A 95th birthday is an impressive occasion for any organization - and it's a milestone the Kiwanis Club of Fulton has officially reached.
Join members to celebrate and eat pancakes 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday at the Callaway Senior Center in Fulton. Tickets may be purchased in advance from any member for $7 or $8 at the door. Children 5 and younger eat free.
The Fulton club was founded Sept. 11, 1923. What originally began as a way for local businesspeople to network blossomed into a service organization of men and women with a common goal: serving children in the community. The club now extends services to other cities within Callaway County.
Many people are aware of the yearly scholarships given out to graduating seniors from area high schools, but Kiwanis has other projects, including new ones implemented in the past year.
During the 2017-18 school year, Kiwanis teamed up with Scholastic Books to provide vouchers allowing children to choose books during book fairs at Fulton elementary schools. Students needing vouchers were indicated by school administrators and the Kiwanis Club paid for them.
At this year's Youth Expo, Kiwanis paid for winners' awards.
In addition to these new endeavors, Kiwanis continues to support Boy Scout Troop 50 and Cub Scout Pack 52. The club aims to develop future Kiwanians through Key Club at Fulton High School. This is the second year for Builder's Club at Fulton Middle School.
Each year, Kiwanis members pay for a student to attend Boys' State and a student to attend Girls' State, where high schoolers create and run their own government. Kiwanis helps other local groups that help children as well. The club adopts a family through SERVE for Christmas and has provided money and volunteer support at iCanBike camp annually.
Kiwanis affords all these service efforts through fundraising. Locals know to head to the Kiwanis booth for mutton sandwiches during the Fulton Street Fair.
Kiwanis is even more famous for their pancake days. Each spring and fall, Kiwanis flips pancakes, bakes biscuits, stirs up gravy, and cooks whole-hog sausage for an all-you-can-eat meal.
The club meets at KACO at noon on Thursdays.