Club History  

A brief history of the Morwens Club

 

            The Kiwanis International year 1971-72 saw Algonian Wes Bartlett as the president of Kiwanis International. His home club (The Kiwanis Club of Algona) determined that a new club would be started and chartered in his year as president. Royal Nold and Elgin Allen (still active members) co-chaired the building committee. The need for another Kiwanis Club in this area was brought about because of the number of men whose occupations did not allow them to come to meetings at noon. The new club was to have its meetings in the morning.  A petition was filed to Kiwanis International for the chartering of this new club.  The formal charter is dated October 1, 1971, the first day of the Presidency of Wes Bartlett, thus the Morwens Kiwanis Club was the first new club chartered under his Presidency.  The name “Morwens” was suggested by English teacher Jack Celoni . “Morwen” is Old English for morning. Ray Johnson was the first President with Lynn Kueck serving as Pres. Elect.  Four original Charter members are still involved, they are, Gene Will , Chuck Kline , Walter Reemtsma and Lynn Kueck .  All except Walt Reemtsma have served their club as presidents with Lynn Kueck serving again in the 25th year of the club. Mr. Kueck is also currently serving our community as Mayor. The Morwens have 55 members at the close of the 2006-07 year.  They meet at 7:00 am on Wednesdays at the Chrome Country Inn. Although many of the early Morwens members were “youngsters” by Noon Club standards there may actually have been a reversal in this over the past years. The Morwens have provided five Lt. Governors in Marion Battani, Roger Kurtenbach , Frank Merrill, Floyd Hutzell and Rev. Mark Holmer who was the 2004-05 Division 2 Lt. Governor and 2007-08 NE-IA District Governor.

                In 2002 the Algona Morwens, with cooperation of the Algona Noon Kiwanis and Algona Golden K Kiwanis organized a new Aktion Club in our community. This organization is the newest member of the Kiwanis family of Service Leadership organizations. This group is organized in Algona to serve people with disabilities from Exceptional Opportunities. About fifty members meet on the first and third Tuesdays at the Algona First United Methodist Church . Their first president was Steve Hertzke. The Algona clubs are proud to have started the first Aktion Club in the Nebraska-Iowa District of Kiwanis. There are currently seventeen chartered Aktion Clubs in the District with Morwens member Floyd Hutzell serving as District Aktion Club Administrator.

                In the spring of 2007 the Morwens, partnering with the Algona Noon Kiwanians opened up the Algona After Five Kiwanis Club. This is the fourth regular Kiwanis Club in Algona which brings Algona to one the highest ratios of Kiwanians to community citizens in the country. This club meets on the Second and Fourth Thursday of each month – 7:00 pm at Prime Time Restaurant.

                The Morwens are proud to support the Kiwanis International and Nebraska-Iowa District Kiwanis Foundations with annual club gifts. They are also proud of the fact that Eleven members are Hixson Fellows (Kiwanis International Foundation) with two being at the Diamond 1 level and four members are Bartlett Fellows (NE-IA District Foundation). Each of these are obtained by a $1000.00 gift to the respective foundation. These members have stepped up to help the children of the district and world.