About our Kiwanis club

All Inclusive Playground in Chautauqua Park, Worthington, MN. More details in website.

The Early Risers Kiwanis Club has been strong through the years with committed members and great leadership. This commitment has continued with many service projects and various fundraisers throughout the years.

History of the Club

The Early Risers Kiwanis Club of Worthington was chartered on October 10, 1968 with 35 members at the time of chartering. The Worthington Kiwanis Club (Noon) was the sponsoring club. The Minnesota-Dakotas District Governor was Art Wheeler and Lieutenant Governor was R.S. Froiland. Harris Darling, a local attorney, was the club’s first president.

The last charter member of the club is Dale Carlson, who served as president, every committee chair, District Lieutenant Governor, District Governor and has 55 years of perfect attendance. He was very active on the Minnesota-Dakotas Education Foundation Board for many years.

Four members of the club have served as District Lieutenant Governors and one member as District Education/Leadership Development Coordinator for many years.

Club membership averages 25-30 members of various occupations and professions. The club raised several thousand dollars to help fund the Kiwanis International Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD) Initiative. Kiwanis International raised $110 million in five years to help third world countries with the distribution of iodized salt in their diets to eliminate mental retardation.

The club has also raised hundreds of dollars to help Kiwanis International Maternal Neonatal Tetanus Initiative. The goal was again, $110 million to help eliminate maternal neonatal tetanus in infants throughout the world. These infants die within seven days of birth when the disease enters their bodies during birth due to unsanitary conditions. The mothers receive a series of three shots for a total cost of $1.80 that will protect her future unborn children. Kiwanis International partnered with UNICEF with both of these initiatives.

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. This is what the Early Risers members do and this is who we are.

The Kiwanis Mission & Vision

Kiwanis empowers communities to improve the world by making lasting differences in the lives of children. Kiwanis strives to 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. Our Kiwanis club fulfills the Kiwanis mission by serving our community through service projects.

Kiwanis Service

Service is at the heart of every Kiwanis club, no matter where in the world it’s located. Members stage approximately 150,000 service projects and raise nearly US$100 million every year for communities, families and projects. By working together, members achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone.

Our Kiwanis club focuses on changing the world by serving children, one child in our community at a time. To reach more people and have a greater service impact on their communities, many clubs sponsor a Kiwanis family club — K-Kids for primary school children; Builders Clubs for adolescents; Key Clubs for teens; Circle K clubs for university students and Aktion Clubs for adults living with disabilities.

Join Us

Our Kiwanis club fulfills the Kiwanis mission by serving our community.

Are you ready to help create communities that let all children thrive, prosper and grow? It’s pretty easy to do! Simply contact us with your questions and apply for Kiwanis club membership here.

The kids in your community and the world are counting on you!

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