Instant impact in Ironton

Instant impact in Ironton

A new club in Ohio, U.S., is gaining members and stature in its community. 

By Tony Knoderer

It’s been less than a year and a half since the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ironton, Ohio, U.S., held its first meeting, but its members have already figured out a few things about attracting new members — and becoming an integral part of the community. 

Rather than reinventing the wheel, the club relied on some tried-and-true concepts. An ambitious fundraising project. Community partnerships. Chartering and sponsorship of a local Kiwanis youth program. In general, an attention to needs and opportunities, and the ability to act on them. 

When the Ironton Kiwanians sought out members for the new club, they used local and online means to get people’s attention. But they also benefited from one of the simplest methods of all. 

“For me,” says club member Brad Bear, “it was because I was asked. Someone showed up. I had been sort of laterally involved with other groups, but no one actually asked me.”      

A simple pitch
While Bear joined because of what he calls the club’s “door-to-door” recruiting, he and his fellow members also credit Kathy Moylan, a Kiwanian and an area coordinator, for setting up a public meeting in September 2023 for people interested in volunteer service.  

“I saw a post on social media,” says Sasha Riley, now the club’s treasurer and secretary. “When I looked into Kiwanis, I saw it was about serving children. I have a teenager and a preteen, and there wasn’t a lot in Ironton at the time where you could give back to kids in the community.” 

In turn, Riley invited Sean Davis — who is now the club president.  

“I had moved here not long before I started (with the club),” Davis says. “I had been in a Kiwanis club about 10 to 12 miles down the (Ohio) river, so I wanted to get involved. And I didn’t know that many people here at the time.” 

He and Riley both smile when she recalls her pitch to him: “I said, ‘I know a great way for you to meet people.’” 

Raising funds for students
Another effective way to get people’s attention, of course, is to work with local schools and do big things for their students. Last year, the Ironton club made an impact by helping Open Door School, a local educational facility that offers services for students whose developmental disabilities are difficult for local schools to accommodate.  

Specifically, the club helped raise US$9,000 to help Open Door update its playground and add new swing sets. 

“The principal had been aware of Kiwanis, and she reached out,” Davis says. “So we did an onsite visit and listened.” 

It was an especially memorable moment for Stephan Harris, who is now the Ironton club’s president-elect.  

“My first meeting was when we saw the plans and the pricing,” Harris says. “It’s an ongoing project, and we had a chance to help accomplish the first phase.” 

In addition, the club intends to help with the upkeep of the mulch around the new swing sets every year — with the club’s annual pancake-breakfast event to help with the cost. 

Personal connection
The Ironton club’s work with the local educational community didn’t stop there. Like many new clubs, they have used Kiwanis Service Leadership Programs to connect with kids and educators alike — and to serve in ways that expand the Kiwanis family. 

For instance, the club is currently working through the chartering process for a new Key Club at Ironton High School.  

“Our goal was to reach out to the school and get the ball rolling,” says club president Davis. “Sasha really took the reins. She educated herself and made it happen.” 

Riley herself says the potential for a local Key Club was “the reason I joined Kiwanis.” 

As so often with Kiwanians, a personal connection sparked the initial interest: Riley’s daughter is a student at Ironton High School. In fact, she’s a member of the school’s color guard. As a result, Riley became aware of a need — and that need became a club opportunity.  

When the Ironton High School football team was competing for the state championship, members of the marching band and the color guard got to go with them to Canton, where the finals were played. One catch: Arrangements had been made for the football team to be fed there, but not the others. The club helped fund their meals by raffling game tickets. 

For a new club, it was a small but effective way of getting members involved in the community and putting the club’s name into view. 

“Our club has done a lot of work getting members out there and networking,” Davis says. 

Quite a year
Club members have volunteered at traditional community events, such as a local farmers market, but last November they also showed up at the Ironton WizardFest — an event that attracts thousands of people.  

“It’s for the kind of people who love the Harry Potter books and movies,” says Brad Bear, whose involvement with the event made it a natural selling point to his club. “At some point I realized we had more people in our club than were volunteering at this 7,000-person event. You can make yourself visible really quickly. For us, it was a way to make people aware of Kiwanis and what we do. It was a win/win for everyone.” 

It was just one of the moments that made 2024 “quite a year,” says club president Davis. “We went from meeting once a month to weekly, and we talked about having a guest speaker every other meeting. It’s going pretty well.” 

One key, he adds, is to focus on speakers who are “geared toward serving youth, or at least civic-adjacent.” That includes guests who speak about topics such as food insecurity or work with local branches of programs such as Boys & Girls Clubs and Big Brothers Big Sisters. 

“We keep it topical,” Harris says. “It’s not just a new business selling its products.”  

A culture of engagement
Located in southern Ohio, near the Ohio River — and near the convergence of Ohio’s border with those of the U.S. states of Kentucky and West Virginia — Ironton offers access to a larger culture of civic engagement. For instance, the Kiwanis Club of Greater Ironton has participated in a quarterly meeting in which members of various volunteer organizations talk about themselves and what they do. The Ironton club even got two new members from the event in December, according to president-elect Davis. 

The club is particularly looking forward to a “megamixer” in the spring, when Kiwanians can discuss their collective potential impact with members of Lions Clubs, Rotary clubs and others. 

Ironton Kiwanians have already seen how powerfully that potential can turn into reality. In November 2024, they worked with two other Kiwanis clubs from Ashland, Kentucky, U.S., as part of a meal-packing project. In one night, the volunteers cumulatively packed 35,000 meals for kids. 

“That was a big thing for us,” says Harris. “It showed that our service doesn’t stop at the river.” 

Resources for your club
Looking for ways to increase your club’s visibility? Read how important it is to tell your club’s story — and to get the Kiwanis resources that help make it happen. You can also check out how a few Achieving Club Excellence tools can help.

How creativity increases club value

How creativity increases club value

A past New York governor reveals how one internet club thrives by doing things differently.

By James Mancuso
Photos by Maureen Neuringer 

In the Kiwanis world, the term “membership” is often heard, and for good reason. The effectiveness of this organization hinges on the number of members willing to roll up their sleeves and contribute to community service.  

However, as we strive to grow our ranks, perhaps it’s time to elevate another word in our lexicon: “creativity.” 

One successful model is Kiwanis Club of the East Coast, U.S., which operates primarily online. Now in its second year, this internet-based club exemplifies how creativity can fuel growth and service impact.  

The internet has become a powerful tool for increasing accessibility and engagement in Kiwanis. By creating a model that accommodates varying levels of commitment and involvement, Kiwanis Club of the East Coast demonstrates that it is possible to foster a vibrant community of service-minded individuals, regardless of their schedules. 

A new way to engage
The club’s operating model is straightforward: Each quarter, members research and evaluate several charities. During their meetings, three selected charities present their missions and needs, followed by an electronic vote to determine which organization will receive funding. This structure not only keeps members engaged but also allows them to explore a diverse range of charitable causes. 

Members commit to a quarterly donation of $100, leading to thousands of dollars in collective contributions. This system has enabled the club to make a significant impact without demanding excessive time from its members. 

One of the notable charities supported by the Kiwanis Club of the East Coast is Night Out for You (see photo below), which offers adults undergoing cancer treatment experiences akin to “make-a-wish” services. By providing opportunities such as attending Broadway shows and dining out, they help ease the burdens of medical challenges.  

The club has also supported organizations that provide service dogs to disabled veterans, care for injured wildlife, and offer music lessons to children — showcasing a broad spectrum of community interests.  

Harnessing the internet’s power
As Kiwanis clubs navigate the challenges of membership growth, they must be willing to embrace creativity as a cornerstone of their efforts. Internet clubs can open doors to a wider audience. (See a Kiwanis blog post from last year regarding how the East Coast club itself came together.)  

Kiwanis Club of the East Coast shows what Kiwanians can achieve when they adapt and innovate, proving that service and community impact can flourish in diverse formats. 

If you are interested in membership, reach out to Club Secretary Lisa Hallett at kiwaniseastcoasters@gmail.com.  

James N. Mancuso and Maureen Neuringer are Distinguished past governors of the New York District.

Microgrants help kids get ahead 

Microgrants help kids get ahead 

From October through December, smaller clubs made a big impact through the Kiwanis Children’s Fund.

By Erin Chandler

In October, November and December 2024, Kiwanis clubs around the world received Kiwanis Children’s Fund microgrants. Available for clubs with 35 members or fewer, microgrants recently helped clubs complete projects that brought clothing and other essential items to people facing weather adversity, books to community libraries and classrooms, and more. These projects might be smaller in scale, but they will make a big impact. The following three projects highlight some of the ways Kiwanis clubs are using microgrants to help young people in need keep up with their peers in the Kiwanis cause areas of education and literacy, health and nutrition, and youth leadership development.  

Health and nutrition
Kids’ Fun Zone
The Kiwanis Club of the Coast Fork, Oregon, U.S., plans to promote the physical and emotional health of some of the most vulnerable kids in their community. A Children’s Fund microgrant will help purchase a swing set, sandbox, monkey bars and more play equipment for a local center that serves people recovering from homelessness. Club members will take part in installing and inspecting the equipment. The “Kids’ Fun Zone” will let the kids at the center play, exercise and socialize in a safe and stable environment.  

Education and literacy
Library and reading center
Many students at Escuelo Nuevo Belén in Panama feel the effects of their community’s high poverty rate in their educational attainment — some struggle with reading and writing, while others never complete their primary or secondary education. By transforming part of the school into a library and learning center, the Kiwanis Club of El Águila De Panamá hopes to change approximately 2,500 of these students’ futures. A Children’s Fund microgrant will help to remodel the space, with new tables, chairs, bookshelves and other furnishings. The club also plans to clean and paint, install new lighting and air conditioning, purchase books and train teachers and volunteers to jumpstart kids’ love of reading and learning.  

Youth leadership development
Suited Seniors
When the Kiwanis Club of Duluth-Norcross, Georgia, U.S., learned that students who lack financial resources and mentorship are less likely to pursue career opportunities requiring interviews, they did something about it. In partnership with local businesses, the club will donate professional clothing items for approximately 50 students across five local high schools. They will also organize workshops on interview techniques, résumé writing, personal branding, goal-setting and other tactics to build students’ confidence and readiness as they enter the next phase of their lives. 

How you can help 
To learn more about Kiwanis Children’s Fund microgrants, visitkiwanis.org/microgrant-program.   

If you want to help the Children’s Fund provide grants like these that reach children around the world, you canmake a giftto The Possibility Project. Your club can alsoapply for a grantto help kids in your community today.