Around Oakley: Fraizer helps start Kiwanis Club in Oakley

By Roni Gehlke
For the Contra Costa Times

When a group of neighboring Kiwanis Club members approached Oakley volunteer Jim Frazier to see if he would like to help start an Oakley club, Frazier was happy to help. The international organization has service clubs in Brentwood, Antioch, Pittsburg and Concord.

Frazier was an ideal choice to go to for support in starting a Kiwanis Club in Oakley. He is not only a member of the Oakley City Council, as well as the current vice mayor, he also helped to start two other groups similar to the Kiwanis Club. In 2005 he and his wife, Janet, started The Network of Care, a group that provides meals and care packages to families that have children in the hospital during crisis situations.

Frazier also cofounded The Friends of Oakley Community Foundation in 2008 and is vice president of that group. The Friends of Oakley is a citywide philanthropic organization that helps wherever necessary throughout the young city of Oakley.

During the holidays the group puts together food baskets for the needy. Just last month the group held a barbecue at O'Hara Park to help fund a project for the Oakley police.

When Frazier heard that the Kiwanis Club was interested in forming a group in Oakley he knew that was the right club for Oakley.

"Kiwanis is all about the children and providing for them," Frazier said.

Frazier said Oakley is a good place to host a branch of the club since the city has the most children per capita in the Bay Area.

Since the Kiwanis members contacted Frazier in May the group has pulled together 30 active members. Considering they haven't even finished getting the groups articles of incorporation completed that is a nice turnout so far.

Frazier credits part of the new membership to one young member T.J. Bradley. Some may recognize Bradley when you see him as he has been working for the Oakley Raley's since he was in high school.
Frazier said Bradley and a few others went to several of the business owners in town and encouraged them to get involved. That seemed to have worked out pretty well.

So what exactly does the Kiwanis Club do and why should others get involved and help the Oakley group? The Kiwanis Club works to help the children in their community. They work in 80 different nations so the needs in each community are different.

The group as a whole puts together nearly 150,000 service projects and raises nearly $107 million every year for communities, families and projects throughout the world.

According to the club's goals, they focus on "changing the world by serving children, one child and one community at a time." With this in mind, Frazier said that they are hoping to form children's clubs at Freedom High School and other activities and fundraisers for children who need support in Oakley.

The Kiwanis Club doesn't just do service work, it is a way to meet other people with like goals in the community and encourage fellowship. They also provide networking opportunities for business people and offer a chance to do something you've never done before.

There is a membership fee of $75 per year. The group meets once a week to get the club off the ground. The meetings are Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in Oakley at one of the local restaurants, but that could change soon, so call Frazier for more details at 925-250-6831.

Frazier said that those who wish to join can offer however much time they can afford to give. "Give what you can. The most valuable thing in service clubs is to give sometimes and as much as possible for you," he said.

Roni Gehlke is an Oakley resident. Reach her at ourbackyard@comcast.net.