WELCOME TO STAMFORD KIWANIS ESTABLISHED IN 1959

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President's Message

Thank you for taking the time to browse through our webpage.This is an opportunity for you to learn more about Kiwanis and all the wonderful work we have been doing in the Niagara Falls community since 1959. On the left hand side are the different links you can click on and find out who we are and what we do. Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. I hope you will find our site interesting and informative and do welcome your feedback. If you would like to come out and join in the fun and fellowship at one of our meetings please let me know. We would love to have you come out as our guest. You too can make a difference. Click on my name and you will have my email address. I look forward to hearing from you. Your in Kiwanis Gerry Sheahan President, Stamford Kiwanis

Kiwanis_Objectives What is a Kiwanian? Facts About Kiwanis Read our latest bulletins

Local Clubs support Easter Seals campaign

The Kiwanis Clubs of the Golden Horseshoe held the annual regatta recently in support of Easter Seals.

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati

pays visit to Stamford Kiwanis Club

Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati, left, is thanked by club member Dr. Bob Ainslie. Click here to see more photos of the mayor's visit.

Stamford Kiwanis get behind

Women Who Care for Project SHARE

Stamford Kiwanis held a meeting in May during the Women Who Care for Project Share campaign in Niagara Falls. Click here to see more photos.

Stamford charter members Gary Gunning, Howard Good, Bob Ainslie and Leon Keith.

50 years of service to others:

Stamford celebrates five decades

By LAURA WIKSTON

The Niagara Falls Review

A lot has changed in the past 50 years, but not the goals of the Stamford Kiwanis Club. The service organization, like all Kiwanis clubs worldwide, prides itself on building better communities. Throughout the years, the Stamford club has helped numerous organizations, including Young Children Priority One and the Boys and Girls Club of Niagara.

Founded in 1959, the Stamford Kiwanis will be holding its 50th anniversary gala today at Club Castropignano Niagara in Port Robinson. Justice Minister Rob Nicholson will headline the event. A special guest will be the Kiwanis Eastern Canada and Caribbean Division Governor Sheron Cameron-Dunn.

About 100 people are expected to attend, including 94-year-old Harry Stewart, the club's first president.

Four of the original members, Gary Gunning, Howard Good, Leon Keith and Bob Ainslie, are still active in the club and will be attending the event. Another member, Edd Masters has been a Kiwanis member for 51 years as part of the Stamford club and the now defunct Niagara Falls club. The Niagara Falls Kiwanis branch closed 10 years ago.

The four charter members said raising money for charities and deserving individuals was a driving factor in joining the club.

"I grew up in the Kiwanis," Gunning said.

Gunning's father served as both president and lieutenant governor of the Niagara Falls club and Gunning said he used to go to Kiwanis projects with him.

"When the Falls club sponsored the Stamford club, it was just natural that I joined."

Good was a member of the Hermes Club, which ceased operations in 1959. The members were invited to join the Niagara Falls Lions Club and the newly formed Stamford Kiwanis. Good said he chose the Kiwanis because friends from the Hermes Club had joined it.

Keith joked he joined the club under pressure, but admitted he knew people in the Falls club, so he decided to "tag along with Howard."

In 1959, Ainslie was a young doctor building up his practice when he joined. He said attending meetings was mandatory, not always an easy thing to do in his profession. He was committed to the cause though and found the time to attend.

Gunning said the Stamford club started with 50 members because that was the number needed to become a charter. Today, there are 31 members.

Keith said he remembers the first budget for fundraising projects was only $3,500.

"We had to get into ways and means quickly, to find projects to make money."

One of the first major projects was Hunt's Kiwanis Niagara Falls tour map, a major fundraiser for more than 30 years.

Another early project was the Toy Time for Christmas project. Older toys donated to the club were refurbished and then distributed to needy children. The four men remember how their wives helped by washing and pressing donated dolls' clothing.

During Keith's time as president of the club in 1967, the members published a book entitled, Niagara Falls, Canada -A History. Keith said putting the book together was time-consuming, intensive work, but worth the effort.

"It was our contribution to the city for Canada's centennial."

Several years later, a chapter from the book was published in a soft-cover version called River of Fame. Both books have been successful fundraisers.

Important fundraising projects today are bus bench advertising and the Kiwanis TV Bingo.

"For a small club, we've generated a lot of money, year after year," said Ainslie. "I'm amazed at the accomplishments of our members."

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Kiwanis kindness

Some Stamford Kiwanis projects:

¦ Kiwanis TV Bingo -(with co-operation of the St. Catharines Kiwanis Club) Each Sunday evening, this is shown on Cogeco Cable 10 between 8 p. m. and 9 p. m. Bingo cards are sold at all Avondale Food Stores and Shopper's Drug Marts throughout the city and Region.

¦ Kiwanis Music and Dance Festival -The festival offers competition for piano, vocal, choral and dance.

¦ Stamford Kiwanis Non-profit Homes Inc. -Provides subsidized accommodation for Niagara Falls families in single-family homes and apartments. Some of the many organizations that have received funding from the Stamford Kiwanis Club :

¦ Young Children Priority One

¦ Project SHARE Niagara Falls

¦ Boys and Girls Club of Niagara Falls

¦ Greater Niagara General Hospital

¦ Meals on Wheels (Niagara Falls)