August 2, 1949 - Organizational Meeting for Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande
An August 4, 1949 article said 91 people attended the organizational dinner meeting. The Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande started with 34 members and a project. The membership was made up of men from the Casa Grande area. The elected officers at the meeting were; President, Guy Acuff; Vice President, Pat Duhamell and Secretary/Treasurer Charles Filly. Board members were Don Bernard, J.B.Collerette, Marvin Palmer, Loren Curtis, Frank Dowling, Vincent "Bill" Bianco and John Neary.
September 28, 1949 - Casa Grande Kiwanis Club Charter Night
The Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande was presented their International Kiwanis Charter at the meeting held at the Westward Ho Hotel in Phoenix. Ceremonies were held in Phoenix because of a lack of meeting places in Casa Grande. Over 250 Kiwanis and their wives attended with representatives from eight Arizona Clubs present. Guy Acuff, President of Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande accepted the new charter on behalf of the new club.
Charter Project
One of the group's first civic program was to build a $20,000 baseball park on unimproved Casa Grande Union High School property. The ball park opened the week of March 21, 1950 with games between the state semi-pro champion Casa Grande Apcos, the Albuquerque Dukes of the West Lcian New Mexico League and the University of Arizona Wildcats.
In 1956 the Casa Grande Union High School renamed the field "Kiwanis Field". It was the home of Casa Grande Union High School baseball team and the Cotton Kings who held the Arizona semi-pro championship for several years according to the Casa Grande Dispatch article dated November 29, 1956. The field was named to honor the Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande which not only sparked the conservation of unimproved school property into one of the finest baseball fields in southern Arizona but financed the construction of the park complete with fences, turf and bleachers at no cost to the school system.
Kiwanis Invitational Track Meet since 1952
The Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande hosts the Kiwanis Invitation Track Meet.
1956 through 1980 - Sports Banquet
Kiwanis, Rotary and Lions Club joined in a combined effort and sponsored the Sports banquet at Casa Grande Union High School presenting trophies for all sports. The Lions Club stopped being a part of the banquet after a few years but the Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande continued through 1980.
September 11, 1958 - Key Club at Casa Grande Union High School
Kiwanis organized the Key Club at Casa Grande Union High School. The Charter was presented to the Casa Grande Union High School Key Club in the Evergreen Cafetorum. All fifteen boys from Casa Grande Union High School were installed at the Key Club dinner. Cecil Couch, chairman of the committee presented the club charter to Jim Smith, president. Other officers were Kent Fisher, vice president; Tom Rhodes, secretary; Carley Levario, treasurer and Allen Lee, sergeant-of-arms.
December 1964 - 2000
Charles Pierce was Kiwanis president when the club started selling Christmas Trees. The clubs first Christmas Tree lot was located where the old Casa Grande auditorium is today. Their next lot location was where Kentucky Fried Chicken is today. From there they moved to the empty lot across the street where Taco Bell used to be and from there back across the street to where Pizza Hut is today. In 1990 they moved to the Wal-Mart parking and quit selling Christmas trees in 2000. Every dollar Kiwanis collected went back into the community to help support all the projects that Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande do throughout the year.
August 2, 1974 - Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande celebrates 25th Anniversary
Friday’s banquet was attended by 130 Kiwanis, wives and guests to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the founding of Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande. The banquet was held at Francisco Grande and began after club president; Gail Sherbondy introduced master of ceremonies Dick Smith, Phoenix of the Valley of the Sun Club. Smith was the governor of the Southwest District. Three members of the club when it was charted in 1949 were also present, Loren Curtis, Don Bernard and AI Burton, club secretary. Bernard leafed through civic projects, including the purchase and construction of Kiwanis Field which later was dedicated to Casa Grande Union High School. Ronald E. Andersen, Sr., Lt. Governor of Division 7 attended the celebration.
August 12, 1999 - Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande celebrates 50th Anniversary
The Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the signing of its charter Thursday at the Holiday Inn. Thursday’s banquet was attended by approximately 100 Kiwanis, wives and guests from other Arizona clubs to celebrate the Kiwanis Clubs 50th Anniversary. Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande president Dan Andersen was presented by Kiwanis Club Division 7 Lt. Governor, Jeanne Dingott and a copy of the Kiwanis charter and other documents for the Kiwanis Clubs beginning 50 years ago. The program also featured a video taken by president Dan Andersen showing lot of the different projects that the Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande does throughout the year.
March 30, 2010 - Key Club at Vista Grande High School
Kiwanis organized the Key Club at Vista Grande High School on December 11, 2009. The Charter was presented to Vista Grande Key Club at a dinner banquet held in the Vista Grande cafeteria on March 30, 2010. There were twenty five Vista Grande Key Club members installed at the dinner. Jerry Stein, president of Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande presented the club charter to Key Club president, Rachel Sutherland. Other officers present were Jade Ivanoff, vice president; Jamie Simmons, secretary and Jose Tavares Ill, treasurer. Also present were Editor, Samantha Piper; Activities Director, Max Stephan-Queen; Freshman Class Sponsor, Luis Hernandez and Sophomore Class Sponsor, Rusty Taylor. Kiwanis members also present along with president Jerry Stein were Sherri Shimansky, secretary; Scott Miller, president elect; Tim Hamilton, principal of Vista Grande High School; Judy Ferguson; Al Nader and Paul Beatty, Kiwanis Key Club Advisor. Approximately 75 people attended which included parents, guests and Key Club.
Today the Kiwanis Club of Casa Grande gives 4 College Scholarships, Adopt a Family Christmas Gift, since 1952 hosts the Kiwanis Invitational Track Meet, Mile Cleanup in April and October{on Cottonwood Lane from Arizola to Henness Rd. and Arizola Rd. to McMurray Blvd.), sponsors Kiwanis Mutt Show to vaccinate dogs, sponsors Casa Grande Elementary School District Spelling Bee, Back-To-School Supplies Project, Boys and Girls Club, Little League Team sponsorship, donates to Casa Grande Union High School and Vista Grande Operation Graduation, sponsors and works with Casa Grande Union High School and Vista Grande High School Key Clubs, Casa Grande Union High School and Vista Grande High School Chain Gang, Key Club Convention, Kiwanis Southwest District Convention, Kiwanis International Convention, Co-Sponsor Halloween Carnival, Salvation Army Bell Ringing, Fire Department Explorer’s Academy and help other organizations with funding.