District Historian

Among my many Kiwanis treasures is a now dog-earred and somewhat dilapidated copy of a Commemorative Souvenir Journal celebrating the 25th anniversary of the New York District Foundation in 1994 (which made 2009 the 40th anniversary of our Foundation and Kamp Kiwanis, certainly a defining moment in the proud history of our great District worthy of special note).

For New York Kiwanians, especially those of a certain age, the pages of the Souvenir Journal constitutes a wonderful trip through fond memories and nostalgia. We are very much in indebted to the then-foundation Historian Past Lt. Gov. Jim McGrath for his comprehensive and inspiring 25-year history of the foundation included in the journal. My thanks as current District Historian go to Jim for his history, titled "It's Kiwanis' Best Kept Secret". There is so much interest in the journal that it cannot all be described in this brief article.

To begin with the 25th anniversary year and the journal were dedicated in memory of the much loved 1985-86 first lady of our district, Janis Calabrese, who had suddenly and tragically been taken from us. Past Gov. Bob Calabrese, a dedicated and most generous supporter of Kamp Kiwanis and now Honorary Foundation Board member, expressed profound gratitude for the dedication in the pages of the Journal.

Also in the journal is a valuable piece titled, "Kiwanis International and the New York District" by the late Larry A. Hapgood, our 1952 District Governor and then Associate Secretary emeritus and long-time Kiwanis International historian and scribe.

According to Jim McGrath's history, the genesis of our foundation is to be found in 1966 District Gov. Thomas T. Pierce's appointment of a committee to investigate the feasibility of establishing a sleep-away camp for underprivileged boys, which in due course resulted in 1968 Gov. Stephen H. Hart (currently the dean of our past governors) and his board proposing the creation of a District Foundation to accept and run an existing camp which would be donated to the district by the Rome Kiwanis Club and soon thereafter conveyed to the newly-formed foundation. The rest, as they say, is history.

Steve Hart served two years as founding president of the foundation before being elected International Trustee and ultimately vice president of Kiwanis International. During the following 40 years Steve, now an honorary Foundation Board Member, was succeeded for varying terms as foundation president by Don Miekam, Vic Peretta, Bob Kilburn, Tony Kaiser, Jack Tetamore, Jerry Christiano, Jack Harten (now an honorary board member), John Gaglione, Lindy Marrazzo (now foundation president emeritus) and our current president, Sal Anelli. Especially notable for top flight dedication and staying with the project for several years during the kamp's crucial developing stage were Jack Tetamore as president, the late Don Miekam as secretary and the late Lou Theiss as treasurer, and years later the late John Gaglione and Lindy Marrazzo, which of whom served with extraordinary dedication for many years.

Among the high ranking 1993-94 Kiwanis International officials whose congratulatory members are included in the journal are International President Arthur D. Swanburg, President-Elect Ian Perdiau, Treasurer-Designate Jerry Christiano, Past International President Tony Kaiser, then-current District Gov. Dutch Craumer and then-Foundation President John Gaglione.

U.S. Government officials whose messages appear are President Bill Clinton, New York Senator Alphonse D'Amato and New York Gov. Mario Cuomo.

Most moving, however, the journal also includes no fewer than 112 pages of heartfelt message of tribute to Janis Calabrese from Kiwanis family clubs and members, a virtual catalogue of district notables of the day.

The foundation's and Kamp Kiwanis' history is a proud one indeed with too many achievements to recount here. Forty years is a long time. The foundation and kamp have more than validated the vision of its founds and early supporters, and more is yet to come.

Column Posted on Web Site February 3, 2011