Add an Article Add an Event Edit

Kiwanis Club of Gaylord


The knowledge and success of our past experiences builds an exciting future:

The Kiwanis Organization was born in Detroit, when the first club was chartered by the State of Michigan on January 21, 1915. Our Gaylord club was sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Petoskey and received its charter on December 20, 1934. Mr. Frank Shipp was the first president and the club was born with 38 charter members. Our first project was to sponsor Gaylord's Boy Scout Troop #1, a tradition which has continued to this day.

In December 1935, the Gaylord Kiwanis Club distributed 16 Christmas baskets to local needy families. By 1953 this project had grown to 60 baskets and during the year 2000 we distributed over 400.

At the 1987 Kiwanis International Convention, the organization welcomed women and we are fortunate to have the Michigan District's first female governor-elect, Ms. Sue Petrisin taking office this year! There are now more than 8,000 Kiwanis Clubs worldwide, with a total membership of over 300,000.