Kiwanis International

Kiwanis International is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The club was initially focused on business networking, but changed its focus to service in 1919. In 1916, Kiwanis became an international organization with the creation of the Kiwanis Club of Hamilton, Ontario. In 1962, worldwide expansion was approved, making Kiwanis a global organization of volunteers. Today the Kiwanis family of clubs has approximately 600,000 members worldwide. Click here to read more about the history of Kiwanis.

The Objects of Kiwanis International

The six permanent Objects of Kiwanis International were approved by Kiwanis club delegates at the 1924 Convention in Denver, Colorado. Through the succeeding decades, they have remained unchanged.
 
•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.

The Kiwanis Name

The name “Kiwanis” was coined from an Otchipew Native American expression, "Nunc Kee-wanis", variously translated as "we trade," "we share our talents," "we make a noise," "we meet," and even "we fool around." The organization's founders translated it as "We build," which became the original motto of Kiwanis. The current motto is "Serving the Children of the World". Members of the club are called Kiwanians.

The Kiwanis Name

The name “Kiwanis” was coined from an Otchipew Native American expression, "Nunc Kee-wanis", variously translated as "we trade," "we share our talents," "we make a noise," "we meet," and even "we fool around." The organization's founders translated it as "We build," which became the original motto of Kiwanis. The current motto is "Serving the Children of the World". Members of the club are called Kiwanians.

100 Years of Kiwanis

"January 21, 1915 - the day the world changed. On that day, the State of Michigan granted the charter to the Detroit No. 1 Kiwanis Club, and the world changed forever. Troubles surfaced soon after the chartering as struggles developed between the first members over the club’s focus: improved business practices and profits or community service. Many arguments and fistfights later, those favoring community service prevailed. And the rest is history."