On March 2, 1926, a group of prominent Oxford businessmen and civic leaders met for lunch at the Knights of Pythias Hall to lay the foundation of a new club dedicated to service to the Oxford community. On this foundation, and with the sponsorship of their friends from Brookville, Indiana, the Kiwanis Club of Oxford was built. The club's charter was presented at a dinner meeting on May 19, 1926 with 51 charter members. The first President was J. F. Frazier; Vice President was W. S. Umbstead and Secretary was H. H. Beneke. Among the distinguished names on the charter were businessmen Frank R. Snyder, H. N. Stephenson, Paul Baer, and V. L. Pulley, clergy H. J. Jewett and R. G. Rieman, Miami University President R. M. Hughes, Vice President E. E. Brandin, and Finance Manager Wallace P. Roudebush, and W. W. Boyd, President of the Western College for Women. From its beginning the Oxford Kiwanis Club has been committed to serving the Oxford community, especially its children. During its early years, the club provided a Christmas tree in West (now Martin Luther King) Park and distributed sacks of Christmas candy to Oxford children. Oxford Kiwanians also transported children needing tonsillectomies to Hamilton hospitals and paid for their operations. In the early 1930's Kiwanis was instrumental in the construction of a swimming pool as a WPA depression project. The pool project provided much needed jobs, and was used for many years by the citizens of Oxford. The Oxford Kiwanis used its influence to benefit the community in several other ways. The club was deeply involved in the campaign to have the State of Ohio purchase the 377 acre Hueston property and other land for development of a state park. The club also led the effort to get the state to extend Route 73 into Oxford, greatly improving the ability of Miami students and their parents to safely travel to the city and university. In 1938 the Oxford Kiwanis Club organized and sponsored Boy Scout Troop 30 (now 930). Miami freshman (now former Ambassador and Miami Vice President Emeritus) John Dolibois was the first Scoutmaster and David Logan was the troop's first Eagle Scout. In recent years the club has added sponsorship of Cub Scout Pack 961 and the Indian Creek Girl Scout District. The Kiwanis commitment to the youth of Oxford lead to the organizing of the club's first annual Pancake Day on May 7, 1957. The purpose of that event was to raise money for band uniforms for the new Talawanda High School. $1,450 was raised and donated that day, and Pancake Day became an Oxford tradition that continues this year on April 28. In 1965 and 2001 the Oxford Kiwanis Club sponsored a circus to raise funds for more projects. The club also sponsors several "Kiwanis Family" youth organizations. In 1966 the Miami University chapter of Circle K International was chartered under the Oxford Kiwanis Club. This chapter has consistently been recognized as one of the strongest clubs in the Ohio District. In 1984 the Talawanda Key Club was organized, and in 1990 the Builders Club at Talawanda Middle School was begun. In 2006 a K-Kids Chapter was formed at Kramer Elementary School. The Oxford Kiwanis has been recognized numerous times during its history for its service to the Oxford community. The Club's most recent award came from the Ohio District of Kiwanis International for sponsorship of the "Reach Out and Read" program at Oxford Pediatrics and Adolescents. The project was named "Single Service Project of the Year" for 1999. In addition, the club has been an active participant in Kiwanis International’s first "World-Wide Service Project" which has raised nearly $75 million to eradicate iodine deficiency disorders from the world.
