Krista Latchaw Has Had A Short But Storied Tenure With The Severna Park Kiwanis Club

While searching for a community service group to join, Krista Latchaw happened upon the Severna Park Kiwanis Club. She didn’t know much about the club, but she found its members to be inviting and knowledgeable. Latchaw joined in 2013 and immediately made a lasting impression on the club and those the club works with.

Latchaw’s service with Kiwanis began slowly, as she needed to learn what the club was all about and how her talents could help, but after a short introductory period, Latchaw took the club by storm.

She became involved in nearly every club endeavor, from the Teenager of the Year scholarship program to Bello Machre — a branch of the Kiwanis focused on children and adults with developmental disabilities. She quickly offered plenty of time and talents that helped to improve the club and help it better achieve its mission of helping others.

“I might have been new to the organization, but I had a whole team of board members that helped me out,” Latchaw said. “The support [I received] was super inspiring.”

Quickly, Latchaw proved that she was capable of not only contributing to the community but leading others to do so as well. In 2015, Latchaw was named president of the club. “I never thought I’d be president of a club,” Latchaw admitted. “It really forces you to think that, ‘I’m responsible for something and I really have to do a good job at it.’”

Latchaw continued to serve just as she had in the past, and, through the Severna Park Kiwanis Club, she contributed to Operation Welcome Home, Project Linus, the Anne Arundel County back-to-school backpack program and more — all while staying active with Kiwanis’ fundraisers, such as the group’s annual apple sale.

“The main reason why I volunteer is that I want to be a good role model for my kids,” Latchaw explained. “I want my boys to know that their mom helped leave her community in a better place than she found it - and someday they should too.”

Latchaw’s two sons — 5-year-old Lincoln and 3-year-old Sawyer — also played a fairly noticeable role in her involvement with the club. Though she originally joined because of the group’s commitment to so many community causes, it was the adolescent-focused giving that appealed to Latchaw the most.

“[The Kiwanis] seemed very family friendly, and they do a lot for kids and young adults,” Latchaw said, motioning toward Lincoln. “He’s going to be one of those people very soon, so I thought it would be a good fit here and in the future as well.”

Latchaw’s time as president has now passed, and though she greatly enjoyed the responsibility, she has taken a break from holding a position on the organization’s board. “I’m spending the year trying to get this one through kindergarten,” she said, again acknowledging Lincoln.

Latchaw continues to be an active member of the Kiwanis Club and helps out whenever she can. Taking into account her service with the Kiwanis, Severna Park ASPIRE and various other nonprofit groups in the area, Latchaw estimated that she spends about 350 hours per year volunteering — a number that will stay the same whether or not she holds a position on the board.

Latchaw will again co-chair the 2017 Teenager of the Year scholarship program, and she is excited to once again be a part of such a fantastic effort. “I think that the kids we pick are amazing; they’re brilliant. They don’t have to be the brightest and best academically, we also look at service,” Latchaw said about scholarship. She believes that the finalists are more likely to continue to serve in the future if their efforts are recognized – if only for a night. “They’re not necessarily looking for that, but I think it’s nice to show the whole community what they can do,” Latchaw said. “That is why I do this.”