Kiwanis Club of North Manatee

11/04/2026

⚔️ Hear Ye, Hear Ye! The Vikings Are Coming! 🛡️🏰

Our October 23 meeting of the Kiwanis Club of North Manatee took us on a journey back in time to Paris in the year 845!

We were delighted to welcome some colorful characters from the Sarasota Medieval Fair, including Ava the Winemaker (Deb), Pierre and Jacque the fishermen, and a fierce Viking shield maiden!

This year’s fair brings history to life with the theme “The Siege of Paris,” transporting visitors to March of 845, when Viking invaders clashed with King Charles the Bald.

⚔️ One of the highlights of our meeting was an exciting stage combat demonstration by Pierre and Jacque! They gave us a behind-the-scenes look at how the fair’s Human Combat Chess Match is choreographed to create realistic-looking fights while keeping performers safe. From punches to chokeholds, we learned that medieval combat takes plenty of practice, teamwork, and trust!

🏰 Want to experience the adventure yourself?

The Sarasota Medieval Fair runs November 7 – December 6, every weekend!

🕙 Gates open at 10:00 AM and close at 5:30 PM.

Visitors can enjoy:

* ⚔️ Thrilling jousting tournaments
* ♟️ Human Combat Chess Matches featuring two unique shows daily
* 🎭 Live stage performances and entertainment
* 🛍️ Unique shopping experiences
* 👑 Nearly 50 costumed characters bringing the medieval world to life!

A huge thank-you to Deb and the entire Sarasota Medieval Fair crew for bringing history, humor, and a little swordplay to our Kiwanis meeting!

Learn more and plan your visit at 🌐 www.sarasotamedievalfair.com

💙 At Kiwanis North Manatee, we love connecting with the people and organizations that make our community such a vibrant place to live, learn, and explore!

10/26/2026

Can one of our Kiwanis members do this for Halloween!??? 🤣🤣🤣

10/16/2026

10/16/2026

🚨 When Disaster Strikes, Who Do You Call? 🏠💧🔥

At today’s Kiwanis Club of North Manatee meeting, we had the pleasure of welcoming Brittany Kiss from PuroClean, who shared how her company helps homeowners and businesses recover when the unexpected happens!

A Manatee and Sarasota County native, Brittany understands the importance of being there for our local community when disaster strikes.

PuroClean specializes in emergency property restoration and cleanup services, including:

💧 Water Damage: From burst pipes and overflowing toilets to hidden leaks and roof damage.

🔥 Fire Damage: Helping property owners clean up and recover after devastating fires.

🦠 Mold Remediation: Addressing mold problems and helping restore safer environments.

⚠️ Hazardous Cleanup: Handling challenging situations, including drug contamination cleanup in collaboration with law enforcement agencies.

One of the most impressive things we learned? PuroClean aims to respond to emergencies within just ONE HOUR! ⏱️ When water is pouring into your home or business, every minute counts!

As part of a national restoration network, PuroClean brings specialized training and certifications to some of the toughest cleanup situations. Their service area includes Manatee, Sarasota, Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Charlotte counties.

While we hope none of our members ever experience a property disaster, it’s reassuring to know there are professionals ready to help when the unexpected happens.

👏 Thank you, Brittany, for joining us and sharing how PuroClean helps our communities recover from life’s unexpected emergencies!

💙 At Kiwanis, we love connecting with local professionals who help make our community a better place to live!

10/09/2026

🎉 A New Year, New Goals, and New Opportunities! 🔑

Kiwanis Club of North Manatee is excited to welcome our new president, John Stephens Jr.!

At today’s meeting, President John Stephens Jr shared his vision for an exciting year ahead, with a focus on bringing more FUN and fellowship to our club while continuing to make a difference in our community!

🌟 His goals for the year include:

🤝 Growing our membership and welcoming new faces to the Kiwanis family!

🎉 Bringing more fun and camaraderie to our meetings and activities!

🎓 Expanding opportunities for students, including the possibility of launching a new Builders Club!

🏆 Striving for excellence and earning recognition for our club’s hard work and community impact!

We are excited about the energy, enthusiasm, and fresh ideas President Stephens brings to our club. We look forward to an AMAZING year of serving children, strengthening friendships, and making a difference together!

💙 Here’s to a fantastic Kiwanis year!

10/06/2026

💙💛 Kiwanis Connecting with Kiwanis! 💛💙

On October 6, President John Stephens Jr., Interclub Leader John Stephens, member Ken Christie, and Board Member Stacey Mayo had the opportunity to attend the Bradenton Kiwanis lunch and see what our fellow Kiwanians are up to! The Bradenton Kiwanis club is 104 years old!

And they are BUSY serving their community! 👏 Bradenton Kiwanis has several exciting projects ahead, including the Goblin Gathering at G.T. Bray on October 16, Big Bank Theory in November, which helps teach teens important budgeting skills, and several upcoming holiday service projects.

We were also honored to watch the induction ceremony for the new Bradenton Kiwanis board and the presentation of the Hixson Award, recognizing exceptional service.

One of the highlights of the meeting was hearing from Florida Kiwanis District Governor Linda Skaathun, who shared several initiatives focused on strengthening Kiwanis and our impact on young people.

💙 Increased training for Kiwanians who work with children
🧠 A Governor’s Project focused on mental wellness awareness for both Kiwanians and the young people we serve
🎓 A CKI mentorship initiative, connecting Kiwanis members with college-age CKI members to provide guidance as they navigate important decisions and problem-solving
📱 A new marketing internship opportunity for Builders Club, Key Club, and CKI members, giving students the opportunity to attend events, capture raw footage, and contribute to Florida Kiwanis’ social media efforts

It was a great afternoon of fellowship, learning, and seeing how other clubs are finding new ways to serve and support young people. We came away with plenty of ideas and inspiration to bring back to Kiwanis Club of North Manatee!

When Kiwanians connect, share ideas, and work together, we can make an even greater impact for the children and communities we serve. 💙💛

10/02/2026

This year’s banquet was at Elia Olive Farm by Popi’s. The food was delicious and the company was even better. There were awards, inductions, and fellowship!

10/01/2026

It’s time to pass the torch at the annual Kiwanis Club of North Manatee! Welcome John Allen as the new president AND winner of “Kiwanian of the year!”

09/27/2026

Our new Key Club out of Educational Harbor is doing a quick food drive this week! If you can bring some canned goods to our Friday meeting at Popi’s in Ellenton between 7 and 8AM, we will include them in our drive this week!

The food will be given to Palm View Baptist food pantry!

09/26/2026

Our newest key club for private and homeschool students are kicking off their year at the first ever KCKC 🕺🕺🪩😂

At our first KCKC (Key club kick off) playing Just Dance 😂😂😂