Kiwanis International Historical Story.

Kiwanis International was founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. In the early years, members focused on business networking. In 1916, Kiwanis became an international organization with the creation of the Kiwanis Club of Hamilton, Ontario. In 1919, the organization changed its focus to service. By 1962, worldwide expansion was approved. In 1987, women officially were allowed into the membership.

Kiwanis Objects.

The six permanent Objects of Kiwanis International were approved by Kiwanis club delegates at the 1924 International Convention in Denver, Colorado. Through the decades, they have remained unchanged.

• To give primacy to the human and spiritual rather than to the material values of life.
• To encourage the daily living of the Golden Rule in all human relationships.
• To promote the adoption and the application of higher social, business, and professional standards.
• To develop, by precept and example, a more intelligent, aggressive, and serviceable citizenship.
• To provide, through Kiwanis clubs, a practical means to form enduring friendships, to render altruistic service, and to build better communities.
• To cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism which make possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism, and goodwill.

Kiwanis Impact.

Service footprint—Service is at the heart of every Kiwanis International club, no matter where in the world it’s located. Kiwanis members stage nearly 150,000 service projects, devote more than 6 million hours of service and raise nearly US$107 million every year for communities, families and projects. Key Club members pitch in 12 million hours of service each year, and CKI members another 500,000 hours of service! Aktion club members donate another 92,000 hours of service every year. Add it all up, and that’s more than 18 million hours of service every year!

The Eliminate Project—Kiwanis is once again joining forces with UNICEF to confront another threat to the world’s children. In June 2010, Kiwanis International announced The Eliminate Project: Kiwanis eliminating maternal/neonatal tetanus, which aims to save 129 million mothers and their future babies from the disease by the year 2015.

Worldwide Service Project—Members and clubs contributed more than US$100 million toward the global elimination of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD), the leading preventable cause of mental retardation.

Kiwanis One Day—Kiwanis members work in their communities all year long. But for one day in April each year, the entire Kiwanis family of programs—Kiwanis Kids, Builders Club, Key Club, Circle K, Aktion Club and Kiwanis clubs—comes together for a day of hands-on community service that is felt around the world. Members build playgrounds, volunteer at local shelters, stock shelves at food pantries and tackle any project to change the world one child and one community at a time.

DELAND KIWANIS HISTORY

Since 1935, the Kiwanis Club of DeLand has been an active community service organization in DeLand.  Our members are made up of many sectors of the business world, such as doctors, CPA's, business owners, and entrepreneurs, just to name a few.  Some of the organizations we sponsor include Children's Cancer Foundation, The House Next Door, The Boys and Girls Club of Volusia County, CORS (Community Outreach Services), Ronald McDonald House Children's Charities, Children's Cancer Foundation, The Salvation Army, and many local children's charities.  Our motto is "Serving The Children of the World," and our members are the heart and soul of Kiwanis.  For more information on joining Kiwanis, please contact us.

Interested in getting involved?

Are you interested in joining an international organization of member-volunteers who annually give more than 12 million hours and more than US$107 million to help change the world for the better? Our members’ hands and hearts help those who cannot always help themselves.