Kiwanis of Gallup John Taylor

Kiwanis Club of Gallup

By John Taylor

The Kiwanis Club of Gallup is one of the oldest service clubs in New Mexico. The Gallup club was established in 1920, by a group of Gallup businessmen, whose goal was to improve the economic base of the region by encouraging visitors and to improve the quality of life for the citizens of the community.

The supreme accomplishment of the early Kiwanians was the support of the Inter-Tribal Ceremonial and the work they did to make sure the event would succeed. In fact, it was Hubert E. Phenecie, a Kiwanian, who gave the Ceremonial its name. The club also encouraged tree plantings and city park development and placed Gallup’s first community Christmas tree near Gallup’s Harvey House-- the El Navajo. All to make Gallup a more inviting place to attract visitors and new residents.

In more recent years, the Kiwanis Club has focused on the youth of the community in keeping with the Kiwanis motto of Serving the Children of the World. The club donated Kiwanis Park south of Gallup to the Southwest Kiwanis District and in partnership with them established Kamp Kiwanis, a camp for special needs children. The Kiwanis Club works to improve education for the youth of the region. Kiwanis sponsors a Key Club at both Gallup and Miyamura High Schools. Key Clubs are youth groups, sponsored by Kiwanis Clubs, to build leadership skills in adolescents. Focusing on improving instruction, Kiwanis has provided grants to high school teachers to fund innovative instruction. The Kiwanis Dictionary Project has for the past decade provided a dictionary to every third-grade student at every elementary school in McKinley County. Youth fitness is important to Kiwanis and for over forty years, the club has presented a “Run for Fun” event.

The goal of the “Run for Fun” is to encourage elementary age students to engage in healthful physical activities. The Kiwanis Club has also provided funds to help support the local chapter of Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Tommy Dorsey Youth Football, and Community Pantry.

Kiwanians do have fun! Fun activities are usually attached to fundraising events to help support community building projects. Pancake breakfasts and pasta suppers are a part of Kiwanis’ life. The Hollywood Night dinner dance and dress as your favorite movie star became a part of the Gallup holiday season. Night Golf, playing in the dark with lighted golf balls at the Fox Run Golf Course, is now an event to look forward to during the summer season. All these events, over many years, have depended on the generosity of Gallup and McKinley County citizens, businesses, and groups for their support and sponsorship.

Why should you join Kiwanis? Because we believe that those who give the most are the happiest. There is nothing more beautiful than individuals who reach out to make other people’s lives more fulfilling. Because Kiwanis teaches you the value of service to others and shows how important your contributions are in making this world a better place, most especially for children. Because membership provides education in human relations and personal development. Because being in service to others develops good character in every person. Because Kiwanis gives experiences that teaches and develops you to become better individuals.

Because being a member allows you to create and organize projects and activities with other Kiwanians and members of the community. Because the Kiwanis Club of Gallup has an excellent group of members who enjoy spending time with each other for the betterment of our community.

The Kiwanis Club of Gallup meets on Thursdays at Noon at the El Rancho Hotel. On the final Thursday of each month, the club meets at 6:00 pm, also at the El Rancho. The last Thursdays’ evening meeting time allows attendance by members and guests who are unable to attend the mid-day meetings. For more information about Kiwanis, please contact President Fran Pawlowski Phone 505722-5871 or Secretary John Lewis Taylor Phone 505-863-3770.