Service that celebrates Earth Day

Service that celebrates Earth Day

Apr 2, 2026 | General interest, Service projects | 0 comments

Let these projects inspire your club to do something nice for Mother Nature. 

By Julie Saetre

April 22 is Earth Day, and that means it’s a great time for your Kiwanis club to do something that’s environmentally friendly. Whether it’s something small but meaningful — a local park cleanup, service at a community garden — or a larger-scale project, let Earth Day be your catalyst. Need some inspiration? Start with these four initiatives. 

Planting for the future
For the 2025-26 service year, Kiwanis International-Europe launched Green Steps for a Brighter Future. The main objective is to unify all Kiwanis clubs in Europe under a simple but impactful mission: sustainability. In Italy, the Kiwanis Club of Catania Est helped students of the Rodari Nosengo School plant an olive tree provided by Nino Papotto, president of the Kiwanis Club Catania Est. Other notable Kiwanians attended the planting to show their support, including Kiwanis International-Europe President Elio Garozzo (who is also a member of the Catania Est club), Italy-San Marino District Lieutenant Governor Angelo Corsaro and the district’s environmental chair, Francesca Santonocito.

Free pollinators
Another project in the Green Steps for a Brighter Future initiative is Free Pollinators, a project from the Kiwanis Club of Craiova, Romania. The project helps local students actively protect pollinators and biodiversity in their area while raising awareness in the community about the essential role of bees and other pollinators in ecosystems.

Planting for future generations
In October 2024, members of eight Kiwanis clubs from Division 2B in the Philippine Luzon District gathered at a protected area by a local riverbank. Their mission: plant seedlings to prevent land erosion caused by quarrying. 

The Abacan River and Angeles Watershed Advocacy Council Inc., a nonprofit group that promotes water security and watershed conservation, donated 250 seedlings. The Kiwanians planted some of the seedlings near the riverbank with help from students at Del Carmen National High School. Then they donated the remainder to the school, where students and teachers have committed to nurture them. 

Their efforts were part of an initiative started by Philippine Luzon District Governor Felix “Jango” Grepo — with a goal of planting 20,000 seedlings district-wide to ensure a healthier environment for future generations. 

Inspiring young leaders
In May 2024, the Kiwanis Club of Klang, Malaysia, joined in the Asia-Pacific Region’s “Green Generation” by hosting a youth camp for aspiring environmental leaders. Focused on youth leadership development and environmental stewardship, the camp enabled participants to learn sustainable practices and gain hands-on experience through team-building exercises, art therapy, planting 200 trees and other activities. 

The camp was so successful that it will return, this time at a national level. In May, the Kiwanis Malaysia District will sponsor the Kiwanis Green Generation Adventure 2025, focusing on Key Club members in the district as they celebrate their organization’s 100th anniversary.

4 responses to recruiting roadblocks

4 responses to recruiting roadblocks

Apr 1, 2026 | Club building, General interest | 0 comments

Check out these responses for common objections to joining Kiwanis.

By Tony Knoderer

When you talk to people about becoming Kiwanis members, you might occasionally find that someone is interested in service generally — but has specific reasons for not joining Kiwanis.

Some of these roadblocks are actually pretty common. Here are a few that many Kiwanians have heard, along with responses that have helped overcome them:

  • “I’m too busy.” Explain that most Kiwanians have additional priorities and responsibilities —  in fact, it’s a strength — but clubs decide how often they meet, and members decide how active they will be. Busy people prioritize what matters to them. 
  • “It costs too much.” Ask them what appeals to them about Kiwanis. Then let them know that member dues are what make it happen. Dues allow Kiwanis International to pay for members’ leadership education, club membership resources, club growth support, Kiwanis youth programs and much more.  
  • “It’s hard to join.” They only need to complete an application and pay a prorated dues amount, depending on the month they join. 
  • “I’m part of another organization.” Ask them to consider what Kiwanis offers — and whether it could complement their existing affiliation. They don’t have to choose just one! Either way, thank them for serving the community and ask whether they know anyone who might be interested in Kiwanis.

Whatever the response to your recruiting efforts, always mention that membership helps develop leadership skills that also improve careers and communities. In fact, a Kiwanis club is a place to network with community leaders. (And don’t forget to mention Kiwanis Amplify.)

Our online club toolbox has many resources you can use to grow your club — including a dedicated webpage for recruiting materials. Find customizable club brochures, inserts designed to fit them and more! 

And download our handy one-page resource with tips and tactics for inviting guests. Use it and share it with other members! 

Panama becomes latest Kiwanis district 

Panama becomes latest Kiwanis district 

Mar 27, 2026 | Club building, General interest, News | 0 comments

The 2025-26 governor discusses the road to district status. 

By Tony Knoderer

Kiwanis International is pleased to welcome Panama as the 49th district in the organization.

Panama has been a part of the Kiwanis family since 1967, when the first club was formed there. Today, the district has over 1,000 members — and continues to grow. In 2025-26 alone, Panama has added 13 new Kiwanis clubs (nine of which are Kiwanis Voices clubs for members ages 18-26).

Panama’s previous Kiwanis affiliation had been with the Andean-Central American District (DACA), which was established in August 1975. Discussions regarding Panama’s potential for becoming its own district started more than 20 years ago, says Alfredo Luciani, Panama’s 2025-26 governor. Representatives from Panamanian clubs gathered in 2002 with then Kiwanis International President Brian Cunat to propose the idea.

“However, given the existence of only six clubs and a membership base of approximately 170 individuals, such a creation was not yet deemed viable,” Luciani says.

The effort was eventually revived, he adds, led particularly by Kiwanis member Eda de Wong.

“The creation of additional clubs was essential,” Luciani says. “In 2013, Eda de Wong established six new clubs, bringing our total membership to just over 300.”

In 2016, Panama’s Kiwanis clubs left DACA to position itself for the effort to become a district.

“A new chapter in our history began under the leadership of Vianka de Keene, who served as the first director of the Kiwanis Panama Pre-formation District,” Luciani says. “All subsequent district directors engaged in a vigorous campaign to strengthen our organization and transition us into a provisional district — a status contingent upon the commitment to create new clubs and achieve a substantial increase in membership.”

Luciani also credits Panamanians who had served as governors of DACA, calling them “worthy examples of Kiwanis leadership and our source of inspiration.”

For Luciani and his fellow leaders, those examples stand as motivation to support Kiwanis clubs and members as Panama’s new era begins.

“The task now falls to all of us to support their growth and retention, upholding the highest standards of quality and Kiwanis commitment,” he says.