The Owasco-Fleming Kiwanis Club will celebrate its 50th anniversary Thursday.
Past president Bill Barth said the goals of the club have remained the same throughout the years.
"We're kind of a social and community service organization," Barth said. "It's the social aspect and the feel-good aspect" that keeps the club together, Barth said.
Welcoming representatives from other clubs and former members, the club continues to function as a social club deeply involved in community service.
The club began in 1955, when the Auburn Kiwanis Club had grown so large that it decided to form another club in the area. On May 7, 1955 the Owasco-Fleming Kiwanis Club was formally chartered and its first president was Leonard Smith.
Since that time, the club has been supporting charitable projects on an international, national, regional and local scale, even as a variety of outside influences have dwindled the active membership down to about 18. "People just aren't volunteering like they used to," Barth said.
Back in '55, the Kiwanis' membership was exclusively men so, in order that women may be included, the club formed "Genetaska," an organization for the wives of members of the Auburn and Owasco-Fleming Kiwanis Clubs. Its first president was Mrs. Willis Schermerhorn.
Although the two clubs meet separately, they have often worked on joint ventures for the community.
This year's regional project involves fund-raising for University Children's Hospital in Syracuse. The Owasco-Fleming club is also helping support Kamp Kiwanis, a statewide Kiwanis summer camp near Utica for underprivileged and disabled kids.
Peanut Day, held the first Friday in June, has been the club's main charity fund-raiser in recent years. For the last three years, the club has operated a food booth during summer concerts at Hoopes Park, and maintained a hotdog stand at the county fair and at local football games.
The Kiwanis Club has sponsored events for the Boy Scouts, the 4-H, the Seymour Library, the Cayuga Museum, the Auburn High School Band, Camp Columbus, and numerous other projects.
"We're kind of a social and community service organization," Barth said. "It's the social aspect and the feel-good aspect" that keeps the club together, Barth said.
Welcoming representatives from other clubs and former members, the club continues to function as a social club deeply involved in community service.
The club began in 1955, when the Auburn Kiwanis Club had grown so large that it decided to form another club in the area. On May 7, 1955 the Owasco-Fleming Kiwanis Club was formally chartered and its first president was Leonard Smith.
Since that time, the club has been supporting charitable projects on an international, national, regional and local scale, even as a variety of outside influences have dwindled the active membership down to about 18. "People just aren't volunteering like they used to," Barth said.
Back in '55, the Kiwanis' membership was exclusively men so, in order that women may be included, the club formed "Genetaska," an organization for the wives of members of the Auburn and Owasco-Fleming Kiwanis Clubs. Its first president was Mrs. Willis Schermerhorn.
Although the two clubs meet separately, they have often worked on joint ventures for the community.
This year's regional project involves fund-raising for University Children's Hospital in Syracuse. The Owasco-Fleming club is also helping support Kamp Kiwanis, a statewide Kiwanis summer camp near Utica for underprivileged and disabled kids.
Peanut Day, held the first Friday in June, has been the club's main charity fund-raiser in recent years. For the last three years, the club has operated a food booth during summer concerts at Hoopes Park, and maintained a hotdog stand at the county fair and at local football games.
The Kiwanis Club has sponsored events for the Boy Scouts, the 4-H, the Seymour Library, the Cayuga Museum, the Auburn High School Band, Camp Columbus, and numerous other projects.
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