Clubhouse

'Family' aspect comes to light

"When I became a Kiwanis member a couple of years ago, I kept hearing and reading how Kiwanis is a 'family,'" says Davis Marcoux, a member of the Kiwanis Club of Sudbury, Ontario. "I never really understood what that meant or how overwhelming and true the statement was until recently."

Warna Timlock and the Kiwanis Club of Sudbury, Ontario, now know the true meaning of "Kiwanis family."

That's because Davis' club came to the aid of a longtime volunteer of the Sudbury Kiwanis Music Festival, Warna Timlock, and her daughter, Kimberley, who also was an adjudicator at the festival.

When Kimberley, who lived five hours away in Haimlton, Ontario, was diagnosed with cancer, her mother, Warna, went to help take care of her. The financial strain of keeping two households going, however, quickly took a toll.

While the Sudbury club could help financially, members realized Warna and Kimberley needed additional support that a club hours away simply could not provide.

"To my amazement, it took one e-mail to president John Elder of the Kiwanis Club of hamilton East, and he responded immediately," Davis says.

"Over the next week, Warna told us how members of the Hamilton East club made sure she had groceries in the house," Davis says. "They also gave her contact numbers to call 24 hours a day if needed."

At one point, however, both clubs had a scare when Warna and Kimberley couldn't be reached for a couple of days. Members of the Sudbury club called around to discover that Warna had suffered a mild stroke and was in the hospital. Kimberley was too weak from cancer treatments to answer the phone. The club called John, and he immediately went to the hospital to check on Warna. He was able to take her home, much to everyone's relief.

Sadly, Kimberley succumbed to cancer after four months.

After Kimberley's affairs were settled, Warna prepared to move back to Sudbury. John insisted on being the one to drive her home, and the Sudbury club prepared a luncheon to both welcome her home and thank John.

"Kiwanis is family," Davis says. "Just ask any member of the Kiwanis Club of Sudbury or Hamilton. Or better still, ask Warna. I am proud to be a Kiwanian and extremely proud of our 'family.'"