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A shopper browses as Michael Moore (right) arranges books for sale at the Carefree Kiwanis flea market on Sept. 15. The club awards scholarships with the money raised at the event.
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Carefree Kiwanis takes the bite out of college expenses
by Jim Crawford

CAREFREE – With the skyrocketing costs of a higher education, today’s students need all the help they can get.

In Carefree, the local chapter of Kiwanis International is doing its share by raising money to provide scholarships for students in the Cave Creek Unified School District.

One of the group’s biggest fundraisers is a periodic flea market that takes place behind the Rural Metro Fire Station at the southwest corner of Cave Creek and Tom Darlington roads.

“We’ve been doing this for about 10 years, “ said George Hofer, co‑chair of the flea market. “All the money we make goes to kids’ scholarships. We award them for academics and vocational excellence. We also provide medical and dental assistance for needy children.”

Activity at the Sept. 15 flea market was brisk until it started warming up outside. An estimated 640 people had passed through the gates by 9:30 a.m.

“We hope to raise $15,000 today,” Hofer said. “That’ll fund a couple of scholarships.” (The group did, in fact, raise approximately $17,000 on Sept. 15.)

Michael Moore, chair of the Kiwanis scholarship committee, said the funds are awarded in a variety of ways.

“We award three scholarships of $1,500 per semester to students who will attend a four‑year college or university,” Moore said. “We also give three scholarships of $500 per semester for four semesters to students attending a community college.

“If we found a kid who did real well at the community college level, we’d probably stay behind him through the whole four years.”

The Kiwanis award a unique scholarship to a student displaying high potential, but who is not meeting that potential.

“They must be in extreme (need) of financial help,” Moore said. “Then we’ll give them $1,000 a semester for four years.”

Three merit scholarships are also awarded to deserving students, Moore said.

“We give a $1,000 one‑time scholarship for math, science and community service. We do all of this with the express thought of helping the kids in the community. We try to cover as many needs as our budget will allow. The flea market is our biggest money maker and scholarships are our biggest expense. Every year we’ve managed to increase our award money.”

Carefree Kiwanis members represent a diverse group of business people and professionals.

The club began in 1973 with 22 members and now boasts almost 300 members. The group is now the seventh largest chapter of Kiwanis International, which has more than 600,000 members in more than 80 countries.

Hofer said the group is always looking for new members.

“The thing with the younger members is they become somewhat limited as to how much time they can spend with the organization,” Hofer said. “You can devote more time if you don’t have another job.”

The next flea market will take place Oct. 27 at the same location.

For information visit carefreekiwanis.org or call (480) 488‑8400.

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