The Kiwanis Club of Apache Junction recently donated $250 to Apache Junction Black & Gold Youth Football from funds raised via various donations and sponsorship activities.

Participation in youth sports has never been more important than it is today. In a world where most households have fulltime working parents or a parent/parents struggling to find enough work to pay the ever increasing bills, kids are spending too much time on social media platforms or playing video games.

Youth sports leagues, such as the Apache Junction Black & Gold Youth Football League, provide a critically needed outlet for kids to get outdoors, learn about teamwork, self-discipline, and form what Jill Bright referred to as their “football family.”

The future of our nation is our children and ensuring that opportunities for them to grow and learn outside of the classroom must be supported by the local community.

Integrity and character are not innate human traits; such characteristics must be learned, practiced and nurtured.

The Apache Junction Black and Gold Football Youth Football League is a nonprofit organization managed by volunteers and aims to provide the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the game, practice and compete to as many local children as possible.

The cost of equipment, traveling to and from games, field use and team uniforms are not manageable for many families. To support this wonderful organization and what they are providing to Apache Junction’s kids, the Kiwanis Club of Apache Junction made a donation to the league in October.

Chili cook off event

The Kiwanis Club of Apache Junction also cooked the famous “ranch chili” in support of Superstition Community Food Bank.

The chili cook off fundraiser was hosted Oct. 22 at the food bank location off of Idaho Road. Every person who participated in coming to taste chili had to pay a $5 entry fee. A panel of judges voted at the end on the best chili in several different categories.

The Kiwanis Club of Apache Junction is a strong local club that is focused on contributing and being present for any local club or school event that benefits what matters most — the welfare, growth, and happiness of our communities children. If you would like to get involved, visit our Facebook page @kiwanisclubofAJ to find out about our upcoming events.