Decatur Early Bird Kiwanis Celebrates 50 Years of Service
A Celebration Dinner will be held on September 16, 2022
For fifty years the Decatur Early Bird Kiwanis Club has served the children of Decatur and Macon County, and they plan to continue this tradition for years to come. Through those 50 years the club has donated more than $250,000 to various local nonprofit organizations, especially those with child-centric missions. Club members currently volunteer hours toward efforts including highway clean-up, giving away children’s books, teaching kids to fish, and serving at Camp Grenada – a summer camp at Allerton Park for children with diabetes. The club has volunteered more than 30,000 hours in the last 25 years alone.
“It’s a way to learn about the community, find life-long friends, and support families,” says current Club President Bill Meyer.
John Pulley, the club’s only charter member, has been involved since September 1972. “I’ve made lifelong friends as an Early Bird Kiwanian, learned many things about the Decatur community as well as many other topics because of the weekly programs by guest speakers. But, the most meaningful part of being a member of the Early Bird Club has been the impact we’ve made in the community, especially in the lives of Macon County children and others.”
The club has recently seen remarkable growth coming out of the COVID-19 Pandemic, particularly in their female membership. “I joined in 2020 after I was invited to be a speaker,” says Nicky Besser, vice president of the club and Executive Director of The Good Samaritan Inn. “Since then, we’ve added 5 more women as members.”
There are three adult Kiwanis clubs in Decatur: Early Birds, Golden K, and Noon Club; and high school Key Clubs at Mt. Zion High School and St. Teresa High School. The Decatur Early Birds meet weekly at the Decatur Club on Thursdays at 6:45AM.
The Early Birds are honoring this 50 Year milestone with a Celebration Dinner at the Decatur Club on Friday, September 16th at 5:00 pm. Tickets are available for a prime rib or smothered chicken dinner for $40.00. Please contact Bill Meyer at 217-521-6520 to make a reservation or with question. All current and former members are invited to attend.
About Kiwanis
Kiwanis International is a global community of clubs, members and partners dedicated to improving the lives of children one community at a time. Today, we stand with more than 550,000 members from K-Kids to Key Club to Kiwanis and many ages in between in 80 countries and geographic areas. Each community has different needs, and Kiwanis empowers members to pursue creative ways to serve the needs of children, such as fighting hunger, improving literacy and offering guidance.
Kiwanis clubs host nearly 150,000 service projects each year.
Learn more at www.kiwanis.org
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