Kiwanis district launches scholarship program

Kiwanis district launches scholarship program

The initiative in Jamaica will cover select SLP members’ tuition. 

By Karen Tomlinson, member of the New Kingston Kiwanis Club, Jamaica 

The Kiwanis Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District (EC&C) and the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) in Kingston, Jamaica, are partnering on a historic J$9 million-plus initiative that will enable 10 outstanding students to receive a scholarship every academic year. All recipients will be current or former members of Service Leadership Program (SLP) clubs in the district, and each scholarship will cover the tuition for a two-year undergraduate associate degree program at UCC. 

The scholarships were announced at UCC in February during a district visit by 2024-25 Kiwanis International President Lee Kuan Yong. UCC Group Executive Chairman and Founder Winston Adams, UCC President Colin Gyles, and EC&C District Governor Pam Rodney-White also attended.  

The leaders emphasized that the event was more than just a scholarship launch. It also was a celebration of potential, achievement and the collective support of the academic community. 

“This partnership is a testament to our shared commitment to education and service,” says Gyles. “We are honored to collaborate with Kiwanis International and the EC&C District in fostering the growth and development of our youth, who are the catalysts for positive change in our societies.” 

How it works
To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must be current or former SLP members who have demonstrated exceptional academic performance and a commitment to community service. The scholarship is open to new students admitted to UCC’s undergraduate degree programs, including business administration, information technology, education, law, and health sciences. 

“Kiwanis has always been dedicated to serving the children of the world, and this scholarship is an extension of that commitment,” Rodney-White says. “We are thrilled to see these bright students receive the support they need to pursue higher education and become leaders in their communities.” 

The scholarship initiative is part of UCC’s ongoing efforts to make quality education accessible to all, regardless of financial constraints. By investing in young leaders, UCC and Kiwanis hope to create a ripple effect of positive impact across the Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District — and beyond.  

“We’re looking forward to welcoming these outstanding students to the UCC community,” Gyles says. “Their passion, dedication and service to others align perfectly with our institutional values.” 

How has your club or district supported Kiwanis Service Leadership Programs? Let us know at shareyourstory@kiwanis.org. 

Karen Tomlinson is the public relations and marketing coordinator for Kiwanis International’s Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District. 

Make membership meet service goals 

Make membership meet service goals 

Four ACE tools help ensure you have the people you need for the projects you want. 

By Tony Knoderer

People join Kiwanis clubs to make a difference in kids’ lives. That means service projects and fundraisers — and those, in turn, require members who plan, organize, publicize and participate in them. Does your club have enough members for the projects you want to do? 

Kiwanis International has the resources to help. In fact, these four Achieving Club Excellence (ACE) tools can help ensure that you have the membership numbers to meet your service and fundraising goals: 

  • Member survey. Does your club need to figure out what projects are best for it before making sure you have enough members to do them? Our member survey can help — by helping you understand the expectations of current members. It’s the first step to ensuring your club provides a positive experience, which depends in part on projects that fulfill the reasons members joined your club. 
  • Club vision. What does your club do, and why? The answers are key to having a clear and concise purpose. This tool will help define what the club and its members expect of each other — as well as who you want to serve and what your focus should be. With those answers, your club is on its way to bringing into focus the projects you want to do and the members you’ll need to do them. 
  • Evaluate your impact. If you’re struggling to match the number of members you have to the service you want to do, it’s time for an assessment of your situation. This tool provides the steps for analyzing current club projects and evaluating your club’s readiness for the changes necessary to meet its ambitions. 
  • Host potential members. When club members know what projects they want to do, this tool will help them recruit the new members they’ll need — by creating events that make interested people feel welcome. With the worksheet, your club can even track its work and gain feedback from guests, allowing the kinds of improvements that keep new people coming in. And the more members you have, the more realistic your club’s most ambitious service goals become. 

Don’t forget: These resources can be found on the ACE tools webpage, which includes other common concerns clubs face — and pairs them with tools that help address those issues.

2025 Signature Project Contest Group II finalists announced

2025 Signature Project Contest Group II finalists announced

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.