The Taylorville Kiwanis Club heard about the continuing needs of the Missions for Taylorville organization, and inducted a new member, during their weekly luncheon Tuesday at the club’s new meeting place, the Taylorville Moose Lodge.

Kiwanis member Pastor Bill Kerns spoke representing the Missions for Taylorville organization, an arm of the Taylorville Ministerial Association.  Kerns said the organization’s mission was originally to assist homeowners do home repairs and lawn work twice a year.  That mission was expanded after the December First tornado.

Kerns told the club that after the City of Taylorville designated the organization to donate to in assisting those affected after the tornado, it’s been a whirlwind eleven months.

All told, Missions for Taylorville has collected some 737-thousand dollars in donations from over 17-hundred donors, benefiting several hundred under or uninsured Taylorville residents in rebuilding or repairing their homes.

Kerns emphasized that while the organization has helped many homeowners the past eleven months, there are still 130 homeowners that need their home replaced or repaired, and the current Missions for Taylorville bank balance is some 57-thousand dollars.

Kerns said the group has begun a fund-raising campaign headed by Dick Adams, to raise some 500-thousand dollars to complete the work on those remaining 130 structures.   Kerns stated several times during his remarks, that Missions for Taylorville still needs donations and volunteers to complete their work.

James LeVault, an attorney with the Romano Law Firm in Taylorville, was inducted as the newest member of the Taylorville Kiwanis Club, by past president Michael Evanchak.

The Taylorville Kiwanis Club is part of global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.  Weekly meetings are held Tuesdays at noon at their new meeting location, the Taylorville Moose Lodge.  For information on the club, go to taylorvillekiwanis.com.