Lincoln Center Kiwanis Club

History

The first Kiwanis Club (Detroit) was only four years old when 100 Lincoln business and professional men gathered together on March 21, 1919 in Lincoln, Nebraska to elect the first permanent officers of the Kiwanis Club of Lincoln.  Mr. F.N. Fillmore, a field representative from the International Kiwanis Office came to Lincoln to assist in the selection of a large number of community leaders to form the club.  Things moved rapidly and during he same year, on September 18, 125 members attended the meeting to hear the International Secretary of Kiwanis, Mr. O. Samuel Cummings, present a forceful speech on the meaning of Kiwanis and he also presented the club charter.  By the end of 1919 there were 159 active members, 11 associate members, and one honorary member, John J. (Blackjack) Pershing.  One hundred twenty occupational classifications were cited for membership.

From the very first, the members of the Lincoln Kiwanis Club embarked on community service and demonstrated the importance of professional ethics.  In 1920 International Kiwanis adopted the motto “We Build” and in 1926 and the present six “Objects of Kiwanis.”  The “Objects” came as a result of a number of clubs, including Lincoln, demonstrating that community service was indeed the chief purpose of Kiwanis.

The six “Objects of Kiwanis” are:

· 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 good will.

The first major project for the Kiwanis Club of Lincoln was the establishment of a Camp Fire Girl’s Council and girls camp.  Following some discussion in 1919, ten Lincoln Kiwanians and Mrs. Fritz Teal organized the Council in February 1920.  Dr. J. Stanley Welch, also a Kiwanian, provided a six acre tract of land along the Blue River near Milford, Nebraska.  The Kiwanis Club of Lincoln raised the entire first annual budget of $7000.00 for the Council and aided the group for a great many years before the Council became self sufficient.  The Camp eventually grew to 62 acres in size and now has many modern facilities.

Many other “significant projects” have been undertaken and can be listed as “outstanding community achievements.”  To name several projects, the list is as follows:

· A series of projects were launched in the 1920’s for underprivileged children with special attention to tubercular children. 

· The Club arranged for an ice skating rink for Lincoln Children in 1920.

· During the 1920’s the Club worked with other civic organization to obtain a new state capitol building.

· Of interest to football fans of today—in the 1920’s the club worked on the development of the University of Nebraska Memorial Stadium.

· And to prove some things never change—in the 1920’s the Club worked to secure “higher teachers salaries” - a topic of considerable discussion today.

· The Club also started a “farmers program” and began providing assistance to Lancaster County 4-H Club members in 1920.  These are still projects of significance today.

· In 1922, the Club commenced its annual presentation of an award for distinguished service to an outstanding community builder or distinguished citizen within the State of Nebraska.  This continues today.

· Special attention and assistance to patients in the Orthopedic hospital during the 1930’s and 1940’s.

· Orphans in the Nebraska Home for dependent children (Whitehall) since 1946.

· In 1986, the Club began a special interest with the Folsom Children’s Zoo.  Since that time, many major contributions have been made for improvements.

· In 1989-90, the newly formed Children Museum needed help that help was forthcoming from the Club and it still remains a major item today.

After 80 years of distinguished service to the Lincoln and Lancaster County area community, the Kiwanis Club of Lincoln is constantly seeking new ideas for projects that members can contribute both funds and their labor to benefit the community and to continue the focus on providing special assistance to children.