History of our Club
The Kiwanis Club of Santa Monica was founded in 1922, seven years after the first Kiwanis Club in Detroit, Michigan in 1915. Our club began meeting in March 1922 with 14 Charter members, orchestrated by Dr. Archer N. Moody, a local pharmacist. By May, the club had 50 members and had begun its tradition of being a "working" club. They raised funds for the Boy Scouts; sent more than $100 to Kiwanians in Oregon who suffered heavy losses in a fire; and contributed more than $300 toward the purchase of a car for a mission in Mexico.
• Archer Moody, Pharmacist
• William Garrett, Judge of Municipal Court
• W.F. (Pete) Barnum, SAMOHI Principal
• George Hart, Chairman of Board of Education
• William Dumm, Doctor
• M.W. (Bill) Guiney, Purchasing Agent for Santa Monica
• J.B. Lorbeer, Laundry Business Owner
• C.L. Fairchild, School Principal
• J.D. Rishell, President of Building & Loan Company
• H. Otto Apt, Dentist
• Albert Stanley, Real Estate Broker
• A.A. Pettinger, Druggist
• Homer D. Peek, Mortician
• J.G. Drake
The Kiwanis International motto is "We Build". The Santa Monica Kiwanis Club took this expression to heart. As you travel around town, just take a look and see what we've built!....
• 1923: Purchased equipment and established a dental clinic for indigent children at Jefferson School on 6th Street (where the Library now stands).
• 1925: Under the presidency of Dr. Apt, sponsored two new clubs - Beverly Hills and Hermosa Beach.
• 1926: Kiwanis provided milk regularly for underprivileged kids; sponsored the Western Rangers and assisted in establishing a County Health Clinic in Santa Monica, now Family Service on Euclid. Provided ceiling projectors and a film library for bedridden children in hospitals
• 1930: The first "Day Nursery". The lot on 1443 15th Street was purchased. The original building was built by the firm owned by Kiwanis President Frank Hellenthal. This is now Assistance League of Santa Monica. The club also financed playgrounds and our support continues today.
• 1938: Property at 1318 10th Street was purchased as the site for the new Girl Scouts building. Kiwanis members held their lunch meetings there for over 3 years and helped pay down the loan on the mortgage.
• 1939: Kiwanis donated funds and helped build the Boat and Craft Center at the YMCA Big Bear Lake campsite.
• 1941-45: The club assisted in the sale of War Bonds throughout Santa Monica.
• 1944: Past President Carl Tegner helped spearhead the building of the Boys (& Girls) club at 1238 Lincoln Blvd.
• 1949: The Club developed Vocational Guidance Day at Santa Monica College and began it's Music Scholarship Award program with Santa Monica School District. Under direction of President Dr. Cyril Gail, a new building was erected for the Crescent Bay Council of the Boy Scouts of America at 11632 Gateway Blvd. Plumbing materials were donated by Past President, C. Herb Berger.
• 1952: Sponsored new little league teams as baseball became more popular in Santa Monica.
• 1956: Sponsored the Brentwood Kiwanis Club
• 1960: Participated with the Salvation Army Red Kettle Day and issued the Service Organization challenge.
• 1963: In cooperation with the American Field Service, foreign students were invited to live with Santa Monica residents and given $200-$300 scholarships during their stay.
• 1969: Helped supply training kits to local schools for Operation Drug Alert. Provided X-Ray equipment to Santa Monica Hospital Emergency Room
• 1969-1971: The Kiwani-annes (the woman's branch of the club) held bargain bazaars. Proceeds went to assist blind students at both SAMOHI and SMC.
• 1982: Sponsored the Malibu Club
• 1987: Began to welcome Women as members of the club, prior to a U.S. Supreme Court Decision mandating such action. Woman members have shown their tremendous value ever since and are key leaders today.
• 1994: Distributed $50,000 in relief for the 1994 Earthquake
• 2004: Provided a One-Time Grant of $50,000 to the Santa Monica/Westside YWCA - Kiwanis Kottage
• 2005: Provided $25,000 to Habitat for Humanity for assistance with Hurricane Katrina rebuilding efforts in the Gulf States
• 2015 Kiwanis Playground established at Santa Monica's Ozone Park
• 1923: Purchased equipment and established a dental clinic for indigent children at Jefferson School on 6th Street (where the Library now stands).
• 1925: Under the presidency of Dr. Apt, sponsored two new clubs - Beverly Hills and Hermosa Beach.
• 1926: Kiwanis provided milk regularly for underprivileged kids; sponsored the Western Rangers and assisted in establishing a County Health Clinic in Santa Monica, now Family Service on Euclid. Provided ceiling projectors and a film library for bedridden children in hospitals
• 1930: The first "Day Nursery". The lot on 1443 15th Street was purchased. The original building was built by the firm owned by Kiwanis President Frank Hellenthal. This is now Assistance League of Santa Monica. The club also financed playgrounds and our support continues today.
• 1938: Property at 1318 10th Street was purchased as the site for the new Girl Scouts building. Kiwanis members held their lunch meetings there for over 3 years and helped pay down the loan on the mortgage.
• 1939: Kiwanis donated funds and helped build the Boat and Craft Center at the YMCA Big Bear Lake campsite.
• 1941-45: The club assisted in the sale of War Bonds throughout Santa Monica.
• 1944: Past President Carl Tegner helped spearhead the building of the Boys (& Girls) club at 1238 Lincoln Blvd.
• 1949: The Club developed Vocational Guidance Day at Santa Monica College and began it's Music Scholarship Award program with Santa Monica School District. Under direction of President Dr. Cyril Gail, a new building was erected for the Crescent Bay Council of the Boy Scouts of America at 11632 Gateway Blvd. Plumbing materials were donated by Past President, C. Herb Berger.
• 1952: Sponsored new little league teams as baseball became more popular in Santa Monica.
• 1956: Sponsored the Brentwood Kiwanis Club
• 1960: Participated with the Salvation Army Red Kettle Day and issued the Service Organization challenge.
• 1963: In cooperation with the American Field Service, foreign students were invited to live with Santa Monica residents and given $200-$300 scholarships during their stay.
• 1969: Helped supply training kits to local schools for Operation Drug Alert. Provided X-Ray equipment to Santa Monica Hospital Emergency Room
• 1969-1971: The Kiwani-annes (the woman's branch of the club) held bargain bazaars. Proceeds went to assist blind students at both SAMOHI and SMC.
• 1982: Sponsored the Malibu Club
• 1987: Began to welcome Women as members of the club, prior to a U.S. Supreme Court Decision mandating such action. Woman members have shown their tremendous value ever since and are key leaders today.
• 1994: Distributed $50,000 in relief for the 1994 Earthquake
• 2004: Provided a One-Time Grant of $50,000 to the Santa Monica/Westside YWCA - Kiwanis Kottage
• 2005: Provided $25,000 to Habitat for Humanity for assistance with Hurricane Katrina rebuilding efforts in the Gulf States
• 2015 Kiwanis Playground established at Santa Monica's Ozone Park