July 1975 - Tom Owens of FWB Kiwanis and Ray Donnelly (Niceville Sears manager), and Greg Anchors (Niceville attorney) discussed starting Kiwanis in Niceville-Valparaiso. 

August 28, 1975- At a meeting in the Niceville City Hall, the decision was made to apply for a Kiwanis charter. Mr Speegel Berry of Fort Worth TX (Kiwanis International field service rep)attended. 

October 25th, 1975- Charter was presented at Eglin Officers Club by L.A. "Doc" Baker (Florida District Governor 1974-75) to Ray Donnelly, our first president. All 33 charter members were present, including Mr. Bill Landsberg.

July 4, 1976- Kiwanis Municipal Park was dedicated in observance of the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Early Meeting Places: Tisa's Americano, Pancake Inn, Western Steer Steak House, and Giuseppi's. 

Early Projects: Highway cleanup of the sand that used to accumulate at the bottom of Government Street; Sponsoring Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros Circus; Funding, equipping, irrigating, and building the playground at Val-p Elementary for physically handicapped children throughout the county; The tennis tournament in BWB for 10 years or so; Honor Flight promotions, apparel, and participation; Little League baseball team sponsorship; and PAL Soccer. 

More recent Projects: CAC, Home improvement projects for needy citizens; a motorized wheelchair for NHS students; the Niceville Tennis Courts, numerous Twin Cities Pavilion funding and work projects; CIC funding and fifth-Saturday work projects; annual United Way Day of Caring; Key Club, K-Kids, AktionClub; Head Start reading, PAL VIP Soccer, ETC.

PAST PRESIDENTS

75-76:  Raymond G. Donnelly

76-77:  Walker V.Spence

77-78:  J. Howard Carr

78-79:  Jimmie A Summerlin

79-80:  James L. Williams

80-81:  Bill Landsberg

81-82:  George R, Reinker

82-83:  David L Jackson

83-84:  George Guzzetta

84-85:  H. Wendell Kirk

85-86:  Ronald N. Benson

86-87:  Jim Fults

87-88:  Danny Kittrell

88-89:  Jim Lindsay

89-90:  George Murphy

90-91:  Ron Olsen

91-92:  Bob Thomson

92-93:  Pam Koch

93-94:  Gene Alley

94-95:  John Maloy/Vern McGraw

95-96:  Vern McGraw

96-97:  Don Pulley

97-98:  Joe Fiorello

98-99:  Judy Boudreaux

99-00:  Tony Theriot

00-01:  Clarence Mayo

01-02:  Ed Dunbar

02-03:  Gary Witkos

03-04:  Kathryn Bastian

04-05:  Howard Hill

05-06:  J. Richard Warren

06-07:  Gloria W. Mayo

07-08:  Hu Ross

08-09:  Mike Davis

09-10:  Ken Hair