert Morris, who is Lower Township Elementary School District’s Director of Food Services, Jim Waldie and Larry Reed.
Morris said the cafeteria staff baked the cupcakes while they were iced and decorated by the K-Kids after school. He said the cupcakes sold out during two lunch periods.
K-Kids started in the Sandman School just this school year and already has 40 members. Kiwanis also sponsors K-Kids programs at the Maud Abrams School and Cape May Elementary School. The mission of K-Kids is to support their community and their school, said Schuler, in particular, the underprivileged.
“Kiwanis International looked at the world and its problems, and said we need to build more leaders,” said Morris.
Kiwanis sponsors Builder’s Clubs in middle schools, Key Club in high schools and Circle K at the college level, he said.
The K-Kids are planning to have a float in the West Cape May Christmas Parade and plan a beach clean up in the spring, said Morris. He said the kids have expressed a desire to clean up local playgrounds as well.