History
of the Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga
The
Kiwanis Club of Chattanooga was chartered in 1918 with 100 charter members. It
is a volunteer organization with Community building the focus then, as now. The
motto is WE BUILD. Many hours of
volunteer time and many dollars of donated money have been invested in building
Chattanooga. There is a primary interest in the children of our area. Some of the projects have been:
Soldiers and Sailor Memorial Auditorium: In 1918, the club’s first year, a Kiwanian, Dr. Harold Major, pastor of the First Baptist Church, was the speaker at the October meeting. He suggested that the city erect a memorial to the men who gave their lives in WW I. The club took the lead in this project which had to be sold to the city government and to the citizens. Ground was broken on January 18, 1922.
In 1960
the club took the lead in promoting a major renovation of the auditorium
and the purchase of the Tivoli Theatre. Finally the ideas were sold, the work was done, and the Tivoli was completed in 1966 with an Italian renaissance theme. The Kiwanis Club was asked to arrange the
dedication which spread over two days – November 5-6, 1966.
Chamberlain
Field: The
University of Chattanooga Stadium was initially an idea of the Kiwanis Club. The
club voted in 1926 to raise $50,000, the estimated cost to construct a stadium
to seat 8,000 people. The plan was to make the stadium available to the high
schools and prep schools when UTC was playing out of town. It was dedicated on
September 22, 1927, with UTC playing Vanderbilt.
TVA,
Chickamauga Dam and Chattanooga Electric Power Board: In
the early 1900’s several men who later became Kiwanians were interested in the
development of the Tennessee River. By 1933 Pres. Roosevelt, Senator Norris and
others were pushing development of the Tennessee Valley to harness the
river,
control flooding, and develop electric power. A Kiwanis committee was
successful in getting help to have the Tennessee governor call a special meeting
of the legislature to pass legislation making Chattanooga eligible for funds
available under the National Recovery Act. The citizens of Chattanooga approved
an $ 8,000,000 bond issue in March, 1935, to purchase the electric distribution
system. This became the Chattanooga Electric Power Board. The dam was finished
by 1940 and dedicated by President Roosevelt. The office of TVA have been in
Chattanooga since that time, but the main offices are in Knoxville. There was, and still is, some controversy in regard to this
project. TVA is the major electrical supplier in the region.
Boys’
Club of Chattanooga, Inc.: In 1949, the club began an interest in starting
a Boys’ Club when Floyd Delaney, a
Kiwanian, reported on conversations with
the Regional Director of Boys’ Club of America.. After a struggle to find a
place to start a club, a temporary arrangement was made with the Frye Institute
in 1955 and a director employed in 1956. Kiwanis took the lead in fund-raising.
In 1959 a development fund drive by the Boys’ Club board raised $200,000. This
enabled the purchase of property on Duncan Avenue, and a recreational and
educational building was erected. The Kiwanis have supported the Boys’ Club over
the years, including the purchase and support of a camp, Camp Kiwanis.
:
In 1975 Kiwanian Hugh Jackson became interested in this program of people to
people association instituted by President Eisenhower. Hugh went to the
International Relations Committee of the Kiwanis Club and sold them on
recommending that the Kiwanis serve as the sponsoring organization in
Chattanooga. The Sister Cities International of Chattanooga is quite active to
this day, promoting peace and cross-cultural exchange of children and adult
visits from across the world.
Northside Neighborhood House
Northside
Neighborhood House (formerly the Rose Longley Neighborhood House):
This community support and outreach organization was located in two old homes on
North Market Street for several decades, and it served the people around it.
Several Kiwanians served on the board over the years. The facilities became less
adequate every year. In 1987, a campaign to raise $600,000 was launched to
construct more adequate facilities nearby on Minor Street. The Kiwanis Club gave
$125,000 and several Kiwanians helped in soliciting. The campaign raised
$640,000 and groundbreaking for the new facility was a joyous occasion in
September 1989. It continues to serve the neighborhood today.
Fund Raising
In
April of 1947, the club found a continuing fund raising project – Vending
Machines. The revenue started slowly, but by 2000 this project was producing
over $1,000 each month.
Another
continuing fund-raising project was found with Ralph Windows Travelogues.
The contract was signed in 1951, and each year since, thousands of Chattanoogans
of all ages have enjoyed traveling around the world at the Memorial
Auditorium. The Travelogues produced
about $25,000 annually.
The
Kiwanis T V Auction was started in 1979 and became our biggest annual
fundraiser. Each Kiwanian was asked to bring in at least one item valued at $150
or more to the auction and to work on the auction production. The net proceeds
were up to $40,000 or more each year.
See pictures of
More recently we have begun partnering with some of the organizations which we have supported in order to have larger events. The Chattanooga Chase with the Chattanooga Track Club was the first of the partnership system and will be repeated yearly. The next is the Arabian Night gala with the Partnership for Families, Children, and Adults on May 13, 2006 .The Duck Race will be held this year on June 17, 06. (See Events)
Use
of Donated Funds:
Proceeds from club projects, as well as contributions from Kiwanians, and from others in the
community are deposited in the Kiwanis Youth Foundation and are disbursed to
support many worthwhile programs and organizations in the Chattanooga area,
primarily those that benefit youth.
Distinguished Service Award: Perhaps the most prestigious award in Chattanooga, this award was instituted to recognize an outstanding citizen in the community who had contributed greatly to the Chattanooga area. The first award in 1923 was presented to two citizens – C. E. James and Reverend Jonathan Bachman, for their leadership. Joint awards have been presented several times, and no awards were presented in seven of the years. (See Events for recent DSA recipients).
As the downtown Kiwanis Club celebrated 85 wonderful years of its history with a special observance this week, its members remained vigorous and active in their continuing services to the people of our community.
Our city’s first Kiwanis Club was one of the first 88 organized by Kiwanis International. It has been one of the most active local civic organizations throughout its 85 years and has spawned a number of additional local clubs.
Kiwanis is known locally for it’s work with children, and worldwide for its health programs. It has created a major tradition in Chattanooga with its annual Distinguished Service Award, Chattanooga’s most prestigious personal civic recognition. And Kiwanis happily raises funds for its projects with the popular Kiwanis Travelogues and TV auctions.
Kiwanis continues to be a valuable organization of service to Chattanoogans and our community.
Tom
Stimson, historian
