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One Day brightens many days

Every day dawns bright and fresh for 150 children at a day-care school on the island of Curaçao. White paint now covers once-drab walls. Yellow trim accents blue doors. A mural depicts an animated mouse reading a book about the alphabet.

Kiwanians, teachers, and other volunteers spruce up a day-care school.

The Kiwanis Club of Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles, renovated the Santa Rosa crèche as its Kiwanis One Day project, cleaning and painting the building inside, outside, and up on the roof. Joined by the school’s staff, Federal Express employees, and a paint company’s representatives, the club counted 54 volunteers that hot Saturday, April 5.

“Today we stand on the verge of something truly spectacular,” said club president Hubert Martha before sending crews to their assignments. “All over the world, the Kiwanis family is joining together to change our communities for the better by doing what we know and love best of all: hands-on service.”

Other schools needed attention too, but the club selected the Santa Rosa crèche because most of its students are from needy families. It also serves the more students than other schools.

“We decided to make more people happy by helping the largest school,” reports club secretary Sherwin Thielman.