OUR CHARTER NIGHT, FEBRUARY 22, 1967

In 1966, fourteen members of the Midland Kiwanis Club, which met in the evenings, formed a committee to organize a new Kiwanis Club which would meet at noon for lunch. Each committee member was asked to recruit one additional member. The Midland Kiwanis Club, organized in 1921, agreed to sponsor the new Club. 

The Charter Night dinner, reported to be "an elegant affair", was held at the Country Squire Inn. Local City dignitaries, members and spouses of Kiwanis Club of Midland, the 49 new Kiwassee members and their spouses, and out of town Kiwanis Club members attended. Kiwanis Club of Midland presented Kiwassee with a bell and 2 flags. Ben Hines was elected President. Kiwassee was the 217th Kiwanis Club chartered in Michigan.

As the new Club was the second club in Midland, a distinguishing name was necessary, The origin of "Kiwassee" is a combination of the "Ki" from Kiwanis and the "wassee" from the name of a local river, the Tittabawassee. Kiwassee's first community project was ringing of the bells for the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign. That project is still supported by Kiwassee today. The first fundraising project was a car wash in the spring, which resulted in $.17/hour profit per worker. 

Charter members were: Arthur L. Allen; Charles T. Anderson; Eldon D. Bailey; Max L. Bottomley; William B. Bradley; Eugene T. Brady; William N. Cook; Matthew Crawford; Orrie Francis; John Y. Glass; Eldon L. Graham; Albert A. Gunkler; Howard L Haight; Robert G. Hale; Arthur E. Henry; Walter A. Henson; Benjamin F. Hines; Thomas Houtman, Jr.; Robert G. Kingsley, Ross S. Kressler; Douglas E. Lake; James W. Leenhouts; Charles J. Lenz; Merton B. Lilly; Frederick J. Lowes, Jr; Robert J. Mesler; Richard T. Miller; Mahlen H. Moore; Wallace D. Moore; I. George Morrison; E. Thomas Niles; George E. Olson; Robert L. Parker; James F. Schorr; Lee A. Shobe; Thomas H. Smith; Richard L. Smith; Wilfred Sweet; Harold A. Steinke; Frank E. Towsley; Edward C. Williams; Harry L. Wehrly; Floyd F. Wetmore; J. Larry Williams, Robert L. Wyman.