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Look to the future today

The year was 1915.

World War I was in full force. The one-millionth Ford automobile rolled off the assembly line. A first-class stamp in the United States cost 2 cents. And Kiwanis International was born.

When Kiwanis began, it was defined as “an organization for men.” Membership was limited to only those living in the US and Canada.

But that was then.

This is now:

Kiwanis boasts more than 8,000 clubs in more than 95 nations and geographic areas. Men and women are united in their commitment to serve the children and communities of the world. Kiwanis certainly has come a long way since those first days in Detroit, Michigan. But it has a long way to go.

This is the future:

On January 21, when members get out their party hats and serve up some tasty birthday cake to celebrate Kiwanis’ 92 years, they are urged to celebrate where Kiwanis has been along with where it is going.

 “This is a new beginning,” said International President Nelson Tucker during his closing remarks at the 91st Annual International Convention in Montréal, Québec. “Every day when we get up, it’s a new opportunity to find new ways of service … to finding new ways to be the best that we can be. And when we go to sleep at night, let us not look behind at what we have done, but forward to what we still must do.

“The time has come to understand that there is only one goal in Kiwanis.

“One Kiwanis … one goal: One million members by our 100th birthday in 2015.”

President Nelson stresses the gain in strength will and should come at the club level.

Members are urged to improve their own clubs, and to help others build new ones. Get the word out about your club by taking advantage of marketing and public relations tactics. Take a serious look at what your club does, and then, kick it up a notch. Invite everyone you think deserves to be a Kiwanian into your club. Help others build new clubs. Take youth program members under your wings.

And, even more importantly, accept that change is needed to grow. In another 92 years, Kiwanis won’t—and shouldn’t—look the same as it does today.

Says Nelson: “If we are to change, we can grow … and if we are to grow, we must change!”