MILTON — The Kiwanis Club of Milton, the first Kiwanis club in Santa Rosa County, turns 82 July 3. But longevity hasn't meant rising, or even stabilizing, membership.
In 1980, the club had 100 members. Since then, the club has slowly dwindled to roughly 15 members. Yet its mission remains the same: to help people.
Kiwanis Club International is focused on children. One current example is The Eliminate Project, according to member Jim Marcombe. It is a joint effort between Kiwanis International and UNICEF to eliminate the maternal and neonatal tetanus disease through vaccination, according to sites.kiwanis.org. The effort has raised $110 million as of April 23.
The Kiwanis Club of Milton is also collecting hats for the Hats A Yard program, where Florida Kiwanis clubs collect hats for children with cancer.
But fewer members could mean fewer hats and other fruits of their labor.
“The decline in membership (is because) people don’t become involved in their community, but the need is out there,” Kiwanis Club of Milton member Gerald Shelton said.
“We had appellate judges, congressmen, three mayors,” member Butch Lindsay said.
“Anybody who was anybody,” member Jimmie Melvin said.
In 1989, Dan Gribbin wrote, "Kiwanis Club of Milton: 54 Years of Dedication and Service." The book highlights the club’s history and accomplishments.
For example, the Keywanettes formed in 1960 at Milton High School and began selling Christmas trees.
In 1973, the Kiwanis Club started participating in the Scratch Ankle festival selling cakes.
In 1983, the Citizenship Services Committee started the picnic at Carpenter's Park in Milton for patients in the Santa Rosa Convalescent Center.
Between 1980 and 1988 new Kiwanis clubs formed like the Santa Rosa Sunrise Kiwanis Club, the Holley-Navarre Kiwanis Club, the Kiwanis Club of Pace and the Kiwanis Club of Ensley.
Lindsay suggested the government taking on new roles has reduced society’s inclination to help each other, so they don’t join service organizations like the Kiwanis Club.
“The whole attitude of helping people has become diluted," Lindsay said.
If the club continues to lose members, there may not be a club.
“It would be a shame to disband, to lose a community that helps people get out of their armchair and help,” Lindsay said.
The Kiwanis Club of Milton meets at noon Wednesdays at the Community of Christ Church, 6656 Raymond Hobbs St., in Milton.
Member dues are $130 quarterly, which Melvin said cover the meeting lunches.
The club does not have a Facebook page yet but members are discussing creating one.
Call Melvin at 686-2176 for more information.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: 'It would be a shame to disband'