Club Officers
William McGuigan
President
Ronnie McPhee
President-Elect
David MacCallum
Secretary
Sheldon Brushett
Treasurer
Tom Loney
Past President
The name “Kiwanis” was coined from an expression in an American Indian language of the Detroit Area, “Nunc Kee-wanis,” which means, “we trade” or “we share our talents.”
Kiwanis International sponsors service clubs for young people: Circle K International for university and college students; Key Club International for senior high school students; and Builders Clubs for junior high or middle school students.
THE KIWANIS MISSION
Kiwanis empowers communities to improve the World by making lasting differences in the lives of children.
THE KIWANIS VISION
Kiwanis will be a positive influence in communities worldwide – so that one day, all children will wake up in communities that believe in them, nurture them and provide the support they need to thrive.
Objects of Kiwanis
The following are the six permanent “Objects” (principles) of Kiwanis International. They were approved by delegates at the 1924 Convention in Denver, Colorado. Through the succeeding decades, they have remained unchanged.
- To give primacy to the human and spiritual rather than to the material values of life.
- To encourage the daily living of the Golden Rule in all human relationships.
- To promote the adoption and the application of higher social, business, and professional standards.
- To develop, by precept and example, a more intelligent, aggressive, and serviceable citizenship.
- To provide, through Kiwanis clubs, a practical means to form enduring friendships, to render altruistic service, and to build better communities.
- To cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism which make possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism, and goodwill.
History of the Kiwanis Club of Charlottetown
The Kiwanis Club of Charlottetown was officially chartered on November 18, 1947 at a meeting held at the Charlottetown Hotel. There were 36 members at that time and through the years the club has met at different locations including Queens Hotel, the Old Spain restaurant, Keppoch Beach Inn, Villa Waters, Charlottetown Tennis Club, the Islander Motor Lodge , Inn on The Hill, Delta Prince Edward. Kiwanis now meets twice a month, on the 1st and 3rd Monday, beginning at 6:00 pm located at Kiwanis Bingo Country.
Although the Clubs service commitments cover a wide variety of causes, Kiwanis major emphasis has always been on children. This can be seen from the clubs records of 1947 growing financial and other kinds of assistance to underprivileged children, especially orphans and to family service organizations. One of the first recorded benevolent acts was a donation of $45.26 made to an entity referred to as the “Free Dispensary Fund” to be used for children only. Regular financial assistance was also provided to the Protestant Orphanage and St. Vincent’s Orphanage for sending children to summer camp, sporting events, Christmas parties, providing books, treats etc. In succeeding years the club was more actively involved in children oriented projects such as sponsoring public speaking contests, arranging vocational guidance conferences in High Schools, establishing a music festival and raising funds for the Playground Commission of Charlottetown.
Other types of causes the club was involved in during the late 40’s and early 50’s reflected the values and needs of that era. Examples of this are helping to provide emergency relief for post-war Great Britain and assisting veterans here at home. An entry in the 1949 records reads “Visited veterans wing and delivered 45 packets of cigarettes to veterans sick in bed.”
On local social issues, the club was involved in advocating changes to the Child Welfare Act, establishing the Workman’s Compensation Act, assisting in ”Get-out-and-vote” campaigns, and encouraging church attendance by sponsoring radio advertisements and arranging transportation for the elderly.
Money was scarce back then and there were many places where funds could be allocated. One interesting act of benevolence in the clubs records for 1949 is a ”donation of $100 to help pay salaries of rink supervisors.” Others, such as “distributed apple pies to needy families” and a donation of “five gallons of ice cream to the Old Folks Home” seem quaint by today’s standards.
To meet its ever-increasing needs of today the club expanded its fund-raising capability from the early days of peanut and chocolate bar sales to more reliable ventures. Main fundraisers are the Kiwanis Dairy Bar in Victoria Park and the Kiwanis Bingo Country on Riverside Drive (Charlottetown).
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Kiwanis Club of Charlottetown
P.O. Box 1806 | Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 7N5