2025 Signature Project Contest Group II finalists announced

2025 Signature Project Contest Group II finalists announced

May 14, 2025 | General interest, News, Service projects | 0 comments

Over 500 clubs around the world submitted entries for the 2025 Kiwanis Signature Project Contest.

By Erin Chandler

The top 20 finalists have been selected for consideration in the 2025 Kiwanis Signature Project Contest — 10 for Group I (clubs with 28 or more members) and 10 for Group II (clubs with 28 or more members). All of the finalists will be recognized at the Kiwanis International convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. The gold, silver and bronze winners will be announced during the convention. 

This year, 519 Kiwanis clubs submitted projects that serve kids all over the world. Each Kiwanis district selected its nominees. Members of the Kiwanis International Board of Trustees then reviewed the district winners and selected 10 finalists for each of the two groups.  

Below, in alphabetical order according to district, are the finalists from Group II.  

Kiwanis Reads
Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Alabama District 

In just four years, the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham’s Kiwanis Reads program has brought books into the schools and homes of 20,000 children. In this literacy program, Kiwanians visit 900 preschools in Birmingham twice a year to read to students and give each one a book to build their own home libraries. Each book contains a Kiwanis bookplate with a QR code that leads to a video of a Kiwanis club member reading the book aloud — an extra tool to help kids in homes where there might not be an adult available to read in English. This year, Kiwanis Reads received a club grant from the Kiwanis Children’s Fund; expanded into 10 new schools, allowing them to serve 300 more students; and partnered with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office to restart the Books Not Bullets program, providing books for police officers to hand out on patrol. School officials say students are increasing their vocabulary and reading fluency by reading aloud — all while they learn to associate reading with fun. 

The American Graffiti Festival and Car Show
Kiwanis Club of North Modesto, California, U.S.
California-Nevada-Hawaii District 

Every summer for 25 years, the Kiwanis Club of North Modesto has held a classic car show to celebrate the “American Graffiti” culture of the 1950s and ’60s, as depicted in George Lucas’s 1973 film of the same name. The participants with their classic vehicles, like the spectators who come to see them, may be from the local community or as far away as Europe and Australia. In 2024, some 25,000 attendees enjoyed the parade of vehicles through the heart of Modesto, live entertainment, food, merchandise, craft vendors and nostalgia. The event has become such a summer highlight that the City of Modesto now designates June as Graffiti Month. The American Graffiti Festival and Car Show raises an average of US$300,000 each year, which supports 20 college scholarships and over 50 nonprofit organizations that benefit children and the community. 

Ferry Health and Dental Fair
Kiwanis Club of West St. Andrew, Jamaica
Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District 

Not even a tropical storm can stop the Kiwanis Club of West St. Andrew’s Ferry Health and Dental Fair. The Ferry community suffers from high poverty and unemployment levels, a lack of running water and the absence of any health center or dental care provider. With help from Jamaica’s Ministry of Health and Wellness, as well as partner organizations that provide equipment, volunteer medical professionals and more, the Kiwanis Club of West St. Andrew stepped in. Their Health and Dental Fair provides free treatments, screenings — including blood pressure checks, diabetes testing, and HIV/STI testing and counseling — dental cleanings, nutritional counseling and vitamin distribution. Patients are also provided with three months of any prescribed medication free of cost. In 2024, 67 medical professionals worked through the rains of Tropical Storm Raphael to treat more than 3,500 patients over the course of the three-day fair. The effort and dedication have even resulted in 12 new Kiwanis members. 

KIWANIS SHOW
Kiwanis Club of Harlowton, Montana, U.S.
Montana District 

“How do we keep the old community center open?” is the question at the heart of many a classic movie. The Kiwanis Club of Harlowton knows the answer: Put on a show! As the only space in town large enough for special functions like Kiwanis and youth organization meetings, weddings, funerals, blood drives and more, the Kiwanis Youth Center plays a vital role in its community. For 72 years, the club has paid for upkeep of the facility with an annual community variety show, with acts spanning generations. The whole club gets involved, either as performers or crew, while Builders Club and Key Club members sell concessions to raise funds for their projects. Hundreds attend this beloved local tradition every year, including other Montana Kiwanis clubs that travel many miles to enjoy the fun and camaraderie with their fellow Kiwanians. The Harlowton club has even gained 77 new members because of the Kiwanis Show. 

Wonder Spelen
Kiwanis Club of Pella, Iowa, U.S.
Nebraska-Iowa District 

Before the Kiwanis Club of Pella built the Wonder Spelen playground, over 75 children with disabilities living in the Pella area had to travel an hour for a place to play. Now they can have fun with friends of all abilities — in a park that features an accessible parking lot and restroom, inclusive playground equipment, a sensory garden and a safety fence. The beautiful, Kiwanis-blue playground also highlights the community’s Dutch heritage (“spelen” is Dutch for “recreation” or “to play”) with features like a windmill top on one of the structures. Wonder Spelen has become so popular in the community that it will expand this summer. It has also raised awareness of Kiwanis, reigniting club activity in several neighboring communities. 

“Stuff the Strand” Food Drive
Kiwanis Club of Plattsburgh, New York, U.S.
New York District 

In 2022, the Kiwanis Club of Plattsburgh Noon had a dramatic idea: fill each of the 901 seats at the local Strand Theatre with three pounds of food, baby formula and diapers to help people in northernmost New York who were experiencing food insecurity. They exceeded their goal that year, bringing in over 3,000 pounds of food. The project has grown every year since. In 2024, the Stuff the Strand drive collected more than 20 pounds of food and baby products per seat, for a total of more than nine tons — enough to feed around 1,200 people. The club also sells seat sponsorships for monetary donations to the Joint Council for Economic Opportunity of Clinton and Franklin Counties Inc. (JCEO) or to purchase more food and supply donations. Prizes go to the top corporate donor, nonprofit donor and youth-based donor. All donations are distributed through the JCEO and the Plattsburgh Interfaith Food Shelf. 

Transforming Lives Through the Gift of Mobility
Kiwanis Club of Eastern Antipolo, Rizal, Philippines
Philippine Luzon District 

For the past 12 years, the Kiwanis Club of Eastern Antipolo has provided free and low-cost wheelchairs to people of all ages in their community who experience mobility issues. Wheelchairs are essential for many to avoid pain and discomfort, live independent lives and engage with their communities — but they can be difficult to obtain for those with lower incomes or in areas where access to healthcare is limited. So far, the club has positively impacted the lives of 800 people through this project. In doing so, members not only improve individuals’ quality of life, but the community solidarity that brings together donors, volunteers and local organizations to support and get to know their neighbors in need. 

The B.E.D. (Because Everyone Deserves) Project
Kiwanis Club of the Colorado River, Bullhead City, Arizona, U.S.
Southwest District 

The B.E.D. Project is a new undertaking for the Kiwanis Club of the Colorado River, Bullhead City, but one with a strong principle behind it. In the words of the project’s chairman, Derrick Voss: “Our goal is that no kid has to sleep on the floor. Period.” Research shows that kids who have their own beds sleep better, leading to improved health and ability to learn. That’s why the Kiwanians are stepping in to host four annual build days, meeting the overwhelming need for beds among area youth from 3 to 17 years old. The community has responded in a big way. Businesses have provided discounted mattresses, storage space, promotion, sponsorships and grants — along with expert help and volunteers. On the most recent build day, over 80 club members and people from other local organizations, including the Kiwanis Club of the Colorado River Morning, came together to cut, stain and assemble 50 beds. 

Kiwanis Fasnachtsstubete (Kiwanis Carnival Celebration)
Kiwanis Club of Basel Spalen, Switzerland
Switzerland-Liechtenstein District 

For the past three years, the Kiwanis Club of Basel Spalen has put its own spin on a local tradition for a good cause. The club hosts its own Kiwanis Fasnachtsstubete, or Carnival celebration, prior to the larger Basler Fasnacht (Basel Carnival). In 2024, 300 people attended the Kiwanis event, which featured traditions like entertainers in costumes with elaborately crafted masks, Schnitzelbänken (comedic rhyming verses), drummers and fife formations. The CHF135,000 raised during the Fasnachtsstubete was divided among four nonprofit organizations: Give a Chance, which builds and renovates school buildings in Cameroon; Fachstelle Kindsverlust, which supports families following the death of a child; Matumaini, which supports a children’s home in Kenya; and Das Frauenhaus beider Basel, which supports families escaping domestic violence. 

Annual Kiwanis Kar Derby
Kiwanis Club of Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
Western Canada District 

For the past 35 years, residents of Brandon, Manitoba, have come together to cheer on their kids in the Kiwanis Kar Derby. Some of the motorless, handmade “soap box” cars in the race have been passed down within families or sponsoring companies for generations — but the club also often supplies cars to children who cannot afford them or who don’t have an available adult to help build them. Around 300 people attended the most recent Derby. Ray’s Fireplace barbecues for the crowd, neighbors give up their yards for parking and soldiers from the nearby army base help move equipment. The event raises an average of CA$13,900 each year, which goes right back into the community. New and old club members love to see the work they do come to fruition — and to see the smiles on kids’ faces as they speed downhill.  

Signature Project Contest Group I finalists announced 

Signature Project Contest Group I finalists announced 

May 13, 2025 | General interest, News, Service projects | 0 comments

Over 500 clubs around the world submitted entries for the 2025 Kiwanis Signature Project Contest.

By Erin Chandler

The top 20 finalists have been selected for consideration in the 2025 Kiwanis Signature Project Contest — 10 for Group I (clubs with 27 or fewer members) and 10 for Group II (clubs with 28 or more members). All of the finalists will be recognized at the Kiwanis International convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. The gold, silver and bronze winners will be announced during the convention. 

This year, 519 Kiwanis clubs submitted projects that serve kids all over the world. Each Kiwanis district selected its nominees. Members of the Kiwanis International Board of Trustees then reviewed the district winners and selected 10 finalists for each of the two groups.  

Below, in alphabetical order according to district, are the finalists from Group I. 

Kiwanis Sydney Comfort Care Cases
Kiwanis Club of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Australia District 

Every year, the Kiwanis Club of Sydney raises funds through a cake stall at a local shopping center, a raffle and a silent auction to support children and families through their most difficult times. The proceeds help to make “comfort care cases” for kids facing end-of-life care at Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick. The cases include items like mood lights, scent atomizers, soft toys, pillows and blankets to create a comforting, home-like atmosphere for the children; cameras and art supplies to let families create photos, pictures, and hand- and footprints; children’s books that explain the process of death and mourning; teas and coffee for long waits; and other items to help families care for and remember their children. Currently, the club stocks seven cases located in the hospital’s palliative care, oncology, emergency and intensive care wards, and two mobile cases for home visits. Over the past 12 years, Kiwanis comfort care cases have provided solace to 50 kids and families. 

Special Education Project, Point Hill Leased Primary School
Kiwanis Club of the First City, St. Catherine, Jamaica
Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District 

The Kiwanis Club of the First City, St. Catherine, is addressing the needs of children with learning disabilities by focusing on students at Point Hill Leased Primary School, located in a rural farming community where many experience malnutrition and struggle to access special education resources. The club provides additional educational resources like laptops, speakers, multimedia projectors, smart devices and reading materials for kids whose learning and psychological development benefit from that support. The project also helped expand the school’s breakfast program to include lunch twice a week, promoting focus and healthy brain development. The Innswood High School Key Club helps out with after-school reading classes and additional tutoring. Club members say their dream is “to see this initiative become a national model for inclusive education.” 

Ævar bangsi (Ævar the Teddy Bear)
Kiwanis Club of Keflavik-Keilir, Reykjanesbæ, Iceland
Iceland-Faroes District 

In 1994, the Kiwanis Club of Keflavik-Keilir donated 100 teddy bears to the Red Cross in Suðurnes, Iceland’s Southern Peninsula, to give to children riding in ambulances. Today, the club continues to provide bears to area ambulances to comfort kids who are sick, injured or in a stressful situation. On his 20th birthday in 2014, the Kiwanis Club of Keflavik-Keilir teddy bear was named Ævar in honor of one of the club’s founding members, Ævar Guðmundsson, who passed away in 2008. Ævar The Teddy Bear has become very popular in his community, and he has travelled all over Europe — even helping out at the European Parliament! Last year alone, approximately 150 children received their own Ævar teddy bears to make their ambulance rides less scary. 

Kiwanis Fill the Bus Project
Kiwanis Club of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, U.S.
Kentucky-Tennessee District 

For the past decade, the Wilson County School District’s Family Resource Center (FRC) has relied on the Kiwanis Club of Mt. Juliet’s Fill the Bus Project. The club invites the community to a Wal-Mart parking lot twice a year to fill a school bus with donations of food, school supplies, clothing and toiletries for families referred to the FRC for assistance. As the school district grows, the number of families in need increases. Between 2014 and 2024, the Fill the Bus Project has collected an estimated US$75,000 in supplies that have helped over 1,000 people. According to the FRC’s coordinator, who became a Kiwanian because of the Fill the Bus Project, this drive provides a majority of the supplies distributed each year, and they would have difficulty operating without it.  

Kiwanis Malt Shop at the Minnesota State Fair
Kiwanis Club of North Suburban, Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Minnesota-Dakotas District 

For 55 years, the Kiwanis Malt Shop has been a must on to-do lists of Minnesota State Fair attendees — and members of the Kiwanis Club of North Suburban, Saint Paul look forward to it every year, too! During the 12-day fair, club members are joined by the Roseville Key Club and community volunteers in dishing up 15,000-20,000 malts over the course of 230 four-hour shifts. A Kiwanian is always available to answer questions — along with Kiwanis information and membership applications for guests to take with them. Each year, the malt shop raises an average of US$114,000, which the club uses to support a cause — such as Key Club, 4-H, student scholarships and organizations fighting food insecurity — which is chosen based on community need. Malt shop funds have also helped establish five elementary school libraries, install a slide in a park for an underserved community of new refugees, build a Miracle League baseball field for kids with disabilities and much more. 

Exeter UFO Festival
Kiwanis Club of Exeter Area, New Hampshire, U.S.
New England and Bermuda District 

In 1965, people in and around Exeter, New Hampshire, U.S., witnessed an unidentified flying object — and 60 years later, this local mystery has turned into a festival that benefits the entire community. The Kiwanis Club of Exeter Area’s annual UFO Festival features speakers, panels and activities designed to entertain and educate visitors about the Exeter Incident as well as other UFOs and paranormal phenomena. There are also fun activities like face painting, crafts and games for kids. Visitors can purchase collectible merchandise that features the year’s UFO Festival art, and local stores and restaurants participate with their own special alien- and UFO-themed products. Last year, the festival was attended by 3,000 people and raised US$61,000 for the local YMCA, the Parks and Recreation Department, scholarships, Exeter Hospital children’s cancer programs, community festivals, programs combatting food insecurity and more.  

Percussion Instrument Park
Kiwanis Club of Greater Kingston, Washington, U.S.
Pacific Northwest District 

The Village Green park in the center of Kingston is alive with the sound of music. The Kiwanis Club of Kingston installed 80 music stations — including chimes, bells, marimbas, babel drums and conga drums — to create a musical playground anyone can enjoy, regardless of age or ability. The instruments are an accessible, easy-to-reach form of play for kids with disabilities, creating a sensory experience through sound and vibration. Teens enjoy jamming to the music they make, as do residents of the nearby senior center. The Boys and Girls Club located on the Village Green visits the park almost daily. When the park was first approved, it was on a one-year probationary basis, in case the noise proved disruptive. By the end of the year, it was clear that enjoying music together only strengthened Kingston’s sense of community. 

Mobile Resource Trailer (MRTL — “Myrtle”)
Kiwanis Club of Broomfield North Metro, Colorado, U.S.
Rocky Mountain District 

The Kiwanis Club of Broomfield North Metro brings essential supplies where the community needs them most with their Mobile Resource Trailer — MRTL, or Myrtle, for short. Since 2023, the club has held multiple distribution events per year in the parking lots of locations like food banks and schools throughout Broomfield and Adams County. Each distribution event focuses on a theme: winter necessities, basic household essentials, personal hygiene products, or move-in kits for young people transitioning out of foster care. Hundreds of community members have attended Myrtle’s distribution events. For instance, four events in November and December 2024 served 275 people and provided 558 coats to those in need. Each event provides what the club calls “a welcoming, ‘shop at no cost’ approach” that allows each shopper to select what they need and provide feedback to help the club assess needs for future distribution events. The project received a Kiwanis Children’s Fund club grant in 2023. 

Nature Warriors: A Kid Learns to Protect Nature
Kiwanis Club of Stunning Davao, Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines
Southern Philippine District 

Through its Nature Warriors program, the Kiwanis Club of Stunning Davao aims to keep the Philippines’ Davao region stunning — by reaching out to its youngest residents. The club partners with the Department of Education to connect with schools in isolated areas that are in critical need of environmental protection. The visiting Kiwanians distribute bags containing school supplies, dental kits and books on nature to the students; install waste segregation stations; and teach kids how to protect the environment by properly disposing of garbage. The program also includes regular coastal cleanups, and soon the club hopes to partner with a turtle sanctuary to give hands-on lessons on protecting marine life. Each child who benefits from the Nature Warriors program brings what they have learned home with them, spreading the word about responsible environmental stewardship throughout the community.  

58th Annual Kiwanis Auction
Kiwanis Club of Olds, Alberta, Canada
Western Canada District 

The Kiwanis Club of Olds’ first fundraising auction was held 58 years ago from an outdoor hay rack. Since then, the event has been housed in several locations, growing its participation by moving online in 2020 — although last year’s event included an in-person gathering to thank donors. The auction has raised over CA$750,000 since its inception, and an average of CA$21,763 each year for the last seven years. Proceeds benefit the community in myriad ways, purchasing sports equipment for youth leagues, providing scholarships, funding community events, and sponsoring Scout facilities and 4-H activities. In 2025, auction funds help build a warming shack by an outdoor public ice rink in honor of the club’s 70th anniversary. 

Celebrating all abilities

Celebrating all abilities

May 7, 2025 | General interest, Service projects | 0 comments

Kiwanians in the Caribbean bring kids together for an inclusive day of play.

By Nicola Yarde, Pride of Barbados Kiwanis Club member 

On March 15, the Pride of Barbados Kiwanis Club cohosted our annual “Everyone is A.B.L.E.” event. Dedicated to fostering inclusion, understanding and acceptance among children with and without disabilities, A.B.L.E. stands for: 

  • Accept others despite their differences. 
  • Believe we are all equal. 
  • Learn to include. 
  • Embrace. 

With our cohosts, Champion Physio Kids and IncludeU Sports Academy, we brought children together in a space designed to promote equality and break down barriers. Through sports, arts and hands-on activities, participants embraced the message that everyone can contribute, connect and thrive, regardless of their abilities. 

Shining a light on inclusion
In addition to our club, several other Kiwanis clubs were represented, including Barbados Benevolence, Saint John’s Antigua, Barbados All Stars and Barbados-In Action. Their participation highlighted the collaborative effort of Kiwanians across the region and reinforced the Kiwanis mission of improving the world one child and one community at a time. 

This year’s event was attended by the Honourable Kirk Humphrey, minister of people empowerment and elder affairs for the Barbados Parliament. Kiwanis Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District Governor Pam Rodney-White, along with Governor-Elect Cynthia Blackman, were also onsite to celebrate the spirit of inclusivity. 

“The Kiwanis Club of Pride of Barbados should be commended for shining a light on inclusion and reminding us that everyone deserves the chance to be seen, heard and valued,” Blackman says. “This is an amazing project that speaks volumes about the heart of Kiwanis — serving with compassion and purpose. So proud to have been part of it!” 

Pride of Barbados Kiwanis Club President Mary E. Walcott expects the event will remain a mainstay in the club’s service roster. 

“The success of Everyone is A.B.L.E. reaffirms our commitment to creating a more inclusive and accepting society — one where every child is valued and empowered,” Walcott says. “We look forward to continuing this mission in the years to come and invite more Kiwanis clubs and partners to join us in making a difference.”