WORDS & PICTURES: Gabrielle Versmessen
The Bradenton Kiwanis Club is well-known around Manatee County for the many good projects they have done for our community. This year, the Club turned 100 years old, and to celebrate, they not only did things throughout town but also explored the history behind the Bradenton Kiwanis Club.
Established on August 22nd, 1922, the Club was initially named the Manatee River Kiwanis Club. It was later changed to the Kiwanis Club of Bradenton as more Kiwanis clubs were established, but it’s better known as the Bradenton Kiwanis Club. In 1936, the Bradenton Chamber of Commerce asked the Club to develop the Bradenton Trailer Park, now Bradenton Tropical Palms, to attract tourists.
After only two years of being built, the park was generating a profit. The net proceeds from the park went to the Club, and then the interest collected from the proceeds was used to benefit local nonprofit organizations. It quickly grew to be the largest trailer park in the world. In the 1950s, the park held 1200 trailers. Judge Gilbert Smith Jr., the chairperson and historian for the 100th anniversary of Bradenton Kiwanis, describes the trailer park as an “economic engine for the community.” In 1997, the trailer park was sold to the park’s residents, and the proceeds from the sale were then turned back over to the Club’s Foundation.
The Kiwanis Club of Bradenton would also organize various fundraising events over the years. This includes a carnival on the pier where Pier 22 now sits. Additionally, there were many members who sang and had musical talent, so they would perform a show at the Palace Theater in downtown Bradenton. What was unique about these shows was that they’d start at 11 o’clock at night and, oftentimes, sold out!
Only seven years after its start, Bradenton Kiwanis Club funded and built three cabins at Camp Flying Eagle. This particular camp is one of the oldest surviving camps in the state of Florida, and thus the Bradenton Kiwanis and Boy Scouts of America have had a strong relationship since this time. In 1963, the Club also funded the construction of the dining hall.
Bradenton Kiwanis Club is the organization that brought the Boys Club of America to the area in 1945. Now a public works building, the first building was renovated by Bradenton Kiwanis for the Boys Club, but in 1951, they began a major building program that included a gymnasium. They raised $70,000 for this project. Unfortunately, both of these buildings are gone now, but in 1966, the Club purchased the land on 34th Street West for the Bayshore Branch of the Boys Club, and construction began the following year. Today, the Bradenton Kiwanis Club still supports and partners with the Boys Club and even has members serving on both boards.
In 1950, the Club provided the funding to build the Little Girl Scout House on 17th Avenue West. According to Judge Smith, the land was owned by the city of Bradenton, but the Bradenton Kiwanis Club worked with the city to have it designated to the Girl Scouts, and they assisted in renovating the building over the years. In the last 25 years, it hasn’t been used as much and was turned into a police satellite station. This year, Bradenton Kiwanis donated money to build a space in the station to be a community center for the Girl Scouts.
In the late 70s, the Bradenton Auditorium downtown needed repairs, and community leaders believed that the city needed a civic center that would be large enough for graduations but also attract events that require a larger audience. Wanting to encourage and motivate the Manatee County commissioners and leaders to get the ball rolling, Kiwanis donated $500,000 in seed money to get the renovation process started. Construction began in the 80s to turn the building into what is now the Bradenton Area Convention Center.
This past year, the Bradenton Kiwanis Club organized a lot of different events to commemorate its 100th birthday. Judge Smith is even writing a book covering the full history of the Club, and he hopes to have it published by the end of 2022. Over the course of 100 weeks, Judge Smith gave a five-minute presentation on the club’s history with a slideshow and photographs at each weekly Kiwanis meeting.
Janene Amick, CEO of the Manatee Performing Arts Center, came up with the idea to do a time capsule to be installed at the Center, which will have mementos from Kiwanis Club members throughout the years. Every living president of the Bradenton Kiwanis Club has been asked to pick a president who is not alive anymore and put something representing them in the capsule as well.
Wanting to have a cohesive, visual impact, the Bradenton Kiwanis put together an enormous exhibit at the Manatee County Fair that showcased the places they’ve had an impact on, organizations they’ve volunteered with, and historical artifacts. A canoe from Camp Flying Eagle housed the various initiatives the Club has pursued for the betterment of children. Some of the memorabilia included a framed State College of Florida logo, a box from Kids Against Hunger, a 4H poster, a sign for Every Child A Reader, and a cover from the June/July 2017 issue of Nextgen Family Magazine with Judge Nicholas and a few K-Kids on it. Hundreds of photographs were also displayed, including portraits of past Club presidents and old newspaper archives.
Another neat visual will be the historical markers placed throughout the county. These markers will go up throughout the year after permits have been approved to describe Kiwanis’ connection to the landmark. Some places you’ll be able to find these markers are the Little Girl Scout House on 17th Avenue, the old Kiwanis Hall on 14th Street at Bradenton Tropical Palms, the Bradenton Area Convention Center, Camp Flying Eagle, and more!
Like many other events, Hurricane Ian threw a wrench in the plans for the Bradenton Kiwanis to host its 100th Anniversary Gala. Originally scheduled for October 1st, the Gala would be a black-tie event catered by Rich Knowles of Innovative Dining. The Club was determined not to let the food go to waste while also being able to give back. Rich and President Neil Unruh decided to donate the food that was to be prepared for the Gala to the first responders stationed at the Operations Center at Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Instead of having to settle for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, the officers received a steak, potatoes, asparagus, and salad meal, complete with cookies. Now, they’re hoping to hold the Gala on January 7th, 2023. Another silver lining to the postponement of festivities is that Judge Smith will be able to give out his completed Bradenton Kiwanis history book to attendees as opposed to the two-chapter preview that was slated to be given out at the October Gala.
Young Children Priority One…
Young Children Priority One (YCPO) is a Kiwanis initiative, chaired by Lisa Morrison. The program was started by Kiwanis International in 1990, and Lisa describes it as an ongoing community service program that addresses the needs of prenatal children to age five. Over the last few years, YCPO has sponsored and partnered with the Early Learning Coalition of Manatee County to create an annual reading program, Every Child a Reader (ECAR), for preschool children. In 2014, the program provided books to more than 2,000 children. This new year, they’ll be participating and will help financially support ELC’s new early literacy program, ReadingPals.
Additionally, the YCPO committee fills special community needs. They’ve funded toddler needs, like strollers, car seats, and Pack N Plays, that HOPE Family Services needed during the increase in domestic violence while COVID kept families at home. Kits were also provided during that increased time at home for Parenting Matters to help parents with instruction and family engagement.
The immediate impacts that the YCPO committee has made are evident. Lisa says: “We see that families escaping from domestic violence are getting the supplies needed for their young children. Through ECAR, we introduced community leaders to Early Education facilities and created an interest in books for the children who enjoyed having people come into the classroom and read to them.”
They aim to create family engagement with the copy of the book that the child gets to take home with them, along with the tip sheets for parents. In the long run, the goal is to help increase literacy in the children they serve so that grade-level reading improves. Of course, they also hope that their involvement with parenting promotes stronger families.
Lisa says: “I believe that if we can give our children the care and educational foundation that they need today, then we, as a society, will be better off tomorrow.”
