A tremendous number of people in America work very hard at something that bores them. Even a rich man thinks he has to go down to the office everyday. Not because he likes it, but because he can’t think of anything else to do. It would be unfashionable of me not to write your readers after attending a recent meeting of the Kiwanis Club of Malibu. I was present to accept a donation from the Malibu Kiwanis to the local sheriff’s reserve program for training equipment. The Lost Hills Sheriff’s department has 30 uniformed reserves and 21 mountain rescue reserves who contribute around 21,600 hours yearly to the Malibu/Lost Hills areas. Forty percent of these volunteer hours are spent in and around the city of Malibu.
I have read that roughly 50 percent of Americans, through no fault of their own, do not possess the talent necessary to carve out a meaningful role for themselves in society. Their lives are futile hamster-wheel existences of unrewarding, dead-end busywork: Xeroxing documents written by others, filling out mail-in rebates for Black & Decker toaster ovens and processing bureaucratic forms that nobody will ever see. Sadly, for these millions of non-abled Americans, they think that the American dream of working hard and moving up through the ranks is simply not a reality.
None of the Kiwanis members give credence to this way of life. The club members believe that righteousness in one’s life is service to the community and that service to the community is a sort of cosmic patriotism, which calls for them to volunteer. In this volunteer character, dear editor, the Kiwanis Club of Malibu is absorbed in preparing for their 17th Annual Chili Cook-Off, Carnival and Concert to be held on Sept. 4, 5 and 6 — Labor Day weekend. The proceeds of this Malibu community event are returned to local schools, volunteer groups and charities. Volunteers are always needed to supplement the resources of the Kiwanis membership at this time of year. If you would like to investigate my solicitation for volunteers to support the Kiwanis Chili Cook-Off please call Nidra Winger at 310-457-1558. Rotarians, Lions, Chamber of Commerce Members, Pepperdine University Students, Movie Stars and even unpretentious Malibuites are all welcomed. Nidra may even give you some of her famous home-stewed rattlesnake chili. Belch!
Tom Fakehany