Former USGS Researcher To Lead Menlo Park's Kiwanis Club

MENLO PARK, CA – John Pinkston, former USGS researcher, has been named President of the Menlo Park Kiwanis Club for the upcoming year. He replaces outgoing President Bruce Wellings, CPA and Financial Advisor, Wellings & Company/Wellings Wealth Care, located in Menlo Park.

“As incoming Kiwanis Club President, my top priorities are to grow our Foundation and bring in new members,” Pinkston said. “The Kiwanis Foundation currently supports Menlo Atherton High School students with scholarships and sponsors the school’s Key Club, an on-campus Kiwanis Club for students. This past spring, we awarded over $41,000 in scholarships to MA seniors. We also support Stanford University’s intramural sports program and provide many hours of service to other local groups.

“In past years we provided seed money for several unfunded ideas,” he added. “Working with the Ravenswood School District, the Club provided a grant for an after-school program which is now a very large program supported with public funds and grants. Years ago, we provided funds to plant trees along Santa Cruz Avenue; so we will be looking for these kinds of opportunities to start new programs in Menlo Park.”

“It’s great for John to take over the club’s leadership, said Wellings. “I think he can expand our community support this coming year, with some new fundraisers like the one we just added. It’s a Holiday Raffle with a top prize of $5,000 in cash or a cruise. We will pull the winning tickets on January 28th.”

Other officers for 2017 include Gerry Watanabe, Secretary; Edward Morwitz, Treasurer; and Bruce Wellings, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer and Membership Chair.

The Menlo Park Kiwanis Club was chartered in 1950. It meets each Tuesday at noon at Allied Arts. Guests are invited to attend lunch meetings at no charge for their first visits. There is a general membership for those who can attend weekly meetings, and a special service membership is available for those who can only attend meetings once a month. All members support community projects and fundraising events.

The Kiwanis Club of Menlo Park, one of more than 16,000 Kiwanis around the world, supports many local programs and organizations, including scholarships for Menlo-Atherton High School graduates, Special Games for physically and mentally challenged youth, Rebuilding Together, St Anthony’s Dining Hall, Tour de Cure of Diabetes, the intramural sports program at Stanford University, and the Key Club of Menlo-Atherton High School. More information about the Kiwanis Club is available at www.menloparkkiwanisclub.org/

PHOTO: Bruce Wellings, outgoing Menlo Park Kiwanis Club President (left), handed the club’s leadership over to John Pinkston, long-time Kiwanis Club member and a past president. Both join the Club’s volunteers each year during the holidays at the Menlo Park Kiwanis Club Christmas Tree Lot in Palo Alto—to participate in the Club’s largest fundraising event.

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SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION BY: The Menlo Park Kiwanis Club