Kiwanis Club of Middletown Celebrates 100 Years of Service to the Community
The Kiwanis Club of Middletown is celebrating a remarkable milestone in 2026: 100 years of service to children, families, and the greater Middletown community.
Founded on July 20, 1926, the Kiwanis Club of Middletown has spent the past century supporting local youth, strengthening families, and improving quality of life through volunteer service, community partnerships, fundraising, and civic engagement.
Over the past 100 years, generations of Kiwanians have invested countless volunteer hours into projects ranging from youth literacy programs and scholarships to playground construction, vision assistance, community baby showers, youth leadership programs, and support for local nonprofit organizations.
“This anniversary is an opportunity to honor every member who came before us and helped build the foundation of service we continue today,” said Barney Riesbeck, President of the Kiwanis Club of Middletown. “For 100 years, our members have shown that small acts of service, repeated over time, can have an extraordinary impact on a community. We are proud of our history, but even more excited about the future and the next generation of leaders who will carry this mission forward.”
Throughout its history, the club has launched and supported numerous initiatives benefiting local residents, including the Adopt A Class program in Middletown City Schools, annual hygiene item collections for The Salvation Army, the Community Baby Shower in partnership with Atrium Medical Center and community organizations, scholarships for local students, youth leadership programs through Key Club, literacy initiatives such as Book Around Middletown, and projects supporting children’s health and well-being.
Former club president Marla M. Marsh, who led the organization during its centennial year, said the anniversary represents more than a celebration of longevity.
“When you look back over 100 years, what stands out isn’t simply the number of years we’ve existed,” Marsh said. “It’s the thousands of lives that have been touched through service. Every scholarship awarded, every child encouraged to read, every family supported, every volunteer hour given—those moments are the true measure of our legacy.”
Club historian and past president Monica M. Marsh, who has helped lead the centennial celebration planning efforts, said the organization’s story is deeply connected to Middletown itself.
“The history of the Kiwanis Club of Middletown is really a story about people helping people,” Marsh said. “The needs of the community have changed over the decades, but our purpose has remained the same. We exist to serve children, strengthen families, and improve the community we call home. That mission has carried us for 100 years.”
The Kiwanis Club of Middletown is part of Kiwanis International, a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the lives of children and communities. Today, the club continues its mission through hands-on service projects, fundraising efforts, youth leadership development programs, and partnerships with local schools and nonprofit organizations.
As members celebrate the club’s first century of service, they remain focused on the future.
“Our founders could never have imagined all the ways this club would impact Middletown over the course of a century,” Riesbeck said. “What they did understand was the power of people coming together to help others. That idea remains just as important today as it was in 1926.”
Kiwanis Club of Middletown Celebrates 100 Years of Service to the Community
The Kiwanis Club of Middletown is celebrating a remarkable milestone in 2026: 100 years of service to children, families, and the greater Middletown community.
Founded on July 20, 1926, the Kiwanis Club of Middletown has spent the past century supporting local youth, strengthening families, and improving quality of life through volunteer service, community partnerships, fundraising, and civic engagement.
Over the past 100 years, generations of Kiwanians have invested countless volunteer hours into projects ranging from youth literacy programs and scholarships to playground construction, vision assistance, community baby showers, youth leadership programs, and support for local nonprofit organizations.
“This anniversary is an opportunity to honor every member who came before us and helped build the foundation of service we continue today,” said Barney Riesbeck, President of the Kiwanis Club of Middletown. “For 100 years, our members have shown that small acts of service, repeated over time, can have an extraordinary impact on a community. We are proud of our history, but even more excited about the future and the next generation of leaders who will carry this mission forward.”
Throughout its history, the club has launched and supported numerous initiatives benefiting local residents, including the Adopt A Class program in Middletown City Schools, annual hygiene item collections for The Salvation Army, the Community Baby Shower in partnership with Atrium Medical Center and community organizations, scholarships for local students, youth leadership programs through Key Club, literacy initiatives such as Book Around Middletown, and projects supporting children’s health and well-being.
Former club president Marla M. Marsh, who led the organization during its centennial year, said the anniversary represents more than a celebration of longevity.
“When you look back over 100 years, what stands out isn’t simply the number of years we’ve existed,” Marsh said. “It’s the thousands of lives that have been touched through service. Every scholarship awarded, every child encouraged to read, every family supported, every volunteer hour given—those moments are the true measure of our legacy.”
Club historian and past president Monica M. Marsh, who has helped lead the centennial celebration planning efforts, said the organization’s story is deeply connected to Middletown itself.
“The history of the Kiwanis Club of Middletown is really a story about people helping people,” Marsh said. “The needs of the community have changed over the decades, but our purpose has remained the same. We exist to serve children, strengthen families, and improve the community we call home. That mission has carried us for 100 years.”
The Kiwanis Club of Middletown is part of Kiwanis International, a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the lives of children and communities. Today, the club continues its mission through hands-on service projects, fundraising efforts, youth leadership development programs, and partnerships with local schools and nonprofit organizations.
As members celebrate the club’s first century of service, they remain focused on the future.
“Our founders could never have imagined all the ways this club would impact Middletown over the course of a century,” Riesbeck said. “What they did understand was the power of people coming together to help others. That idea remains just as important today as it was in 1926.”