History of the Kiwanis Club of Ames, Iowa
The Ames Kiwanis Club, the 968th club to be organized in Kiwanis International, came into existence on May 14, 1923 with 50 charter members. Service projects to benefit boys and girls were initiated in 1925, the first of many projects to follow. The first recognition as an outstanding club occurred in 1927, again one of many which followed.
International relations was an early and is an ongoing focus, starting with US/Canada relations and expanding from there. This club originally proposed that each Kiwanis Club's organization include a committee on international relations. Kiwanis adopted this as a national policy. International visitors (including Chairman Khrushchev), programs on international relations, inviting international students to become honorary members, and providing financial support to international students are examples of this focus.
Farm-city relations and support of programs for the elderly were early priorities for service projects. These included establishing the predecessor of the Heartland Senior Center.
The major focus of service projects has been and continues to be services to children and youth. Some of the major ones include:
Providing for swimming instruction for young children,
Supporting vocational guidance education and counseling,
Sponsoring the Ames High Key Club,
Sponsoring the ISU Circle K Club,
Establishing the Ames Community Council on Drug Education (1970),
Sponsoring many community-based programs on drug education,
Supporting Youth & Shelter Services,
Supporting the Boys & Girls Club,
Supporting facilities for the Ames Youth Sports Complex,
Supporting 4-H Clubs,
Supporting Ames Park & Recreation facilities,
Supporting the Ames Emergency Residence Shelter,
Volunteering at Special Olympics,
Providing for student scholarships,
Establishing a tree nursery for the city, and
Collecting food for the Mid Iowa Community Action food pantry.
When Kiwanis International launched the first world wide service project to eliminate iodine deficiencies among children, this club contributed more than $25,000, which was more than enough to build a modern salt iodizing plant and thus saving many children from mental retardation.
Major fund raising projects are apple sales (started in 1935), pancake days, sweet corn sales and gum ball machines. A now defunct project was to sell ads for KASI and operate the station for a day. Sixteen to twenty thousand dollars are spent on 30 to 40 projects each year.
Women became members in 1987 and have contributed their leadership in accomplishing the objects of the club.
The club has contributed to the Kiwanis organization by establishing eight new Kiwanis clubs and has provided 15 Lt. Governors, two District Governors, four chairs of Kiwanis International committees and three Directors to the Nebraska-Iowa District Foundation.
