Our club was sponsored by the Norton Club. I cannot say that any particular man was chiefly responsible for its organization. Ours is a town of about 3500 people. We have had Boards of Trade, Chambers of Commerce and other clubs and organizations of like character, most of which have been spasmodic and short lived. We are predominantly a residence town in which the controlling spirits are most professional and business men, whose incomes are derived in the coal fields or from other sources outside of the town In an effort to derive some sort of civic organization because some of us had been approached by Kiwanians from different places. We determined to try Kiwanis, not only from its inherent and normal purposes, but as an organization through which we could function with reference to civic and economic questions in town. It has proved a wonderful success. Notwithstanding the business of many of our members is such that we cannot maintain a good attendance record, yet we have maintained a fine spirit And the club has been a wonderful help to us and to the town.

The charter presentation occurred on March 23 1923 being made by LTG Charles M Armes. This meeting was an exceptionally fine one and gave a great impetus to the new club.

We have functioned quite broadly with reference to all town and community affairs. We immediately put through a bond issue under which three miles of asphalt street were constructed and our excellent water system was greatly improved and extended. We secured an appropriation from the Town Council and the necessary property from the town upon which to construct a first class tourist camp, which will be in operation in the spring We, each year, take over the public Santa Claus work for the town and distribute more than a hundred baskets, costing from $5 to $10, to the poor and needy. We have pushed the under-privileged child movement to the limit, having held numerous clinics. We have treated nearly a hundred children for adenoids and tonsil operation, have done dental and eye work until our committee now advises that with one more clinic, which will be held in a short time, we shall have cleaned up all the cases of children under twelve years old in the whole community needing tonsil and like operations. We have inaugurated football in our high school and back the team. This has always been a town for athletics, and we have Fourth of July celebrations which bring thousands of people from the mountains of Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee here. The club has taken over these activities. We have sponsored and aided in a number of other civic and industrial movements.

Perhaps the matter of greatest special interest in connection with our club is that within a few weeks after its organization we determined to buy and equip our own home. We bought a little cottage, for which we agreed to pay $5,000. It contains a very large and most attractive room which, since we enlarged it somewhat, seats 125 people at the table. We spent about $2,000 on its improvement and about $1500 in kitchen and dining room equipment. The various ladies' organizations in the town since we moved into the building, about July 1, 1923, have taken turns in serving us luncheons. They have kept this up in a most satisfactory manner. This service has been of considerable help to them and has been of tremendous advantage to us. The purchase and ownership of this building has perhaps done more than anything else to hold our club together. We had a Kiwanis auction, put on football games, have put on plays and by other like !neans have paid more than half of our total cost, and the remainder is not a burden to us. We hold the building as a community center proposition but have not yet found it advisable to treat it as a clubhouse for general club purposes.

The new year started with the installation of officers and a banquet tendered the Kiwanians' wives and sweethearts J B Wampler was installed as President; A L Witt, Treasurer; M H Graber, Secretary, and Cladius F Smith, District Trustee.

A meeting in February was devoted to talks on the life of Woodrow Wilson.

The Public Affairs Committee conferred with the Town Council in regard to better streets, sidewalks, etc, which resulted in many improvements. The club also cooperated with prospective home builders.

Big Stone Gap, which also brought splendid results.

At the meeting on the first of April, H L Sulfridge, Principal of the local schools, and Dr W A Baker, a local physician, presented facts concerning the health of school children in our city, especially those who came under the underprivileged class.

A play was presented by the Kiwanis Club at one of the theaters, from which a neat sum was realized.

Almost the entire membership attended the Inter-County Meeting of Kiwanis Clubs at Norton on May 1st.

Officials of the Kentucky Utilities Company on a tour of inspection through Wise County were the guests of the club at one of our meetings.

A delegation of good road boosters from Scott and Lee Counties attended a meeting of the club which sponsored a movement for improving the Wild Cat Road which passes through Wise, Lee and Scott Counties. Funds for improving this important stretch of road had been provided except for the Lee County section, hence the movement to secure an additional appropriation.

On June 1st, the club house was turned into a temporary hospital when 16 underprivileged children were operated on for the removal of tonsils and adenoids. Dr Thomas F Staley, a specialist of Bristol, was assisted by three local physicians, Drs J A Gilmer, W A Baker and W G Painter. Ladies of the Civic League assisted materially in furnishing necessary materials and assisting the nurses. The cost of this clinic was given as $200, but $300 more was added to that fund for other clinics.

On June 16, the club observed All-Kiwanis Night with about 125 in attendance, which included the members, their wives and friends.

In spite of the suggestion of some of our members that we suspend meetings during the summer months, the club voted to continue the regular meetings.

Rev A M Padgett, Baptist Minister, delivered a splend address on Morals of Underprivileged Children. The Parent Teachers Association donated the proceeds of a Kiwanis luncheon to the underprivileged fund.

Mr S S Brooks headed a delegation from Appalachia, a neighboring town, which visited our club, and sounded the keynote in a speech advocating a 30-foot concrete road connecting Big Stone Gap and Appalachia. This meeting resulted in the formation of an intertown relations committee from the local Kiwanis Club and the Appalachia Chamber of Commerce.

The Royal Scotch Highlanders Band, of Florida, gave an entertainment under the auspices of our club. A delegation of New England commercial and manufacturing tourists, on a tour through Southwest Virginia, were the guests of the Kiwanis Club on October 30.

A football game between Kentucky Wesleyan College, of Winchester, Kentucky, and Emory and Henry College, of Emory, Virginia, on November 15, was sponsored by our club. Special trains conveyed large crowds to Big Stone Gap.

H N Wheeler of the U S Forestry Service delivered an address before the club on the necessity for forest conservation in this section. On December 9 and 10 the play, All Aboard, sponsored by the club, was presented before large audiences, placing quite a sum in our treasury. We also held another clinic in December and 21 children were operated on.

Plans were made and executed for the distribution of 100 baskets to the poor at Christmas time.

On the evening of January 1, 1925, the Kiwanis Club installed its newly elected officers, the occasion being a Ladies' Night and banquet. A number of valuable prizes were given the ladies and all enjoyed a most excellent program The new officers were E J Prescott President; M H Graber Secretary and J H Mathews Trustee.

We contributed towards the memorial to be erected by the Kiwanians of the United States and Canada to Warren G Harding.

Miss Margery Wilson, famous movie actress of Hollywood, California, was the guest of the club and delivered a most interesting talk on the Life of the Picture Colony in Hollywood.

A drive for funds for the benefit of the underprivileged child work was begun in February. Special committees were appointed to secure an athletic field for the school children and to foster athletics in general for the coming season.

In competition with 30 other members of the club Rev Cladius F Smith was awarded a prize for giving the best definition of Kiwanis.

On April 29, A L Witt, Chairman of the Underprivileged Child Committee, reported that a fund of $417.55 had been raised through the activity of the club members towards our budget of $1000 to conduct clinics during the year.

Several of our members attended a meeting of the Norton Club on May 7 and heard an address by Dr G W Dyer, of Vanderbilt University, on the subject of "Social Economics and Americanism

An inter-club meeting of all the Kiwanis Clubs of Wise County was held at Big Stone Gap on May 14, the Norton and Coeburn Clubs turning out in large numbers. It was said to be the most successful club meeting held since Kiwanis Clubs were established in the County. The actual number in attendance was 144.

On May 27, the senior class and faculty of the Big Stone Gap High School were guests of our club at luncheon. Another Ladies' Night was held in June and was featured by a mock trial.

The Inter-Club Relations Committee of the Kiwanis Club and the Appalachia Chamber of Commerce co-operated with the Gate City Business Men's Club in holding a road booster meeting in the Wild Cat Valley on August 12, 1925. This movement was for the purpose of securing improvements on the Wild Cat Road, which is a valuable connecting link between Wise and Scott Counties.

Jimmy Camblos and other members of the Norton Club were guests of the local club on August 25, 1925, and presented the Capital District Loving Cup. On September 24 we returned the cup to Washington, as it had finished visiting all the clubs in our zone.

The meeting of September 9 was devoted to eulogizing the life of Mrs John W Fox, mother of John Fox Jr, a noted novelist of this city, who had died a few days previously.

Miss Hattie Bell Graham, of Richmond, Secretary of the Crippled Children's Hospital Association of the State, was a guest of the club on October 21, and made an interesting talk. She appealed to the clubs of the county to defray the expenses of one child for one year at the hospital, which was readily done.

The club sponsored the annual football game between Kentucky Wesleyan College, of Winchester, KY and Emory and Henry College, of Emory, VA. Special trains brought several hundred students to the game.

A tonsil and adenoid clinic was conducted at the Club House on December 14, 1925, at which 15 underprivileged children were operated on by Dr G W Botts, of Norton, and Dr W N Botts, of Appalachia. They were assisted by Dr Foust and Miss Johns of Norton, and Dr J A Gilmer and Mrs Spindle of Big Stone Gap Ladies of the Community League also rendered valuable aid.

They were installed with a banquet and Ladies' Night.

On February 3, 1926, a High School chorus entertained the club with a splendid program Lee Long, of Dante, Virginia, a director of the Shenandoah National Park of Virginia, and Frank L Miller, of Bristol, field secretary, attended a meeting of the club on March 3, in order to acquaint the club members and others who were in attendance with the plans for this, the only national park east of the Mississippi River Dr J F Vine, of Roanoke, well known evangelist, was a guest of the club and made an interesting talk.

On April 28 the regular meeting was featured by the attendance of the grammar grade faculty, who rendered a most pleasing program. The regular meeting on May 5 was omitted so that we could attend an inter-club meeting at Coeburn. Both Norton and Big Stone Gap were represented by big delegations and the meeting was successful in every way.

Savageland, a musical comedy, sponsored by the club, was successfully staged on May 14 by local talent.

Governor Harry Flood Byrd and a party of other prominent Virginians visited Big Stone Gap on May 20. The motorcade of visitors was greeted by a special committee of the Kiwanis Club with a hearty welcome. Talks were made by Governor Byrd and others in a local theater.

The High School football eleven were the guests of the club at luncheon on September 1. They were given assurance of loyal support by the club District Governor Merle E Towner and his son Lester visited our club on their tour through the State Fiddlin' John Carson, of Atlanta, Georgia, furnished a musical program on September 15.

The club sponsored another football game between Kentucky Wesleyan and Emory and Henry Colleges.

We sponsored a movement to induce new residents to come to Big Stone Gap The Kiwanis Club and the Chamber of Commerce united in a meeting in the interest of good roads.

We co-operated with the Kiwanis Clubs and the Commercial Clubs in Southwestern Virginia and Eastern Kentucky in an advertising campaign to attract tourists In conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce, we raised $400 to compile and distribute descriptive folders advertising this section.

We sponsored the Wise County Older Boys Conference promoted by the Y M C A. During this three days conference, in co-operation with other citizens; we entertained 75 boys from fifteen towns. We attended the Inter-Club meeting at Norton on May 10, when Coeburn was also a guest club.

We held a dental clinic for underprivileged children. With the Chamber of Commerce of Big Stone Gap and Appalachia we entertained for two days the annual meeting of the directors of the Appalachian Way Association. We sponsored a Fourth of July celebration from which the club realized $2,000 In August, we entertained at a luncheon and a motor tour through Southwest Virginia, 100 ladies representing the Natural Federation of Virginia Asher Councils. We sent delegates to both the International and District Conventions. At Christmas we delivered sixty baskets to the poor and needy.

In January, we assisted in a drive for the Red Cross and passed resolutions in the interest of the State highway leading south from Big Stone Gap. We investigated the financial status of the public schools and appointed a committee to confer with the School Board on matters relative to the financing of the schools for 1928. Washington's Birthday was observed with an interesting and appropriate program In March, we served lunch for the boys' basketball team of the high schoo.l

Our fifth anniversary was properly celebrated. The first officers and directors of the club were in charge of the program The Big Brother Committee, the Music Committee and the Inter-Club Relations Committee were in charge of programs. We made arrangements for the operation of a playground for small boys. A diamond was installed and a tennis court, swings, etc provided.

We agreed to co-operate with the Town of Appalachia in sponsoring the State Convention of the American Legion. We were host to Norton and Coeburn on May 23. On May 30, we had a special Memorial program. The matter of improving the sidewalks of the town was discussed and a committee appointed to confer with the Town Council on this proposition. The club approved a resolution to the effect that the highway between Duffield, VA and Kyles Ford, TN, should be taken over by the State. A suitable program observed Independence Day. We sponsored a dramatic recital, which netted us $5755.

In October, we had a program in charge of representatives of the Holston Trust Co, Knoxville, TN, stressing the importance of individuals making a will. We also observed Fire Prevention Week, and had a program in the interest of athletics, principally football, in the Wise County schools.

Two special meetings were held in November, one in connection with Red Cross activities, and the other a Thanksgiving program.

The club was represented by a delegation at a State road meeting held in Wytheville, which helped very materially in connection with the allocation to this section of State road funds. We sponsored an American Legion minstrel show. A special program was given for the celebration of Washington's birthday. We furnished entertainment on stunt night arranged by the public schools for the benefit of the musical and athletic departments of the school. Our Sixth Birthday was celebrated with a Ladies' Night. The President and another member of the Bristol Kiwanis Club were our guests on this occasion. We held a special meeting in connection with the public health department.

Our club house property was improved by various repairs. The fence was painted, yard cleaned, shrubs planted, and a club house sign erected Farmers' Day was held in May, in charge of the Agriculture Committee with a number of farmers present and addresses appropriate to the occasion. The Underprivileged Child Committee made a complete report to the club of the work already accomplished and outlined plans for the future. These plans included dental and tonsil clinics. We participated during Inter-Club Week, in a meeting at Norton, at which the Coeburn Club was also present. Twenty members met with the Bristol Club on June 27.

We sponsored a Fourth of July celebration $115 was raised for the club by a play given by local talent. We also contributed to the State Commission for the Blind Constitution Week was suitably observed. On October 10, we entertained at dinner 25 of the local public school teachers. Our club was represented at both the Trustees Meeting and the District Convention. We entertained the members of the football team of the high school at luncheon, negotiated for the sale of our clubhouse property to the Community League, and delivered 65 Christmas baskets to the poor and needy of our town.

The club endorsed industrial schools in Virginia Assisted the Red Cross drive. Sponsored a program by the grade schools on which occasion we provided a prize Had a meeting devoted to Vocational Guidance A meeting was held in the matter of Boy Scout work and we also assisted in sponsoring the Wise County. Older Boys' Conference, furnishing meals, lodging and entertainment for the boys. A delegation went to Lynch, KY, and one to Pikesville, KY, in the interest of better highways between Virginia and Kentucky. We assisted the town officials in taking a census and co-operated with other organizations in a movement to clean up and beautify the town.

U S-Canada Week was observed, as was also National Music Week, and All-Kiwanis Night. We attended an inter-club meeting at Norton with the Coeburn Club also present.

At one of our meetings a very interesting debate was presented on the subject Is the Big Stone Gap Kiwanis Club Living Up to Its Responsibilities? We entertained at dinner the teachers of the public schools. The football team of our high school was entertained at luncheon. We assisted in the delivery of 81 baskets to the poor and needy on Christmas Day and assisted the work of the Associated Charities in providing food to the undernourished children attending the public schools. A substantial donation to the dental and tonsil clinic.

Each month we entertained the honor boy student and the honor girl student of the high school. Entertained the teachers and the high school football team. A delegation attended a meeting of the Board of Supervisors of Wise County in the matter of appropriation of funds for the County Industrial Agent. A special committee cooperated with other civic organizations to get a U S Veterans Hospital. We were represented at the celebra-tion of the opening of U S Highway 23 from Virginia to Tennessee. A delegation attended a good roads meeting at Appalachia. The Bristol, TN club sent a delegation which put on the program at a meeting. The Chamber of Appalachia was represented at a meeting. We were host to Norton and Coeburn.

We assisted in the 4-H Club work A Day was given to raise funds for our Under-privileged Child work. We arranged for an operation for a child in a local hospital 72 Christmas baskets were distributed to the poor.

Other meetings were as follows: Valentine Day, when the teachers furnished the program, an agricultural meeting, one on the safety movement and a St Patrick's Day program, All-Kiwanis Night, Kiwanis Anniversary, Fathers' Night, Constitution Week, Vocational Guidance, and Fire Prevention.

An earnest effort was made to increase the membership of the club above the 23 members with which we started the year. By July we bad increased this to 28, but later deletions brought the number down so that we closed the year with the same membership with which we started.

During the year the club contributed $20 for the treatment of a crippled boy and assisted in the delivery of 75 Christmas baskets.

In Boys' and Girls' work the club entertained at luncheon Honor Students of the local High School, not once but several times, promoted the girls basket ball team entertained the entire football squad and held a program on the Relations of Father and Son.

In Public Affairs the club was behind every important movement aiding in the Washington Bi-Centennial Program. Assist in raising funds used in an effort to bring the Veterans Hospital to Southwestern Virginia. Helped in the "Clean Up" Campaign, working for the new Airport, collecting funds for the Red Cross, and promoting a better Educational System.

The club celebrated the 9th anniversary of its founding, celebrated the anniversary of Kiwanis International, and Constitution Week, sent delegates to the Mid-Winter Trustees Meeting and sent a delegation to Pennington Gap in an attempt to form a club there. Attended 3 inter-club meetings with Coeburn and Norton, each club in turn being host to the two others. The club also entertained all the teachers in the local schools.

The club assisted materially in the Welfare Work of the community and held one meeting in which the program was devoted to the importance of Under-privileged Child Work. It arranged for basketball games between Emory and Henry College and the All Star Team of Bristol to raise money for Welfare Work and raised $75 by this mean.

The Girl Scouts presented a program The Boy Scouts in obtaining uniforms, assisted in forming a baseball league, promoted athletics especially football in the schools and held one meeting devoted to the possibilities of good in work for boys and girls.

In Public Affairs the club aided the Government in the establishment of a Reforestation Camp, aided in putting over the N R A, collected funds for the Red Cross, helped in the Fire Prevention Campaign and cooperated with the Civil Works Administration.

The club entertained the District Governor and the LTG as guest speakers and sent delegates to the District Convention. One program was given over to Vocational Guidance. The club held a successful Ladies Night, put on a Mothers Day program and entertained the Virginia Press Association at luncheon.

The club raised $66.55 for U P Child Work by means of basketball games between nearby colleges and entertained the teams at luncheon. It cooperated with other organizations in connection with the President's Ball for the Warm Springs Foundation. It aided the Children's Home Society drive and delivered 78 Christmas baskets to needy families.

The club had a Boy Scout program, put on a training course in First Aid for the Boy Scouts and the members of the Fire Department, cooperated with the Boy and Girl Scouts in securing camping facilities, and had one program on the Education of the CCC boys.

Had meetings with the Chamber of Commerce of Appalachia for the purpose of fostering good relations between that town and Big Stone Gap. Discussed topics of mutual advantage Assisted in making Clean Up Week a success Put on the annual May Day program Boosted the completion of U S Route 23 through Virginia. Discussed the town manager form of government and had programs on the Federal Housing Act, Relief in Wise County, and Christianity in Business Club was host to Norton at a successful inter-club meeting. Held two Ladies Nights and a Comic Valentine Party.

The club furnished the LTG for its Division Celebrated Kiwanis Anniversary, All-Kiwanis Night, Constitution Week and held two meetings on Kiwanis Education. Sent delegates to the District Convention. Member from the Bristol club reported on the International Convention New officers attended the LTG Club Officer Training.

The club had basketball and football games. Gave shows to make money for Under-privileged Children. Joined with the Norton club to foster the President's Ball, part of the proceeds of which went to the Warm Springs Foundation and part to the U P Child Work of the two clubs. Contributed $50 for milk for undernourished school children, $25 towards the Community Christmas Tree and joined with other civic organizations in donating and distributing Christmas baskets to the needy.

Cooperated with the Boy Scout and Girl Scouts. Helped to organize a camporee and carrying Boy Scouts to and from a Scout Camp in Kentucky. The club was particularly interested in training boys and girls in first aid and in accident prevention, several members of the club taking courses in the work. Contributed $500 towards prizes given in 4-H Club work. Held a luncheon meeting at a nearby C C Camp and aided the camp in securing football uniforms and in scheduling games.

The club had several programs on Youth Problems, and furnished weekly talks on Vocational Guidance to the high school students. The club had programs on Farm Problems and on Cooperation of County and Town.

The club held joint meetings with the Appalachia Chamber of Commerce once a month during the year. It had two joint meetings with the Pennington Gap Lions, in the interest of improving the highways between Pennington Gap and Big Stone Gap. It sent delegates to road meetings, had programs on Town Improvements and on What Big Stone Gap Needs and What It Can Do Without It also made plans to take care of tourists.

The club attended a meeting of the Norton club and was also host to Norton. It celebrated Thanksgiving and its own anniversary. It celebrated Kiwanis Anniversary, had four programs on Kiwanis Education, entertained the LTG and the District Governor and sent delegates to the Mid-Winter Conference, the International and District Conventions and sent its new officers to the LTG Training Schoo.l

The club joined with the Norton club in putting on the President's Ball and in putting on a Rhododendron Festival, part of the proceeds in each case going to Underprivileged Child Work. It also put on an Amateur Night for this purpose. It contributed $15 to a wheel chair for a crippled child, cooperated with other organizations for a Community Christmas Tree and furnished and delivered 90 Christmas baskets.

It cooperated with the N Y A, aided in the formation of a permanent recreation camp for U P Children, fostered and carried to completion a playground for children containing tennis courts and a baseball diamond. Sponsored a series of soft ball games. Had programs on Scout Work and aided the Scouts in camp and camporees. Did its best to keep the C C Camp in tile neighborhood and aided in the Red Cross Drive. It had a program on Athletics and entertained the high school football team and coach. It continued its Vocational Guidance talks in the high school The club continued its monthly joint meetings with the Appalachia Chamber of Commerce. It had programs on Industrial Expansion, Good Lighting, Good Highways, The Milk Industry, Adequate Housing and Safe Driving. It gave a prize for the best town slogan and erected billboards containing this slogan at the entrances to the town It also fenced the trees planted by the Community League.

The club visited Marion and was host to Norton.

The club celebrated Washington's Birthday and Thanksgiving, held a successful Ladies Night and had three picnics with ladies present, two of which were joint meetings with the Lions.

The club erected Kiwanis signs on the highways entering the town, had three meetings on Kiwanis Education, entertained the Lieutenant- Governor, and sent representatives to the Mid-Winter Conference, the International and the District Conventions, the Division Meeting and the Training School for Club Officers.

The club contributed $20 for milk for under-nourished school children. It sponsored a baseball game for funds It gave $550 for needed equipment at the playgrounds. It was interested in the Boy Scouts and aided in sending local Scouts to the National Scout Jamboree.

It advertised the town's slogan: "A Place of Scenic Beauty" and planned road signs for the highways entering the town Programs of interest were on Science and Religion, Religion and Business, Town Management, Welfare Work, The NYA, The Value of Insurance, Illumination and Advertising, Athletics, and The CCC.

The club was host to Norton when they delivered the Kiwanis Log, and the club carried the Log to Marion. It also attended a meeting of the Kingsport, TN, club. The club held a Ladies Night and celebrated Washington's Birthday. It celebrated Kiwanis Anniversary and attended the Division Meeting.

At its own request and with the approval of both Districts this club was transferred from the Capital District to the Kentucky-Tennessee District.