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Signature Project Impact Award Hall of Fame Winners
2024 Group One (clubs with 27 or fewer members)
| GOLD | |
| Kiwanis Club of Randolph Township – New Jersey District Randolph Kiwanis Freedom Festival & Parade |
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Each year on July 4, thousands of people line the streets in New Jersey for the Kiwanis Club of Randolph Township’s parade celebrating the United States’ Independence Day. But that’s not all — parade-goers can enjoy fireworks, carnival rides, games, a beer garden and family entertainment at the Freedom Festival on the County College of Morris campus. Local groups and organizations participate in the parade and host booths at the festival. The event brings the whole community together to honor veterans’ service and celebrate the country’s independence. |
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| SILVER | |
| Kiwanis Club of Kalayaan, Quezon City – Philippine Luzon District Kiwanis Special Games 2024 |
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Inspired by the Philippine Luzon District’s part in organizing a nationwide Special Olympics in the Philippines, the Kiwanis Club of Kalayaan decided to host its own games for athletes with intellectual disabilities. For 38 years, the numbers of participating schools and sponsors have increased. Schools even provide uniforms for their athletes. Kiwanians from Kalayaan and other clubs serve as referees and coordinators. At the most recent special games, over 1,000 athletes had the chance to compete and excel, winning medals while gaining confidence and self-esteem. |
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| BRONZE | |
| Kiwanis Club of South Eleuthera – Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District No Child Without Christmas |
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Eleuthera is an island in the Bahamas with a population of just over 9,000 people — many of whom live without running water, bedding or enough food. But, for the past 50 years, the Kiwanis Club of South Eleuthera has helped the island’s children experience holiday magic. In 2023, club members spent months marketing and raising funds for the island’s largest toy drive, even going door-to-door to help spread the word. They then traveled to Florida to purchase 1,500 gifts — including toys, bikes, iPads and bedding. The presents were loaded into a truck the club called its “sleigh,” and 20 volunteers embarked on “Santa’s Road Trip,” hand-delivering cheer, hope and a sense of community to over 50% of South Eleuthera’s young people across all 11 settlements. |
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2024 Group Two (clubs with 28 or more members)
| GOLD | |
| Kiwanis Club of Providence-Montego Bay – Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District Breast Cancer Awareness 5K Run/Walk/Wheelchair |
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For 14 years, the Kiwanis Club of Providence-Montego Bay has held its Breast Cancer Awareness 5K Run/Walk — and last year, the club added a wheelchair segment to allow Aktion Clubs and community members with disabilities to take part. The event doesn’t just raise awareness; it also raises funds for the Jamaica Cancer Society, the Oncology Ward of the Cornwall Regional Hospital, individuals in need of financial support for their cancer treatment and recovery, and other community projects. Kiwanians, community partners and over 200 Key Club and Circle K International members worked together to make a memorable event for over 2,500 attendees. |
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| SILVER | |
| Kiwanis Club of Stuart – Florida District Kiwanis Park at Woodlawn |
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When members of the Kiwanis Club of Stuart built the first two playgrounds for Kiwanis Park at Woodlawn in 1990, they had no idea what a landmark the park would become for its community. Situated at the entrance to the city near a low-income neighborhood, several daycare centers and the Creek Arts District, the park opened the county’s first accessible playground in 2015 and its only sensory playground in 2021. Each of four playground areas has its own Little Free Library stocked by Kiwanians. Park-goers can also enjoy free Wi-Fi, a concession stand and donated art fixtures. Club events have become so popular that the park is now its main source of fundraising. Most of the funds for the last round of park renovations came from the park itself. |
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| BRONZE | |
| Kiwanis Club of Gig Harbor – Pacific Northwest District Kiwanis Cares for Kids |
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The Kiwanis Club of Gig Harbor works closely with the 17 schools of the Peninsula School District on its Kiwanis Cares for Kids (KCK) program. What started as a project to provide new clothes and shoes for kids in need has grown into one that facilitates experiences that help kids grow. Throughout the year, the club continues to raise funds for clothes and shoes — but also for field trips, books, flexible classroom seating and extracurricular activities such as sports, music and camp. KCK enhances the self-esteem, education and life experiences of students from preschool through the post-high school transition program for adults with special needs. |
2023 Group One (clubs with 27 or fewer members)
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| GOLD |
| Kiwanis Club of Nilgiri, Nepal District Program for Sight-Disabled School-Aged Children Winner’s video |
| Three years ago, the Kiwanis Club of Nilgiri, Nepal, began offering vision screenings for area children. Club members and teachers were trained in how to conduct the screenings, and they transported those who needed further help, including surgery, to the hospital. Every year, this project helps thousands of children get the vision they need to succeed in school or to simply take in the world around them. Currently, the club conducts the project in two districts, with help from other area Kiwanis clubs — but members hope to expand to reach more children, with follow-ups each year to ensure treatments are working. |
| SILVER | |
| Kiwanis Club of Shepparton Sunrisers, Australia District Sprout Healthy Lifestyle Garden and Education Centre Winner’s video |
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| When the Kiwanis Club of Shepparton Sunrisers, Victoria, Australia, noticed the abandoned community garden attached to KidsTown Adventure Playground, members saw an opportunity to create a fun, interactive space where their community could learn about and practice healthy lifestyle choices. The Sprout Healthy Lifestyle Garden and Education Centre is free and easily accessible to the 10,000 people who visit KidsTown every year. It offers multicultural and indigenous food demonstrations, workshops on caring for the local environment, health programs for children and the chance for families to spend quality time together outdoors. | |
| BRONZE | |
| Kiwanis Club of Young Professionals St. Catherine, Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District SLP Inner City Single Mothers Empowerment Project Winner’s video |
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| The Kiwanis Club of Young Professionals St. Catherine in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, Jamaica, is dedicated to meeting the needs of single mothers, especially teenagers, in what they call a “volatile inner-city community.” As part of the project, the club distributed 551 care packages containing food and school supplies for single moms and their children. Doctors and nurses provided basic health services and immunization on-site at a local elementary school, where there were also health education and exercise activity sessions. Seven single mothers were given baby chickens and chicken feed to jumpstart a sustainable form of self-employment, and two more received full scholarships for skills training to enhance their future career prospects. | |
2023 Group Two (clubs with 28 or more members)
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| GOLD |
| Kiwanis Club of Daragang Magayon, Philippine Luzon District KCDM-DNHS Reading Hub Winner’s video |
| When the Kiwanis Club of Daragang Magayon, Legazpi, Albay, Philippines, saw teachers and students in the community struggling with a learning gap stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, they decided to help. The club transformed an abandoned room at Daraga National High School into a Reading Hub. Members created an engaging classroom environment by painting walls, fixing the ceiling, making tables out of recycled wood and providing books and school supplies. The Reading Hub has existed for only a year, and it already has helped 1,000 struggling readers improve their literacy skills. |
| SILVER | |
| Kiwanis Club of Denton, Texas-Oklahoma District Denton Kiwanis Children’s Clinic Winner’s video |
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| For 100 years, families in northern Denton County, Texas, U.S., have been able to turn to the Children’s Clinic of the Kiwanis Club of Denton for medical, dental, prescription and vision care for their kids, free of charge. This has been a literal lifesaver for families who might not otherwise have been able to afford these services. In recent years, the clinic also has begun to offer mental health care, and it has even been known to provide needed equipment such as wheelchairs, crutches and knee scooters. Club members staff and oversee the clinic. Through fundraising, grants and partnerships, the current budget enables them to offer over US$100,000 in services. | |
| BRONZE | |
| Kiwanis Club of Valparaiso, Indiana District Valparaiso Kiwanis Ramp Committee Winner’s video |
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| Since 2007, the Kiwanis Club of Valparaiso, Indiana, U.S., has been involved in over 150 wheelchair ramp installations. Each ramp comes with a story of lives changed for the better and families brought closer together in times of need. Thanks to partnerships with the Porter County Council on Aging and the Porter County Community Foundation, recipients are not charged for the ramps. Currently, 56 Kiwanis ramps are in operation. Kiwanians inspect and repair the ramps every year, and when a ramp is no longer needed, it is refurbished for the next recipient. | |
2022 Group One (clubs with 27 or fewer members)
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| GOLD |
| Kiwanis Club of Chelsea — New England and Bermuda District Track and Field Day Winner’s video |
| After a year of pandemic lockdowns, members of the Kiwanis Club of Chelsea, Massachusetts, U.S., say it was great to see kids being kids — running, being silly, having fun and smiling. Each year, the club hosts Track & Field Day in the community. Any student from kindergarten through grade 12 can compete in any of nine challenges. Participants also have fun with hula-hoops and water balloons. Every member of the 24-person Chelsea Kiwanis Club gets involved in the project, which also raises money for four scholarships or apprenticeships. |
| SILVER |
| Kiwanis Club of North Port — Florida District Children’s Community Clothing Closet Winner’s video |
| Families from 11 schools can turn to the Children’s Community Clothing Closet in North Port, Florida, U.S., for help. Created for area families who might not be able to afford school uniforms or dress clothing, the closet is managed by the Kiwanis Club of North Port. In 2021, club members increased their outreach and met more families at community events. They even provided clothing to families in Louisiana and Tennessee when those states dealt with natural disasters. |
| BRONZE |
| Kiwanis Club of Greater Swedesboro — New Jersey District Run/Sit/Walk Winner’s video |
| A New Jersey District Kiwanis club chartered in 2015 is already making a big difference in the community. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Swedesboro, New Jersey, U.S., quickly figured out a way to make an impact for kids in the community and grow its ranks. Soon after being chartered, the club got to work on creating its signature project: the 08085 Run/Walk/Sit, named after the ZIP code for the community the club serves. Participants choose whether to run or walk on a paved, dirt or wetland path. It’s quickly becoming a popular event. The club has raised more than US$21,000 in five years and added 25 members to the roster. |
2022 Group Two (clubs with 28 or more members)
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| GOLD |
| Kiwanis Club of Olympia — Pacific Northwest District Food Bank Gardens’ Greenhouse Winner’s video |
| The Kiwanis Club of Olympia, Washington, U.S., raises, harvests and donates between 25,000 and 35,000 pounds of produce every year. What started as one garden on a small plot in 1990 is now three gardens, where one of them measures about two acres. The produce — such as carrots, peas and potatoes — is sent to the local food bank where the need for fresh fruits and vegetables is insatiable. The club is working to build a greenhouse on one of the farms to provide fresh produce year-round. |
| Silver |
| Kiwanis Club of South Central Indiana — Indiana District Balloon Fest Winner’s video |
| The Kiwanis Indiana Balloon Fest — created by the Kiwanis Club of South Central Indiana, U.S. — has quickly become one of the most popular annual fall festivals in the Bloomington and Monroe County community. Every September, thousands of people come out to see the hot-air balloons’ myriad colors, shapes and sizes. All proceeds from the festival support six Little Free Libraries in underserved neighborhoods and other youth programming by the club’s nonprofit partners. |
| BRONZE |
| Kiwanis Club of Appleton-Fox Cities — Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District Kiwanis ‘n Cops ‘n Kids Winner’s video |
| When COVID-19 caused most of its community to shut down, the Kiwanis Club of Appleton-Fox Cities, Wisconsin, U.S., found a way to meet the need. The club created the Kiwanis ‘n Cops ‘n Kids Reading Together project. The club organized times for police officers to read to kids with appropriate social distancing, such as outside at Little Free Libraries. The club also distributed books, focusing on stories that involve Hmong and Latino characters so that all the kids could see themselves represented in the stories. The project was such a success that the club plans to continue to schedule more readings in the months and years ahead. |
2021 Group One (clubs with 27 or fewer members)
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| GOLD |
| Kiwanis Club of Candelaria — Philippine Luzon District Hand-Washing Facilities and Safe Drinking Water Winner’s video |
| The Kiwanis Club of Candelaria from the Philippine Luzon District builds hand-washing facilities and safe drinking water stations at schools in the community. |
| SILVER |
| Kiwanis Club of Jenkintown — Pennsylvania District Jenkintown Sunset 5K Run Winner’s video |
| The Kiwanis Club of Jenkintown from the Pennsylvania District hosts the Jenkintown Sunset 5K Run, which has become the largest evening races in suburban Philadelphia. |
| BRONZE |
| Kiwanis Club of Centennial Hills — California-Nevada-Hawaii District Color Walk/Run and Car Show Winner’s video |
| The Color Walk/Run and Car Show by the Kiwanis Club of Centennial Hills from the California-Nevada-Hawaii District raises funds to purchase playground equipment that is accessible for all kids. Group Two (clubs with 28 or more members) |
2021 Group Two (clubs with 28 or more members)
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| GOLD |
| Kiwanis Club of Providence-Montego Bay — Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District Breast Cancer Awareness 5K Walk/Run Winner’s video |
| The 2021 Kiwanis Signature Project Contest Group II Gold Award is presented to the Kiwanis Club of Providence-Montego Bay in the Eastern Canada and the Caribbean District. The club’s Breast Cancer Awareness 5K Walk/Run has become the social event of the year. |
| SILVER |
| Kiwanis Club of Northmount, Calgary — Western Canada District Kiwanis Christmas Gift and Toy Project Winner’s video |
| The Kiwanis gift and toy project by the Kiwanis Club of Northmount, Calgary from the Western Canada District brings smiles to kids whose families may be struggling to celebrate the holiday season. |
| BRONZE |
| Kiwanis Club of Port Charlotte Sunrise — Florida District Sunrise Kiwanis Shoes for Kids Winner’s video |
| The Sunrise Kiwanis Shoes for Kids signature project by the Kiwanis Club of Port Charlotte Sunrise in the Florida District has provided thousands of new shoes for kids who don’t have proper footwear. |
2020 Group One (clubs with 27 or fewer members)
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| GOLD |
| Kiwanis Club of Ormond Beach — Florida District Kiwanis READS! Summer Reading Challenge Winner’s video |
| The Kiwanis Club of Ormond Beach, Florida, U.S., is creating energetic and passionate readers by building home and classroom libraries. So far, the club has provided 2,319 books to students and teachers at a local elementary school. The club says the project engages students. The school finished third among all Florida schools in the number of minutes read in the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge. |
| SILVER |
| Kiwanis Club of Oak Lawn Area — Illinois-Eastern Iowa District Feed 6 Mega Event Winner’s video |
| Along with the need for food assistance in greater Oak Lawn, Illinois, U.S, there is an equal need for a network of organizations working on hunger issues. The Kiwanis Club of Oak Lawn Area is working to fill those needs. The club co-chaired the Feed 6 Mega Event, where 350 volunteers created 50,000 meals of enhanced macaroni and cheese for nearly 30 area food pantries. |
| BRONZE |
| Kiwanis Club of the Adelaide Hills — Australia District Kiwanis Book Shop Winner’s video |
| The Kiwanis Book Shop, run by the Kiwanis Club of Adelaide Hills, Australia, is the soul of its community. Money raised in the shop funds services for children and adults from underserved communities. The club gives AUS$5 vouchers to students in the Terrific Kids program to purchase books at the shop. |
2020 Group Two (clubs with 28 or more members)
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| GOLD |
| Kiwanis Club of Prescott — Southwest District Live Annual Auction Winner’s video |
| Going once. Going twice. Gone! Every year, the Kiwanis Club of Prescott, Arizona, U.S., auctions thousands of items donated by local businesses. The auction is broadcast on the cable access channel and by live stream for three hours every weekday night for two weeks. The nearly US$175,000 raised every year is used to fund many community programs. This signature project has been going on for so long that some current members remember their grandparents participating. |
| SILVER |
| Kiwanis Club of Ames-Town and Country — Nebraska-Iowa District Teen Maze Winner’s video |
| Choices have consequences — good and bad. It’s a lesson the Kiwanis Club of Ames-Town and Country, Iowa, U.S., are teaching through their signature project. Teen Maze, an interactive two-hour game, helps teens understand how to make intelligent, informed decisions. |
| BRONZE |
| Kiwanis Club of Mansfield — Ohio District Friendly House Winner’s video |
| The Friendly House provides an affordable and safe afterschool program for families in Mansfield, Ohio, U.S. To help kids get there, the Kiwanis Club of Mansfield celebrated its 100th anniversary by providing the center with a bus — and it hopes to buy a second one. Since 1922, the club has donated US$3.3 million in funds and services to the program. |
2019 Winners |
| GOLD |
| Kiwanis Club of Montgomery — Alabama District Winner’s video |
| Since 1954, the Alabama National Fair has provided fun for all ages, thanks to days filled with events, competitions, exhibits, vendors and rides. The Kiwanis Club of Montgomery, Alabama, U.S., organizes the fair every year and has contributed more than US$7.4 million to children in need during its 65-year run. |
| SILVER |
| Kiwanis Club of Bendigo — Australia District Winner’s video |
| A community assessment in Bendigo, Australia, showed poor literacy rates among the community’s children. The Kiwanis Club of Bendigo works to reverse that trend by placing book boxes in places where children visit. Kids can read, borrow, swap or keep the books, having fun while enhancing their reading abilities. The project has been so successful that several other charitable groups have joined the effort. |
| BRONZE |
| Kiwanis Club of Baton Rouge — Louisiana-Mississippi-West Tennessee District Winner’s video |
| The Kiwanis Club of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S, doesn’t just do a pancake breakfast – it’s a festival. And for 45 of the festival’s 69 years, it’s been a place where children perform and show their art. That’s because the club discovered that kids benefit from an opportunity to publicly display their talents to a wide audience. The event has evolved into one of the largest and oldest juried talent shows in Louisiana. Additionally, the club raises nearly US$25,000 each year from the festival for service projects. |