PHOTO PROVIDED / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
KIWANIS SPEAKER … The guest speaker at the weekly Kiwanis Club of Bryan meeting on Sept. 23, 2026, was Kelli Burkhardt, executive director of Together We Can Make a Difference Initiatives in Napoleon, Ohio. The mission of the organization is to assist people of all ages in Northwest Ohio with basic needs and resources that are not available through any government assistance programs. It provides personal care and toiletry items, as well as diapers, adult briefs and laundry soap as available. Burkhardt felt called to this mission in 2006 and left full-time employment with the Ohio Department of Transportation to make the vision a reality. In 2010, the organization received 501(c)(3) status as a charitable organization, and it has continued to expand services, such as a supplemental food pantry. Burkhardt noted that the Napoleon headquarters is open five days a week and serves 15 to 20 families every week. Pictured L to R: Program chair and Kiwanian Deiter Held and Kelli Burkhardt.