Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers, dedicated to improving the world,
one child and one community at a time.
We would love to have you join us at our weekly meetings:
Every Thursday (excepting holidays and evening events)
12 noon
At McMinnville Community Center (600 NE Evans St, McMinnville, OR 97128 - see map here)
Kiwanis Objectives
- 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.
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Kiwanis History
The first clubs were organized to promote the exchange of business among the members. However the members were distributing Christmas baskets to the poor. A lively debate ensued between those who supported community service as the Kiwanis mission and those who supported the exchange of business. By 1919, the service advocates won the debate.
- Kiwanis was founded in Detroit, Michigan, on January 21, 1915.
- In the early years, Kiwanis clubs focused on business networking, but even then, members were serving the needs of the poor.
- By 1919, the organization had changed its focus from business to service.
- Kiwanis became an international organization in 1916 with the organization of the Kiwanis Club of Hamilton, Ontario.
- Kiwanis limited its membership to the United States and Canada until 1962 when worldwide expansion was approved.
Until 1987, Kiwanis was a male-only organization. But after years of debate and growing support, women’s membership was received overwhelmingly.
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