By RANDY GONZALES
For Hays Post
It was 100 years ago to the day Wednesday that Kiwanis International was founded.
To mark that historic occasion, Kiwanis Club of Hays made a $40,000 donation to the city of Hays to fund a project in which future generations of local children will be able to enjoy a renovated Kiwanis Park.
The Kiwanis Club of Hays celebrated the Jan. 21, 1915, founding of Kiwanis International — an international, coeducational service club — with a dinner and awards presentation at Rose Garden Banquet Hall, 2350 E. Eighth.
Eddie Perrett, last year’s president of Kiwanis Club of Hays, presented Hays Mayor Henry Schwaller IV with a check for improvements at Kiwanis Park, 17th and Harvest Road.
“It’s fitting for the hundredth anniversary of Kiwanis that you would do something that would leave a lasting legacy for the work of this club, which has been so important to our community,” Schwaller said.
Kiwanis Club of Hays is involved with several projects, but using the money to improve Kiwanis Park is especially meaningful.
“This is something special, because it has our name on it,” Perrett said. “It was time to take care of something that has our name on it.”
Parks Director Jeff Boyle unveiled preliminary plans to those assembled Wednesday night. He knows where he would like the money to go for improvements, starting with adding restroom facilities and updating playground equipment.
“Obviously, my feelings are the restrooms and the playground that are there now are the most important,” he said.
Boyle said the next step is to get bids on the proposed additions, then finalize the plans before presenting the proposal to the Hays City Commission for its approval. He estimated that process could take at least two months.
“I would like to get started on the process right now — like tomorrow,” Boyle said.
Perrett said down the line the club is looking at adding a fitness trail at the park.
Land was donated for a park in 1991. It was named Kiwanis Park, and the club donated $18,000 over a five-year span. Now, the club is funding improvements.
“We wouldn’t have that park if it wasn’t for the Kiwanis club,” Boyle said. “It means everything to us, because we’re at a standstill right now. Because of the work of the Kiwanis club, we can now move forward and get that park back up where it needs to be.”
Also Wednesday, Stan Dreiling and former Fort Hays State University President Edward Hammond were honored for their service to the Kiwanis Club of Hays, each receiving the Walter P. Zeller Award.