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Kennett Kiwanis Club members, along with members of the community, join for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the complete concession stand, donated to the City of Kennett by the Kiwanis. The concession stand is located at the Kennett soccer field.
Staff photo by Joshua Payne |
Kennett Kiwanis Club joins community members in ribbon cutting ceremony
The Kennett Kiwanis Club recently hosted a ribbon cutting for the completed concession stand at the soccer field, followed by the donation of the concession stand to the City of Kennett.
Kiwanis President, John Spielman, said, "When I joined Kiwanis, many years ago, an idea was bantered around Kiwanis Club to build a soccer park."
He noted that after a few years, the club became aware of the city park board's discussion on acquiring a cotton field to create a soccer park. About a year later, Kiwanis was informed that the land had been purchased to be used for a soccer park.
"The Kiwanis leadership and members decided at that time to open a CD with all of our Kiwanis savings to be used to build a concession stand at the new park," Spielman said.
Over the course of the next few years, the land was graded, and grass seed was planted and watered, according to Spielman. He noted that at the beginning of the year 2009, the club was informed that the field was completed and that the club's soccer season would be played on the new field.
"The Kiwanis Club met the challenge of building a concession stand in time for a new season with excitement," Spielman said. "Our fundraising began but we soon found ourselves several thousand dollars short to build the building."
Spielman added that when the club discovered the shortage of funds, the first family spoke to was the Stokley's.
"The Stokley family has been involved with the Kennett Soccer program from its inception and involved with almost all of Kennett's youth sports for many years," Spielman said.
He added that Jimmy Stokley had advocated for all of Kennett's soccer programs, and also coached and reffed almost all of the Kennett youth programs too many years to count.
Deb Stokely, a member of the former Optimist Club, started youth soccer and built the initial soccer concession stand, according to Spielman.
He added that she is also a long time member of the Kennett Park Board, supporting children of all ages.
The Stokley's not only gave their time to youth sports, but also donated funds for the project, according to Spielman.
He added that the funds donated allowed the Kiwanis Club to complete the building in time for this season.
"The Kiwanis Club commitment to the youth soccer program does not stop at organizing the program nor does it stop at building this stand," Spielman said. "It continues to raise funds to build pavilions, more fields, more parking, and more bleachers."
Spielman thanked several people and organizations helping with the soccer park including, Larry Jones and the City, Light, Gas, and Water Board and its employees; Kennett Park Board; Chuck Wheeler and all of the Park Department Employees; Sheriff Bob Holder, and the Dunklin County Sheriff's Department employees and residents; Mayor Roger Wheeler; Independence Township Board and Employees; Sears of Kennett; Rep. Tom Todd; Pepsi of Kennett; Chuck Carnett; Mark Preyer; Strother Sod Farm; Steve Crow and his workers; and VFW.
"We have received many other financial contributions and we are grateful to them all," Spielman said.
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Such a good intentioned waste of time and money. Adding to the decline of this once great country with more European sissification of our young men.
Least it is something productive for kids to do in the community, Gobler. DO you have a better idea??
MrsRobbieD..I either did not make my point clear or you missed it..it is not something productive. It is well-intentioned. They think they are doing something productive, but the truth is it teaches little boys to be sissies and be more like the Europeans.....just like our leaders in Washington and the Hollywood establishment want us to be more European. Share the wealth and just let people do anything that feels right to them.
We need to get back to the values that made America great and pushing kids to play soccer is not going to do it...it is a sympton of the sissification of America. Kids play and the momma's are in charge. Where are the Dad's? Take your kid off the soccer field, take him hunting and fishing, teach him to be a man and let the women do the mothering, not the coaching and complaining on the soccer field.
UM where exactly did most Americans come from?? Other than Native Americans.... European countries perhaps.
Just because someone built a concession stand for a soccer field does not mean people push their kids into playing soccer. baseball or football for that matter. I'd rather my kids learn how to deal with defeat, winning & sportsmanship than to sit alone on a ditch bank or in a tree for fun.
There is nothing wrong with mothers steping away from the kitchen to participate in their childrens lives. Its not the 50's anymore.
But then again who am I to argue with a stump?
Who said they would sit alone? Hoping their Dad's will be with them. Who said on a soccer field they learn sportsmanship or how to win and lose? You must have never seen the news where people kill each other over soccer or been to a little league soccer game where the parents and the kids whine and cry and act like idiots.
I certainly did not put baseball and football in the same category as soccer. They are real American sports. When you think soccer, think cutting out paper dolls. When you think baseball and football, think hunting and fishing.
But then again, WHOM am I to argue with someone who is obviously not as intelligent as this stump?