About Us

---

Our History: 

The  Kiwanis Club of Ocean Beach began as the Beach Suburbs Kiwanis Club. It  was founded on April 6, 1928, with 45 charter members from all the  beach areas - not just Ocean Beach but also Point Loma, Pacific Beach,  and Mission Beach.

Of  the 45 original members, 31 were owners of their own business,  including the owners of Ocean Village Hotel, the Sunshine Service  Station, Strand Radio Company, a bakery, O.B. Cafe, a dry goods store, a  store called: "Feed and Fuel", two other groceries, two dentists, two  apartment hotels, a radio engineer, a barber, a doctor, a mason  contractor, a real estate operator, a lawyer, a local newspaper called  the Ocean Beach Program, and a "confectionary" owner. Fred E. Manning,  manager of The Bank of Italy (later Bank of America), was the first

President. 

From  its earliest days the Kiwanis Club of Ocean Beach contributed to civic  improvements such as the building of the Ocean Beach Library, and the  Ocean Beach Pier.  From the 1950's to present, the Club has sponsored  the Key Club at Point Loma High School.  At one point the PLHS Key Club  was the largest in the world.  For many years the faculty adviser was  chemistry teacher and club member Paul Shank.    

In  1948, to celebrate its 20th Anniversary the Club launched the Ocean  Beach Kite Festival.  Now, the Kite Festival is the oldest children's  kite festival in the United States. In 1967, the Club launched the Ocean  Beach Fishing Derby.  In 2006, the Club started the Howl-o-Week Canine  Carnival.  

Our Service: 

Nowadays we:

• Put on terrific events like the Fishing Derby, Canine Carnival, and Kite Festival; 
• Support terrific events like Summer Movies in the Park, the Pancake  Breakfast, and the OB Food and Toy Drive, where we go door-to-door to  collect; 
• Support Ocean Beach, Robb Field, and Dusty Rhodes Recreation Councils; 
• Partner in Education with Ocean Beach Elementary School, Support K-Kids  Clubs at OB Elementary, and support the Key Club at Point Loma High; 
• Support a Local Women's Shelter; 
• Support Ronald McDonald House, and Rady Children's Hospital; and 
• Support the Ocean Beach Town Council, Ocean Beach Main Street  Association, Ocean Beach Woman's Club,  and other local organizations,  who are also doing great things. 

Our Mission:

Kiwanis  Club of Ocean Beach is part of Kiwanis International.   Kiwanis  empowers communities to improve the world by making lasting differences  in the lives of children.   Kiwanis clubs, like ours, focus on changing  the world by serving children, one child and one community at a time.