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Rock Valley Heritage Kiwanis Club History
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| June 17, 1969, the Rock Valley Kiwanis Club
was founded at Carriage House with 25
charter members. Original name: Kiwanis Club of Rockford North, with
territorial limits north of State Street and west of the Rock River.
The Club initially met at 7:15 a.m. on Wednesdays in the Illinois Room of
Weise's Department Store at Northtowne Shopping Center.
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| 1971. Meeting location changed to the P-Nuts
Restaurant on N. 2nd Street. When the restaurant closed, the meeting
location was changed to the YMCA.
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| April 5, 1972, Club name changed to Rock Valley Kiwanis
Club. Also in 1972, a Key Club was sponsored at West High School.
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| 1977. membership holding steady at about 24
members. This was the first year that the Club manned the Fun Fair for
the participants of Special Olympics.
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| March 26, 1978. Support of the Public Service Work
Program was introduced by new member, Judge Harris Agnew. Also during
this year "traffic dodging" peanut sales (fundraiser) became
illegal.
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| 1981. Fund raiser was a joint
firewood sale with the
other Rockford Kiwanis Clubs.
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| 1985. A new fundraiser was instituted: Carnations and
Candy for Valentine's Day, February 14, 1986. This fundraiser
was discontinued in 2007. |
| 1990. With the closure and demolition of the YMCA,
meeting place is moved to The Bakery, 200 block of E. State Street.
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| 1995. With the closure of The Bakery, meeting place
moved to The Louisiana Cafe/Jessica's, 408 7th Street, and subsequently to
the Stockholm Inn at Broadway and 20th Street, then to the newly remodeled
Stockholm Inn at Rockford Plaza.
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1997. On a trial basis, sale of roses for Sweetest Day
tried for a fundraiser (being considered as an alternative to Valentine's
Day carnations/candy sale).
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| 1998. Last Valentine's Day carnations/candy fundraiser
conducted; Sweetest Day rose sale adopted as Club's annual fundraiser.
On December 7th, Kiwanis Park Bench installed in front of Stockholm Inn.
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| 1999. Club adopts the "Extra Mile Award" to
recognize people who, through actions which embody Kiwanis values, make
Rockford a better community and provide role-models for others to emulate. |
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October 22, 1999. Club Web Page
goes on the Internet: http://www.rockvalleykiwanis.com
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| April 1, 2003 - Rock Valley Kiwanis Club
merges with Heritage Kiwanis Club. Weekly meetings
continue to be held at the Stockholm Inn each Wednesday, but they will begin
at 7:00 AM. The Heritage Club brings a proud history of
accomplishment, many dedicated members, and two Key Clubs (Pecatonica and
Auburn High Schools) to the resultant Rock Valley Heritage Kiwanis Club. |