Kiwanis Club of North Little Rock, AR

The Kiwanis Club of North Little Rock was formed on March 18, 1949 by charter from Kiwanis International with the Kiwanis Club of Little Rock (Downtown) serving as the local sponsor.  Many distinguished and dedicated community leaders have served in the club over the years.  Many members have served as Lieutenant Governors of our Division and as District Chairmen.  We have also had a member serve as District Governor of the Missouri-Arkansas District and on International Committees.

The service projects carried out by the club have been varied and numerous over its 60 year history.  All projects have benefited our community and had a great impact on the quality of life in the North Little Rock area.  For instance, until 1957, there was no hospital in central Arkansas north of the river.  Even emergency patients had to be transported to the Little Rock hospitals.  Our club members, Clyde Brown and Dr. W. E. Phipps, took the lead in starting a drive to get one.  Charles G. Ball was President of the club at the time.  A kickoff luncheon was held Jan. 21, 1957 to get the leaders of the community and the city behind it.  Thus Baptist Memorial Hospital was built (in what year?), which later became Baptist Health Medical Center, North Little Rock.

Originally, our club was all male but since 1988, business and professional people of both sexes have been members.

We have sponsored 7 other local Kiwanis clubs over the years, and 6 Key Clubs in local high schools. Our service projects in the community have been too numerous to list but wherever we have seen a need, our club has been there to help, not only with funds raised but many, many times with members pitching in. Our emphasis has always been on helping children but oftentimes the aged, and families have benefited.

Past Presidents of the Club

1949 – Charles Meyers, Jr.
1950 – Charles Meyers, Jr.
1951 – B. Bruce Cook
1952 – George S. Daunis
1953 – Robert V. Lamar
1954 – John Cook
1955 – Virgil E. Tyler
1956 – D. Thomas Cox
1957 – Charles G. Ball*
1958 – Tom S. Hall
1959 – W. W. Miller
1960 – W. M. Harris
1961 – Ben H. Kelly
1962 – Clyde Brown
1963 – W. E. Shelton
1964 – S. H. Bill Burgin*
1965 – David S. Yielding
1966 – Dr. Newte Nelson
1967 – Robert L. Peeples
1968 – R. H. Dorris
1969 – Henry A. Simpson
1969-70 – Darrell Hiett
1970-71 – Abner Junkin, Sr.
1971-72 – Don W. Grimes
1972-73 – James Wear
1973-74 – Kent Careathers
1974-75 – Terry W. Landrum
1975-76 – James Harper
1976-77 – Ogden Mayhugh
1977-78 – Dick Lucas
1978-79 – Marv Kee*
1979-80 – Carl Beutelschies
1980-81 – Dick Hall
1981-82 – Dwight Callaham
1982-83 – Biscoe Bingham
1983-84 – Jim Brazil
1984-85 – Thomas Johns
1985-86 – Mike Hagen
1986-87 – Duane Starr
1987-88 – Wayne Gruber*
1988-89 – James W. Stanley
1989-90 – Jim Morris*
1990-91 – Scott Wheeler*
1991-92 – Jim Lincicome*
1992-93 – Todd Larson
1993-94 – Tommy Hendricks
1994-95 – Dana Chadwick
1995-96 – Jeff VanPatten*
1996-97 – Sandy Becker
1997-98 – Eileen Woodall/Whit Kimbrow
1998-99 – Whit Kimbrow
1999-2000 – Sheryl Norwood
2000-01 – Peggy Thornton
2001-02 – Mark Gugino*
2002-03 – Dennis Berry
2003-04 – Robert Copeland*
2004-05 – James Little
2005-06 – John Drake*
2006-07 - Gordon Garlington*
2007-08 - Sherrie Rine*
2008-09 - Howard Harts*

(* = active members)