History:

Our Kiwanis Club of Erwin was organized in 1921 and has served our community continuously through all the years since, with no lapse of service even during times of war or the Great Depression.  Ours is one of the oldest true community service organizations in the southern Appalachians, as well as one of the region's oldest continually-chartered Kiwanis Clubs.

Our primary mission is service to children, as well as to generally build a better community within which our citizens can live, work, and play.  Our projects listed in this website are just a few of the ways we seek to benefit both young people and senior citizens.  For more than 50 years, we have provided shoes and clothing for the disadvantaged children of Erwin and Unicoi County.

The roster of our club membership and officers over the past century ranks as a true Who's-Who of local community leaders.  We always welcome visitors and guests to join us. Regular meetings are held each Tuesday at noon in the main meeting chamber of Erwin town hall on Main Street.

A generation of us have now gown up enjoying Kiwanis Little League Park and the campfire programs at Rock Creek park.

Our next generation will enjoy the new toddler, tots and special-needs park along Erwin's beautiful Linear Trail
Today our club is part of Division 7 of the Kentucky-Tennessee Kiwanis District of Kiwanis International . . . which itself was founded in Detroit, Michigan, on January 21, 1915.

The name "Kiwanis" is taken from an Indian term "Nun Keewanis", which roughly means "Self expression". The purpose of the organization became "community service", a concept from which Kiwanis International -- and our local Erwin club -- has never deviated.

In 1916, Kiwanis entered Canada, thus becoming "International".  1962 saw Kiwanis extended to Mexico and International membership has grown rapidly, to now include clubs in 96 countries around the world.'