WHAT IS KIWANIS?
Find out more about who we are and why we do what we do.
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time.
- Kiwanis has over 8,300 adult member clubs and over 7,900 youth clubs across more than 85 countries of the world.
- Over 18,500,000 hours are given every year to help children and communities.
- There are more than 702,701 members of Kiwanis: 353,000 adult members and 349,701 youth members.
- Every year Kiwanis Sponsors nearly 150,000 service projects which directly impact children and families.
- The organization Raises more than $130 (CAD) million yearly.
- Kiwanians have contributed more than $100 million toward the global elimination of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD).
- The average Kiwanian directly impacts the lives of over 200 children!
- Kiwanians are now involved in raising $110 million to eliminate maternal or neonatal tetanus.
- The Kiwanis Club of Forest City-London became a $100K Club in this effort, when we committed to raising $100,000. Our club exceeded its goal, raising over $130,000.
WHAT IS A KIWANIAN?
Kiwanians are volunteers changing the world through service to children and communities. Kiwanis members help shelter the homeless, feed the hungry, mentor the disadvantaged, and care for the sick. They develop youth as leaders, build playgrounds, raise funds for pediatric research, and much more. No problem is too big or too small. Why? Because working together, members achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone. When you give a child a chance to learn, experience, dream, and succeed, great things happen! And as Kiwanians, we see it every day.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF KIWANIS
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 FIRST CLUBS
The first clubs were organized to promote the exchange of business among the members. However, even before the Detroit club received its state charter, 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.
The objects of kiwanis
The six permanent Objects (guiding principles) of Kiwanis International were approved by Kiwanis club delegates at the 1924 Convention in Denver, Colorado.
Through the succeeding decades, they have remained unchanged.
1
TO GIVE PRIMACY TO THE HUMAN AND SPIRITUAL RATHER THAN TO THE MATERIAL VALUES OF LIFE.
2
TO DEVELOP, BY PRECEPT AND EXAMPLE, A MORE INTELLIGENT, AGGRESSIVE, AND SERVICEABLE CITIZENSHIP.
3
TO ENCOURAGE THE DAILY LIVING OF THE GOLDEN RULE IN ALL HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS.
4
TO PROVIDE, THROUGH KIWANIS CLUBS, A PRACTICAL MEANS TO FORM ENDURING FRIENDSHIPS, TO RENDER ALTRUISTIC SERVICE, AND TO BUILD BETTER COMMUNITIES.
5
TO PROMOTE THE ADOPTION AND THE APPLICATION OF HIGHER SOCIAL, BUSINESS, AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS.
6
TO COOPERATE IN CREATING AND MAINTAINING THAT SOUND PUBLIC OPINION AND HIGH IDEALISM WHICH MAKE POSSIBLE THE INCREASE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, JUSTICE, PATRIOTISM, AND GOODWILL.
THE KIWANIS ORGANIZATION
local
There are more than 8,000 local Kiwanis clubs worldwide.
Our club, the Kiwanis Club of Forest City-London has served our local London community for over 100 years.
DIVISION
Each club is clustered together with other clubs in the area to form a division. Divisions are overseen by a lieutenant governor, who is a representative of the district board.
The number of divisions and lieutenant governors varies by district.
Colonel Talbot, DIVISION 4:
Our club, Forest City-London, is in Division 4 which is made up of the following 8 clubs in our area:
FOREST CITY-LONDON: Facebook
LinkedIn
forestcitykiwanis.ca
MIDDLESEX:
Facebook
middlesexkiwanis.org
INGERSOLL:
Facebook
ST. THOMAS GOLDEN K:
Facebook
PORT STANLEY:
Facebook
RODNEY:
Facebook
WEST LORNE:
Facebook
RIDGETOWN:
Facebook
ridgetownkiwanis.com
District
A district is made up of several divisions. (The number of divisions varies by district.) There are currently 49 districts within Kiwanis International.
Our own district, Eastern Canada and the Caribbean, is the largest and most geographically and ethnically diverse district in Kiwanis. It boasts clubs in 17 different countries!
international
All 49 districts and provisional districts, as well as Kiwanis nations that don’t fit into any district, make up Kiwanis International.
Currently, there are Kiwanis clubs in approximately 80 countries and geographic territories.
Each year, delegates at the Kiwanis International convention elect members and officers of the Kiwanis International Board, which includes a president, president-elect, vice president, past president and 15 trustees. The trustees work with the districts, similar to how lieutenant governors work with divisions.
