The name “Uptown Kiwanis” came from the fact that the club originally met in the Riverside Plaza area  (which was a new shopping center at the time), and wanted to distinguish itself from the “old” Riverside Kiwanis Club which then met in the old YMCA in “downtown” Riverside.  Our membership, originally drew largely from the new “Uptown” Plaza area, but has indeed, always drawn from businessmen, government workers and residents from throughout the City as well.  Kiwanis Clubs, like most other Service Clubs, have no territorial boundaries.

The club has met in a number of restaurants for its weekly meetings over the years including, Carlos O’brien’s in the Plaza, the Elks Club on Brockton Avenue, Sheraton on Market Street, Tava Lane’s Bowling Alley on Arlington Avenue, and now for a number of years at the Canyon Crest Country Club.

We have undertaken ten to twenty projects each year, to improve our community.  Some required money, and many others were primarily “hands on” projects; still others were a combination.  During our existence, we estimate 500 to 1000 projects have been accomplished, all to make our City a better place.

Uptown Kiwanis recently celebrated its 50^th Anniversary.  It was chartered on January 25^th 1956.  Hal Wymer, its last active charter member, passed away in 2009.  Fred Roever, who joined our club in 1958, received his 50 year Tablet of Honor and Perfect Attendance award in September 2008. Jim Cavanaugh, who joined shortly after the club was chartered, celebrated his 50^th year as an Uptown Kiwanian in 2007; he unfortunately passed away the same week that this website was launched during the last week of September 2008. His picture is shown below in honor of his many contributions to the club.