What We Do

INOVA Loudoun Hospital Pediatric Support

Pediatric patients at INOVA Loudoun Hospital in Lansdowne, Virginia, can get cold lying in the emergency room or their rooms, on helicopter evacuations to Children’s National Hospital in Washington DC, during an MRI, or while recovering from surgery. Club members braid fleece blankets in colorful children’s patterns every month. Child care specialists and nurses give to their young patients. They become prized possessions–security blankets and something comforting to take home.

When the hospital got a therapy dog, Jeremiah, our club made blankets just for him. We also braid fabric remnants into chew toys for him. Every month when we deliver 24 blankets to the pediatrics ward for distribution, we also take 3 chew toys for him. When he sees us coming in the corridor, he’ll sniff our bags and sometimes take one of his toys!

Key Club Sponsorships

Our Kiwanis club raises funds for Key Club support every year through fundraisers throughout the year. Key Club members help on the larger ones. Our Key Clubs apply for matching grants to help them raise money for local and national charities, to attend Capital District and International Key Club conventions, and more.

It’s hard keeping up in fast growing Loudoun County. Twenty years ago there were maybe 6 high schools; now there are 17, with more under construction. Today we sponsor 9 and are talking with others because our high school students deserve opportunities to learn leadership through community service, and Key Club is the best program around for this important task. We sponsor (with two more chartering)

• Briar Woods HS
• Heritage HS
• Independence HS
• John Champe HS
• Lightridge HS
• Riverside HS
• Rock Ridge HS
• Stone Bridge HS
• Tuscarora HS

Have a student at a Loudoun County high school not listed who is interested in Key Club? Contact us to learn about forming one.

Our club is blessed with fantastic dedicated Key Club faculty advisors. in June, 2021, we recognized one of our longstanding advisors after 16 years of service upon his retirement from teaching at Stone Bridge High School. See his story.

Annual Halloween Parade in Leesburg

Every year since 1957, there has been a parade on Halloween in Leesburg. By the early 1960s, mere years after the Kiwanis Club of Leesburg formed, it assumed responsibility for sponsoring the parade. High school bands, civic groups, youth organizations, local businesses, and even politicians get dressed up and decorate floats. The mile-long parade starting at Ida Lee Park attracts thousands, and those who watch get rewarded with lots of candy!

We couldn’t do it without the support of the Town of Leesburg–Public Works, Parks, and Police Departments, and the Mayor and Town Council. Also, Keane Enterprises generously lets the parade end in the Virginia Village shopping center.

Ampersand Pantry Project

We’ve developed a sweet relationship with Leesburg’s Ampersand Pantry Project. It served free lunch 7 days a week since April, 2020. What started as an alternative to passing out candy at our annual Halloween parade has developed into our club passing out sweet treats on special days (Halloween, Christmas, Valentines Day do far) and more. After 16 months the project ended its free lunch program. It continues with special events to serve the community, and we continue to help out.

Reading Initiative

Reading is fundamental to success in school and beyond. Opportunities for learning to read are not evenly distributed. If students haven’t learned to read well by the time they enter fourth grade, this complicates their development and potential. In response our Kiwanis club recently began making plans to put more books into the hands of underserved and at risk children throughout Loudoun County. While we wait for the Covid pandemic to pass, we gave away gently used books through the Ampersand Pantry Project in Leesburg.

Are you ready to join us? Contact us directly for information or apply to join our Kiwanis club.