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“90 Years of Service”
A History of the Greenville Kiwanis Club
1921 through 2010
Compiled by: William T. Maxwell and W. Roy Haines
Edited by: W. Roy Haines
A History of the
Kiwanis Club of Greenville
Part 5 of 5 – 2000 through 2010
Read Part 1 – Greenville Kiwanis 1921 to 1949
Read Part 2 – Greenville Kiwanis 1950 to 1979
Read Part 3 – Greenville Kiwanis 1980 to 1989
Read Part 4 – Greenville Kiwanis 1990s
The Kiwanis Club of Greenville owes a debt of gratitude to Kiwanian
William T. Maxwell for the following history of the Club. Bill served
the Club as President, Secretary, Distinguished Lt. Governor and
unofficial Club Historian. The passing of Bill on September 10, 2000
was a great loss to the Club and the community. The Club history from
the 1920’s through the 1970’s, as compiled by Bill, appeared in “The
Daily Advocate” on June 6, 1986 in a tabloid honoring the local club’s
65th Anniversary. Information from the 1980’s through Kiwanis year
2009/2010 is what current members remember. There will undoubtedly be
some memory failures and the like, for which “The Ki-Yak” editor, Roy
Haines, is very sorry. With the preamble out of the way, let’s all go
down memory lane and refresh a few memories.
The 2000’s
The 2000 era finds the Club continuing with these fund raising
projects: Pancake Day; Fair Gate #5; Nut Sales to Club members; Iodine
Deficiency Disorder; “pull tabs” for Dayton Ronald McDonald House;
Entertainment Books; Food for FISH; chili supper and the Kiwanis/Treaty
Invitational Cross Country Track Meet.
Some recipients of monies from the Club’s fund raising activities have
been: Food for FISH, Greenville High School scholarships, Special
Olympics, magazine subscriptions to area rest homes, Head Start, United
Way, March of Dimes, Toys for Tots, Montessori School, Right to Read,
BB/BS Bowl for Kids, Red Cross Adopt-A-Crib and Teddy Bears, GHS
Student-of-the-Month plaques, Shriner’s Hospitals, Friends of Scouting,
Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Conference, State-of-the-Heart (HOSPICE),
8th grade trip to Washington, D.C., infant care car seats, Beef Cattle
Clubs of Darke County, Youth for Christ, Cross Country Invitational
Track Meet, GHS Music Department, Girl Scouts, Gateway Youth Program,
handicap door opener, Kiwanis Foundation, Circle K, Downtown Greenville
Inc., Citizen-of-the-Year plaque, Teacher-of-the-Year plaque,
Greenville Public Library, GHS Wavaires, GPAT funds to be held in
escrow, Bradley House of Hope, Esther Ryan Shoe Fund, Pediatric Trauma
Project, GHS girls’ softball field, Wayne Hospital expansion, GHS Auto
Tech class, Darke Economic Foundation, SCORE International, National
Youth Leadership Conference, Michael’s Home for Boys, “Operation Youth”
at Xavier University.
In January 2002, after a number of years trying, a Key Club was
restarted at Greenville High School. With hard work by Kiwanians Betsy
and Aaron Ward as the advisors and GHS principal/Kiwanian Rick Smith,
it appears the club will be a success. At the July 24, 2002 Kiwanis
Club meeting, the Key Club president was present to receive the GSHS
Key Club Charter. It has been about 25 years since GHS had a Key Club.
The young people in the group are to be commended for their efforts
with various community projects.
As of May 7, 2007, the Greenville School system does not recognize the
Key Club until a teacher serves as an advisor. A school advisor would
cost $350 to $1,400 per year, with a starting teacher costing about
$700 to serve as the advisor. The teacher’s union sets the rate. In
2002, the Key Club undertook a project to replace playground equipment
at the City Park. At the July 2, 2007 Board of Directors meeting,
Kiwanian Bob Robinson volunteered to serve as advisor of the GHS Key
Club.
In May 2008, Bob Robinson reported that 23 active Key Club members did
570 hours of community work during the 2007/2008 school year. The Key
club also raised $450 from “The Battle of Bands” project. Since then,
Key club community service has continued to climb: 2009 – 660, and in
2010 – 824 hours.
For a period of time in the 2000’s, the Key Club honored
“Teacher-of-the-Month” at a regular Kiwanis Club meeting. Assorted Key
Club community activities included: “Rake and Run”; Trick of Treat for
FISH; Ronald McDonald House pull tab collection; Walk America; GHS
basketball game face painting with proceeds donated to Children’s
Medical Center in memory of Missy Bernhard; clean-up on U.S. 36 East of
Greenville; help staffing Fair Gate No. 5; help staffing the Community
Christmas Bell ringing. In 2008, the GHS Key Clubbers put in many hours
helping to clean-up and up-grade the 7 cemeteries in Greenville
Township. In 2010 Chris Mortensen, Greenville High School principal,
and a Kiwanis member, was selected to serve as facility advisor for the
Key Club.
On June 27, 2001, 60 Kiwanians and friends gathered at the Elks Lodge
to celebrate the 80th Anniversary of the Kiwanis Club of Greenville. On
July 20, 2005, the Club started meeting at “The Community Center in
Chestnut Center.” The move was necessary as the Elks Lodge discontinued
serving meals.
By 2000, the Kiwanis Club had reduced the losses for the food/drink
stand at the “Kiwanis/Treaty City Invitational Cross Country Meet” to
making a profit of about 20 cents. In 2002, Kiwanis realized a profit
of $88.00 from the food and drink stand. At a July 2003 meeting of the
“Kiwanis/Treaty City Invitational Cross Country Track Meet,” a request
was made for Kiwanis to supply 17 to 30 helpers to work the course and
help the food/drink stand. Some members of the Athletic Boosters and
the Greenville School System wanted to know why Kiwanis was involved
with the meet. The answer was: “Kiwanis picks-up the cost of the
trophies, banners, timing machine, tent, oranges at the finish line and
assorted other things. Plus the fact the Boosters could not get enough
help for the meet.” At the time this meet was the second largest cross
country meet in the state. The Boosters observed how Kiwanis had turned
around a food/drink stand loss for the event into a profit that would
help offset some of the costs for the event. The year 2005 saw a change
in the Club’s participation. The Kiwanis Club will no longer be totally
responsible for the food/drink stand. The GHS Athletic Boosters will
take over the entire purchasing of food and Kiwanis will be responsible
for a total of 15 workers to work in the food tent and on the
racecourse. For its part, Kiwanis will receive $1,600 for helping with
the event (this is the amount of profit the Club was making prior to
the change). The Kiwanis Club will receive a contract that will be
reviewed each year. In the past the Kiwanis Club paid for trophies,
ribbons and supplied help on the racecourse in addition to running the
food stand. For the 2005 Cross Country Track Meet, Kiwanis was
requested to have 15 workers for the event. 4 Kiwanians worked the
course and 17 worked in the food tent for a total of 21 workers.
At the August 15, 2006 Club meeting it was announced that the GHS
Athletic Boosters had informed GHS AD Dave Peltz that the Kiwanis Club
did not have enough people helping with the food tent and therefore
Kiwanis was not wanted. Kiwanis representatives will be working with
Dave Peltz to correct the problem. At the May 7, 2007 Board of
Directors meeting Prez Gary Brown stated a new cross country track
coach has been hired for GSH and that Dave Peltz indicates Kiwanis will
be back on board for the Kiwanis/Treaty City Cross Country track meet.
2008 found the end of Kiwanis participating in this event.
For a number of years in the 2000’s, Greenville Kiwanis held a “Prayer
Breakfast” at “The Greenville Inn.” The meal consisted of juice, tea or
coffee and assorted sweet rolls. An individual from the local community
was the featured speaker. The breakfast was planned to be held 3 or 4
times a year as 7:30 A.M. After several meetings, it was determined the
idea was great but the attendance was somewhat lacking, therefore the
project was discontinued.
Carole Schafer was elected Club President for the Kiwanis years 2003/4
and 2004/5. This was the first two-time president since 1921 and 1922
when Frank Welch served back-to-back presidencies. For Kiwanis year
2003/4 and 2004/5 the Ohio District of Kiwanis International recognized
Carole Schafer as a “Distinguished President” and Tom Lawson as a
“Distinguished Secretary.” In the 2002/3 Kiwanis year, Paul Wolf was a
“George F. Hixson Fellowship Recipient.” Phil Crawford served as Lt.
Governor for Division 3-W for the 2000/01 Kiwanis year. During Phil
Crawford’s year as Lt. Gov., an effort was made to start a Kiwanis Club
in Versailles. The club would meet at 7:30 A.M. on the first and third
Tuesday of each month. After a number of months it was determined this
project would not be successful and was discontinued.
Greenville Kiwanis served pancakes at “The Great Croquet Caper” that
was held at the Bretherns Retirement Center on September 22, 2007 and
again on September 13, 2008. Participation in the “Cross Country Track
Meet” and the “Croquet Caper” projects after the 2008 events for
various reasons. The GHS Athletic Boosters did not want Kiwanis to
participate with the Cross Country Track Meet and the Great Croquet
Caper Pancake Breakfast was not profitable.
For a number of years, Greenville Rotary and Kiwanis Club held a golf
outing at various area golf courses. A trophy was awarded to the
winning club. Club members participated in local and Division golf
events held at various area courses.
Club Honors: The Community Services Committee received Ohio District
recognition “for outstanding work” and the “Ki-Yak” received “honorable
mention” in the Ohio District newsletter contest for the 2006/7 Kiwanis
year. The “Ki-Yak” received a “First Place Patch” as being the No. 1
Club bulletin in the Ohio District for the 2008/2009 Kiwanis year.
Board of Director Actions: At the July 2, 2007 meeting, the Board voted
“if a Club member is unable to work the Fair Gate No. 5 and cannot find
a replacement, the member shall pay $5.00 per hour per shift for a
hired replacement.”
“Teacher-of-the-Year” awards that were presented during the 2000/2010
years were: 2000/1---Jan Culbertson; 2001/2---Michelle Smith;
2002/3---Melodie Bernhard; 2003/4---Nanette Hottle; 2004/5---Brenda
Thomas; 2005/6---Carol Bruss; 2006/7---Kathy Brewer; 2007/8---Bob
Batty; 2008/9---Jim Anderson and Susie Riegle; 2009/10---
“Citizen-of-the-Year” awards that were presented during the 2000/2010
years were: 2000/1---Patty Lavy; 2001/2---Roscoe Hinkle; 2002/3---No
award; 2003/4---Bob Anthony; 2004/5---David Feltman; 2005/6---Lucy
Wolfe; 2006/7---Alex Warner; 2007/8---Bob Robinson; 2008/9---No record;
2009/10---Allen Keaser.
“Kiwanian-of-the-Year” members who were recognized during the 2000/2010
years were: 2000/1—Paul Wolf; 2001/2---Betsy and Aaron Ward;
2002/3---Gary Brown; 2003/4---Ted Wonder; 2004/5---Carole Schafer;
2005/6---Tom Lawson; 2006/7---Royce Rhoades; 2007/8---Dale Musser;
2008/9---No record; 2009/10---Steve Litchfield.
“Club Presidents” during the 2000/2010 years were:
2000/1---Marabelle Garland; 2001/2---Richard Rhoades; 2002/3---Patty
Niese; 2003/4---Carole Schafer; 2004/5---Carole Schafer; 2005/6---Dale
Musser; 2006/7---Gary Brown; 2007/8---Aaron Ward; 2008/9---Matt Kolb;
2009/10---Mike Henry.
KIWANIS INFORMATION
• The first Kiwanis Club was organized in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., in
1914. The group received a charter from the state of Michigan on
January 21, 1915 --- the day that is recognized as the birth date of
Kiwanis.
• The name “Kiwanis” was coined from an expression of the American
Indians in the Detroit area, which was found in Bishop Baraga’s
dictionary of the Otchipew language. The expression “Nunc Kee-wan-nis”
meant, broadly, “we trade” or “we share our talents.” As a coined word,
however, “Kiwanis” has no meaning except as the name of a leading
international service club.
• The First Object of Kiwanis International is “To give primacy to the
human and spiritual rather than to the material values of life.”
• The Second Object of Kiwanis International is “To encourage the daily
living of the Golden Rule in all human relationships.”
• The Third Object of Kiwanis International is “To promote the adoption
and the application of higher social, business and professional
standards.”
• The Fourth Object of Kiwanis International is “To develop, by precept
and example, a more intelligent, aggressive and serviceable
citizenship.”
• The Fifth Object of Kiwanis International is “To provide, through
Kiwanis clubs, a practical means to form enduring friendships, to
render altruistic service, and to build better communities.”
• The Sixth Object of Kiwanis International is “To cooperate in
creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism
which make possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism
and goodwill.”
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