The Brownwood Kiwanis Club was first organized in 1923, and will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a dinner on August 26th, 6:30 p.m. at the Brownwood Country Club.  Keynote speaker for the event will be Dr. Don Newbury, Chancellor and former President of Howard Payne University.

Kiwanis is a civic organization founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1914.  The name was adopted from a Native American phrase “Nunc-Kee-wanis”, which roughly translates to “We Trade.”  The Kiwanis modified that to “We Build,” which was the organization’s motto from 1920 until 2005.  At that time the motto was changed to “Serving the Children of the World.” Kiwanis now has over 140,000 members in more than 5,000 clubs in North America, and over 550,000 members in 80 countries worldwide.

If you have ever been to the Pancake Supper in November, then you are familiar with Kiwanis.  The Pancake Supper serves as the primary fundraiser for the Brownwood Kiwanis, and has allowed them to provide funds for local youth organizations such as the Key Club, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs, and many more.  All of the funds raised here stay here in Brownwood.  Over the course of the Kiwanis Club’s 100 years in Brownwood they have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to local youth organizations.

Brownwood Kiwanis Club member Dennis Graham commented “When you support Kiwanis, you are investing in local youth and our future.  Today Kiwanis is a worldwide service organization of men and women who share the challenge of community and world improvement.  There are members in the Kiwanis family representing nearly every culture on every continent — all seeking to improve people’s lives. Kiwanians give their time to make their communities and world better places in which to live and work, as well as making life-long friendships.”

Currently the Brownwood Kiwanis Club has sixty-five members, and has had hundreds of members over the years.

Tickets for the Kiwanis 100th Anniversary Celebration Dinner are $35 each and are available from any Brownwood Kiwanian.  For more information, or to buy tickets, contact Dennis Graham at 806-674-1708.