The Kiwanis Club of Middletown, Ohio, was chartered on July 20, 1926.
For 100 years, the Kiwanis Club of Middletown has gathered in fellowship, answered needs in our community, supported children and families, and built friendships that have lasted far beyond any single meeting, fundraiser, or service project.
When our club was chartered in 1926, Middletown was a different place. The world around us has changed many times over since then. Yet the heart of Kiwanis has remained remarkably steady: people coming together to make life better for others.
Our legacy is not measured by possessions, titles, or status. It is measured by the lives touched, the children encouraged, the families supported, the community strengthened, and the simple question that has guided so much of our work: “How can we help?”
As we celebrate 100 years of service, we honor all who came before us, celebrate those serving today, and look ahead with hope to the next century of Kiwanis in Middletown.
The Founding of the Kiwanis Club of Middletown
1926: The Year Service Took Root
The Kiwanis Club of Middletown was officially chartered on July 20, 1926, after leaders from the Dayton and Cincinnati Kiwanis clubs recognized Middletown as an ideal community for a new club.
Interest grew quickly. Within just ten days, enough support had been generated to form the nucleus of the organization, and by the end of July, the club had 36 members.
The club’s first president was C.W. Elliott. He was joined by a leadership team dedicated to fellowship, community service, and youth support. H.W. Naegele served as the club’s first vice president, Ray Sebald as treasurer, McKinley H. Sauer as secretary, and C.E. Daley as district trustee.
The first Board of Directors included Charles Aull, Martin L. Bauer, W.H. Johnson, Homer Mitchell, Gordon Ralston, Charles O. Signom, and W.S. Wilmer, Sr.
The club’s earliest weekly meetings were held at the Manchester Hotel, where members gathered over lunch, fellowship, and shared plans for projects that would benefit Middletown. In 1926, the price of lunch at those meetings was 50 cents.
From those first gatherings came a century of service.
What began as a new club with 36 members became a lasting force for good in Middletown. The founding members could not have known every project their work would inspire, every child who would benefit, or every friendship that would form. But they knew enough to begin.
And because they began, generations followed.
Early Service, Enduring Purpose
Helping Children and Families from the Beginning
From its earliest years, the Kiwanis Club of Middletown focused heavily on helping children and families in need.
Members sponsored Boy Scout troops, supported Girl Scouts, provided YMCA memberships for disadvantaged youth, donated to relief efforts, and helped local missions serving impoverished families during the Great Depression.
Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, the club expanded its service projects to include eyeglasses, hearing aids, dental care, clothing, and surgeries for children whose families could not otherwise afford treatment.
One especially meaningful project began in 1948, when the club funded corrective eye surgery for a teenage girl whose life was transformed by the procedure. Inspired by that impact, the club continued assisting other children with medical needs.
The Middletown Kiwanis Club also supported Boys State programs, Salvation Army initiatives, flood relief efforts, youth camps, bicycle safety programs, and holiday assistance for families in need. During World War II, members supported the war effort while continuing local service projects.
These early efforts reveal something important about the club’s character.
Kiwanis did not wait for service to be easy. Members served through economic hardship, war, community change, and shifting local needs. Again and again, they asked where help was needed and then found a way to respond.
That spirit has carried the club for 100 years.
Trailblazers, Firsts, and Milestones
Opening Doors and Strengthening the Club
For many decades, Kiwanis membership was open only to men. Some women served through “Kiwanianne” clubs, which allowed them to contribute to service efforts but were not part of the main Kiwanis organization.
That changed in 1987, when delegates at the Kiwanis International convention voted to allow women to become members.
The Kiwanis Club of Middletown became stronger because of that long-overdue step.
Martha “Marty” Evans and Anita Shew became the club’s first female members in 1989. Martha later became Middletown’s first female president in 1996. Anita served as club president in 2022.
Bonnie Riesbeck also helped shape this important chapter in club history. Inducted in 1995, Bonnie became the third female member of the Kiwanis Club of Middletown, the club’s second female president in 1999, and the first female lieutenant governor for the Fifth Division in 2002. For several years, she chaired the Young Children Priority One committee with a strong focus on reading in preschool classrooms. She also led Peanut Day campaigns for many years.
These women were more than firsts. They were leaders, builders, and examples of how Kiwanis grows stronger when more people are welcomed into the work of service.
Their leadership reflects the best of Kiwanis: dedication, courage, fellowship, and a willingness to carry the mission forward.
Honors and Recognitions
George F. Hixson Fellowship Award
The George F. Hixson Fellowship was established in 1983 by the Kiwanis Children’s Fund to honor George F. Hixson, the first president of Kiwanis International, who served from 1916 to 1918.
This fellowship recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to the Kiwanis tradition of generosity. It is often awarded to honor a member’s commitment and service to their club, their community, and the Kiwanis mission.
For the Kiwanis Club of Middletown, the names listed in this section represent more than recognition. They represent decades of giving, leading, showing up, and believing in the power of service.
We honor these recipients with gratitude for the example they have set and the legacy they continue to inspire.
George F. Hixson Fellowship Award Recipients
Bill Wilmer*
Charles W. Sutter*
Russell Elker*
Robert Morehead*
Gilbert Wagoner*
Robert Wells*
Ronald Oches*
Israel Hughes*
Howard Tortsveit*
O.K. Klatter*
Gordon Read*
Stephen Dobrozsi
Henrietta Nye
Bonnie Riesbeck*
Bill Parnell*
Guy Stone*
Don Imhoff, Jr.
Marla Marsh
Larry Curless*
Gary Gross
Steve Rogers
Steve Dobrozsi family
Monica Marsh
*deceased
Leadership Through the Years
A Century of Presidents and Lieutenant Governors
Leadership is one of the enduring threads in the story of the Kiwanis Club of Middletown.
Across the decades, presidents, board members, officers, committee chairs, lieutenant governors, and district leaders have guided the club through change, challenge, growth, and celebration.
Each leader brought something different. Some strengthened traditions. Some expanded service projects. Some built partnerships. Some mentored new members. Some led quietly and consistently, ensuring the details were handled and the mission stayed strong.
Together, their service forms an honor roll of commitment and contributions that have helped shape the club’s first 100 years.
Club History
Kiwanis Club of Middletown, Ohio
The Kiwanis Club of Middletown, Ohio, was chartered on July 20, 1926.
For 100 years, the Kiwanis Club of Middletown has gathered in fellowship, answered needs in our community, supported children and families, and built friendships that have lasted far beyond any single meeting, fundraiser, or service project.
When our club was chartered in 1926, Middletown was a different place. The world around us has changed many times over since then. Yet the heart of Kiwanis has remained remarkably steady: people coming together to make life better for others.
Our legacy is not measured by possessions, titles, or status. It is measured by the lives touched, the children encouraged, the families supported, the community strengthened, and the simple question that has guided so much of our work: “How can we help?”
As we celebrate 100 years of service, we honor all who came before us, celebrate those serving today, and look ahead with hope to the next century of Kiwanis in Middletown.
The Founding of the Kiwanis Club of Middletown
1926: The Year Service Took Root
The Kiwanis Club of Middletown was officially chartered on July 20, 1926, after leaders from the Dayton and Cincinnati Kiwanis clubs recognized Middletown as an ideal community for a new club.
Interest grew quickly. Within just ten days, enough support had been generated to form the nucleus of the organization, and by the end of July, the club had 36 members.
The club’s first president was C.W. Elliott. He was joined by a leadership team dedicated to fellowship, community service, and youth support. H.W. Naegele served as the club’s first vice president, Ray Sebald as treasurer, McKinley H. Sauer as secretary, and C.E. Daley as district trustee.
The first Board of Directors included Charles Aull, Martin L. Bauer, W.H. Johnson, Homer Mitchell, Gordon Ralston, Charles O. Signom, and W.S. Wilmer, Sr.
The club’s earliest weekly meetings were held at the Manchester Hotel, where members gathered over lunch, fellowship, and shared plans for projects that would benefit Middletown. In 1926, the price of lunch at those meetings was 50 cents.
From those first gatherings came a century of service.
What began as a new club with 36 members became a lasting force for good in Middletown. The founding members could not have known every project their work would inspire, every child who would benefit, or every friendship that would form. But they knew enough to begin.
And because they began, generations followed.
Early Service, Enduring Purpose
Helping Children and Families from the Beginning
From its earliest years, the Kiwanis Club of Middletown focused heavily on helping children and families in need.
Members sponsored Boy Scout troops, supported Girl Scouts, provided YMCA memberships for disadvantaged youth, donated to relief efforts, and helped local missions serving impoverished families during the Great Depression.
Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, the club expanded its service projects to include eyeglasses, hearing aids, dental care, clothing, and surgeries for children whose families could not otherwise afford treatment.
One especially meaningful project began in 1948, when the club funded corrective eye surgery for a teenage girl whose life was transformed by the procedure. Inspired by that impact, the club continued assisting other children with medical needs.
The Middletown Kiwanis Club also supported Boys State programs, Salvation Army initiatives, flood relief efforts, youth camps, bicycle safety programs, and holiday assistance for families in need. During World War II, members supported the war effort while continuing local service projects.
These early efforts reveal something important about the club’s character.
Kiwanis did not wait for service to be easy. Members served through economic hardship, war, community change, and shifting local needs. Again and again, they asked where help was needed and then found a way to respond.
That spirit has carried the club for 100 years.
Trailblazers, Firsts, and Milestones
Opening Doors and Strengthening the Club
For many decades, Kiwanis membership was open only to men. Some women served through “Kiwanianne” clubs, which allowed them to contribute to service efforts but were not part of the main Kiwanis organization.
That changed in 1987, when delegates at the Kiwanis International convention voted to allow women to become members.
The Kiwanis Club of Middletown became stronger because of that long-overdue step.
Martha “Marty” Evans and Anita Shew became the club’s first female members in 1989. Martha later became Middletown’s first female president in 1996. Anita served as club president in 2022.
Bonnie Riesbeck also helped shape this important chapter in club history. Inducted in 1995, Bonnie became the third female member of the Kiwanis Club of Middletown, the club’s second female president in 1999, and the first female lieutenant governor for the Fifth Division in 2002. For several years, she chaired the Young Children Priority One committee with a strong focus on reading in preschool classrooms. She also led Peanut Day campaigns for many years.
These women were more than firsts. They were leaders, builders, and examples of how Kiwanis grows stronger when more people are welcomed into the work of service.
Their leadership reflects the best of Kiwanis: dedication, courage, fellowship, and a willingness to carry the mission forward.
Honors and Recognitions
George F. Hixson Fellowship Award
The George F. Hixson Fellowship was established in 1983 by the Kiwanis Children’s Fund to honor George F. Hixson, the first president of Kiwanis International, who served from 1916 to 1918.
This fellowship recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to the Kiwanis tradition of generosity. It is often awarded to honor a member’s commitment and service to their club, their community, and the Kiwanis mission.
For the Kiwanis Club of Middletown, the names listed in this section represent more than recognition. They represent decades of giving, leading, showing up, and believing in the power of service.
We honor these recipients with gratitude for the example they have set and the legacy they continue to inspire.
George F. Hixson Fellowship Award Recipients
*deceased
Leadership Through the Years
A Century of Presidents and Lieutenant Governors
Leadership is one of the enduring threads in the story of the Kiwanis Club of Middletown.
Across the decades, presidents, board members, officers, committee chairs, lieutenant governors, and district leaders have guided the club through change, challenge, growth, and celebration.
Each leader brought something different. Some strengthened traditions. Some expanded service projects. Some built partnerships. Some mentored new members. Some led quietly and consistently, ensuring the details were handled and the mission stayed strong.
Together, their service forms an honor roll of commitment and contributions that have helped shape the club’s first 100 years.
Past Lieutenant Governors