How it all started
The first Kiwanis club was organized in Detroit, Michigan. The group received a charter from the state of Michigan on January 21, 1915, and this is regarded as the birth date of Kiwanis. The name “Kiwanis” was coined from an expression in an American Indian language of the Detroit area, “Nunc Kee-wanis,” which means, “we trade” or “we share our talents.”
The story continues
Kiwanis became international with the organization of the Kiwanis club of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in 1916. Kiwanis limited its membership to the United States and Canada until 1962, when worldwide expansion was approved. Since then, Kiwanis has spread to all inhabited continents of the globe.
Today Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. Our members develop youth as leaders, build playgrounds and raise funds for pediatric research. We help shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, mentor the disadvantaged and care for the sick. Working together, members achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone. And along the way, club members share friendship and laughter. More info at Kiwanis International.
Additional Information
The Kiwanis Motto: “We Build.”
There Kiwanis family spans over 90 different nations and over 430,000 members from clubs including Circle K International for college students, Key Club for high school students, Builders Club for middle school, K-Kids for elementary , and Aktion Club a community service club for person’s with disabilities.
Kiwanis members’ activities support the Kiwanis causes:
- Health and nutrition.
- Education and literacy.
- Youth leadership development.
Together, these causes form a continuum of impact — helping young people develop throughout childhood and into adulthood. Each cause also supports the others, ultimately creating a generation of leaders who also contribute to that continuum.
Every year, Kiwanis members stage more than 241,000 service projects and raise nearly US$340 million for children, families and communities around the world. Kiwanis club projects are based on the community’s needs — we build playgrounds, purchase medical equipment, stuff backpacks with school supplies, restock libraries and much more. The average Kiwanian makes an impact on the lives of 106 children.
Kiwanis Club of Burley 