PO Box 772 Hicksville, NY 11802-0772
(516) 495-9272

OVER 100 YEARS OLD… KIDS AT HEART!

For more than a century, Kiwanis has created opportunities for children to be curious, safe and healthy regardless of the community in which they live. It’s a mark we all proudly leave on the world.

Excerpt from Kiwanis 101

Kiwanis was founded in Detroit, Michigan, in 1915 by professional organizer Allen Browne. The first Kiwanian was a merchant tailor named Joseph Prance. The original name was “The Benevolent Order of Brothers” (aka BOB) and its purpose was the mutual exchange of preferred treatment in professional and business dealings. Within a year, the name had been changed to “Kiwanis,” taken from a Native American term “Nun Keewanis” which loosely means “Self Expression.” It had become obvious that the original purpose lacked appeal for many members. The purpose of the organization thus became “community service,” a humanitarian concept from which Kiwanis has never deviated.

The 1930s expanded the role of government, but government alone would never be enough. A group of true visionaries understood that Hicksville deserved a Kiwanis Club. With the support of the Kiwanis Club of Freeport, the Hicksville Club became he third Long Island Club when Kiwanis International issued the formal charter on June 20, 1937.

On July 7, 1987 Kiwanis International Convention delegates voted to extend membership to women, finally recognizing the valuable contributions that women make to our society and the contributions they could make to Kiwanis service to children. By the end of the 1987-88 administrative year, more than 8,500 women had joined the ranks of Kiwanis worldwide. We applaud the service of two women who joined us in 1987, Constance Clarke and Beth Dalton-Costello.

We salute the visionaries who created Kiwanis International and those who created the Hicksville Club – we are forever in your debt.

Charter Members (June 18, 1937)

1. Henry C. Brengel 
2. William DeFannis 
3. Henry C. Dreyer 
4. George Eisemann 
5. George E. Gaff 
6. Howard C. Godfrey 
7. Leon J. Galloway 
8. Arthur Gerdes
9. Harold J. Holden 
10. Henry W. Howes 
11. George Loucks 
12. Orist Millevolte 
13. Charles J. Masck 
14. Henry N. Mahland 
15. Archie H. Mowen 
16. Anthony Mussie 
17. Fred J. Noeth 
18. D.B. Parish
19. Leland A. Rider
20. Herbert Righthand 
21. Morris Rochman 
22. Julius Schwartz
23. Walter J. Stillger 
24. Henry J. Stock
25. Moe Spiro
26. Arthur O. Swick 
27. Julius J. Smith
28. Edward Schluter Jr. 
29. John Staryk

Charter Kiwanis Club of Hicksville in New York

About Kiwanis International

  • The KIWANIS journey begins in 1915 as a networking small group of businessmen in Detroit, Michigan.
  • The word Kiwanis was coined on January 21, 1915.
  • 60 businessmen were listed on the charter roster and so Kiwanis took flight.
  • In 1919 the focus was changed to serving children.
  • Kiwanis became an international foundation in 1916 within communities across the US and Canada.
  • In 1960 the worldwide expansion was approved.
  • Today we are in 80 countries with more than 550,000 members from K-Kids, to Key Club, to Kiwanis members worldwide.
  • There are 49 Districts worldwide.
  • The average age of a “Kiwanian” (Kiwanis member) is 51 years.
  • Kiwanis Clubs host nearly 150,000 service projects each year.
  • Our Motto is “Serving the Children of the World“
  • Women joined Kiwanis in 1987. At that convention the key note speaker was President Ronald Reagan, the second president to attend our convention (the first one being Franklin Delano Roosevelt).
  • Like any other organization we have international officers that change in June when the international convention is held.
  • The officers are: President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President (IPP), Vice-President (VP).
  • There are 15 trustees, which are elected positions. Procedure: candidates for the position of trustee must be endorsed by their own district at the district convention held in August then their information is submitted to International to be presented at the International Convention in June; candidates from the trustees will be nominated for VP; the election is held at the convention and a winner is chosen. Once any member becomes an International VP, they can move up the chain of leadership; in 3 years can be on the top of the pyramid as the International President.
  • The countries of the world part of Kiwanis International are divided into: 
    DISTRICTS > DIVISIONS > CLUBS.
    Districts are determined by size: some include one state such as New York or country like Malaysia; some countries are grouped together.
  • The rest of the areas are in regions such as the Pacific North West District.
  • Each District has a Governor who is elected at their District convention and a Lieutenant Governor (LG).
  • Each District has Divisions that contain many Clubs. We are part of the Long Island North Division, in the New York District.
  • Our district convention is held in August. The location changes from year to year.