One Hundred Years of Building Part 9 Kiwanis Club of Swift Current

(2001 – 2011)

The Kiwanis Club entered the new millennium with a roster of 71 members, one of the most vibrant clubs in the Western Canada District. In addition to many ongoing projects, the club began to sponsor Kids Free Swim in February at the Aquatic Centre, a practice that continues today. Some of the recipients of club funds were the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Child Safety Program, Risk Watch (a child injury prevention program), a provincial student leaders’ forum at the Comp High School, an Abilities Council Yoga Therapy Program, the annual Lyric Christmas Children’s Matinee, several August leadership camps for the Comp Student Leadership Council, Kids in Safe Seats (car seats for babies), Ladders to Learning (a loft for Pre-K at Central School), a “Racism: Spot it, Stop it” poster contest through the Welcome Centre, and CNIB to support visually impaired children. Co-sponsoring with SC Little Theatre, a drama night raised $2000 for a youth drama camp. The Malta Exchange program for selected Grade Nine students ended in 2009 after running for over 50 years.

For several years, the club sponsored a successful K-Kids program at local elementary schools. With the assistance of their teachers and volunteer Kiwanians, Grades 4 and 5 kids found ways to recognize fellow students, raise money for charity, and volunteer in the community. The club continues to sponsor and help organize Middle Years Wellness Forums that feature motivational speakers. Bursaries are still awarded to Music Festival winners, Comp High School, Maverick School, and College achievers, and Science Fair winners. Trophies are awarded for 4-H achievement and, for several years, Kiwanis provided a barbecue lunch for 4-H members at Frontier Days. Kiwanians also barbecued for Comp HS students the last day of school and provided a food booth at Relay For Life. Local teachers, new to Swift Current, have been treated to a welcoming luncheon each September for more than 60 years.

In 2005, Kiwanis, together with the City of SC, developed the popular SK8 Park in Riverdene. From 2005-2010, Kiwanis fulfilled a $25,000 commitment to furnish a room at the Cypress Regional Hospital. Since 2009, the Kiwanis Caring Clowns have made visits to cheer hospital and nursing home patients. In support of Crisis Services, Kiwanians continue to sell Duck Derby tickets and “run the ducks” at the annual Credit Union Picnic. They support the annual Ability Bowl, and donations have been made to the SC Family Centre, Victim Services, the SK Abilities Council, and the Prairie Pioneer Lodge. Kiwanis purchased a portable dentist’s chair that has been used by local dentists in countries such as Rwanda and Honduras. As a SK Centennial project, Kiwanis commissioned three large murals at Cypress Hills Regional College. The club supported Swift Current’s first ever Pow Wow. The Kiwanis Float is an annual entry in the Frontier Days Parade, and Kiwanians participate in a highway clean-up project on Highway 4 North spring and fall.

In 2004, the club initiated a Second Glance program to collect and redistribute or recycle used books and magazines. More than 680 kg of material was given to children, families, the disabled, and seniors, but the program was discontinued when the volunteer hours required became too onerous. Members have donated their time and skill to renovations at CMHC and SW Crisis Services.

Thanks to wonderful community support (and to the Pioneer Co-op for use of their Garden Centre), sales of apples and Christmas trees continue to be major fundraisers for the club. For example, apple sales in 2008 were $8102 and tree sales in 2009 amounted to about $9000. From 2002-2008, the Million Dollar Hole-in-One competition was held. It was replaced by a Golf Tournament which continues to be an annual success.

Kiwanis strives to support community decisionmaking by providing representatives to committees such as the now disbanded SC School Division Community Council and the Drug Awareness Task Force. The club invited leaders from the City, Education, and Health to a forum to consider joint facilities. The club itself undertakes a Planning and Priorities analysis periodically to consider how best to serve the community.

As one of the most active Kiwanis clubs in Western Canada, the Swift Current club hosted a joint convention of all Western Canada and Montana District clubs in 2008. We met, “Under One Sky”.