Project Manager - Wayne Jobe

On March 31, 2008, Hideaway Lake Kiwanis marked their 10th Anniversary of the "Read to Succeed" program. This program was started by Kiwanian Wayne Donnell in 1999, who got the idea when he attended a Kiwanis International Convention in Denver. When Wayne D. tells the story of how it started, despite a lack of funds and books, he takes no credit, but says the Lord works in wondrous ways. Indeed He does.

As Wayne, who was President-Elect of the HAWL Kiwanis at the time, was preparing his agenda for a board meeting, he realized that neither funds or the needed books, were available to meet the goal of this new program. Sadly, he was ready to cancel his "Read to Succeed" program, but within hours, he received a call from a Kiwanian who had a possible answer to the problem. Hundreds of books had been left in a storage unit, owned by Kiwanian Charles Klemme, and Charles donated them to the program. Now to get them to the school by the next day was the most immediate need. The next morning, a terrible thunderstorm was pouring rain on Lindale,and Wayne wondered how they would be able to get the books loaded, delivered and unloaded in that pouring rain. But Wayne D. and a team of Kiwanians went to the storage building anyway, and miraculously, the rain stopped just long enough for the task at hand, and after the books had been unloaded at the school, it began again. The principal Carolyn Todd, fellow Kiwanian, could only say, "The Lord Works in mysterious ways."

Through the years, HAWL Kiwanis has donated over 10,000 books and volunteered hundreds of hours to read to the children.

The 2008 Read to Succeed chairman, Wayne Jobe, was at the ECC on March 31, 2008 to get the new year started, and said, "Every child deserves a book. Although we live in an affluent society, not everyone is affluent. If children can't read, they can't do anything, so this is the key." ECC Principal,Belinda Neal and ECC Librarian, Mindy Meador both praised the HAWL Kiwanis Club and the program, and said it makes a great impact on the children. Over the next 3 weeks, volunteers will read at the ECC, Primary and Velma Penny schools, and every student at each school will receive their own book to keep.

Mary Anne McKenzie was the first reader this year and has been a reader in this program for 4 years. She also said that this program was why she got involved with HAWL Kiwanis Club.
Wayne Jobe added that "Over $31,000 has been donated to LISD by the HAWL Kiwanians this year alone, and this is just one of the programs that's a part of that."