Development Has No Disability with the Aktion Club
Sasha Bush
The Ashland Beacon
“I pledge on my honor to follow the objects of the Aktion Club. To better my community, my country, and myself. To help those in need. To demonstrate loyalty to our community and nation. And to encourage others to do the same.” This is the pledge of the Aktion Club, which was recited proudly on Tuesday, Jan. 23. The Ashland Breakfast Kiwanis Club and the Ashland Kiwanis Club held their first charter ceremony for the newly formed Aktion Club of the Ashland Tri-State where both Kiwanis clubs had the privilege of installing the first officers and members.
Aktion Club is the only service club for adults with disabilities with more than 12,000 members worldwide. The mission of the Aktion Club is to provide adults living with disabilities an opportunity to develop initiative, leadership skills, and to serve within their communities. I’m sure that we have all heard the saying that actions speak louder than words; this club is a true testament to that. Aktion Club empowers its members to not only be themselves but to also work together with friends to implement plans through action. As an extension of Kiwanis International, Aktion Club shares the mission of serving children around the world. Through their service within the Aktion Club, members can become leaders in their community.
The Aktion Club prides itself on its core values which include:
Character Building: The ability to do the right thing, even when it might be the unpopular choice
Leadership: The ability to listen, communicate, serve, and guide others
Inclusiveness: Accepting and welcoming differences in other people
Caring: The act of being concerned about or interested in other people or situations.
Karen Wurts, one of the local Aktion Club Advisors, shared, “I just feel like anyone with special needs has so much to offer and so much to give to the community and to be able to give them this opportunity to serve is just such a blessing.”
“When people discover their desire to serve, they decide that serving others isn’t just something they do—it’s their way of life. Aktion Club can provide opportunities for members to discover their desire to serve. The service-club experience helps people of all ages accept their ability to make a difference, enhance their knowledge of their own passions and convictions, and develop empathy with those in need in their communities,” stated the Kiwanis Aktion Club website.
Aktion Club helps its members develop skills for building coalitions that address community needs and enhances their ability to create strong connections through conversation. It is through these connections that the members of the Aktion Club can also experience personal growth. For club advisor, Tina Potter, this is one of the greatest things to witness, “One of my favorite things about the formation of the Aktion Club here in our area is just being able to witness the fellowship and see the smiles that being part of something and making a difference brings to their faces.”
If you or someone you know are interested in signing up to be part of the Ashland Tri-State Aktion Club, you can find more information on the official Aktion Club website at www.aktionclub.org. You can also reach out to the local Aktion Club for information about how to sign up by emailing them at: