History & Objects of Kiwanis

Kiwanis is a worldwide service organization of individuals who want to improve their communities by performing voluntary community service. Kiwanis was founded in Detroit, Michigan on January 21, 1915 and extended into Canada in 1916. In 1962, Kiwanis extended from North America to become a worldwide service organization. Today Kiwanis numbers more than 325,000 members in over 8,500 clubs. Though Kiwanis serves in 81 different countries, the objectives are the same.

The Kiwanis Club of Brantford was chartered March 8th of 1919, and is the third longest serving Kiwanis club in Canada. We are one of the clubs that form Division 5, in the Brantford, Stratford, Ingersoll, London area. Many such divisions make up a "district" which covers what is known as the Eastern Canada & Caribbean geographic area. This includes Ontario, Quebec, the Martime provinces, Jamaica, Suriname, and most of the Caribbean countries.
Each year a District Convention is held in one of the member countries or provinces with all clubs sending a delegation.  An annual International Convention is also held with all clubs sending a delegation.

A Kiwanian is an individual of good character who adheres to the standards of good conduct in a community and believes in and subscribes to the Objects of Kiwanis International which are:
 • To give primacy to the human and spiritual, rather than to the material values of life...
• To encourage the daily living of the Golden Rule in all human relationships...
• To promote the adoption and the application of higher social, business, and professional standards...
• To develop by precept and example, a more intelligent, aggressive, and serviceable citizenship...
• To provide through Kiwanis Clubs a practical means to form enduring friendships, to render altruistic service, and to build better communities...
• To cooperate in creating and maintaining that sound public opinion and high idealism which makes possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism, and goodwill.

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