Out of a record 590 contest entries, this year’s six winning projects brought communities together. 

By Erin Chandler

Kiwanis clubs around the world brought their communities together over the past year through creative and impactful service, fundraisers and events. The best of Kiwanis clubs’ signature projects were recognized during the 2026 Kiwanis International Convention in Manila, Philippines, when the winners of this year’s Signature Project Contest were announced. 

In the name of fun, food, competition and companionship — or a little of all four — this year’s six winning projects were selected from a record-breaking 590 contest entries from around the world. Through ongoing programs and projects built to last, these clubs promoted the Kiwanis causes — health and nutrition, education and literacy, and youth leadership development — in innovative ways. 

Want to enter next year’s Signature Project Contest? You can find contest details and a link to past winners on the contest’s webpage. 

Group One (clubs with 27 or fewer members)  

Gold 

Annual Baldwinsville Kiwanis Turkey Day Race
Kiwanis Club of Baldwinsville, New York, U.S.
New York District
Over 57 years, the Kiwanis Club of Baldwinsville’s biggest annual fundraiser has become a beloved holiday tradition in the community. The Turkey Day Race, held on American Thanksgiving, includes a kids’ fun run, a 5K and a 10K — with an average of 1,600 runners taking part. Last year’s event welcomed 1,800 runners! Even those who are not running get involved, with the Baldwinsville Village, Sheriff’s Department, Fire Department, School District and local sponsors all providing assistance. Proceeds from the event help the club give over US$50,000 back to the community in scholarships and grants for everything from preschool to local theater, youth sports and the Ronald McDonald House. During the race, the club also hosts a food drive to support local food banks during the holiday season. And thanks to the event, 19 new members have come running to join the club.  

Silver (tie) 

Kiwanis Special Athlete Basketball Tournament
Kiwanis Club of Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Pennsylvania District
For 46 years, the Kiwanis Club of Jenkintown has provided athletes ages 8-70 who have intellectual and developmental disabilities an opportunity to compete in an inclusive basketball tournament with players like them from across the tricounty area. The one-day event is positive, welcoming and free of charge, with meals and snacks, Kiwanis T-shirts, medals and trophies for all athletes provided. Athletes and volunteers then participate together in service projects — building bonds among community members of all abilities. Members of Aktion Club, Key Club, Builders Club and Circle K International (all of which are Kiwanis Service Leadership Programs) serve alongside Kiwanians as athlete buddies, coaches, event volunteers and service project partners. Four hundred people attended last year’s tournament. Club members say that many participants, both athletes and volunteers, identify the Kiwanis Special Athlete Basketball Tournament as the best tournament experience they’ve had. Over the years, 80 new members have joined Kiwanis as a result.  

Kiwanis-Led Destination Play Space for ALL Ages and ALL Abilities
Kiwanis Club of Springfield South, Missouri, U.S.
Missouri-Arkansas District
The playground equipment at Fellows Lake recreational area was over 50 years old, unsafe and neglected when the Kiwanis Club of Springfield South stepped in. The club recognizes the importance of play in helping kids build social skills and learn about the world, so it was important that the playground be a place where children of all abilities could play and belong. With help from enthusiastic community partners, members transformed the space into the only fully accessible playground in Greene County — The Hatch: A Playground for ALL. Now thousands of families per year come there to picnic, hike, fish, relax and play together. Through PlayCore, it has been designated a National Demonstration Site for quality, evidence-based research in outdoor recreation. Next, the club plans to make the playground the site for an annual Kiwanis Day of Play event, where families can enjoy refreshments and activities — and get information and resources from local organizations like Abilities First.  

Group Two (clubs with 28 or more members) 

Gold 

Breast Cancer Awareness 5K Run/Walk/Wheelchair
Kiwanis Club of Providence-Montego Bay, Jamaica
Eastern Cananda and the Caribbean District
The Kiwanis Club of Providence-Montego Bay’s Breast Cancer Awareness Run/Walk/Wheelchair brings over 2,000 people from Jamaica and beyond together to “support the fighters, admire the survivors and honor the taken.” The event raises awareness about breast cancer and includes an education component. Last year, a surgeon gave a presentation on reconstructive surgery for breast cancer survivors. But it also raises over US$10,000 for screening, scans, surgery and support for people in the community experiencing or recovering from breast cancer. Additional funds go to the Jamaica Cancer Society and the Cornwall Regional Hospital’s pediatric oncology ward, for a total of US$80,000 raised. Sixty-nine Kiwanis club members and 133 Key Club and Aktion Club members participate in and volunteer at the event. The eight area Key Clubs even have a competition to see who can get the most participants to register. This year’s 5K had special significance: After it was postponed by Hurricane Melissa, the race became a celebration of resilience, raising additional funds and using partnerships to provide care packages for those affected by the devastating storm.  

Silver 

Kiwanis Club of Fargo Annual Pancake Karnival
Kiwanis Club of Fargo, North Dakota, U.S.
Minnesota-Dakotas District
Everyone in Fargo knows and loves the Kiwanis Club’s Pancake Karnival. Held annually for 67 years, it’s a tradition for generations of families — both as attendees and volunteers. Many of the Fargo Kiwanians’ reasons for joining Kiwanis involve childhood memories of the Pancake Karnival. Some attendees have never missed a single Karnival and are now bringing their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren for a day of fun that gives back to the community. The goal of the Pancake Karnival is to raise as much as possible for grants to support children. Last year, US$25,000 helped create a Kiwanis-branded space in a city park centered on children’s mental health awareness, with US$42,750 left for local nonprofits. This year, the club plans to award US$30,000 to three organizations that address childhood food insecurity. And many of the organizations that have received grants over the years return the favor as Pancake Karnival volunteers — a full-circle Kiwanis moment!  

Bronze 

Kiwanis Caring Kitchen
Kiwanis Club of Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Pennsylvania District
After an 8-year-old child in the community died from malnutrition, the Kiwanis Club of Erie vowed to make sure such a tragedy would not happen again. In collaboration with Community Shelter Services (CSS), it opened the Kiwanis Caring Kitchen, a small structure in a parking lot that offers three meals a day, seven days a week, for anyone who is hungry — no questions asked. Customers are typically children and families from the neighborhood, but some come from further away, including those experiencing homelessness. The school bus stops nearby, so every child who boards the bus has something to eat. Local Scout troops have made picnic tables for outdoor seating, and Kiwanians painted the kitchen exterior to make it bright and welcoming. CSS staff oversee the kitchen, and on-site volunteers include Kiwanis, Key Club, Aktion Club and K-Kids members. Local businesses and community members have donated money, food and supplies. The project is a true community effort, and it has paid off. In just two years, the club estimates the Kiwanis Caring Kitchen has served 90,000 people.