Kiwanis Pizza Party Celebrates VALLEYLIFE Members

There are few greater ways to celebrate and express thanks than by coming together to share a meal.

That is the message Michael DeBenedetto, President of the North Phoenix Kiwanis Club, shared this week as he and several other Kiwanis members served pizza to VALLEYLIFE Members at the Suzanne and Peter Connolly Enrichment Center. Members from nearly every VALLEYLIFE DTA gathered onsite for the opportunity to all be together and enjoy a tasty treat.

The party served as a token of thanks to VALLEYLIFE Members for assisting the North Phoenix Kiwanis with their dictionary donations to local schools, primarily the Washington Elementary School District, which is the largest school district in the Valley Metro area and home to 35 elementary schools. The project, a staple of the organization’s philanthropic efforts for years, provides personalized dictionaries to underprivileged children throughout the Valley that many carry with them throughout their academic years. For many of the children they serve, their Kiwanis dictionary serves as the first personalized book they receive.

With a partnership spanning over 20 years, when the Kiwanis Club needed extra help placing labels on over two thousand dictionaries, VALLEYLIFE and its Members answered the call. 

“Our VALLEYLIFE partners are some of our most valuable, professional, and passionate volunteers,” DeBenedetto said.  “Their tireless efforts save countless hours of work and their quality of work is second to none! I am very, very proud and thankful to enjoy such a wonderful partnership with VALLEYLIFE!”

Having the opportunity to give back to others within their community is something that resonates with VALLEYLIFE Members as well. DTA 2 Members like Cheryl H., Christina T., and Rachel H. all volunteered to place stickers in dictionaries this year for the Kiwanis Club, and shared a similar interest in the project.

“It was really fun,” the group said about the dictionary project,” We’d like to do that again.”

The trio were just a few of the Members in attendance at this week’s pizza party, and they expressed their gratitude for the experience.

To see photos from the event, check out the gallery below.