Member Ken Lamb said the primary cause for disbanding is that the younger generation no longer has interest in participating in such volunteer organizations.

“The sad part is we are disbanding, but the saddest part is you can’t get anybody to join a club like this anymore,” he said.

Member Ted Kallestad said he believes the reason for the lack of interest is the changing of the times. Lamb agreed and added the Kiwanis PM is not the only volunteer group struggling with a lack of interest.

Lamb recalled when the state of Iowa donated the Center Street viaduct and the abutting property to the city of Marshalltown. However, the donation came with rusty iron railings, which looked awful, he said. At the time, Lamb was a member of the Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Chamber members wanted to take care of it.

“We asked for volunteers,” he said. “Diamond Vogel donated scrapers, paint and brushes. HyVee donated lunches.”

The project began at 8 a.m., and was estimated to last two days due to the bridge length. So many volunteers appeared, they asked for additional supplies, but Diamond Vogel had run out. Lamb said they had to request double the amount of lunches from HyVee, but the project was completed within a few hours, shortly after lunchtime.

“That’s the way it was back then,” he said. “You asked for volunteers and you didn’t have a problem getting them. It was just a different time. I think people take pride in their community still. The younger generation is just too busy to do stuff like this.”

The Kiwanis PM also experienced a decrease in the amount of donation requests in the last couple years. Kallestad would check the club’s post office box for requests and would find it one-third full. Lamb said the club would try to fill all of the requests to the best of their ability.

“We don’t get requests anymore,” he said.

T-R PHOTO BY LANA BRADSTREAM — Kiwanis Club of Marshalltown PM members Ted Kallestad and Ken Lamb reminisce about times spent and good deeds done during their time in the club. The members made the decision to disband after 40 years in operation.

Purpose

Children were the first priority of the Kiwanis PM club. Members raised $283,241 for the youth through a variety of different fundraisers during its 40-year run. Lamb recalled every year sending children to Camp OK in Boone, run by the Kiwanis Nebaska-Iowa District Foundation.

“We would get the kids who needed help and wanted to go to camp,” Kallestad said. “The year we had COVID, there was no camp because nobody was able to go, but we still paid. That was the last time we had Camp OK.”

One of Lamb’s favorite memories involves sending a child — an introverted girl — to the camp. One of the Kiwanis PM donation requirements was the recipient would have to talk to club members beforehand, and then again afterward. That way, members could determine if the donation was helpful. He said the girl was quiet and reclusive at first. After her trip to Camp OK, it was a different story.

“You couldn’t shut her up,” Lamb said. “She had done a complete personality change, and at the end of the meeting, she went around and gave every club member a hug. Her mom sat in the chair, beaming. That was some of the best $700 we spent in all the years I was involved in Kiwanis, that I had seen a direct result of what we spent.”

Kallestad said money raised was donated to numerous Marshalltown causes benefiting youth. Those ranged from playground equipment for Marshalltown Parks & Rec to helping the House of Compassion buy backpacks; from birthday and pizza parties for Big Brothers Big Sisters to Christmas presents to CIRSI clients. The Kiwanis PM also donated to after-prom events for years — not just in Marshalltown, but also East and West Marshall.

“The best part about that is we were able to generate $8,000 to $10,000 every year through fundraisers,” Lamb said. “Say we made $10,000, we always donated $8,000. We left $2,000 in the account to start the new year with. We worked hard to get the money for the kids of the town and their organizations.”

Unfortunately, with an aging membership, Lamb said they no longer have the energy or physical capacity to run the fundraisers.

Activities

At its peak in the 1980s and 1990s, 35 Kiwanis PM members hosted annual fundraisers which drew hundreds of attendees, such as Tiny Tim’s Tree Festival, Pancake Day on the opening of pheasant season, massive garage sales and pictures with Santa Claus at the Marshalltown Mall.

Tiny Tim’s Tree Festival, held in the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, ran for 16 years. Christmas trees were submitted for a contest in which the best decorated tree was voted upon by the public. The first place winner would receive $500, $300 for second place and $200 for third.

“Pepsi and Coke used to bring 12 packs of pop and shape them like Christmas trees,” Lamb said. “Then they would put their koozies, advertising stuff to decorate. People would bid on it. They always brought in good money.”

Lamb and Kallestad remembered pictures with Santa and the enormous chair which was acquired for that very purpose.

“We had an older group of ladies — there were 13 of them all in the chair at the same time,” Lamb said, laughing. “They were standing up, standing on the arms and Santa Claus was in the middle.”

Kallestad said the Kiwanis would charge for the photos, but in the beginning had a Polaroid camera. Even though the Polaroids were not high-quality photos — especially when compared to today’s portable cameras — the pictures generated good money for the Kiwanis.

Because of his previous work in the garbage business, Lamb said he encountered very nice items Marshalltown residents were just throwing away, so he suggested that the Kiwanis hold garage sales.

The first sale was at Hoglan Elementary. Club members filled the building up with stuff to sell. When it became apparent the Kiwanis needed more space, the garage sales were moved to the Central Iowa Fairgrounds, and they held two every year.

“We would generate anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 each time,” Lamb said. “The last one we had, we hauled 27 pickup loads from storage to the fairgrounds. We had those for 10 years.”

Other activities members participated in, which had indirect benefits to the youth included placing flags at Riverside Cemetery; and mowing West End Park, which they did for 25 years, at a bid of $120. It took three members two and half hours each time to mow and trim the five acres. Mowing came to an end three years ago.

During those 25 years, the Kiwanis would give a percentage — first 50, then 25 — of their bid back to the city so Marshalltown Parks & Rec could use that money for park improvements. Lamb said there is about $4,200 left in the account. The plan for that money is to purchase handicapped swings for four parks. The remaining money will help install a rod iron bench at Hoglan Elementary.

“We want to thank the community, especially the business community for supporting us over the years when we looked for donations,” Lamb said. “The business community, and the community as a whole, came through with flying colors every time. Over the 40 years, it’s been a great organization. It’s been a good ride, and we are sad to see it end.”

Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.