A group of business leaders, originally organized the club at the mortuary building owned by Thomas L. Miller at Second and Crawford (Crawford later became Downey Avenue).
The early organizers included prominent orange ranchers, lawyers, doctors and retailers, such as Jules Ardis, Thomas Miller, Walter Booth, Dr. A. G. Haygood, Carl Weiss, Fred C. Collins, Town Marshal Bill Hernlein, Dr. C. J. Hanley, Haygood Ardis and John Price (whose wife, Maude, later had a school named after her).
The Downey club was sponsored by the Bell Kiwanis. Since then, Downey in turn, has sponsored the Paramount Kiwanis and the Downey Los Amigos and Guadalajara clubs.
An important adjunct to the Downey Kiwanis of today is the Downey Kiwanis Foundation which is endowed to provide scholarships and grants to eligible community groups. In May the Foundation gave $8,700 in scholarships to Downey graduates. The Foundation also helps senior citizens who receive care at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center, and is presently purchasing equipment for the computer technology lab at Griffiths Middle School.
Children have always been the Kiwanis top priority. The club sponsors programs to assist kids such as those at Foley House. These children, whose mothers are enrolled in drug rehabilitation programs, are treated with trips to the zoo and circus.
The Kiwanis also sponsor youth groups at Downey schools, such as the Downey High Key Club and Keywanettes, two youth service groups who have done much to improve their communities.
For those who want to learn more about Kiwanis here, call Lee Powell at 904-7282, or visit a regular meeting of the group at noon each Thursday.