ALMetro 360 Magazine

100 Years of Helping the Children of Montgomery and Central Alabama T HERE ARE MANY VOLUNTEER SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS THAT DO GOOD WORK FOR THEIR COMMUNITIES . B UT NONE DOES MORE THAN ONE GROUP IN C ENTRAL A LABAMA THAT HELPS CHILDREN IN NEED REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL . T HAT GROUP IS THE K IWANIS C LUB OF M ONTGOMERY . T HE K IWANIS C LUB OF M ONTGOMERY IS PART OF A GLOBAL ORGANIZATION WITH A WORLDWIDE MISSION TO BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES SO THAT ONE DAY ALL CHILDREN WILL WAKE UP TO BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES AND BECOME PRODUCTIVE INDIVIDUALS . T HE K IWANIS C LUB OF M ONTGOMERY HAS BEEN FULFILLING THAT MISSION FOR THE PAST CENTURY . On October 31, the Kiwanis Club of Montgomery celebrates its 100th anniversary. A special breakfast at the Alabama Activity Center on Dexter Avenue will commemorate this event. The lo- cal club has more than 250 mem- bers and is known throughout the global organization as the third largest club in the world. The Kiwanis Club of Mont- gomery began in 1919 with a group of charter members that helped organize one of the best and most active civic groups in Montgomery. Through their commitment and service, they laid the foundation that gave men like Jimmie Pruett, Bill Brewbaker, Hartwell Davis and Bill Kent, along with others who followed, the recognition as the civic club of Montgomery. The Montgomery club is a fiscally strong organization with more than $3 million in total assets and a record of having consis- tently made charitable grants of approximately $250,000 annually to children in the community. Since 1955, the club has made charitable donations of nearly $9 million. Sam Johnson, President of the Kiwanis Club of Mont- gomery, explains, “The Club looks to give back to organizations that have the biggest impact to children as a way to strengthen our community, one child at a time.” Some of the major projects and organizations funded by the Ki- wanis Club of Montgomery are: Miracle League Ball Field, Boundless Playground, Brantwood Children's Home, Goodwill Industries, Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, Camp ASCCA, Thompson House (Old Alabama Town), YMCA Camp Chandler and YMCA Camps Chandler and Grand- view, FriendshipMission, Resurrection Catholic Mission, American Red Cross, Boy's and Girl's Club, Montgomery Zoo, Montgomery Area Food Bank, Common Ground Montgomery, Camp Kiwanis Girl Scout Camp, Valiant Cross Academy, Children’s Center of Montgomery AND Boys Scouts of America. The club's charitable contributions to these, and many other worthy organizations, are funded from three sources: the Alabama National Fair, the Pete Peterson Trust, and individual contributions. The Kiwanis Club of Montgomery hosts its annual fundraiser, the Alabama National Fair, each October for 11 days. It is known as the “11 Best Days of Fall” for families in the Montgomery, Ala- bama area. The fair was founded as the South Alabama State Fair in 1954 under the leadership of Kiwanians such as Jimmie Pruett and Ben Wilbanks. The name was later changed to the Alabama National Fair. The anchors of the Alabama National Fair are its agricultural exhibits and competitions that draw participants from the Southeast and beyond with prizes that have exceeded $3 mil- lion. Also, as part of the Alabama National Fair, and perhaps the 60 AL/ Metro 360 www.almetro360.com GOOD DEEDS...................................................................................................................................