History:

In 1945, the Kiwanis Club of Piggot, Arkansas sponsored the formation of the Kiwanis CLub of Kennett, Missouri. A group of about thirty men gathered to form a club whose first and foremost object was to be of some service to the community. George Bilbrey, the first president and William Sidney Jones, Jr. the first vice president, were installed at a dinner ceremony with over two hundred people in attendance. Service to the community was the aim of the club and the original members were not slow to get started. In 1946, when the Club was only one year old, it sponsored the drive to purchase nine-plus acres which now constiture Jones Memorial Park. The Kiwanis Club of Kennett was the prime move in establishing the park and raising the needed funds for its acquisition. At a time when the average home in Kennett cost $2,900.00, the Jones family agreed to sell the property for a mere $10,000.00 on condition that the park be named R. H. Jones Memorial Park. With the help of all the citizens of Kennett, the money was raised and one of the nicest parks in the area begain its development. Our club was responsible for the financing and construction of the refresment stand, restroom and storage building. This involved incorporating the club, and issuing notes, buying fixtures at surplus, borrowing as much as possible, and scrounging as much as possible. In 1949, with no money in the treasuries of either Kiwanis or the City of Kennett, we embarked on the construction of a municipal swimming pool. The city agreed to pay construction costs with tax money on condition that Kiwanis agreed to pay the city back with money generated by fund-raising projects. This was accomplished and the pool served Kennett's citizens until 1994. In the 1950's the Kiwanis raised the funds to build a Swine Exhibition Barn for the Fall Festival(Now Delta Fair) Kiwanis sponsors several ongoing projects in the community. We sponsor a little league baseball team and a Boy Scout Troop. The Kennett High School Key Club is a youth service organization sponsored by Kiwanis. This club is one of the most outstanding Key Clubs in the Missouri-Arkansas distric. Each year we award a scholarship to a graduating senior. Kiwanis sponsors and administers the entire Little League Basketball Program for this city. This program began in 1965 and was expanded to include a girl's league in the early 80's. Kiwanis handles registration, rents the gym, secures coaches and team sponsors, provides officials and security for the games. The Kennett Optimist Club began a Little League Soccer Pogram several years ago. When the Optimists CLub disbanded, Kiwanis Club of Kennett stepped in to sponsor the entire Little League Soccer Program for Kennett beginning in 1996. The program is offered to both boys and girls from age 5-13. In 1997, the program opened its participation to include the surrounding communities. For more information about us, check out our News page and our Activities Calendar. And to see what we're doing with kids in the area, why not take a look at our Sponsored Youth page?