Clubhouse

Out of the hearts of youth: service

Who would have guessed that a 4-year-old Iowa child could make a difference in the lives of 160 Haitian families?

Ely Kleinsmith

Ely Kleinsmith, now 7, regularly attends Iowa City-Old Capitol Kiwanis club meetings with his parents, Deanna and Harold. But it was one Kiwanis club meeting about two years ago that inspired Ely most: University of Iowa professor Craig Just’s talk about his visit to a Population Services International project, which provides PUR Purifier of Water systems to low-income families in Haiti.

“Can’t I help people have clean water?” Ely asked his parents.

What could they say but yes?

The Kleinsmith family crafted raindrop-shaped paper Christmas ornaments, which Ely sold for US$5 each, raising more than $675. As a result, the US State Department invited the kindergartner to brief congressmen and address other dignitaries at a Paul Simon Water for the Poor Town Hall meeting in Washington, DC.