History  

The first club in Missouri was organized in St. Louis on July 19, 1917.  The charter was presented on April 16, 1918.  Lee W. Grant was the first President.

The second club in Missouri was organized in Kansas City on August 24, 1918.  The charter was presented on October 12, 1918.  Charles L. Scott was the first President.  O. Sam Cummings, International Secretary, presented the charter. 

Joplin, the third club was completed on May 17, 1920.  Springfield, the fourth club was completed on June 25, 1920.  St. Joseph, the fifth club was completed on August 11, 1920, and the sixth club, Kirksville, was completed on November 8, 1920.  Many others followed in rapid order.

At a meeting held in St. Louis in the fall of 1918, the Missouri District of Kiwanis International was formed with just two clubs in existence.  Lee W. Grant of St. Louis was appointed the first Governor.  He continued to serve until November 1920.

At the St. Louis Convention in 1920, Kansas was combined with Missouri to form the Missouri-Kansas District.  A club was chartered with a membership of 50 on November 28, 1919, in Lawrence, Kansas, just ahead of Joplin.

On June 30, 1923, Arkansas was affiliated with the Missouri-Kansas District and the first convention of the Missouri-Kansas-Arkansas District was held in October 1923 in Springfield.

Normal growth of the Mo-Kan-Ark District continued in the Tri-State Area until 1931-33, when the depression and economic crisis overtook service clubs.  Past Governor and past District Historian, John P Davidson of Wichita, Kansas, worked diligently to deep clubs from surrendering their charters until people became adjusted, business improved, and an upward trend could be foreseen.

the year 1946, following the end of World War II, saw phenomenal growth of new clubs.  Governor George W. Kirk, Sikeston, Missouri, helped build 25 new clubs:  fourteen in Missouri, eight in Arkansas, and three in Kansas.

Due to a general feeling that the Tri-State Area was entirely too large for good administrative purposes, the Missouri-Kansas-Arkansas District was divided into two districts, the Missouri-Arkansas District and the Kansas District.  This division was completed by unanimous action at the District Convention held in Topeka, Kansas, October 8-11, 1950.  Final approval was granted by the Kiwanis International Board of Trustees at its meeting October 29, 1950.  District officers were elected for each district effective January 1, 1951.  The division of funds was based upon the certified number of clubs on July 1, 1950.  The club totals on July 1, 1950, were:  Missouri 76, Arkansas 34, for a total of 110 clubs in the Missouri-Arkansas District.  The new Kansas District had 58 clubs.

The Missouri-Arkansas District hosted Kiwanis International Conventions in 1951 and 1990.  Dr. Gene Engelhardt was General Chairman of the 1990 convention and was also elected for a three-year term as International Trustee.  Thereafter, he became President of the Kiwanis International Foundation.

The new club building record was broken during the administration of Governor Elmer H. Austermann, Jr. in 1964, with a total of 26, unexcelled in the history of the District.  Eighteen clubs were organized in Missouri and eight in Arkansas.

For many years, with Board approval, the District Secretary was appointed by the new Governor.  No permanent central office was established and the address of the District Office was moved year to year.  Finally, in 1957, under the leadership of Governor Robert F. Lawyer, a movement was started to establish a permanent office for the Missouri-Arkansas District.

The task of combining the Kiwanigram Editorship, secretarial support, and other normal office functions under one roof was assigned to Past Governor Dr. Earl A. Collins of Cape Girardeau, Missouri.  Governor Collins diligently continued in this capacity until his death in 1960.  In recognition of his efforts, the Earl Collins Memorial Scholarship Fund was inaugurated in his memory.  The "Fund" has been converted to a Foundation and the scope has been expanded.

Dr. Collins was succeeded by Linus W. Bartels, who served until he ran for Governor.  Past Governor E. W. "Tuck" Tucker assumed the secretarial and editorial duties in 1962 and continued in this capacity through 1977.  From 1977 through 1982, James L. "Jim" Sheets served as District Secretary.  Les Mace was District Secretary during the 1982-83 administrative year.  Charles H. "Pheeze" Kemper has served in this office since that time.

Combining the offices of the District Secretary and the District Treasurer was considered from time to time and was finally adopted in 1981.

In 1959, the Missouri-Arkansas District of Kiwanis International was incorporated through the efforts of Todd Harrison, Blytheville, Arkansas, and W. Donald Dubail, St. Louis, Missouri.

At the District Convention in Kansas City in 1957, and again at the District Convention in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1973, there were discussions presented that the Arkansas Kiwanians should withdraw from the district and form a separate district.  Each time the pros and cons were introduced in the House of Delegates, and proposal was overwhelmingly abandoned.

The Kiwanigram, the official publication of the District, has been issued ten times each year for the past 73 years.  The Kiwanigram is to the District what the Kiwanis Magazine is to Kiwanis International - a promotional tool, particularly in the field of Kiwanis education at an invaluable public relations instrument.  The Kiwanigram has been frequently cited as the top district publication in all of Kiwanis International.

The designated district-wide sponsored project is the Earl Collins Kiwanis Foundation which was initiated at the District Convention held in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1960, during the administration of Governor Joe Mueller.   The not-for-profit, tax-exempt foundation bylaws provide for a separate Board of Trustees.

At the District Convention in St. Louis in 1984, under the guidance of Governor Myral Coatney, the Foundation's bylaws were significantly revised to provide that the Board would consist of a representative from each of the divisions.  Trustees were to serve for two years and each to be elected in alternate years; the even numbered divisions in even numbered years and the odd numbered division in odd numbered years.  The President shall be a Past Governor.  It was informally agreed that the President would generally be the Governor immediately prior to having served as Immediate Past Governor.  Much greater emphasis was put on funding the Foundation and it was agreed that income from the funds would only be used primarily to sponsor scholarships.  Currently twenty-seven scholarships are provided in the amount of $500 each.  Also, annual contributions are made to the District Key Club and District Circle K organizations.  During 1986, Don Dubail presented the Foundation with a check for $150,000 from an estate which he had probated.  At the same time, Pheeze Kemper presented a check for $10,000 to the Foundation from another estate.  The Foundation currently holds invested assets (corpus) of about $475,000.

The District pioneered the Inter-Club Relations Council idea which has since been adopted by other Kiwanis Districts.  The Inter-Club Relations Council has been replaced by a regional foundation.  During 1996-97, with able guidance from Past Governor Arnold W. Zimmerman, Jr., a new foundation was incorporated as the Greater St. Louis Kiwanis Foundation, Incorporated.  The first major fund raising project was lighting Tower Grove Park for the 1997 Christmas season.

Between 30 and 40 clubs in the Greater St. Louis area, (Division 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10) sponsor Kiwanis Camp Wyman for disadvantaged children and adults. This has been a traditionally successful enterprise bearing the Kiwanis label.  Kiwanis Camp Wyman is now completing a five-million dollar capital campaign and operates with a budget of about 1.5 million dollars per year.

At the request of Past Governor Dean Murphy, an M-A Fund was established during the 1980 District Convention at Hot Springs, Arkansas.  The purpose of this fund is to give financial assistance to a Past Governor of the Missouri-Arkansas District while campaigning for a Kiwanis International office and while serving as a Trustee or Officer of Kiwanis International.  The first person for whom this fund was used was Past Governor Raymond W. Lansford in his bid for Vice-President of Kiwanis International.  Raymond ultimately served as a Trustee for two terms, 1977-1981.  Ray was successful in his bid for Vice President and, at the Minneapolis International Convention in 1982, he was elected to the office of Treasurer of Kiwanis International.  Ray served as President of Kiwanis International during the 1984-85 administrative year.

The M-A Fund has also been used to help elect Gene Engelhardt International Trustee on two occasions and has aided Gene's campaign to become an officer of Kiwanis International Foundation, for which he served as Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-President, and President for the 1995-96 administrative year.

Missouri-Arkansas participation in the Children's Miracle Network Program was initiated by Past Governor Lou Stepter and has grown each year both in number of clubs participating and in dollars contributed.

The Missouri-Arkansas District is actively participating in the Kiwanis International Worldwide Service Project, identified as the IDD (Iodine Deficiency Disorders) Project. Under the leadership of Past Governor J. B. Taylor, Missouri-Arkansas Kiwanians are approaching the District goal of $1.8 million dollars.

H. B. "Herb" Roberts, Historian