ALPENA – The Kiwanis Club of Alpena received prestigious kudos on Saturday, May 2 at a KiwanisOne meeting held in Gaylord. The Alpena club was recognized as a Kiwanis International Distinguished Club for the 2024-2025 Kiwanis year — one of only 190 clubs in the U.S. and one of five in Michigan to be so recognized. This is a prestigious designation, as Kiwanis International has more than 7,200 clubs worldwide, with the vast majority of the clubs in the U.S.

Receiving the award for the Alpena club were 2024-2025 Club President Rocky Roland and 2024-2025 Club Secretary Judy Greer. Roland also served as Lieutenant Governor of Division 21 for that same Kiwanis year.

Michigan is the “birthplace of Kiwanis,” as the first Kiwanis Club was founded in Detroit in 1915. The Michigan District of Kiwanis currently consists of approximately 140 to 150 clubs. These clubs are organized into 18 administrative divisions, each led by a Lieutenant Governor.

The Kiwanis family of clubs and organizations includes a wide range of service

organizations beyond adult clubs. These include youth-oriented Service Leadership Programs: K-Kids for elementary school; Builders Clubs for middle school; Key Clubs at the high school level; Circle K International (CKI) at the collegiate level; and Aktion Clubs for adults living with disabilities.

The Kiwanis International Distinguished Club Award is a prestigious recognition given to clubs that meet specific standards of excellence in membership growth, service impact, and leadership development. While exact requirements can shift annually based on the Kiwanis International President’s priorities, clubs generally must earn 100 points across various categories to achieve distinguished status. To earn the required points, clubs are evaluated on several key pillars: Membership Growth: Achieving a net increase in membership or meeting specific recruitment goals, such as the “Strive for 10” initiative.

Service and Community Impact: Participating in impactful service projects. Maybe the most visible KIwanis project in Alpena is the Alpena Flags of Honor project, with nearly 650 American flags honoring our local heroes displayed on five holidays throughout the year. Kiwanis and the Boosters Club partner to place these flags on Chisholm Street across from the hospital and along Washington Avenue along the Thunder Bay River.

Other Kiwanis Club of Alpena projects include sponsoring Service Leadership Programs, including the Key Club at Alpena High School and the newly established Builder’s Club at Thunder Bay Junior High.

The Alpena club also maintains the Kiwanis Kiddie Park near the Alpena Bandshell at Bay View Park, as well as other projects such as the Kiwanis Book Sale in partnership with The Alpena News held in February at The APlex.

Additional criteria for the Distinguished designation include Family Involvement: Active engagement with other branches of the Kiwanis family and attendance at district or international conventions; Administrative Excellence: Submitting monthly club reports on time and ensuring club officers complete Club Leadership Education; Financial Support: Donating a minimum specified amount per member to the Kiwanis Children’s Fund and/or The Kiwanis Foundation. Clubs that achieve distinguished status receive several honors, typically presented at a KiwanisOne, District convention or mid-year event.

Recognition includes a special patch to be added to the club’s official banner; distinguished pins for both the club president and secretary, and a formal letter of recognition from the Kiwanis International President.

If you want to learn more about the Kiwanis Club of Alpena, and projects and initiatives in the Alpena area, contact 2025-26 President Darby Hinkley at 517-494-0004 or Secretary Judy Greer at 989-590-0780.