ABILENE TX – The Kiwanis Club of Abilene is celebrating 100 years in the Key City. Originally chartered in 1921 the Kiwanis Club has helped grow the Abilene community by holding service projects and raising money for local non-profit organizations.
Their luncheon today (02/10) was held at the Abilene country club and featured speakers including Mayor Anthony Williams, and former mayor and Hendrick systems vice president Norm Archibald.
Beginning with their first major project donating buffalo to the cities Fair Park the Kiwanians have had many success stories in Abilene. According to the Kiwanis Club website here are the highlights.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 1920s
- 1924: PURCHASED TWO BUFFALO FOR FAIR PARK
- 1925: PROVIDED TREATMENT AND HOSPITALIZATION FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN
- 1926: SPONSORED THE GOODFELLOW FUND FOR POOR AND NEEDY FAMILIES
- 1929: PURCHASED PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT FOR CITY SCHOOLS AND PARKS
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 1930s
- 1930: ESTABLISHED AN ICE AND MILK FUND FOR NEEDY CHILDREN
- 1932: MADE A DONATION TO THE WEST TEXAS CHILDREN’S FUND
- 1933: BUILT A CHILDREN’S WADING POOL AT FAIR PARK
- 1934: PROVIDED EYE TREATMENT AND GLASSES FOR CHILDREN
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 1940s
- 1947: BEGAN SPONSORSHIP OF A BOY SCOUT TROOP
- 1948: THE ONLY GROUP TO REACH THEIR RED CROSS CAMPAIGN QUOTA
- 1948: BEGAN THE KIWANIS GUM BALL MACHINE PROJECT
- 1949: NEW SONG BOOKS WERE PURCHASED AND THE CLUB BECAME A SINGING CLUB
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 1950s
- 1950: RAISED MONEY FOR THE MARCH OF DIMES TO FIND A CURE FOR POLIO
- 1951: REVIVED THE KIWANIS PANCAKE SUPPER AND RAISED $2500
- 1952: DONATED PING-PONG TABLES, BADMINTON SETS, AND VOLLEYBALLS TO THE SALVATION ARMY
- 1953: ESTABLISHED CIRCLE K CLUBS AT ABILENE CHRISTIAN, MC MURRY, AND HARDIN-SIMMONS
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 1960s
- 1960: PURCHASED TWENTY-FIVE BEDS FOR THE BOYS RANCH
- 1961: PAST PRESIDENT CHUCK MOSER CHAIRED THE UNITED FUND DRIVE
- 1965: DONATED $1000 TO THE ABILENE ZOO
- 1969: GUMBALL RECEIPTS PASS THE $20,000 MARK
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 1970s
- 1970: FIVE CLUB MEMBERS ATTENDED THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION IN SAN FRANCISCO
- 1972: GUM BALL MACHINE RECEIPTS PASS THE $25,000 MARK
- 1975: KIWANIANS PERFORMED 700 HOURS OF SERVICE AT THE WEST TEXAS FAIR
- 1979: VOCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS WERE INCREASED TO $325.00
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 1980s
- 1980: KIWANIS MEMBERS WERE BELL RINGERS FOR THE SALVATION ARMY
- 1981: DONATED $5,000 TO THE CHAPEL BUILDING FUND AT THE ABILENE STATE SCHOOL
- 1985: DELIVERING MEALS ON WHEELS BECAME A CLUB PROJECT
- 1987: NANCY MILLER WAS INDUCTED AS THE FIRST WOMAN MEMBER
HIGHLIGHTS SINCE 1990
- 1990: DONATED $1000 TO HELP SEND THE COOPER HIGH SCHOOL BAND TO MARCH IN THE ROSE PARADE
- 1995: DONATED $4,136.52 TO THE CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK
- 2003: FED OVER 600 AT OUR UNITED FOR KIDS TAILGATE PARTY
- 2006: ESTABLISHED THE MELVIN MARTIN FIRST RESPONDER AWARD
- 2008: BASKETBALL SHOOTOUT RAISED $6,475.48 FOR CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NETWORK
- 2011: DONATED $50,000 TO HELP BUILD THE CHILDREN’S WING AT HENDRICK HOSPITAL
- 2011: CELEBRATED OUR 90th BIRTHDAY
- 2016: GUM BALL MACHINE RECEIPTS EXCEED $275,000
- 2017: DONATED IN EXCESS OF $72,000 TO ELIMINATE MATERNAL/NEONATAL TETANUS
- 2017: HOSTED THE TX-OK DISTRICT CONVENTION
- 2017: SPONSORED THE BUG PROGRAM AT REAGAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
- 2017: CHRISTMAS LIGHTING AT SAFETY CITY SIGNATURE PROJECT
- 2018: DONATED $1000 TO MEALS ON WHEELS
- 2018: HOSTED THE TX-OK DISTRICT CONVENTION FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR
- 2018: WON FIRST PLACE IN TX-OK DISTRICT NEWSLETTER AND WEBSITE CONTEST
- 2018-19: DONATED MORE THAN $74,000 TO ELIMINATE MATERNAL/NEONATAL TETANUS WORLDWIDE
- 2019: ASSUMED THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE BIG COUNTRY SPELLING BEE
- 2019: PRESENTED BICYCLES TO THE TOP PERFORMERS IN THE BUG PROGRAM
