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1923 On April 2 1923, Mr John W Morris of the Wilminton Club, together with 5 other members from that organization, came to Seaford and talked with the writer (C C Thompson) concerning the formation of a Kiwanis Club in Seaford. Because I was a charter member of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania club and knew the value of Kiwanis, I was very willing to co-operate to the fullest extent. Two weeks later we held a temporary organization meeting District Governor Edwin W Lintner, John W Morris and about 10 others from the Wilmington Club were present and furnished us with inspiration and plans regarding the proposed organization. A number of meetings followed, attended only by the local people interested, and the required 50 members were secured. On May 21, 1923, we held our permanent organization and charter presentation meeting. The temporary officers and directors were continued in office. The club was handicapped from the start by not having a meeting place, and for several months the meetings were held at the Secretary's home. They are now being held at The Elms the country estate of Colonel James J Ross, his daughter, Mrs Ethel Ross Graham, being the hostess. The club has entertained officers from the Washington, Baltimore, and Wilmington Clubs during its existence In October it received from the Willmington Club the loving cup, and returned this to Washington early In November, about 25 members of the Seaford Club being the guests of the Washington organization. Our club has promoted a spirit of co-operation between the town people and the farmers It has succeeded in securing a milk cooling station, to be located at Seaford in the very near future Farmers have been induced to buy and care for between 750 and 1000 cows, which will make considerably increased revenue to the farmers We put over a community Christmas tree, at which time one hundred and fifty poor children were the recipients of candies, fruits, and toys We held a banquet, entertainment and dance on December 28, which eclipsed any previous social event ever held in this community. After the club was organized, an additional five members were secured, bringing the total to 55, but owing to specific conditions the membership has been reduced to 50 and our attendance at the regular meetings averages from 60% to 70% of the membership. Kiwanis has taken a firm hold in this community and its future is assured While we have been organized only nine months, we have been able to do some good for the community and our individual members. 1924 1925 1926 The operation of the Club was seriously handicapped and its very existence threatened by the fact that the club had no suitable place of meeting until the beginning of 1927 The management of the only hotel in the town was unwilling to have the club meet at the hotel and it was not until there was a change in management that we were given permission to meet there We tried to meet in the homes of the members but found that this was not feasible for any length of time However, the organization was kept together and some work done In 1924 four scholarships were awarded to the short course in scientific agriculture at the University of Delaware They were awarded to boys of the rural schools for good work in the agricultural clubs of those schools In 1925 we held a Ladies' Night and worked with the agricultural club of the High School relative to a corn show In 1926 the Agricultural Committee was active in an endeavor to promote friendly relations with farmers The Underprivileged Child Committee made a canvas of the town to locate children who might be helped 1927 We donated a loving cup to the debating society of Sussex County High School, erected new Kiwanis signs on the highways approaching town, worked with other town organizations for the erection of a community building, and used our influence with the State legislature to obtain a new school building In Fire Prevention Week, we entertained the entire active membership of the Volunteer Fire Department A delegation attended the Inter-Club Meeting at Wilmington, and a delegation from that club visited us We entertained the Rotary Club of Laurel, Delaware, and the Boys' Brass Band from the School for the Deaf at Jacksonville, Illinois $100 were contributed for the Mississippi flood sufferers We employed a school bus for a year to go into the rural section and bring children who had no means of conveyance to the Sunday School of their choice in town We held an outing at Rehoboth Beach, had a Ladies' Night on Armistice Day, entertained the American Legion, and had a Christmas program with the singing of carols and a talk appropriate to the season We purchased a chair for a crippled lady 1928 Our new officers were installed by LTG William A Staving and Arthur Wilkinson, president of the Wilmington Club, gave us a fine talk at 'the same meeting We entertained the school commissioners from twelve rural districts consisting of thirty-six farmers Work was started with the school board to secured a new school building for Seaford One month after we began this movement the old building burned Action was immediately taken by the school authorities for the erection of a new building at a cost of $325,000 Our Agriculture Committee attended a farmers' meeting at Wilmington Laurel Rotary entertained us, we putting on the program On May 11, Lieutenant Governor Staving and fifteen members of the Wilmington Club visited us Our fifth anniversary was celebrated with a Ladies' Night and address by Rev Helfenstein, of Dover, Delaware All Kiwanis Night was fittingly observed A lunch meeting was held at Waterview, Maryland, on a fishing trip We left home at 4 a m, arriving at Waterview at 6 We fished until 11 and then enjoyed a seafood dinner, returned home and then went to Rehoboth Beach to attend the first luncheon of that club It would be useless to publish the number and size of the fish caught on this trip and would probably lead to charges of exaggeration on our part However, we caught them In connection with the organization of the Rehoboth Beach Club, we held several get together meetings in Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, which finally resulted in starting one of the best little clubs in the Capital District Attended the Charter Meeting of the Rehoboth Beach Club on August 17 We were the sponsors for this club A meeting with the Chamber of Commerce was held on November 16, to entertain the officials of the Ellis Channel System, Inc, of New York, who have leased the railway and will build steel barges This will give employment to about one hundred men and will be a big advantage to Seaford Fire Prevention Week was observed, at which time we entertained the firemen of Seaford and Rehoboth Beach We purchased a Kiwanis banner for display at our meetings, donated a cup to be given the most efficient Boy Scout of the troop which we sponsored and held an "All Question Night" when anyone could ask questions about Kiwanis and particularly about the Seaford Club We were fortunate to hear Thomas M Leonard, of Wilmington, who told of his trip to France with the American Legion Harry L Cannon, Past President of the National Canners Association on the canning business; Congressman Robert G Houston, of Georgetown, Delaware, who spoke to us twice during the year, once on early days in Delaware and the other time on the benefit of club attendance; Dr David D Vaughan, of Boston University, and Henry A Isaacs, of Wilmington 1929 Our meeting on January 11 was "Hunters' Night" and the speaker was Deputy Game Warden Virgil Hearn, of Laurel, Del January 18 was "Manufacturers' Night" we heard an address on canning by Isadore Stephany, President of Greenabaum Bros Cannery Kiwanis anniversary was observed with an address on Kiwanis by Arthur G Wilkinson of the Wilmington Club Good Roads Night on February I brought to us Mr W W Mack, State Highway Engineer Poultry Night was an occasion when we entertained many of our farmer friends Our ladies were present on February 15, when our meeting was designated as Home Makers' Night Miss Marian F Breek, State Supervisor of Home Economics of Delaware was the speaker Washington and Lincoln's birthdays were jointly celebrated on February 22 During 1928, we had sponsored the organization of a Boy Scout Troop This year we helped build them a camp located on the Indian River about thirty-three miles from Seaford, on land donated by Mr Chas M Cullen, of Georgetown, Del The money for the camp was raised by a carnival given by Kiwanis, and the American Legion, each of whom assumed one-half of the expense of constructing the camp We also entertained the troop at one of our regular meetings and presented a silver cup to the Flying Eagle Patrol which had secured the highest average in efficiency We heard Kiwanian C Russell Snyder, County Agent, speak on "Crop Pests" at a meeting when a number of farmers were present All Kiwanis Night was observed by an Inter-Club at Rehoboth Beach During Fire Prevention Week, we entertained the members of the local fire department when the speaker was the fire chief We sponsored a parade on Hallowe'en which brought to our town about seven thousand people from the adjoining territory A Thanksgiving Ladies' Night was voted the best we had ever had We had our first crippled child case, a boy who was sent to the Delaware Hospital at Wilmington His leg was in such bad condition that it was feared it would have to be amputated, but the surgeons were able to save the leg for him 1930 We held a joint meeting with the Laurel Rotary club Ex-Senator Drexler was the speaker when we entertained the Delaware Safety Council The Boy Scout camp again received our help This year we erected a two-story building, 20 by 30 feet, which greatly improved their facilities We sponsored a troop that sent 40 boys to camp for a two weeks The Camp Fire Girls at another period, and then many under-privileged children with their mothers, also had the benefit of such vacations Mr H H Wheeler, of the State Forestry Department, addressed us We heard the Gabel sisters with violin, cornet and piano Mr Charles E Wood, of Washington, representing the National Council of Boy Scouts, spoke before the club The Lions Patrol of the Scouts was presented with a cup A Ladies Night on November 21 brought us a delegation of Kiwanians and their ladies from Baltimore, including the Lieutenant-Governor-elect, and another delegation from Rehoboth Beach Captain George Marshall, of the Baltimore club gave a fine talk on our relations with Canada, and presented us with a Canadian flag, a gift of the Baltimore club We entertained the superintendent of schools, Mr William B Thornburgh, and the teachers of the high school who furnished the prograrn 1931 Our first meeting of the year was an interclub meeting with members of the Rehoboth Beach club The speakers were LTG Linhardt, Joseph McSweeney of Rehoboth Beach, and Lamont Hackett of Baltimore On January 27, we had a meeting observing the 100th anniversary of the Building and Loan Association A series of bingo parties were held to raise money for our Boy Scout camp We had an address on Vocational Guidance and one on Advertising the Peninsula An inter-club meeting was held in March with delegations from Baltimore and Wilmington present, when Governor Plummer was the speaker All-Kiwanis Night was observed Entertained by the high school glee club and entertained the officers of the junior Safety Council of the high school Attended an inter-club meeting at Wilmington Entertained a delegation from Rehoboth Beach 1932 During the first four months of the year the club reported dental work done for 44 under-privileged children and glasses for 6 Sponsored a basketball team for the benefit of the Boy Scout camp The club held a successful Farmers Night Celebrated Garden Week and had a program on "Tuberculosis and the Children of Today" Host to Wilmington and Rehoboth and to Elkton, Md, at three separate meetings arrd attended a Flag Day Ladies Night at Rehoboth Celebrated Lincoln's Birthday and Washington's Birthday and gave a bridge party netting $30 for the Boy Scout camp Entertained the LTG and celebrated Kiwanis Anniversary and Constitution Week 1933 The club gave a cash prize to a handi-capped boy who graduated from the high school, and sent a newsboy to the School for Stuttering, and furnished one child with glasses Sponsored the basketball team for the benefit of under-privileged child work netted $200 Entertained this team at a regular luncheon Sponsored the Boy Scout organization and held a Boy Scout Night Attended meetings at Havre de Grace, Towson, Rehoboth Beach and Wilmington and was host to Towson Entertained the District Governor and sent delegates to the District Convention 1934 The club furnished glasses for 25 underprivileged school children selected by the school nurse Those children had to be carried to Wilmington, a distance of 85 miles, 10 trips being necessary which made a total of 1700 miles traveled Examinations were made gratis by a member of the Wilmington club The club entertained the high school football squad of 23 boys and some of their parentsAn agricultural meeting was held with an appropriate program at which each Kiwanian had a farmer guest Programs were on International Relations and on Game Preservation, and two joint meetings were held with Rotary Attended inter-club meetings at Rehoboth Beach and Annapolis The installation of officers was held as a Ladies Night with the Lieutenant-Governor installing the officers The club held a meeting on Kiwanis Education, and it worked hard for the organization of new clubs at Georgetown and at Dover 1935 Gave a Christmas party with a turkey dinner and presents to 31 underprivileged children Had a Father and Son Night, had a program on Citizenship and a "Corn-Hog" program Celebrated Armistice Day and Delaware Day and had special programs on Service and on Railroading Visited Dover and Georgetown on the occasions of their charter presentation and sent delegations also to Rehoboth Beach and to Towson Held a Ladies Night, a picnic with fishing and swimming and two joint meetings with the Rotary club of Selbyville Represented at the Mid-Winter Conference and it celebrated Constitution Week 1936 Furnished and decorated a community Christmas tree Gave a Christmas dinner to 45 underprivileged children with presents and took them to the Christmas tree for community carol singing The club furnished four children with glasses Started a new Boy Scout troop with a new scoutmaster, and it held a Boy Scout Night Had a Farmers Night with an appropriate program Gave $15 to flood relief, proposed a community swimming pool, and worked for better telephone service It celebrated Washington's Birthday and Lincoln's Birthday, Easter, Flag Day, Columbus Day, Mother's Day, and Armistice Day, had programs on Constitution, Municipal Government, and Highway Safety Host to Georgetown, and on its Charter Anniversary to Wilmington, Rehoboth Beach and Georgetown and made visits twice to Georgetown, twice to Rehoboth, and to Seaford and Towson 1937 Contributed $250 to the Nursery School, furnished four children with glasses and did dental work for three It gave a benefit card party, had a special program on under-privileged child work, and entertained 51 under-privileged children at a Christmas dinner, giving each child a new quarter Had a Boy Scout program, a rural electrification program, and a Farmers Night with the program put on by FFA boys Celebrated Lincoln's Birthday, Easter, Mother's Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Armistice Day, Delaware Day, and had programs on Fire Prevention, The Value of Electricity, Our Leisure Time, Why Vote, Safety, The CC Camps, Texas, Railroads, and Transportation Carried the Log to Dover and visited Rehoboth Beach, Seaford, Baltimore and Georgetown, and was host to Rehoboth Beach, Georgetown and Elkton at one meeting and to Seaford at another Had a joint meeting with Rotary and celebrated Thanksgiving and Kiwanis Anniversary, its own anniversary and US - Canada Week, and was represented at the District Convention and at the School for Officers 1938 The club gave an Amateur Show, netting $74 for its underprivileged work It sponsored a Nursery School, held a free clinic for eye, teeth, and tonsil trouble, and carried approximately 150 children to the clinic Gave two programs devoted to underprivileged child work, and gave a Christmas party to 50 underprivileged children The club made a survey of boys' and girls' organizations in the community, cooperated in organizing an Horior Society in the High School, and gave a $5 prize for upholding Kiwanis ideals The club held a Farmers' Night Obtained a scholarship for a boy to go to college Delegations attended inter club meetings at Rehoboth, Dover, and Georgetown The club held a Ladies' Night, a joint Ladies' Night with Rotary, and a Ladies' picnic at a shore It had a Halloween party, a joint luncheon with Rotary, entertained the Lions Club, and had a softball team Entertained the LG, celebrated and was represented at the Mid Winter Conference and the District Convention 1939 The club furnished articles of clothing to 12 children, 7 pairs of glasses, 19 X-ray treatments, 7 dental examinations, carried a total of 26 children a round trip of 167 miles to the Orthopedic Clinic, and furnished numerous medical and eye examinations Donated $60 to the Nursery School, and gave a Christmas party with candy, fruit, and toys to 55 children Sent delegations to visit Dover, Georgetown and Milford furnishing a speaker there, and to the Charter Night at Milford, and attended the Charter Presentation of the new club at Bridgeville, presenting a Canadian flag to this club which is the third new club sponsored by Seaford Had a joint meeting with Rotary, joined a bowling league made up of various organizations in the town, and attended a meeting at Ocean City sponsored by several other clubs Held a number of Kiwanis Education meetings, entertained the LG, and was represented at the Mid Winter Conference, the International the District Conventions, and the Training School for Club Officers 1940 Carried 6 children to the Ortho¬pedic Clinic, furnished 24 pairs of glasses, distributed 48 articles of clothing, gave 12 dental treatments, one T and A operation, and numberous physical and eye examinations to children that needed further assistance Furnished cod liver oil where needed, donated $84 to the Seaford Nursery School, and $25 to the Sewing Unit Entertained 56 underprivileged children at a Christmas Party Grave fruits, candy, and toys as presents A Farmers' Night was held with 35 farmers present The club showed an agricultural film at the high school and disCussed the possibilitv of ail experimental sub station for agriculture and poultry for Sussex County The club was instrumental in getting a film "Choosing Your Vocation," and having it shown at the High School to 600 students It put forth strong efforts to have the environs of a pond in the neighborhood beautified and the pond stocked with fish Cooperated with the Lions Club and the Chamber of Commerce in putting up two large road signs bearing the insignia of each The club carried the plaque to Elkton and after it had made its rounds, Salisbury brought it back Delegations were sent to Bridgeville, Baltimore and Rehoboth Beach Individual members at various times visited Bridgeville, Milford, Georgetown, Rehoboth Beach, and Salisbury The club celebrated Kiwanis Anniversary, was visited by the LTG, and was represented at the Mid Winter Conference and the District Convention 1941 The club helped to support a Dental Clinic at the school by a contribution of $30 and contributed $60 to the white and $20 to the colored nursery schools Furnished glasses to 8 children, gave 12 medical attention, and 4 dental treatments A Christmas Party and dinner at the local hotel was given on Christmas Eve The children were carried to and from the hotel by Kiwanians, and in addition to the dinner and the entertainment, each child was presented with gifts, toys, clothing, candy, and money The club also sponsored the Seaford Clinic The club is working with the school in regard to the installation of a vocational guidance program and has suggested having a school placement bureau as an aid to obtaining either temporary or perinarient jobs for high school graduates The club itself has placed many out of school youths in NYA work, and in some instances has obtained permanent employmerit for them Contributed $100 for the establishment and maintenance of an Airplatic Observation Post, $25 to the YMCA, $25 to the Associated Charities, and $20 to the Sewing Room Due to the efforts of the club, a petition was circulated which resulted in the reduction of gas rates in the city Delegations visited Georgetown, Milford, Dover, Rehoboth Beach, Salisbury and Bridgeville. Three inter club meetings, two of which were attended by 5 clubs in the neighborhood, and the third one to receive a delegation from the Baltimore club were held The club entered softball and bowling team in the local leagues Also had an old time spelling bee Was represented at the Mid Winter Conference, the International and District Conventions, and the Trai~ , king School for Club Officers 1942 The club furnished twelve children with glasses, gave four dental treatments, and looked after a number of medical cases Following its usual custom it gave a Christmas Party, presents and everything, to 35 children A Boy Scout program was put on, and perhaps one of the most interesting programs of the year was that put on by the children of Kiwanians at one meeting The club fostered the planting of Victory Gardens It brought a well known speaker on Vocational Guidance to the club and continued its cooperation with the school, authorities in their efforts in this direction The club cooperated with the Lions Club in the Scrap Metal Drive The club visited Bridgeville and Baltimore Was represented at the Mid Winter Conference, the District and the International Conventions, and at the end of the year had 1 member in the armed forces 1943 The club arranged for medicid examination of school children and found that it was necessary to perform 30 T and A operations, fit 9 children with glasses, and gave numerous individual medical treatments The club continued to foster Scouting The usual Farmers Night was held and as much aid as possible given to the farmers in the community The club sponsored 4 Go to Church Sundays in which the club attended church in a body, sponsored an Airplane Spotter Post, sent 50,000 cigarettes to the boys overseas, aided in the War Bond Drive, and joined other civic organizations in erecting a Honor Roll Plaque containing the names of local boys in service Sent delegations to Milford and Georgetown Host to 4 inter club meetings, two with Bridgeville and one each with Baltimore and Georgetown Was represented at the Mid Winter Conference, the District Convention, and the Training School for Club Officers, and at the end of the year there was one member of the club in the armed forces 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1969 - 1970 1970 - 1971 1971 - 1972 1972 - 1973 1973 - 1974 1974 - 1975 1975 - 1976 1976 - 1977 1977 - 1978 1978 - 1979 1979 - 1980 1980 - 1981 1981 - 1982 1982 - 1983 1983 - 1984 1984 - 1985 1985 - 1986 1986 - 1987 1987 - 1988 1988 - 1989 1989 - 1990 1990 - 1991 1991 - 1992 1992 - 1993 1993 - 1994 1994 - 1995 1995 - 1996 1996 - 1997 1997 - 1998 1998 - 1999 1999 - 2000 2000 - 2001 2001 - 2002 Year End: 121 Projects Completed, 669 Service Hours, $3950 Spent, 83 Interclubs 2002 - 2003 Year End: 93 Projects Completed, 1524 Service Hours, $10,066 Spent, 80 Interclubs 2003 - 2004 Year End: 90 Projects Completed, 636 Service Hours, $8594 Spent, 7 Interclubs 2004 - 2005 Year End: 103 Projects Completed, 941 Service Hours, $14,571 Spent, 68 Interclubs 2005 - 2006 Year End: 93 Projects Completed, 717 Service Hours, $7,165 Spent, 53 Interclubs 2006 - 2007 Year End: 61 Projects Completed, 884 Service Hours, $20,842 Spent, 70 Interclubs 2007 - 2008 Year End: 59 Projects Completed, 545 Service Hours, $21,334 Spent, 22 Interclubs 2008 - 2009 Year End: 63 Projects Completed, 640 Service Hours, $14,610 Spent, 21 Interclubs 2009 - 2010 Year End: 8 Projects Completed, 80 Service Hours, $0 Spent, 42 Interclubs, $415 CD Foundation 2010 - 2011 Year End:7 Projects Completed, 487 Service Hours, $2030 Spent, 39 Interclubs, $215 CD Foundation 2011 - 2012 2012 - 2013 2013 - 2014 2014 - 2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 2018 - 2019 2019 - 2020 2020 - 2021 |