Club anniversaries

Before selecting a project, answer the following questions so your club can determine the best fit:

• How would your club like to observe the anniversary? A party? A project? Brainstorm with club members. Establish a task force.
• If your club decides a project is best, what skills or contacts can members bring to the project? For example, is there an expert landscaper or carpenter in the group? Does someone in your club have a contact at city hall?
• What facilities or organizations (community center, shelter, park, homes, etc.) would benefit from hands-on service?
• What project would leave a lasting mark on the community?
• What types of projects are your members passionate about?
• Will your club involve sponsored youth clubs?
• Will you ask others outside the Kiwanis family to participate?
• Will your project or celebration attract media attention?
• Will your project appropriately reflect 100 years of Kiwanis service?
• Will your project create pride in membership and in our Kiwanis history?
• Will your project attract new members to Kiwanis?
• How much time and how many people will be needed to accomplish your goals?
• What is the estimated budget for your project, and how will you raise the funds?
• Will your project capture your members’ interest?

• Use the milestone number and multiples of that number: children served, canned goods collected, winter coats collected, games donated to a school, etc.
• Consider “platinum” projects and the metal’s properties (e.g., resistance to wear, tarnish, corrosion).
• Show achievements by your club and determine how you could tie in your club’s history.
• Show achievements by your district and determine how you could tie in your district’s history at the club level, in cooperation with other clubs.
• Highlight Service Leadership Programs and how youth programs represent the future, supported by your Kiwanis club.
• Tie in milestones of Kiwanis history.
• Create a giant birthday cake.
• Organize a party, open house or parade.
• Sponsor/build float for an existing parade.
• Club anniversary party, inviting clubs in the division and/or district to attend; could incorporate a service project.
• Invite members of other service organizations and representatives of groups you help to an event honoring local partnerships.
• Highlight oldest club members and their memories.

• Park/sculpture dedication.
• Playground build at a location that serves children/families (library, shelter, museum, etc.).
• Tree planting.
• Plaque or signage sponsored by club.
• Location-specific cleanup or build at a campground, beach or park; a playground cleanup or build at a city or county park or school; neighborhood restoration, cleanup or beautification.
• Literacy projects such as a reading room, reading to children, helping with homework.
• Sporting events for children with disabilities, paired with Aktion Club.
• Blood/book/food drive.
• Safety fair.
• Bicycle rodeo.
• Create and write greeting cards for children in hospitals.
• Create a Kiwanis display at a library, historical society or museum about Kiwanis International’s local and global projects.
• Antique car/motorcycle show.
• Sponsor an outing for children to a local zoo/opera/theater/movie screening/sporting event/fair.
• Poster/writing contest for youth programs.

• Food festival or booth at festival.
• Holiday market booth.
• Wine or beer tasting.
• Sale of items made by club members (comfort dolls, bookmarks, magnets, cards, etc.).
• Fashion show.
• Dinner.

• Read the PR Tips & Tools
• Request your custom club logo if your club doesn’t have one — and ask for an anniversary logo. Please allow 4 weeks for this request to be customized for you.
• Once your club has determined its events, projects or celebrations, list them, adding community partners, beneficiaries and other significant information.
• Write a letter to your local paper’s editor or opinion editor explaining what your club does, how your club helps the community and how your club’s anniversary celebration will impact the community.
• If your club is undertaking a major project, such as a playground build or other large-scale project that will benefit the community, ask other organizations if you can make presentations at their meetings. If your club is working on a playground, ask local government officials if your club can present information about the project at a city or county council meeting.
• Develop a brochure that explains the project, your club and how your community will benefit from your club’s anniversary project.
• Let your club and community know about your event using publicity resources such as event flyers and emails.
• Use social media to tell your story. Kiwanis has photographs, social media squares and posts ready for your club to use on Facebook and other social media channels.