• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

MarionMade

People, Places, Products, Programs

Visit Us On FacebookVisit Us On TwitterVisit Us On YoutubeCheck Our FeedVisit Us On Instagram
We Are Presidential!We Are Having Fun!We Are Generous!
  • Get Involved
  • About
  • Events
    • MarionMade! 5k Sign Up
  • People
  • Places
  • Products
  • Programs
  • Links
  • Contact

Marion Noon Kiwanis Makes a Difference for Local Children

By Wendy Weichenthal on April 3, 2023

Decorative
Tammi Cowell and Ellen Messenger smile at the 2023 Kiwanis Pancake Day.

For more than 60 years, Marion Noon Kiwanis has held its annual Pancake Day, flipping thousands of flapjacks to raise funds for children’s causes. The most recent event served up pancakes for more than 1,000 people.

“It is great to see the community come together. From our sponsors to our volunteers to our attendees, it is a great day full of food, family and fun!” said Christy Neff, president of Marion Noon Kiwanis. “It’s a Marion tradition!”

girls in shimmery lavender dresses addorned with purple feathers dance in unison on a stage at the event.

Dennis Swartz organizes the entertainment, from toddler tots in dance routines from groups including the Martha Douce Studio, Diverse Moves, St. Mary’s School and the Marionaires Barbershop Group, with some members in their 90s. Each group volunteers their time and talents. Together, they raised $8,000 for children’s projects.

Three girls in colorful traditional clothes do a traditional Hispanic dance.
St. Mary’s School dancers

“We are so grateful to the community for it support. It is heartwarming to see so many come out and make a difference, year after year,” said Ellen Messenger, officer with Marion Noon Kiwanis.

Kiwanis History and Impact

Marion Noon Kiwanis was founded in 1921 by President-elect Warren G. Harding.

A group of about 20 Kiwanis members and guests smile. The presidential seal is visible on the floor.
Kiwanis members and guests toured the Harding Presidential Library and Museum.

Each year, the Marion Noon Kiwanis Foundation donates thousands of dollars to many causes, including college scholarships for local students, the Explore-It-Torium Children’s Museum, Cents for Shoes, the Peanut Butter Jelly Truck and more local nonprofits serving the community. They also sponsor more than a dozen local service projects.

Seniors from Harding and Pleasant High Schools spoke at a recent Kiwanis meeting.

In addition to the adult group which meets twice a month to learn about local activities, programs, and nonprofits, they also sponsor a Key Club for high school students at Marion Harding and a Circle K at Marion Technical College.

More Information

Marion Noon Kiwanis meets on the first and third Thursdays of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Women’s Club Home at 1126 E. Center St. in Marion. Anyone interested in the group is invited to visit a meeting.

For more information, visit facebook.com/marionnoonkiwanis or go to their website at https://MarionNoonKiwanis.com/.

Recent MarionMade! Stories

  • Local Leader Expands Cummins Facilities Services Nationwide

    For more than 50 years, Cummins Facility Services has been helping clients sparkle and shine. Jill Frey is the owner and president of this family business. Her parents, Ron and Myra Cummins, founded the business in 1972, the year Frey was born. Frey grew up on Smeltzer Road and spent many days at Lawrence Orchards. […]Read More »
  • Hickory Grove Lake Campgrounds

    THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE, THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING. The Rennicks’ have always been a big camping family. With having five kids, this gave the family something new to do multiple times throughout the year. One summer evening, while sitting around the campfire with their family and friends, one friend jokingly asked Brad and Sunshine why […]Read More »
  • Wilhelms Paints & Wallcoverings: A Marion Tradition Since 1928

    For nearly 100 years, Wilhelms Paints and Wallcoverings has been a part of Marion’s story. Founded in 1928 by Floyd and Anna Wilhelm, the little wallpaper and paint shop has grown into a community fixture; still family-run, still dedicated to service, and still proud to call Marion Home. Generations of Service at Wilhelms Current owners […]Read More »
  • Marion’s Historic Women’s Club Home

    What once was a family home, built in 1903, stands today as the Historic Women’s Club Home.  This Colonial Revival style home is at 1126 E. Center Street in Marion and was once the home of industrialist Shauk Barlow and his wife Elizabeth.  Shauk, the president for the Huber Manufacturing Company was very successful, but […]Read More »

Share Your MarionMade! Story

Click Here to share your story about MarionMade! people, places, products, and programs!
  • Get Involved
  • About
  • Events
  • People
  • Places
  • Products
  • Programs
  • Links
  • Contact

Marion Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Downtown Marion Love INC Marion Public Library Marion Area Chamber of Commerce Marion CANDO! Marion Community Foundation United Way of Marion County Marion Technical College

© 2026 · MarionMade! is a community initiative led by Marion Technical College · Website is powered by Neighborhood Image