The history of a service club is written in it’s service record and in the contributions it makes to it’s community. The Kiwanis Club of Mansfield, chartered and organized on June 4th, 1920, has an impressive record of accomplishments.

In it’s first year, under President Frank H. Marquis, the club purchased scales for the public schools, provided milk for underprivileged school children, and held a Christmas Party for orphans at the Children’s Home. These projects marked the beginning of Mansfield Kiwanis Club’s long time emphasis on service to youth.

Friendly House

In 1922, the first contribution was made to the newly organized Friendly House program when Kiwanis members volunteered to repair and decorate the original Friendly House, a remodeled home on North Main Street. Friendly House was adopted as the club’s major service project. Since that time thousands of Kiwanis man-hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars have been contributed for equipment, land and building expansion, annual camperships, and for the annual Christmas Party.

In the 1920’s Kiwanis installed gym lockers and heating equipment, and gave books and money to start a library. During the 1930’s, Kiwanis fenced in the playground, provided shop equipment, helped build and furnish cabins and Hidden Hollow Camp, and secured a building at the rear of Friendly House for its use rent free.

Efforts in the 1940’s were directed towards improvements at Hidden Hollow Camp, supporting a drive for a new building, and helping to equip the new building on North Mulberry Street.

In 1951 the first Hanna Road Christmas Party was held and this tradition is still enjoyed by Kiwanians as well as the hundreds of children who receive an item of warm clothing or a toy along with treats and games.

In 1952 Kiwanis purchased two lots adjacent to Friendly House for the “Kiwanis-Friendly House Playground” and in 1954 helped buy additional land to expand Hidden Hollow Camp. In 1956 $850 was contributed for a garage for Friendly House Vehicles. From 1950-1959, Kiwanians collected and gave to Friendly House Ohio sales tax stamps with a redemption value of $800 to $1000 per year.

Through the 1960’s and 70’s annual contributions were made for various capital improvements. In 1973, a Kiwanis Memorial Fund was established by Friendly House and assets of $18,000 from the Kiwanis Foundation were transferred to it. Interest from the fund and apron sale profits are used for capital improvements, including projects that twice improved the swimming pool, modernized and re-equipped the kitchen, installed a new heating unit, all this following the recommendations of the Kiwanis Board of Directors.

Service Projects and Community Contributions

Other areas of community service were not neglected through the years. In 1924-25 Kiwanis purchased and provided labor to install Mansfield’s first street signs. In 1928, $250 was given to the YMCA Building Fund. In the 1930’s, the club brought a group of Navajo Indians to Mansfield city schools to demonstrate Indian life and customs. In 1931, “Point Kiwanis Park” was built as a road side rest area at the top of Ashland Road Hill. In 1934, $225 was given to equip a room at Mansfield General Hospital.

During the war years and the 1940’s Kiwanis sponsored a victory garden for Kiwanis members, conducted a blood donor campaign, contributed to clothgin, paper, and metal drives. In 1947, Kiwanis supported a visit of the Friendly Train to Mansfield, and made a contribution to needy Europeans.

Kiwanis sponsored the first Career Day at Mansfield Senior High School in 1951, and in 1953 assisted in establishing a new Safety Town. In 1956, the Agriculture Committee was instrumental in organizing a Farm-City Committee in the Chamber of Commerce, and has observed farm-city as an annual luncheon program each year. In 1957 and 1958, more than 20,000 trees were planted at the Girl Scout Camp.

During the 1960’s contributions included establishment of the Kiwanis Scholarship Fund for area students enrolling in Ohio State University Mansfield Campus, and gifts of $1000 to Mansfield-OSU and $250 to North Central Technical School. The Club distributed “The Law and You” booklets to area high schools; sponsored a Boy Scout Explorers Post; gave $500 for capital improvements at Boy Scout Area Council headquarters; and made contributions to American Field Service for its foreigh student exchange program, the Red Cross Water Safety Program, and the Boy Scout Marching Band Fund. IN 1956, the first annual Festival of Thanksgiving was sponsored with the Inter-Service Club Council.

Community service projects and contributions since October, 1969, when the Kiwanis year changed from calendar year reporting, show a wide range of activities.

1969-1970 Co-sponsored with Rotary, the annual meeting-banquet of the Salvation Army; contributed to Multiple Sclerosis Society; helped finance a Mansfield student attending the United Nations.

1970-1971 Gave the fist annual Animal Husbandry Award to a 4-H student at the Richland County Fair; provided Drug Alert booklets for the county schools drug programs; gave $200 to the Mansfield Public Library to initiate a paperback book collection for County Jail inmates; contributed $300 to Mansfield city Schools for clothing for needy children; contributed to 4-H Club, Boy Scout Explorers Post, and Safety Town for capital improvements, and to the Salvation Army for equipment.

1971-1972 Sponsored a Boy Scout Hobo Band Explorers Post; purchased a venereal disease film for the Richland County Health Department for use in county schools; paid part of the expenses to send a local boy to the Presidents Conference on Youth in Washington, D.C.; helped finance a trip to Washington by Explorer Scout members; contributed $45 to the Mansfield Public Library for career books; made contributions to CARE, and to the Richland County Committee on Employment of the Handicapped.

1972-1973 Cooperated with Malabar Key Club to purchase equipment for the school’s Orthopedic Program; pledged $1500 to Mansfield Junior Baseball Association for a Little League baseball field on the Sterkel Farm; purchased a tuba for the Hobo Band; contributed to Multiple Sclerosis Society; gave $100 to the Mansfield Public Library for the county jail paperback book collection.

1973-1974 Initiated a project of escorting Senior Citizens on the annual Richland County Farm Tour; allocated $1500 to the Mansfield Police Department to support the School Patrol; gave $200 to the Zenia Disaster Relief Fund; Contributed to the Multiple Sclerosis Society and the American Field Service foreign student exchange program.

1974-1975 Contributed $250 to the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra for expenses for school concerts; approved purchase of a new VD film for the County Health Department; gave $250 for renovation of the Salvation Army’s Camp Neosa; donated $250 to World Church Service for the CROP program in South America; contributed to the Junior Olympic Track Meet, and to the Rotary Club Foster Parent Program; distributed “Plants for You” booklets, and increased annual campership list.

1976-1977 Youth Services Committee approached the problem of organizing a Career Exploration Day in conjunctions with the local high schools. A “Kick Off” dinner ws held for 80 sophomore students and teachers (cost- $404) to explain the program and to sign up students to recruit other sophomores into the program. Our Key Club assisted in promoting the event at their school. The recruiting program was a huge success and 95% of the sophomore class elected to participate ( a total of 297 students).

1977-1978 The club provided funds and supervised the giving of camperships to programs offered by Friendly House, Boy Scouts, Salvation Army and the YMCA.

1978-1979 The club organized an ongoing major project to encourage Public Speaking as a required course in the schools. Contacts are continuing to be made with Boards of Education, Media and other service clubs.

1979-1980 The club established a Gifted Children Summer Campership Fund. The Ag Committee set up a small animal petting display at the Richland County Fair. The display included lambs, chickens and other small animals suitable for children to touch. In a community such as Mansfield, countless children never have the opportunity to see, let alone pet small farm animals.

1980-1981 Continuing a fine effort previously established, our very active ag committee received 15,000 tree starts from the state. They are received in packets of 1,000 which are too large for home owners use. Kiwanians break them down in packs which can be utilized by home owners. Some 1,500 packs were distributed to home and farm owners in Richland County.

1981-1982 Started an active drug abuse program which brought Dave Toma drug seminars for three presentations and established follow up care. Sent high school students to HOBY and Presidential Classroom.

1982-1983 Co-sponsored the establishment of a Sobriety Halfway House for alcoholics. Purchased a Porta-Printer for Helpline to assist with deaf calls. Ag members worked to establish Gorman Nature Cneter, planted and moved trees and landscaped.

1983-1984 Established Kids in Safety Seats Project, gave 100 safety seats to health department to loan to needy. We helped start early intervention project for handicapped children to age 4. Organized a committee for adding oral communication to all high school requirements.

1984-1985 Hosted 53 needy children at Cleveland Force Game. Had 100 entrants at fist Punt, Throw, Kick Contest. Ran our first International Relations Essay Contest for high school students. Co-sponsored Special Olympics with Galion Club.

1985-1986 Helped CACY bring Mike Winchester to area for 2-day drug-free seminars at YM-YWCA; our club furnished chaperons for over night. Started a tree farm at Rural Life Center to be provided to residents on a replace basis. Distributed 80,000 Keep Our Children Safe placemats to area restaurants, and distributed “No litter” signs at parks and lakes.

1986-1987 Ag Committee worked on drive to obtain hay for southern drought farmers. Provided $6,000 to Friendly House for a new boiler and pool improvements. Started small Kiwanis tree packs for residential planting. Made “Say No to Drugs” displays for malls.

1987-1988 Printed and distributed 13,000 “Say No to Drugs” bookmarks for area elementary students. Provided counselors and funds to ISCC to establish county wide drug task force. Co-sponsored lift for handicapped at Malabar pool. Adopted “Terrific Kids Project” at one elementary school.

1988-1989 Hosted Bike Safety check for area’s children; started annual Key Club picnic for Key Clubbers and advisors; installed “Welcome to Mansfield Club” signs and had first MADD New Years Eve Party. We provided chaperons extended “Terrific Kids Project” to two more schools; sponsored “Lollipop Concert” for 700 area students.

1989-1990 Provided safety seats for the handicapped bus; established first Christmas Parade; provided food for HUGO relief and furnished driver to take truck to the Carolina’s; re-established “Mittens for Kids” at three elementary schools; purchased “Say No to Drugs” tape for CACY Program.

1990-1991 Established phone line at Library for pre-school story line, our members made the tapes; provided funds to CACY for informed Teams of Teens to work on K-10 drug project; added four more “Welcome to Mansfield Club” signs in Kiwanis Barn at fair grounds; arranged for festival opening of Mansfield’s new Carrousel Park.

1991-1992 Provided assistance to Harmony House, providing funds and cribs for small children; added one more elementary school to “Terrific Kids” program; provided funds to train two new adult staff leaders at CACY; established Prayer Guide Project for members.

1992-1993 Printed and distributed 25,000 Straight Scoop drug prevention newspapers to area K-12 students county wide; co-sponsors were WMAN, Y-105 and the UAW and was coordinated with a large radio and TV spot presentation about the drug and alcohol abuse problem in our area; continued the “Just Say No” Program.

OUR WORK GOES ON AND ON

In addition to Friendly House, other agencies have benefited from Kiwanis as annual projects. Kiwanis has maintained a long standing relationship with the Salvation Army. Kiwanians annually help prepare Christmas baskets and raise money working with the Army Christmas kettles at area business locations. Contributions have ranged from $2,000 to $4,000 a year.

The club has assisted the Mansfield Mehock Relays for many years, providing a Relays Trophy each year and organizing transportation for visiting team members.

Individual Kiwanians have made their own contributions. One, of which Mansfield Kiwanis is particularly proud of, is Willie Snyder, who was awarded the Robert P. Connelly Medal in 1963 for saving a man and his three sons from a burning boat while on vacation in Alabama. The award was established by Kiwanis International to recognize acts of heroism in saving the lives of others without regard for the danger involved.

FUND RAISING ACTIVITIES

Kiwanis service projects could not be accomplished without funds. As early as 1926, the club combined pleasure with business by sponsoring a concert by the United States Marine Band. In 1928, an appearance by Will Rogers raised $700, and in 1929, the World War I hero Sgt. Alvin York was brought to Mansfield and helped raise $500.

In 1948, an agreement was signed to the Ford Ball Gum Company for the Kiwanis Ball Gum project. Kiwanis secures locations and they install and service the machines. Through Sept, 1993, profit from this partnership has brought in $60,000, an average of $1,300 per year.

From 1958 to 1962 the club sponsored a Cotillion and Charity Ball, raising $7,000. This annual community social event was continued by other agencies, and is now sponsored by the Mansfield Art Center.

Pancake Day, organized in 1960, is another annual fund raising project which combines a service enjoyed by the community with an opportunity for active involvement by Kiwanians.

In July, 1973, the club accepted the responsibility for the ticket and program concession for grandstand events at the County Fair. These activities are a consistent source of funds for our club and have proved to be a great relationship for the Fair Board as well.

The club has also participated in Magazine subscription plans, which allow members a discount on their subscriptions and help raise money for the club at the same time.

INDUCTION APRONS AND THE KIWANIS FOUNDATION

In 1949 the now familiar builders apron used in Kiwanis induction ceremonies. Through a special agreement with Kiwanis International the club was permitted to use the Kiwanis Emblem on the apron and sell it to other clubs. The agreement stipulated that no profits from the sales could be used for club administration or social functions. It was decided that the income would be used to support the club’s major youth project, Friendly House. From 1949 to 1956 approximately $12,500 was contributed to Friendly House from apron sales.

In 1956, the Kiwanis Foundation was established to channel apron income and individual Kiwanian contributions to Friendly House. A separate Board of Trustees was created to administer foundation funds.

Because of new regulations governing tax exempt foundations, the Foundation was dissolved in 1973. It’s assets were transferred to the Kiwanis Memorial Fund established by Friendly House.

From Dec 1956 through Sept 1973, the Foundation received $452,293: $36,733 from apron sales, $13,760 from individual Kiwanians, and $1,800 from other Kiwanis Activities. Disbursements were $46,187 to Friendly House; $5,160 to the Kiwanis Service projects, and $947 for operation costs.

From 1949 to 1995 more than 145,000 Induction Aprons were sold at a price ranging from $1.50 to $3.00 each. The project continues to be a major fund raiser, and all of the profits are designated for Friendly House through the Kiwanis Memorial Fund.

CONTRIBUTIONS TO KIWANIS

Kiwanis Club of Mansfield was one of the earliest clubs organized under the charter of Kiwanis International. From the beginning it accepted a responsibility to promote the ideals of Kiwanis. To further this responsibility, it encouraged members to be involved in Kiwanis affairs, and promoted the establishment of other area clubs.