Kiwanis Club Lynchburg has existed locally since January 14, 1920 and focuses on engaging, serving and supporting children through meals, scholarships and promoting academic excellence, as they’ve done for over 100 years. We sponsor just under a dozen student clubs in our area. Our close-knit membership gathers for monthly meetings, local service projects and volunteer opportunities. Club involvement helps to spread the Kiwanis name and increase membership with the goal of bringing youth in the community together. “Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time”.
Fun Fact: During the administration of our first official President, Giles H Miller the Kiwanis Clubs of Virginia resolved to foster the Good Roads Movement and commenced a vigorous campaign to improve roads in rural areas, this was its first service project of 1920.
Vision: Kiwanis will be a positive influence in communities worldwide — so that one day, all children will wake up in communities that believe in them, nurture them and provide the support they need to thrive.
Mission: Kiwanis helps kids around the world. Local clubs look out for our communities and the international organization takes on large-scale challenges, such as fighting disease and poverty.
Fun Fact: A member of Kiwanis is called a “Kiwanian” (Ki –wan-e-an)
Regional: Kiwanis Club of Lynchburg is part of the Capital District of Kiwanis International (composed of all the Kiwanis Clubs in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia) it was organized on August 29, 1918 with only two clubs. Now, over 100 years later, the Capital District remains active with 7 regions, 20 divisions and over 170 clubs.
History: Did you know?
Kiwanis International was founded in 1915 by a group of businessmen in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The organization was originally called the Supreme Lodge Benevolent Order of Brothers, but changed its name to Kiwanis a year later.
The name “Kiwanis” was coined from an American Indian expression, “Nunc Kee-wanis,” which means, “We trade.” In 1920, the motto of Kiwanis became “We Build.” It remained the motto until 2005, when members voted to change it to “Serving the children of the world.” In the early years, members focused on business networking but in 1919, the organization changed its focus to service — specifically service to children.
Kiwanis became an international organization with the founding of the Kiwanis Club of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, in 1916. Kiwanis clubs formed in communities across the United States and Canada until the 1960s, when worldwide expansion was approved. Today, Kiwanis clubs are helping children thrive, prosper and grow in nearly 80 nations and geographic locations.
All people are welcome to participate in the Kiwanis movement of improving communities for children. Kiwanis clubs celebrate and foster an environment of inclusiveness in all and every level or our organization.
Preferred Kiwanis Charities (Outside of Kiwanis)
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (District Project on going)