INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. –Members of Kiwanis International celebrate the organization’s 94th birthday Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009. In 2008, Kiwanis clubs worldwide donated more than six million volunteer hours and raised more than US$100 million for community service, with a special emphasis on helping young children.
The first Kiwanis club was chartered January 21, 1915, in Detroit, Mich. Today, Kiwanis has grown to more than 8,000 clubs and 250,000 members in 70 countries.
“In these troubled times, people are hurting,” said Don Canaday, of Fishers, Ind., Kiwanis International president.” Many children and families who a few months ago felt like they were doing OK today hang on by threads, and those who were already at risk face even greater hardships, harder choices.
“Now, more than ever, Kiwanis and its members are needed to help get children and families through, to help lead, to offer people an opportunity to help others.”
Kiwanis, headquartered in Indianapolis, provides numerous opportunities for people to get involved, and numerous benefits to members—friendship, fellowship, business networking—in addition to the service Kiwanis provides to children and communities.
In addition to adult members of Kiwanis, the international program also includes Circle K International, for college and university students; Key Club International, for high school students; Builders Club, for junior high and middle school students, K-Kids, for elementary schools students; and Aktion Club, for adults living with disabilities.
Kiwanis International’s continuing service focus is called “Young Children: Priority One,” which addresses the needs of children through projects in pediatric trauma, safety, childcare, early development, infant health, nutrition, and parenting skills.
“This is an exciting time to be a Kiwanian,” said Canaday. “Even as we celebrate the past, new things are happening in this organization every day and our future is unlimited.”
Other Kiwanis programs include Kiwanis One Day, the first Saturday in April, when Kiwanis and its family of clubs join forces with their communities for a day of hands-on service, and Read Around the World, which encourages members to share with children the joy of books—from reading with them to getting them books of their very own.
ABOUT KIWANIS INTERNATIONAL
Kiwanis is a global organization of members working to change the world one child and one community at a time. Kiwanis International and its Service Leadership Programs—Circle K, Key Club, Key Leader, Builders Club, K-Kids, Kiwanis Junior, and Aktion Club—dedicate millions of volunteer hours and invest US$100 million to strengthen communities and serve children annually. For more information about Kiwanis International, please visit www.kiwanis.org or call 800-KIWANIS.
Posted
Jan 21 2009, 09:27 AM
by
Chris Hayworth