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President - Don Coffman
Club Secretary - Joe Donald
Webmaster - Jon Donald
The Independence Kiwanis Club was organized on November 19, 1929. A dinner was held at the Memorial Building to officially receive the charter from Kiwanis International and to install the club’s officers. Charter members included: Mayor Roger T. Sermon, Dr. C. H. Allen, business leader Albert Bundschu, Rev. J. E. Alexander -- and future President of the United States, Harry S. Truman. In September, 2004, members of the Independence Kiwanis Club will mark our 75th consecutive year of service to the community with a banquet at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library.
Our club members are service-minded men and women from all segments of the community, including leaders in business, professions, city government, community service organizations, and schools. We meet every Tuesday, 11:50 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., for lunch, fellowship, discussion of business pertinent to our club, and a program of interest on community issues, public affairs, service, or entertainment. Meetings are open to all club members, their guests, individuals seeking to learn more about Kiwanis, and visiting members of other Kiwanis clubs. Members are expected to attend club meetings as regularly as possible, to serve on committees, to participate in community service projects and fund raising events, and to pay dues to support the operation of the club.
Service is the life-blood of our club and our reason for existence. We are ready to respond to the unique needs of our community and seek to improve the quality of life for children and families through active service. We support the following projects with financial support and/or direct service hours:
Our service endeavors are supported from proceeds of four major fund-raising events held each year. All money received from these events must be used for community service, not club administrative expenses.
Membership in Kiwanis is open to all who have a desire to be part of our thriving community service organization. Becoming a member is as simple as having a current member as a sponsor, being approved by the Membership Committee and the Board of Directors, participating in an informative session to orient new members, and being inducted as a member at a weekly club meeting. Membership in our Kiwanis club is a great way to enjoy good food, fun, and fellowship; to meet new people and develop life-long friendships; and to experience the joy of community service. We invite you to "come and see" what the Independence Kiwanis Club is all about.
Founded in1915, and headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, Kiwanis International is a thriving organization of service-minded men and women who respond to the unique needs of their communities and address worldwide issues by "Serving the Children of the World." Today, more than 600,000 members in 79 countries participate in one of 13,000 Kiwanis clubs around the globe. Members of Kiwanis are challenged to live by the following Objects of Kiwanis:
Young children (prenatal to five years of age) are "Priority One," but Kiwanis also serves school age youth and families through a variety of projects. Among these are sponsorship of Kiwanis-family organizations that provide young people and adults with opportunities to perform community service: K-Kids Clubs in elementary schools, Builders Clubs in middle and junior high schools, Key Clubs in high schools, Circle K Clubs at the collegiate level, and Aktion Clubs for adults living with disabilities. Other specific service projects are conducted by Kiwanis clubs to meet community needs.
The Kiwanis-family worldwide service initiative, in which all clubs participate, is a partnership with UNICEF to eliminate the world's leading cause of preventable mental retardation: Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD). With more than 1.5 billion people worldwide at risk of IDD, Kiwanians have raised more that $75 million to prevent the devastating effects of this disorder and allow future generations around the world the chance to realize their full physical and mental potential. Kiwanis is committed to continuing in this effort until the goal of eliminating IDD is realized.