HJ281: Commending the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke.
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 281
WHEREAS, the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke, one of the oldest, largest, and most successful Kiwanis clubs in America, celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2020; and
WHEREAS, as the 25th largest Kiwanis club out of 8,000 clubs around the world, the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke has become a flagship member of Kiwanis International, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of children in every corner of the globe; and
WHEREAS, after the national organizer for Kiwanis, E.F. Westcott, visited Roanoke to inspire the community to form a club, 118 charter members applied for membership and were granted Charter No. 182 on January 28, 1920; and
WHEREAS, the first membership roster of the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke included several distinguished members of the community, including the city mayor, a congressman, and a judge, lending the club a degree of power and prestige that would help the organization improve the quality of life in Roanoke; and
WHEREAS, since the earliest years, the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke has placed an emphasis on helping underprivileged children get the support they need; in the 1920s, the club raised money to pay off the Children’s Home Society of Roanoke and, in 1927, began hosting an annual Christmas party; and
WHEREAS, when Kiwanis International voted in 1987 to allow women in the club, the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke quickly began admitting its first female members, expanding its membership and enhancing the quality of support it could provide; and
WHEREAS, over the years, the club has initiated more regular programs to support underserved children in the community, including the Annual Kmart Christmas Shopping Spree, the West End Tutorial Program, the Kiwanis Pancake and Auction Day, and Kids’ Fishing Day; and
WHEREAS, to help fund its growing operations and further its many youth projects, the Kiwanis Foundation of Roanoke was established in 1955 to consolidate assets and investments for the club and generate income for future endeavors; and
WHEREAS, much as it did at the club’s beginning, the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke currently has many of the city’s leaders on its rolls, including clergy, educators, elected and appointed officials, members of the media, and volunteers with deep ties to other impactful service organizations in the region, all of whom help the club fulfill its important mission; and
WHEREAS, the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke has exemplified for the past century what a service organization can accomplish through steadfast dedication and heartfelt compassion; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke, an organization that has improved the lives of countless children in Roanoke, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the Kiwanis Club of Roanoke as an expression of the General Assembly’s deep respect and unqualified admiration for the organization’s service to Roanoke and the Commonwealth.