The Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon has announced a community-wide Pillow Drive in collaboration with local partners, collecting over 60 pillows, pillowcases, and blankets for students at East Knox Local Schools. This initiative was publicized in a press release on February 27, 2025.
According to the press release, the Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon organized the drive alongside the Exchange Club of Mount Vernon/Knox County and Kenyon College. The initiative followed a discussion between Lisa Lloyd, the past president of the Kiwanis Club, and Katlyn Kilgore, a social worker at East Knox Elementary School. Kilgore highlighted the need for pillows among East Knox families during their conversation. In response, these groups collaborated to launch the community-wide effort.
"We are so thankful for the donation of these pillows," said Kilgore. "This has been a unique need for our families that we have not been able to provide until now. Our East Knox families are very excited to receive their pillows!"
Lloyd expressed enthusiasm about the collaborative effort: "It was exciting to see three different entities come together to support a need in our community," she said. "This all started with a simple conversation, and in just a few days, we had multiple organizations rallying to make a difference. We hope this is just the beginning of future collaborations to serve our community in new and meaningful ways."
Shawna Bock, Exchange Club President Elect, shared her perspective: "As a member of Exchange Club, I believe I speak for the entire club when saying how wonderful it is to live in a community where we can collaborate with other organizations to serve those in need. I look forward to working together in the future to serve those in Knox County."
The Kiwanis Club of Mount Vernon is described as a community service organization established in 1953 with support from the Alexandria Kiwanis Club. Originally formed by local businessmen, it joined Kiwanis International to broaden its impact and continues serving through regular meetings, service projects, and youth programs aimed at supporting children and local initiatives.
