We are celebrating Smithville Kiwanis Club as our Member of the Month!
Kiwanis is an international civic organization established in 1915 by a group of
businessmen in Detroit, Michigan and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. They
are in 83 nations and have 60 districts. The Smithville Club is in the #14 MO-ARK district. Nationwide there are nearly 180,000 adults members, there are 3200 members
in the MO-ARK district alone, and the local club is standing at 20 members, which is the average size of most clubs. In 1987, Kiwanis began to accept women as members. Probably a good idea since all the officers are females in the Smithville club!
The Kiwanis motto: Kids Need Kiwanis. The common goal of all clubs is: To serve
children of the world, one community, on child at a time.
Kiwanis clubs around the world work together on global health initiatives. In 1994
Kiwanis partnered with UNICEF until 2005 to rid the world of Iodine deficiency which causes intellectual and developmental disabilities. As a result, 88% of the WORLD'S households now have access to iodized salt and millions of children have escaped the effects of iodine deficiency. In 2010 Kiwanis launched a new program with UNICEF to rid the world of a painful and deadly disease called Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus.
There were 39 countries assessed to have an issue with MNT and since 2010 it has
been completely eliminated in 27 of those countries and they are still working to
eliminate it in the remaining 12.
Locally, the Smithville club is best known for hosting the annual fishing derby in June every year at Helvey Park! It includes a morning of family fishing, and hot dogs, sodas and trophies afterwards! A tradition that has been happening in Smithville for over 75 years now! They also have become well known most recently for hosting the 5th and 6th grade kid dances.
Kiwanis is focused on children and making their lives better. If this sounds like
something you would like to be involved in, they invite you to come to one of their meetings and see what they are all about. They meet the first Tuesday of the month at Kozaks from 6-7 with happy hour from 5-6 and the third Tuesday at the American Legion from 12-1 pm. They are also planning to offer a zoom option after the first of the year. They will buy your meal and hopefully introduce you to an opportunity you didn't know you needed to be a part of until now! Feel free to contact Starla Janes and 816-289-6240 or Holly Sullivan at 816-918-0457.
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