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The
Capital City Kiwanis Club was chartered on October 19, 1959 by the
Tallahassee Kiwanis Club, with Kiwanis Lt. Governor (and future Governor)
Ralph Davis presiding at the Capital City Country Club. There were 58 charter members led by
President Dr. J. David O'Dea. The
roster included many prominent citizens such as State Treasurer Broward
Williams, future college president Hugh Adams, contractors Carl Ferrell
and Fred Turner, developer J. T. Williams, banker Tom Humphress, numerous
attorneys, and businessman Hilmar Skagfield. Originally the club met in the evenings
at the old Cherokee Hotel, but moved to a noon location
at the old Floridian Hotel in August, 1962. Other meeting places over the years
included the University Holiday Inn, the Parkway Holiday Inn, the Brown
Derby, the Western Sizzlin', the Sheraton, Howard Johnsons and Denny’s. Since its inception, the Capital City
Club has been working to make Tallahassee a better
place to live and work by providing services which are beyond the scope
of government. The Kiwanis Motto,
"We Build", is best exemplified by a look at some of the many
club projects throughout the club's existence.
For 65
years, a major emphasis of Kiwanis International has been the support of
youth. The Capital City Club
firmly believes this goal is one way to nurture better leaders for
tomorrow. Over the years, the club
has sponsored three high school Key Clubs, a Circle K at Tallahassee
Community College, a Cub Scout Pack at Gretchen Everhart, youth baseball
teams, youth soccer teams, a citywide Pet Show, a citywide Kite Contest,
the "Terrific Kids" program at Reudiger Elementary School, and
a "Special Kids" blood bank account for emergency transfusion
needs of children. Club resources
have supported drug abuse programs, an on-going student loan fund at
Lively Vo-Tech Center, and the Kiwanis Scholarship House at FSU. Major emphasis also has been placed on
early childhood intervention programs such as the World's Largest Baby
Shower, the Salvation Army Sharing Tree, the Healthy Start Coalition, and
the Easter Seal Telethon. The
newest club project, Bethany Apartments, focuses on the children of
homeless families at this transition shelter operated by ECHO. A Christmas Party is held each year and
the club provides support and activities for the children throughout the
year. Truly, Capital City Kiwanis cares about youth.
Even with
this special emphasis on youth, adults and other community services are
not overlooked. The club has
proudly supported the arts through the LeMoyne Art Foundation and the FSU
School of Music. Blood pressure
testing, conservation projects, a Landscaping to Save Energy program, and
the Adopt-A-Highway project all have benefited the general public. Capital City assists
the homeless through quarterly meal service, sponsored an Easter Sunrise
Service for eleven years, and published a Directory of all churches in
the Tallahassee
area. Senior citizens are
assisted through Meals on Wheels, entertainment programs, and landscaping
at Georgia Bell Dickinson Apartments.
The club's efforts to improve the quality of life reach all
sectors of the community.
Capital City Kiwanis
also has been a leader in the Florida Kiwanis District. Eight Lt. Governors have come from the
club, and it has consistently been a leader in northwest Florida. The bulletin and inter-club work of Capital City have won
state awards, and several members have served in statewide
capacities. In 1971, the club
inducted the first African-American members in Tallahassee (Herb
Alexander, Jim Davis and Ed Thorpe); in 1987, the first woman (Susan
Babcock); and in 1989, the first couple (Red and Joan Messer).
On January 14, 1964, Capital City sponsored
the sixth club outside North America in Reykavik-Hekla, Iceland. This club chartered with 52 members,
and was the first of more than 45 clubs with 1,300 members now in the
Iceland District. This new club
occurred mainly through the efforts and connections of current Icelandic
Counsel to Florida, Hilmar
Skagfield, a charter member. In
1981, the Capital City Club held the first of many Icelandic Nights. At this event, the club received the
Icelandic sheepskin which plays a part in the club's annual installation
of officers. Many distinguished
guests have visited Tallahassee for this
event, including District Governors, International President Eddie
Siggurdson, who was a charter member of the Hekla Club, and International
Past President Nick Swain, who was in office when Hekla was
established. Additionally, Past
President Leonidas Lipovetsky is an internationally famous concert
pianist who has been an ambassador for Capital City Kiwanis on many tours
around the world. Thus, the
efforts of this Tallahassee club have
extended far beyond city and country.
More than
325,000 individuals in 75 countries around the world proudly wear the
"K" of Kiwanis because they have the desire to become
personally involved in their communities.
As a group, they achieve what individuals cannot do alone. Truly,
this has been one of the prime objectives of the Capital City Kiwanis
Club.
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