Kiwanis Club of Amador County    

A LOOK BACK THRU THE YEARS OF THE

KIWANIS CLUB OF AMADOR COUNTY

 Prepared by Kiwanian Fred Lefever

Amador County Kiwanis Club Historian

September, 2000

On Saturday, October 2nd, 1965 Cal-Nev-Ha Governor William Dunlap presented the Charter of the Kiwanis Club of Amador County having been documented July 13, 1965. Wilford Francisco, Division 7 Lt. Governor, presided over the Charter Program held in the Youth Building at the Amador County Fairgrounds. Cal-Nev-Ha officers witness to the event were Governor William Dunlap, Governor-Elect Robert Barksdale M.D., Immediate Past Governor Frederic Silvey, District Treasurer E. Parker Smith and District Secretary Fred Kistermann.

The Kiwanis Club of Placerville sponsored the installation of twenty-six (26) charter members. Presentation of gifts was made by Placerville Kiwanis President Jackson Bailey to Amador Kiwanis Charter President Byron Westlake. Amador charter member Reverend Long gave the invocation and the Jackson High School Brass Choir, directed by Wes Hill, presented Dixie Land tunes for the 7:30pm dinner.

KIWANIS CLUB OF AMADOR COUNTY OFFICERS

 1965 - 1966

Byron Westlake, President

Frank Earl , Vice President

Lawrence Cenotto, Secretary

Warren Bennett, Treasurer

 The year 2000 is the 35th anniversary of the Kiwanis Club of Amador County , it is well to note that it was chartered in the year of the fiftieth (50th) anniversary of Kiwanis International.

The original meeting places of Amador Kiwanis is not mentioned in any of our resources, but at least one Installation was conducted at Surracci’s. The first meetings were held at lunchtime. Then the club switched to Monday nights and eventually settled on Danny Vukajloviich’s Wells Fargo Restaurant for Thursday luncheons at 12:10pm. It was at this time that the club posted three Kiwanis signs at the city limits of Jackson. There is no record as to when Amador Kiwanis became a breakfast club, but it was at the Wells Fargo Restaurant where they remained for many years. Sometime in the late 60’s, this writer was a guest at an evening meeting and presented a program on the importance of establishing a mental health department in the county. Try as I might, I can only remember that it was upstairs on the East side of Main Street.

The first recorded community project was cleaning up about two miles of Highway 49 between Jackson and Butte Store.  Two pick-up loads of beer cans and other assorted trash were hauled to the County Dump.  Not too long after, the club cleaned up five miles of Gopher Flat Road and laid plans to do the same for Prenatali Road.

Although the Kiwanis motto is “We Build “, Amador Kiwanians did their share of destruction when they obliged the County Fair Director Dick Cooper by demolishing a wooden wire fence.  The fence had enclosed a warm-up paddock for equestrian events and had long outlived its usefulness.  Director Cooper said they did in one morning what would have taken him and his aide two or three days to do.

In November 1971, Past President Dennis King installed Charles “Chuck” Hawkins as President for 1972.  Later that year President Hawkins was awarded the Western Fairs Blue Ribbon Award.  It is an honor given to an individual, business or organization which has devoted much of its resources, both human and treasure to prolonging the existence of the Fair.

In 1974 the Kiwanis Club of Amador County began the project of installing concrete picnic tables for public use throughout the county.  The tables were poured in parts, the top, the legs and the benches were of pecky cedar.  Members transported the parts in pick-up trucks and assembled them on site.  The first table was placed at the Sutter Creek Little League Ballpark.  In the succeeding years, tables were placed at the County Museum, churches, schools and local community parks.  Most of these picnic tables remain in use at this time including one at the Kiwanis Family House at the U. C. Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.  Look for the imprint of the Kiwanis International logo.

The first mention of selling sandwiches is noted in 1974 at a dinner following a Mace Meadow Golf Tournament. The club thereafter began selling steak sandwiches, corn-on-the-cob and popcorn at the Amador County Fair.  This project developed into many years of participation in Fair activities.  The serving of barbequed steak & chicken sandwiches, with soda, bottled water or coffee by Amador Kiwanians has become a traditional club fundraiser as has the selling of Sees Candy.  The official beginning of holiday seasons is by the appearance of the Amador Kiwanis Sees Candy trailer opening for business.  The surrounding communities have supported these two major fundraisers for the past seventeen years.  They are the primary sources for the funds used to support the Scholarship program and the Kiwanis Club sponsorship of the Argonaut High School Key Club.

The club’s ongoing service project of honoring outstanding local students also began in 1974.  Amador Kiwanians are proud of their current Scholarship Program which has grown from the issuance of certificates and $25.00 Savings Bonds to an annual budget of $6,500.00.  Elementary and high school graduates who are continuing their education are selected by school staff members for both their scholastic achievements and commitment to the objects of Kiwanis.  These awards are presented at a banquet attended by the recipients and their families.

One of the more recent programs undertaken by the club is funding the administrative costs of a once-a-month nighttime immunization clinic.  Staff from the Amador County Health Department are able to provide free inoculations for families who are not able to attend daytime clinics.  This project may be the most important club contribution to the community as it provides a means to prevent illness in the lives of many children.  The club also supports Sutter Amador Hospital with human and financial contributions to aid in providing health care to the entire community population. Prevention of physical and emotional challenges is also vigorously supported by Kiwanians in its International endeavor to eliminate Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD).

Local youth sports activities have always been supported by the Kiwanis Club of Amador County.  Sponsorship is currently provided for basketball, baseball and soccer teams.  Historical concerns are also an important cultural aspect of the area and the club is active in the restoration and maintenance of the garden area at the Kennedy Mine Foundation site.

Kiwanians appreciate the opportunity club membership has provided to them as a means of serving their local community and the “children of the world”.  We may be few but accomplish much for many.

We celebrated the year, 2000, as the Kiwanis Club of Amador County’s thirty-fifth (35th) year of service within the communities of Amador County. 

Last Updated June 23, 2008