The headlines of the November 24, 1920 edition of the Evanston News- Index announced

 “INFANT KIWANIS CLUB OF EVANSTON KICKS OFF SWADDLING CLOTHES.”

 The article described the events of the previous evening of November 23.  “With music, cheers, and songs the new Kiwanis Club of Evanston at a banquet at the North Shore Hotel last night assumed the dignity of a full grown civic organization.” There were more than 250 guests and 65 charter members present to witness the receipt of the Club’s charter from Kiwanis International. Nearly 200 of the guests were from six other Kiwanis clubs in the metropolitan area.  

Mr. Irving C. Brower, the president of the Evanston Club presided and Evanston Mayor Harry P. Pearsons, an honorary member of the club, gave the welcoming address.

Mr. O. Samuel Cummings, the International Secretary of Kiwanis, gave the principal speech of the evening and delivered the club charter.

 Mr. Cummings was born in Evanston and received his education in Evanston public schools and at the Garrett Biblical Institute. He became International Secretary in 1917, one year after the formation of Kiwanis International. Mr. Cummings told the audience that by smiling, sympathetic service its members aim to “Do unto others as you would they should do unto you.”  He said that the organization always stands ready to back community service programs directed toward these ends.  He observed that the motto of Kiwanis is “We Build.”  President Brower enthusiastically accepted the Charter and gave a brief outline of the programs of the new club for the ensuing year.

At the time of its charter the Evanston Kiwanis Club became one of 330 local Kiwanis clubs with a combined membership of 37,000. This contrasts with over 1,000 clubs and a membership list totaling over 200,000 in 2002.

In 1924, with George E. Davis as President, the Club sponsored the publication of a book, “The History of Evanston,” edited by Edward B. Davidson. To celebrate this event, the Club, on June 12, 1924, hosted the first annual Civic Banquet held at the Orrington Hotel. The Reverend George Craig Stewart gave the main address. Mayor Harry P. Pearsons, Dr. Thomas Holgate of Northwestern University, and Governor Daniel Wentworth of Kiwanis International also spoke.

In 1947, the Club met at 12:15 p.m. on Tuesdays at the Georgian Hotel. Mr. D.J. Wellenkamp was President, and Robert J. James, Jr. was Vice President. There were 5 officers, 33 committee chairmen, 9 directors, and 43 regular members for a total of 90 active members. There were also 5 Honorary members. The Committees were aligned in four main groups – Youth Service, Community Service, Club Meetings, and Club Administration.

In 1950, the Club had 100 members and sponsored many service events. The Club supported the Crippled Children’s Room at Haven School. It gave a Christmas party for the Christopher School for Crippled Children. It maintained a Health Loan Fund at the South Evanston grammar schools. The Club sponsored the Boy Scout troop at Washington School, and it was a generous benefactor of the new Camp Windego for the Evanston Girl Scouts. The club won national recognition for its career-club work among the pupils at ETHS. In 1950 2,000 pupils were enrolled in fifty-seven career clubs under the direction of Edgar P. Swanson.

Kiwanian Robert Friars, a talented travel lecturer, moved to Evanston from Michigan in 1950 and started the Kiwanian sponsored community travelogs. The results of the first series in 1950-51 were encouraging, thanks to good programs and the intensive efforts of members selling tickets. In 1954 the Kiwanis Club continued the very popular travelogs. President James J. Fitzgerald announced the scheduling of six travelogs at Cahn Auditorium on the Northwestern University campus. The travelogs were very popular with the Evanston public and were held for many, many years. Proceeds from the series benefited local youth service projects. The members of the 1954 Committee included Dr. Stanley Huff and Dr. Robert Storm.

In 1961, the Club conducted its weekly meetings at the Pick-Georgian Hotel. Ernest A. Nordstrom was elected President. He succeeded Donald Heap. Robert J. James, past Lieutenant Governor, conducted the installation of officers and directors. F. Quentin Brown was installed as First Vice President. Alfred A. Gleimi, Bruce Goodman, and Dr. Stanley E. Huff were committee chairs. The principal service projects announced for that year were centered on the youth of the community, including the Boy and Girl Scouts. The Club also provided financial assistance to the YMCA in its building project and continued financial support of the Spastic Paralysis Research Foundation.

The Club’s good nature and enthusiasm were evident at the weekly luncheon meetings. Good-natured barbs and humor were plentiful. Bob James, song leader since 1930 and Greg Konold, pianist, were two members of great musical talent and comedians of the first magnitude.

In September 1970, the Evanston Kiwanis Club celebrated its golden anniversary with a banquet dinner at the Orrington Hotel. Mr. Maurice R. Myerson was inaugurated as President for club year 1970-71. Mr. Leland N. Larson was inaugurated as President elect; Mr. Jack Schermerhorn as Vice President, and Dr. Stanley E. Huff became Immediate Past President. Mr. Ron Ziegler, Press Secretary to President Nixon, was the featured guest speaker. Jack Schermerhorn introduced Ron Zeigler. President Myerson led a review of Club activities for the first 50 years. Club activities were not confined to fund raising and cash awards. The spirit of “We Build” prevailed in those first 50 years. For example, the Club assisted other organizations in establishing two Boy Scout camps. Club members went out to the sites and sawed and hammered and built some of the cabins. On several occasions, Kiwanians in sizable numbers volunteered their time selling Christmas trees for other charitable organizations. Kiwanians turned out at the annual YMCA Pancake Day to mix the batter, flip the pancakes, and serve the tables. They manned the community’s mobile x-ray unit. The travelog series continued and in 1970 was the major fund raising source for local charitable efforts. In 1958 the Evanston Boy Scouts needed a bus to transport the Scouts to and from summer camp and for use at the camp. The club decided to participate in the International Kiwanis Peanut Day program to provide funds for the bus. The goal was achieved and Peanut Day participation continued a few more years. Later it was dropped and the club concentrated on the travel series as its major fundraiser. 

During the first 50-year period, the club cooperated with many local Evanston community organizations in providing funding for their needs. In addition to the Boy and Girl Scouts and the YMCA these organizations included the City of Evanston Recreation Department, the Evanston Historical Society, and the Shore School. The club also financed scholarships for needy students attending nearby colleges and technical schools.

In the next 32-year period (since 1970) the Kiwanis Club of Evanston continued to thrive and provide fellowship to its members and valuable services to the community.

The weekly Tuesday lunches continued, first at the Georgian Hotel, then the Orrington Hotel, then the Holiday Inn, and now back at the Omni Orrington Hotel. The lunches provide a way to keep in touch with member friends and to keep informed on plans for service projects. They generally feature a talk by a speaker on an interesting topic.

At the 75^th anniversary of Kiwanis, in 1995, the celebrating banquet was held in the Grand Ballroom of the Orrington Hotel. President Bill Gaul presided. The featured speaker was Congressman Phillip Crane of the 8^th Congressional District of Northern Illinois. Congressman Crane and his wife, Arlene were introduced by Jack Schermerhorn. Wally Kaehler was recognized as the oldest living Kiwanian with a record of 53 years of active service.

The speakers selected by our members have been interesting and have come from a broad range of backgrounds. Here are some representative examples. The very colorful Mayor of Waukegan, Robert Sabajian, during his term of office, and Kevin Hermening (in 1983), the youngest of the American hostages in Iran, addressed our club. In 1984 Richard J. Daley, then Illinois States Attorney for Cook County, spoke. In November, 1986, Bill Foster, the new Northwestern University basketball coach, gave a perspective on the upcoming season and in 1987, John Bruemmer gave a talk on the Evanston office space market. We continue to have interesting speakers. Herbert Jay “Jack “ Miner II spoke to us on May 15, 2001. Jack was a radio technician on the U.S. Indianapolis when the Japanese sank it on July 30, 1945. Tom Sullivan spoke to us on April 23, 2002 about his experiences serving as a volunteer worker at New York’s Ground Zero.

The lunches afford opportunities to honor important community members. Retiring teachers from Evanston High School and the grammar school District 65 were feted annually. This event was not held in the late 1990’s, but in 2002, President Peter Gamber and the Club again honored retiring teachers. At a luncheon on May 21, 2002 the Club held its annual Evanston Police Awards Day. The Police Chief and Kiwanis member, Frank Kaminski, along with honorary member Mayor Lorraine Morton, and President Gamber honored officers for outstanding efforts in crime prevention and detection.

The Club has led the way in developing other near and far Kiwanis Clubs. Bob Ferguson, President of the club in 1953 was instrumental in sponsoring and creating a new Kiwanis club in Roosendaahl, Holland, with the assistance of Bob Hoffmeyer and William Kleinblossom. These members arranged for a Dutch student to travel to the United States after winning an essay contest. The student was Abe Weight who was a guest of Jack Schermerhorn and Dave Albertson and visited for a week in the Chicago-Evanston area, including a day visit to the Willis farm in Vernon Hills. The Dutch club was later moved to Amsterdam with the assistance of Bill Kleinblossom, Jack Schermerhorn and Rex Reade. At a meeting in August 1965, William Kleinblossom, the chairman of our New Club Building Committee, announced the development of the new Glenview-Northbrook Kiwanis Club. Our Club was the sponsor of this new Club and we are proud that it continues today providing valuable services to its citizens. Additionally, the Evanston Kiwanis Club sponsored the Edison Park-Norwood Club, the Skokie Valley Club, and the Evanston Breakfast Club.  We continue to be active in meeting and associating with Kiwanis Clubs in our Division. Bob Heiberger was chair of our Inter-Club Committee in 2002 and arranged for attendance at monthly meetings of each club on a rotating basis.

During this most recent 32 -year period, the Club continued to cooperate with many local Evanston community and regional organizations in providing funding for their needs.

In 1964, we contributed $5,000 to Shore Community Services to help in formation of this vital sheltered workshop. We continue our Shore support by donating the net proceeds from the annual “Pizzamania” that we hold and promote at a local restaurant. In 2002 this event was
led by Tom McRaith and supported by our members who served as wait staff and as sellers of tickets. In 1983 the Club raised $30,000 to buy bulletproof vests for the Evanston police force. In 1987 the Club provided food service for the 1,300 athletes and coaches participating in the Special Olympics. We have continued annual assistance to this event.

In 2001 President Pat Doud led the way in developing club sponsorship of the first annual Beat the Streets Golf Outing. In partnership with the McGaw Evanston YMCA, the outing was held at the Lake Bluff golf course and, despite a rainy day, was well attended with spirit and enthusiasm by our members, YMCA officials, and guests. The event yielded a net profit of over $6,000, which we contributed to the new YMCA youth wrestling program. This fund raising continues. We have contributed over $24,000 to the McGaw Evanston YMCA from net proceeds of the 2004, 2005, and 2006 Beat the Streets Golf Outings. These efforts were led by Committee Chairs Robert Heiberger and David Davenport.

The purpose of Kiwanis International is “To improve the quality of life for children and families worldwide.” For the past nine years, Past President, Scott Hopf, has worked with the 4^th and 5^th graders of Lincolnwood School and other Evanston grammar schools, collecting over $35,000 for Kiwanis International UNICEF programs including the Iodine Deficiency Disorder program. The schoolchildren were rewarded for their good work with pizza parties at a local restaurant.

In the year 2006 – 2007 the Club successfully completed or is in the process of completing participation in many Club events and Club Service projects including; the Positive Presence Program at the high school, the Channel 11 Public Television fund raising Phone-a-Thon, preparing an evening meal for the homeless, producing a very successful Community wide Photo Contest, attending Kiwanis Night at the White Sox ball park, and acquiring the food and serving it to over 2,000 Evanston Residents at the Annual Community wide picnic.

The Kiwanis Club of Evanston is proud of its outstanding record of service to the community and fellowship to its members. We greatly benefited in year 2002-03 under the dynamic leadership of Judy Greenstein, the first woman President of the Evanston Kiwanis Club, and then again in subsequent years under the strong leadership of Presidents Scott Hopf, David Davenport, Frank Kaminski, and Sarah Flax. We look forward to year 2007-08 under the leadership of President Bob Janes as we continue to follow the Kiwanis International Goal of “Serving the Children of The World.”