Since it’s a leap year, we’re offering ideas for doing good with our extra day in 2024. 

By Sarah Moreland

Have you ever thought, “If only I had an extra day to…?”   

To sleep. To complete a to-do list. To visit a loved one. Here’s another possibility: to make the world a better place! 

Since 2024 is a leap year, we have that extra day. Whether you’re sharing kindness with a stranger or preparing a big event with fellow club members, it’s an additional 24 hours to do — or plan for — something good. 

Need a little inspiration? In honor of Leap Day, here are 29 ideas to get you started: 

1. Write cards of encouragement for a school or children’s hospital. 

2. Ask your local library if you can volunteer as a group reader. 

3. Check with local organizations that may need extra help (e.g., Boys & Girls Clubs, a children’s hospital, etc.). 

4. Help at a soup kitchen or local shelter. 

5. Sort donations at a food pantry. 

6. Team up with club members to pick up trash at a park or playground. 

7. Set up a clothing or book drive. 

8. Join an outdoor beautification project in your community.  

9. Get members of K-Kids, Builders Club, Key Club, CKI and Aktion Club in a joint service project — then celebrate with a fun social hour. 

10. Write congratulatory notes to give to Key Club and CKI seniors in the spring.  

11. Drop off treats or small gifts of thanks to first responders in your community who keep families safe and healthy.  

12. Host a resume-writing and interviewing practice session for students preparing for college and work life.  

13. If you have crafting skills, knit hats for babies. 

14. Train kids how to safely ride a bike. 

15. Donate gently used items (clothing, electronics, eyeglasses, etc.) to an organization that can reuse or recycle them for those in need. 

16. Build a Little Free Library for your community. 

17. Host a game day for kids — whether it’s outdoor sports or an indoor board-game tournament. 

18. Spread the word about a favorite charity. 

19. Write a positive online review of an organization you or your club has collaborated with. 

20. Teach kids how to grow their own food. 

21. Host a diaper and baby formula donation drive to collect supplies for mothers and newborns in need. 

22. Pack and distribute first-aid kits to families for their homes and vehicles. 

23. Help families in need celebrate birthdays and milestones by creating a “party in a box” with balloons, streamers and signs. 

24. Devote a day to mentorship. Speak to or meet with younger members of the Kiwanis family about an area of professional or personal expertise. 

25. “Upcycle” plastic bags into waterproof blankets for those in need. 

26. Set up a fundraising challenge for charity. 

27. Sponsor a family in need to attend a museum, theater or attraction. 

28. Provide kids with supplies to create puppets and perform their own puppet show. 

29. Start planning an end-of-year ceremony to recognize your club’s BUG and Terrific Kids students’ achievements.  

If you have so much to share about Kiwanis that it’s hard to give it shape, emphasize these points.

By Tony Knoderer

For all the great things you can share about Kiwanis, it’s never a bad idea to have a quick list of overarching reasons for joining. Consider stressing the personal benefits we share with new members when they receive their welcome message from Kiwanis International:  

• Meaningful impact. Kiwanis empowers you to make a tangible difference in your community.  
• Personal growth. Kiwanis offers a place to enhance your skills and self-confidence — with opportunities for leadership development, public speaking and project management.  
• Investment in the future. As part of an organization that improves the health and well-being of children and their communities, you help create global citizens who are better equipped for success. 
• Global network. The Kiwanis family connects you with like-minded individuals worldwide, fostering friendships, collaborations and cross-cultural experiences. 
• Lasting friendships. Lifelong friendships often blossom through shared service. Kiwanis clubs offer a sense of belonging and camaraderie. 

Don’t forget to send people to kiwanis.org for information about the organization — who we are, what we do and more.