About our Club

Club History

The Kiwanis Club of Waterloo was founded in 1920, thereby becoming a part of one of the great community service organizations of the world, Kiwanis International.

Kiwanis of Waterloo is composed of men and women who are motivated by a common desire to serve their community. “We Build” is the motto under which Waterloo Kiwanians work to make Waterloo a better place in which to live. Working together without thought of personal gain, Waterloo Kiwanians voluntarily share the challenge of community improvement and leadership.

The Kiwanis Club of Waterloo takes pride in having given substantial support to the Scouting program, especially development of Camp Ingawanis (formerly Camp Ingachuck). The use of the last two syllables of Kiwanis for the name change was for the purpose of acknowledging appreciation for Waterloo Kiwanis’ generosity. Waterloo Kiwanis also played an important role in establishing the Goodwill Industries in Waterloo. Over the years Waterloo Kiwanis has provided financial support to a great variety of programs that have resulted in a happier and healthier community.

Kiwanis helps kids around the world. Our Kiwanis club looks out for our community and the Kiwanis international organization takes on large-scale challenges, such as fighting disease and poverty. Our Kiwanis club is generous with its time. We are creative with our ideas. We are passionate about making a difference. And we have fun along the way!

For more than a century, Kiwanis has created opportunities for children to be curious, safe and healthy regardless of the community in which they live. When you give a child the chance to learn, experience, dream, grow, succeed and thrive, great things can happen.

The Kiwanis Mission

Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.

The Kiwanis Vision

Kiwanis will be a positive influence in communities worldwide — so that one day, all children will wake up in communities that believe in them, nurture them and provide the support they need to thrive.

The Objects of Kiwanis

• To give primacy to human and spiritual, rather than to 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 make possible the increase of righteousness, justice, patriotism and good will. 

Kiwanis Motto

“Serving the Children of the World”

Kiwanis Name

The name “Kiwanis” was coined from a native American expression, “Nunc Kee-wanis,” which means, “we trade.”