The first Kiwanis Club was formed in Detroit, Michigan on January 21,1915.

Kiwanis derived its name from an old Otchipew Indian Tribe word, Nun Kee Wan ee, meaning "we enjoy trading."  Then by contraction, it was changed to Kiwanis.  Originally, the motto was "We trade," but it was changed to "We Build".  Presently our mission is "To serve children of the world".  Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time.

Currently there are around 8,000 clubs with more than 260,000 adult members and 320,000 youths.

Kiwanis International sponsors two of the largest youth groups in the nation,  Key Clubs among high school youths and Circke K Clubs for College students.  The Wilmington Kiwanis Club sponsors a Key Club at New Hanover High School and at Hoggard High School and a Circle K Club At UNCW.

By 1920, Kiwanis was rapidly expanding in the Southeast and the Carolina District was officially organized Januaty 12, 1920.  Wilmington was the ninth club organized in the Carolinas District.

The Wilmington Kiwanis Club began forming in the fall of 1919, formally organized March 10 and officially chartered May 27, 1920 with 105 charter members.  Charles C. Chadborn was the first president, Louis J. Poisson, Sr., vice-president, J. C. Hobbs, secretary, and J. Haughton James, treasurer.

The Club needed a major objective.  The late Wilbur R. Dosher, charter member of Kiwanis and the Old Boys Brigade which closed in 1916 due to World War I, conceived the idea for Kiwanis to reopen the old Brigade Armory and sponsor a Boys Club.  The Kiwanis Club voted unanimously to sponsor and finance the Brigade Boys Club, which opened July 1, 1921.  Kiwanis sponsored the Brigade exclusively for thirteen years.  Since 1921, the Kiwanis Club has contributed over $695,000 to the Brigade Boys and Girls Club as it is presently known.

In 1964 the Wilmington Kiwanis Club began a scholarship program for worthy students at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and more recently at Cape Fear Community College.  Over $175,000 of scholarship gifts have assisted deserving students.

Our major fund-raising activities are our Pancake Day the first Saturday in November, our Mother's Day Rose sale and the Bruce Cavanaugh Charity Raffle.

Other beneficiaries of our fund-raising are the Terrific Kids Program, the Big Buddy Program, H.O.B.Y. Scholarships, Junior Achievement, Teen Court and our local Kiwanis Foundation. 

As you can see we are dedicated to changing the world, one child and one community at a time.