CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Kiwanis “Noon” member Harold Cline welcomes Central Iowa Art Association Director Keeley Weeks who presented a program on the history of the Art Association in Marshalltown.

The Kiwanis Club of Marshalltown “Noon” held its regular meeting Tuesday at the American Legion Hall, 1301 S. Sixth St. President Linda Dodd Smith called the meeting to order. After the pledge to the flag, Harold Cline led a prayer.

The executive director, Keeley Weeks, of the Central Iowa Art Association was introduced as speaker. The beginning of the association was in 1944 according to Helen Lentz, as stated in a scrapbook, the CIAA started with three regular members: Allene Gordon, Edna Wise and Helen Lentz. They held regular meetings in the basement of the public library. These three members also made up the first art class, which had no instructor. In the fall of 1945, they decided a teacher was necessary and recruited Nellie Gebers, a pupil of Grant Wood, a well-known Iowa artist. They conducted class in the old senior high school on 11th Street. It was November of 1955 that the CIAA accepted the place J.W. “Bill” Fisher offered in the Fisher Community Center. The art center was opened in January 1958, and is still operated by the Central Iowa Art Association today. The Art Center has many programs involving kids as well as adults. Several special events are offered including “No School Art Camp” and “Free Kids Open Art Studio.” For more information call 641-753-9013 or check the website at: www.theartcentermarshalltown.org

The Marshalltown Noon Kiwanis Club will offer a 30-day free trial membership, including meals to those interested in checking out a service club. This will be an excellent way to introduce new people to serving the community. It meets Tuesday at noon at the American Legion building on South Sixth Street. Offer for limited time only.

Donations were collected for the Under Privileged Children’s Fund.

Anyone in the community wishing information about Kiwanis is invited to visit one of the regular meetings or check this website: www.marshalltownkiwanis.org/

Like the group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MarshalltownKiwanis