Kiwanis Club of East Fresno - History
THE EAST FRESNO KIWANIS CLUB
The concept and idea of an East Fresno Kiwanis Club was originated by the members of the Fresno Kiwanis Club while Alfred Appling was the President and Archie Anderson was the President of the North Fresno Club and Julian Stenstrom was the President of the Mid Valley Kiwanis Club. This formation of a club in East Fresno was to give an opportunity of business people that lived and worked in the eastern part of Fresno to be able to have a Kiwanis Club of their own. This concept took place during the Kiwanis Year of 1959-1960 and the club was formed on May 6, 1960 with 22 members signing the intent in becoming a Kiwanis Club through Kiwanis International, which at that time was in Chicago, Illinois, where the Kiwanis National Headquarters was located. The club’s first officers were as follows:
CLUB OFFICERS:
President: John O’Rorke, Vice President: Dr. William Henry, Secretary: Dr. Calvin Wise
Treasurer: Robert Bozarth
DIRECTORS:
Jack Chappell, Dr. Leonard Bathurst, Don Hill, Dr. Max Kimberly, George Pope, Nelson Waters and Thomas Mott.
The Clubs’ Charter Night and Installation Banquet was held on Thursday, June 16, 1960 at the Cedar Lanes Bowl at 7:30 PM. The East Fresno Kiwanis Club produced a newsletter called the HI-KI and that name has been used ever since and is still the current name of the newsletter that is published weekly. The first issue of the newsletter was dated September 22, 1960 and was listed as Volume I, No. 1. The official charter of the club was issued on May 6, 1960. The primary goal of those early officers of the East Fresno Kiwanis Club of Fresno, California was to achieve a membership goal of 40 members. Their membership growth was to be based on having good speakers and good food at their meetings.
And then there were four!
In May 1960, the “three“ decided to conceive an addition. Fresno, Mid‑Valley, and North Fresno created the fledgling East Fresno.
And so it all came about.
The “mid-wives” that extracted were Clarence Johnson and Charlton Standiford (Fresno Club), Arch Anderson (North Fresno Club), and Lieutenant Governor Joe Murphy. To hold the newborn comfortably in her arms and to serve it was the nurse, Helen Miller who has been mothering our gang ever since. Like many litters, some of the newborn slipped away and disappeared.
As to the christening party, it has proved difficult to secure details. We know ladies were present and with dignitaries present decorum reigned. Interviews with charter members, they were unanimous in saying this dignity lasted about a year before the club hung loose and became the hell raiser that it is today.
In May 1960, the “three“ decided to conceive an addition. Fresno, Mid‑Valley, and North Fresno created the fledgling East Fresno.
And so it all came about.
The “mid-wives” that extracted were Clarence Johnson and Charlton Standiford (Fresno Club), Arch Anderson (North Fresno Club), and Lieutenant Governor Joe Murphy. To hold the newborn comfortably in her arms and to serve it was the nurse, Helen Miller who has been mothering our gang ever since. Like many litters, some of the newborn slipped away and disappeared.
As to the christening party, it has proved difficult to secure details. We know ladies were present and with dignitaries present decorum reigned. Interviews with charter members, they were unanimous in saying this dignity lasted about a year before the club hung loose and became the hell raiser that it is today.
Kiwanis Club of East Fresno Past Presidents
1960 ---John O’Rourke
1961 ---Dr. Bill Henry
1962 ---Dr. Max Kimberly
1963 ---Dr. Cal Wise
1964 ---Dr. Walker West
1965 ---Dr. Len Bathurst
1966 ---Gene Martin
1967 ---Stan Evans
1968 ---“Bud” Johnson
1969---Dr Elias Wiebe
1969-70 ---Al Geller
1970-71 ---Ed Gaussion/Farley
1971-72 ---Mel Farley
1972-73 ---Jim Norman
1973-74 ---Dr. Morris Bigge
1974-75 ---“Soupy” Campbell
1975-76 ---Mario Fausone
1976-77 ---Dean Sigle
1977-78 ---Tom Candelaria
1978-79 ---Greg Mason
1979-80 ---Joe McHenry
1980-81 ---Bill Phipps
1981-82 ---Don Luft
1982-83 ---Harvey Saxby
1983-84 ---Bill Clardy
1984-85 ---Gene Sanders
1985-86 ---Staff Maurer
1986-87 ---Phil Lee
1987-88 ---Costello-Ledermann
1988-89 ---Jerry Ledermann
1989-90 ---Al Jachens
1990-91 ---Chuck Mangini
1991-92 ---Phil Eldred
1992-93 ---George Whitman
1993-94 ---Larry Tsutsui
1994-95 ---Dan Christensen
1995-96 ---Howard Jackson
1996-97 ---Chuck Hall
1997-98 ---Lucky Baltierra
1998-99 ---Jim Kochheiser
1999-00 ---Dan Bernardino
2000-01 ---Robert Kolstad
2001-02 ---Charlie Fosnaugh
2002-03 ---Ed Stone
2003-04 ---Janice Mathurin
2004-05 ---Ben Quintana
2005-06 ---Vern Dillon
2006-07 ---Chuck Shaheen
2007-08 ---Patricia Kuckenbaker
2008-09 ---Herb Schwartz
2009-10 ---Richard Laxton
2010-11 ---Patrick Balakian
2011-12 ---Tom Thomas
2012-13 ---Tom C. Lean III
2013-14 ---Michael O’Hare
2014-15 ---Susan Laxton
2015-16 ---John Bland
016-17 ---Tim Fortier
2017-18 ---Gary Kong
2018-19 ---Claudia Soria-Delgado
2019-20 ---Jay Stuart
2020-21 ---Jim Hagen
2021-22 ---Ray Portales
2022-23 ---Arleen Presson
2023-24 ---Jay Stuart
2024-25 ---Ruthanne Fung
Kiwanis Club of East Fresno
The Incoming President chooses a theme for their year.
Here are the theme pins for Presidents since 2000
President 2027 - 2028
President2026 - 2027
President
2025 - 2026
President Ruthanne Fung2024 - 2025
President Jay Stuart 2023 - 2024
President Arleen Presson2022 - 2023
President Ray Portales2021 - 2022
President James Hagen2020 - 2021
President Jay Stuart 2019 - 2020
President Claudia Soria-Delgado2018 - 2019
President Gary Kong2017 - 2018
President Tim Fortier2016 - 2017
President John Bland 2015 - 2016
President Susan Laxton
2014 - 2015
President Michael O'Hare2013 - 2014
President Tom Lean
2012 - 2013
President Tom Thomas 2011 - 2012
President Patrick Balakian
2010 - 2011
President Richard Laxton2009 - 2010
President Herb Schwartz
2008 - 2009
President Patricia Kuckenbaker2007 - 2008
President Chuck Shaheen
2006 - 2007
President Vern Dillion2005 - 2006
President Ben Quintana
2004 - 2005
President Janice Mathurin2003 - 2004
President Ed Stone
2002 - 2003
President Charlie Fosnaugh2001 - 2002Shared Pin