The Kiwanis Club of Fresno was chartered by Kiwanis International on April 13, 1921. As with all new Kiwanis Clubs, a sponsoring club was necessary. Ours was the Kiwanis Club of Oakland. The first president of the club was Fred Docker who was a local attorney.

     Over the years men and women from our community have held the highest office in the club, its president. A complete list can be found in our club roster. After serving in the local club as president, members are eligible to be considered for Lt. Governor of the Division. Twelve (12) members of our club have achieved this office, including those who were in the position when it was known as "trustee". One function of the Lt. Governor is as a member of the Board of Trustees for the California-Nevada-Hawaii District of Kiwanis International. Fresno continues to occupy the central position in the Division 5, the fifth formed in what is now a total of 46 divisions in the Cal-Nev-Ha District. The twelve (12) members who have served can be found on the list of past presidents. One member has achieved the next highest office in Kiwanis International, that of Governor of Cal-Nev-Ha District. John Roberto served as Governor during the 1991-1992 administrative year. In 1988 our club became one of the first in the Fresno area to allow women members and during that year we inducted Bee Richter, Roz Clark and Judy Thomas as our club's first female members. Roz Clark is still an active member.

     During our history we have sponsored new Kiwanis Clubs and Sponsored Youth Groups. A total of 22 clubs have been sponsored, including Hanford, 1921; Bakersfield, 1922; Kingsburg, 1926; Sanger, 1927; Merced, 1929; Madera, 1946; Tulare, 1946 (joint); North Fresno, 1951; Mid-Valley, 1953 (joint); East Fresno, 1960 (joint); Clovis, 1961; Airport Sunnyside, 1981; Kerman, 1982; Alpha K, 1987; Mariposa, 1992; Northwest Fresno, 1995; Old Town Clovis, 2000; Madera Valley Children's Hospital (joint sponsorship with East Fresno) 2001; Riverpark, 2001 and two clubs in Djamboul, Kazakhstan in 1991. All but four of these clubs (Mid-Valley, Airport Sunnyside, Northwest Fresno and one in Djamboul) continue to serve the communities in which they are located. In addition, the club sponsors the Clovis West High School Key Club, the University High School Key Club and a Boy Scout Cub pack at Nelson Elementary School. At one time, we also sponsored a Key Club at McLane High School.

     Many past and present fund raising activities have provided the funds for meeting needs in our community. The longest running and, therefore, the most successful is the Gum Machine program. The Ford Gum Company licenses local Kiwanis Clubs to place and maintain vending machines in their local communities. In the beginning, the only item dispensed from these machines was chewing gum, and the asking price was ONE CENT! Today, gum and candy products are available in the machines for twenty-five cents. Since its inception in 1947, this project has yielded a total of over $186,000 for youth projects in Fresno. Other fund raising activities have included a fireworks stand, a spaghetti dinner/auction, fruitcakes, light bulbs, peanuts, raffles, fashion and car shows, golf tournaments and belt buckles. The most successful of the buckle projects was the one conducted during the centennial celebration for the city of Fresno. This raised over $20,00 for service projects. Much of this was invested and the interest helps sustain our current community service activities.

     We are in business to serve the community of Fresno. Our service has included many projects to help youth and persons of all ages. However, our main focus over the years has been on young people. The club has sponsored scholarships to numerous people for summer camping and learning experiences and to a great number of college-bound high school graduates. We have helped the elderly, supported the Salvation Army and the Boy Scouts, served in the war effort (WWII), sponsored bicycle safety for elementary students for nearly 40 years, and donated bicycles for perfect attendance at many elementary schools. We have helped troubled youth on probation or in the juvenile institutions, both before and since government-assisted programs of this type. Boys & Girls Club, Break the Barriers and Special Olympics have all received generous monetary donation.

     Members have supported strong academic pursuit by high school students including the 36-year recognition program for valedictorians of the high schools in the Fresno Unified School District and scholarships to local colleges. Of all of these projects of the past and for some of the present, two will be remembered with much pride: the Kiwanis Youth Orchestra and the Crop Identification Signs. The Youth Orchestra was founded in 1952 and continued until 1965. It played local concerts for the public and service clubs, was featured on local television, performed at Cal-Nev-Ha District conventions and at two Kiwanis International conventions. At the end of its life as a Kiwanis-sponsored group, it did not disband but was transformed into what is now the Junior Philharmonic, sponsored by the Fresno Philharmonic. The Crop Identification Signs began in 1974 along Highway 99. The club began this project, which has grown to include Cal-trans and the Farm Bureau as partners, and Interstate 5 and Highway 180. The co-sponsorship includes ordering, purchasing, placing and monitoring the signs. This project recently expanded to include the Fresno County Blossom Trail, and continues along with the Books for Babies project and numerous other activities, which involve member time and club financial resources. Other aspects of club life include membership development, club programs and meetings, and lunches. Over the years, our club has met regularly in several hotels in Fresno, primarily at the Fresno Hotel, Hotel Californian, Del Webb Hotel, Hilton Hotel, and currently, the Ramada Inn. All but the Ramada had been located in downtown Fresno. The move out of the downtown area was not done lightly and required much discussion, which occurred over more than one year. In the spring of 1991, the move was actually made to the northern part of the city at the Ramada Inn on Shaw.

     Our membership grew from a small group at the time of chartering to a club of over 200 during the period when Fresno was growing and there was only one Kiwanis Club in town. As the town grew, a need for more clubs was evident and more were chartered with our help and that of other clubs in the area. It was during this period of growth in Fresno that the club's nickname, "The Downtown Club", was coined. The size of the club declined to around 150 members where it stood for a number of years. During the latter part of the early 1980's and early 1990's, the club membership varied between 100-130. The nickname came to an end in 1991 when the club moved north. Member fellowship, learning and fun round out the club life. Each week a program is included with the luncheon, and a club bulletin is published each week. Of note is the fact that when paper resources were scarce during the Second World War, the club printed its bulletin on postcards. Among the programs of each year, beginning in 1985, is the Story Telling Contest. The brainchild of member Glenn Hardy, this contest is held at the last meeting of the calendar year. The winner receives the right to house the traveling trophy and to tell a humorous story once a month for the next 12 months!

     Learning has not been limited to the time of the club meeting. Orientation programs are held for new members, and members attend district and international conventions. These conventions are mainly for learning, but they also include fellowship, fun and officer elections and Bylaw revision. For many years, Kiwanians from the Central Valley would go as a group to international conventions on the train. The photo archives of the club include some of the records of these many trips. Fellowship was also practiced outside the club meeting. Most remembered by many members of a bygone period were the card parties and fishing excursions at PG&E's cabin at Bass Lake. Today, fellowship activities include the annual golf tournament and dinner, a 40+ year old event; the annual Garden Party in the fall at the home of Martin and Bobbye Temple; and special pre-Christmas dinners. Not all attend these outside activities but those who do are rewarded. Speaking of being rewarded by fellowship, the Interclub has always been a part of Kiwanis life in this area and throughout Kiwanis International.

     This brief history concludes with a note about member recognition. Each club has its own form of recognition, which is aided by programs of Kiwanis International. Longstanding traditions in our club include recognition of perfect attendance with lapel tabs worn behind the Kiwanis lapel pin and the Kiwanis Legion of Honor, established to recognize members who have served twenty-five years or more in any club in Kiwanis International. Also among our recognition programs is the roasting of our outgoing President on the last meeting of the year. This event is one looked forward to by many members and sometimes by the President!