In 1915, the first Kiwanis Club was founded by business and professional men in Detroit, Michigan. Organizers coined the word “Kiwanis” meaning “We Trade.” By 1924 the club became Kiwanis International with 1200 clubs worldwide and 90,000 members. In 1987, bylaws were changed so that women could be elected as members.
The Kiwanis Club of Yuma is part of the Southwest District which originated in El Paso, Texas in 1917. Phoenix was the first club chartered in Arizona. The Yuma club was organized in 1922. What began as a business network has evolved into an organization dedicated to community service around the ideal of “The Golden Rule in Business, Civic, and Social Life” with the motto “We Build.” The focus of Kiwanis fundraising is to benefit young children and youth through gun shows, pancake dinners, and the Yuma County Fair.
The collection is arranged in six series, alphabetically and chronologically within. While the records date from the 1918 through 2000, there are significant gaps throughout.
