Nonprofit organization, human values. Saint Clair, MI

PURPOSE:

Vision of Shorewood Kiwanis’ Current President:
To continue the service work of Shorewood Kiwanis and focus our projects, so we have a local focus, state focus, and national/international focus; to coordinate our projects under the motto: “Serving the children of the world”.

Defining Statement of Kiwanis International:
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time.

OBJECTS:

Shorewood Kiwanis fully supports Kiwanis International and the Six Objects of Kiwanis.

These "Objects" Are:

1st Principle:

To give primacy to the human and spiritual, rather than the material values of life.

2nd Principle:

To encourage the daily living of The Golden Rule in all human relationships.

3rd Principle:

To promote the adoption of higher social, business, and professional standards.

4th Principle:

To develop by precept and example, a more intelligent, aggressive, and serviceable citizenship.

5th Principle:

To provide, through Kiwanis Clubs, a practical means to form enduring friendships, to render altruistic service, and to build better communities.

6th Principle:

To cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism, which makes possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism, and good will.

HISTORY:

Kiwanis was born in Detroit back in 1915. It began as a businessman’s club – what we call “networking” today. Within a year, it became international in scope with the addition of some clubs in Canada.

Thousands and thousands of clubs were subsequently added under the Kiwanis banner and further refined their mission to a primary focus on children. That focus attracted community leaders and businessmen who built the international organization and propagated its influence across the world. Ladies were admitted to Kiwanis beginning on July 7th, 1987.

They worked on World Service Projects such as the elimination of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD). IDD is the leading cause of preventable mental and physical retardation. As many as 1.5 billion people are at risk, especially young children. The initial fundraising goal was surpassed in 2001. IDD projects have now been funded in 95 nations.

In 1959, some members from the St. Clair Shores Kiwanis Club joined friends of theirs from Grosse Pointe Woods to form the Kiwanis Club of Shorewood. By that time, over 5100 other such clubs had already joined the Kiwanis Organization. Shorewood quickly grew and gained prominence within the communities of St. Clair Shores and the Grosse Pointes.

Business and community leaders gravitated to Shorewood and, each using their particular expertise, guided the club as many important programs were established to benefit the community at large. By 1980, the club’s effectiveness and commitment to the “Objects of Kiwanis” helped make it possible for Past President Bill Hershiser to become Governor of the Michigan District of Kiwanis – a very significant milestone.

By that time, Shorewood was very active thanks to recurring fund-raisers, graciously supported by the community at large. These were events such as pancake breakfasts, Kiwanis peanuts and the legendary Gourmet Nut Sale at Christmas time. These collected funds made possible the annual ice show for mentally and physically challenged children from across the Metro Detroit Area; scholarships for graduating seniors from each of the St. Clair Shores school districts; support for culturally rich programs presented by the (now) Lake St. Clair Symphony Orchestra and the S.C.S Civic Chorus.

Now, Shorewood helps support young readers with pre-school books purchased for the S.C.S. Public Library; distressed families with Thanksgiving Baskets (23 this past year); the Trauma Related Injury Prevention Program of Children’s Hospital; the “Read to Me Roscoe” program of the Macomb Literacy Partners; and many, many more such programs aimed primarily at children and their families.

Shorewood Kiwanis is proud to serve our community and fully support and enact the motto, which guides all Kiwanians: "Serving the Children of the World"