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Kiwanis Family Links
Kiwanis International
Kiwanis is a service organization, similar
to Rotary or Lions. We are non-sectarian group of
individuals who are interested in
helping out their community, especially the children, and in meeting on
a regular basis to meet with each other and to listen to and speak with
other community leaders.
Founded
in 1915 in Detroit and with headquarters now in Indianapolis, Kiwanis
International is a thriving organization of service- and
community-minded individuals who support children and young adults
around the world. More than 600,000 Kiwanis-family members in 92
countries make their mark by responding to the needs of their
communities and pooling their resources to address worldwide issues.
Through these efforts, Kiwanis International truly is "Serving the
Children of the World."
Guided by six permanent Objects, Kiwanis clubs view their role within
their respective communities with a great deal of foresight. Key
aspects to operating an effective club include:
- Evaluating
both children’s issues and community needs
on an ongoing basis
- Conducting service projects to respond to those
identified needs
- Maintaining an active membership roster of
professional
business people who have both the desire and the ability to serve their
community
Club
meetings traditionally are conducted once a week and offer an
atmosphere of fun, learning, and fellowship. In addition to attending
the meetings, the typical Kiwanian volunteers each month to assist with
club service projects.
Service projects often are linked to the Kiwanis program, “Young
Children: Priority One.” This initiative places continuing focus on the
needs of children in pediatric trauma, safety, child care, early
development, infant health, nutrition, and parenting skills.
Service projects also can address other needs within the community,
such as working to stop substance abuse, helping the elderly, promoting
literacy, supporting youth sports and recreation, responding to
disasters, and supporting specific persons in need.
Kiwanis also plays a special role in developing future generations of
leaders. K-Kids clubs at the elementary school level, Builders Clubs in
middle school and junior highs, Key Clubs in high schools, and Circle K
clubs at the collegiate level all are Kiwanis organizations that teach
community service and leadership skills to young people. In addition,
Aktion Clubs are made up of adults with mental and physical
disabilities who enthusiastically perform service to help others.
Worldwide, the entire Kiwanis family is committed to eliminating the
devastating effects of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), the world’s
leading preventable cause of mental retardation. More than 1.5 billion
people are at risk of suffering IDD because they do not receive enough
iodine in their diet. But, because of Kiwanis’ efforts, many parents
who have been affected by IDD are able to watch their children grow up
healthy and reach their full physical and mental potential. The results
of the IDD program will benefit every future generation.
A typical Kiwanis club is a snapshot of its community, with members
from all walks of life and at every step of the career ladder. They are
unified in their belief that children and their communities benefit
from the efforts of a proficient group of caring and involved
volunteers. In a typical year, Kiwanis clubs invest more than 6.2
million hours and US$100 million in communities around the world.
Through these efforts, the Kiwanis organization truly leaves a lasting
impression on future generations.
Our Kiwanis District and Division:
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