The Noon Kiwanis Club of Fountain Hills has formed an “Aktion Club” in cooperation with Scottsdale Training and Rehabilitation Services (STARS).

An Aktion Club is a Kiwanis-branded service leadership program that allows special-needs adults to form their own Kiwanis club and perform community service projects and fundraisers.

With a mission statement of “where development has no disability,” Aktion clubs allow its members to:

*Develop initiative and leadership.

*Serve their community.

*Be integrated into society.

*Demonstrate the dignity and values of citizens living with disabilities.

“We have been blown away by our involvement to date with STARS and its participants,” said Mike Scharnow, Noon Kiwanis Club president.

“Our Aktion Club members are eager to get involved, perform community service projects and reach out beyond themselves to help others in society.

“That’s what Kiwanis is all about, and we’re tickled pink this effort is fast gaining traction.”

Noon Kiwanian Charlie Fox, who has a special needs daughter who graduated from Fountain Hills High School, first approached STARS, located near Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. and Via Linda, about a year ago with the idea of forming an Aktion Club.

Since then, he and Scharnow have been coordinating with Rick Hopwood, a case manager at STARS, to recruit and train participants for the Aktion Club of STARS.

Fox will serve as club advisor to the group on behalf of the Noon Kiwanis Club, and several members have already attended Aktion Club meetings and met the participants.

“We at STARS are thrilled to be a part of this Aktion Club,” Hopwood said.

“Mike, Charlie and the other Kiwanis members have been amazing. We really appreciate this opportunity for our participants to be included in community service.”

Unique club

Aktion Club is the only service club for adults with disabilities, with more than 11,000 members worldwide. There are more than 400 clubs in eight nations and is among the fastest growing programs within Kiwanis International.

There are less than a dozen Aktion Clubs within the Kiwanis Southwest District, which encompasses Arizona, New Mexico and an area near El Paso, Texas.

That’s one of the reasons Scharnow was prompted to pursue the formation of an Aktion Club and his goal of chartering the organization during his tenure as club president.

“We have a solid core of 15 Aktion Club members, which is what’s needed to charter the group through Kiwanis International,” Scharnow said.

“Our club will continue to provide financial and leadership assistance.”

Aktion officers

The Aktion Club of STARS already elected a core group of officers – Susie Segneri is the first president; Heather Heathcock, vice president; Kevin Harden, secretary; and Daniel Osborne, treasurer.

“It makes me feel good to help people, because everybody needs help sometimes,” Heathcock said of her involvement.

Segneri, elected president by her peers, commented, “Aktion Club makes me feel so happy.

“It makes me feel good to be a part of it.”

Members have begun collecting soda pop cans on the STARS campus and will use the proceeds from recycling to assist families who have young children in the hospital.

Other projects are in the works.

“It’s been educational and motivating to work with these special-needs adults,” Scharnow said.

“They are so eager to get involved and help other people. It’s heartwarming and inspiring. They have so many ideas and are enthusiastic to get involved.

“I’m so pleased this came together, and working with STARS and Rick has been phenomenal.

“I’m also indebted to Charlie Fox for taking this under his wing and serving as club advisor. His involvement has been key to this project.”

STARS serves older teens and adults with developmental disabilities such as autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, brain injuries and other developmental, cognitive and intellectual disabilities.

STARS works to provide assistance, support and a sense of community to special-needs adults through diverse programs and services.

It also offers helpful programs and resources for parents, family members and guardians.

More information is available at www.starsaz.org.

The Noon Kiwanis Club has been serving Fountain Hills for 40 years.

More information is available at www.fhkiwanis.org.