Business leaders and Olympic Middle School students recently came together to give something back to the community.

Students from the school's Spirit and Builders clubs joined a team from the Leadership Institute of South Puget Sound on a community project – a clothing donation drive for the Auburn Goodwill Store.

The project culminated in students delivering donations to the store at 1519 Auburn Way S.

Students also toured the store's donations processing area, which included the preparing of computers for recycling. Store manager Charlotte Wiedow also discussed the importance of gently used clothes and household items in helping fund Goodwill’s job-training and placement programs.

The institute supported the club's efforts as part of its community-wide project. The institute's team included Lisa Clark, Beth Dahl, Mike Gillespie, Leslie Kiilsgaard, Alvin Tai and Steve Villa.

"We had heard (the Builders Club) was floundering … and we decided to help them," said Clark, CPA, MBA and partner at Fitchitt, Benedict + Clark, P.S. Inc. Clark also serves as a board member for the Auburn Noon Kiwanis Club, a Builders Club sponsor.

The clothing drive was one of several projects the Builders Club has conducted throughout the school year.

"It was a good opportunity for them to gain an understanding of what Goodwill and its services are all about," Clark added. "(Goodwill) is a great organization for the students to know about, to partner with, and have the potential to do future projects with."

The Leadership Institute of South Puget Sound is a structured, adult leadership development program, organized to prepare adults for future civic and business leadership positions.

Builders Club, an International Kiwanis Youth program, is the largest service organization for middle school and junior high students, with more than 40,000 members worldwide. The club is a “student-led” community service organization that operates under school regulations and draws its members from the student body. Community-based Builders Clubs also can be established at churches, libraries, YMCAs, lodges or similar facilities.

The Auburn Noon Kiwanis Club is composed of like-minded, service-oriented people from the community.

Contact Auburn Reporter Editor Mark Klaas at mklaas@auburn-reporter.com or 253-833-0218, ext. 5050.

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