[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 87 (Thursday, May 21, 2026)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E482-E483]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    HONORING THE LAS CRUCES KIWANIS CLUB ON THEIR 100TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GABE VASQUEZ

                             of new mexico

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 21, 2026

  Mr. VASQUEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Kiwanis Club of 
Las Cruces, New Mexico, on their 100th anniversary. For 100 years, this 
group has dedicated its time and effort to the betterment of the local 
community and its youth.
  Originally chartered in 1926 as the 19th club in the Southwest 
District, the Las Cruces Club has maintained an active status through a 
rapidly advancing and changing society. Their work reflects the Kiwanis 
Club's defining statement, ``Kiwanis is a global organization of 
volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community 
at a time.''
  Supporting children and youth is an integral part of Kiwanis, and in 
1957, the Las Cruces Kiwanis Club established the first Key Club at Las 
Cruces High School. Over time, they expanded Key Clubs to Centennial, 
Mayfield, and Organ Mountain High Schools. They maintain active 
partnerships with each school, hosting quarterly meetings with advisors 
to discuss new service opportunities and recognize the clubs for their 
work. They have also sponsored service leadership clubs in other 
schools in the community, including K-Kids for elementary school 
students at the Explore Academy and the Builder's Club for middle 
school students at Camino Real, Lynn, and Zia Middle Schools.
  The Club also has a Signature Project, the Kiwanis Housing Insecure 
Students Support, or ``KHISS,'' through which they work with the 
McKinney-Vento Project Link operating in the Las Cruces Public Schools. 
To support this project, they have held several fundraisers in recent 
years, such as Restaurant Day, a Halloween Fish Fry, a Chile Ristra 
Paint Party, and selling ``rat on a stick'' at the Renaissance Arts 
Faire.
  In addition to their Signature Project, the Club has a long history 
of service to the community They help purchase school supplies for kids 
in the Las Cruces School District, provide free books to children 
through interactive games, and host several other events to get youth 
involved in the community. Additionally, in the 1940s the Club began 
providing free milk to underprivileged children in Tortugas and other 
local communities.
  The Club is constantly looking for ways to support their community 
and is always ready to lend a helping hand. In 2018, the Club provided 
$1000 to Jardin de los Ninos, and in 2021, they donated to the Mesilla 
Valley CASA to help make up for a loss suffered from a break-in. In one 
of their biggest projects to date, the Club assisted the youth center 
in 2020 by constructing fencing around the recreation area.
  Supporting their community to this extent is no small feat and 
requires a lot of organization, dedication, and local involvement, 
which is displayed in the success of their fundraisers. From 1958 to 
1990, they hosted a

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Pancake Day fundraiser that allowed the Club to fund and continue their 
community service. The tradition continues today through pancake 
breakfast fundraisers for school youth groups and other local 
charities. Additionally, from 1999 to 2019, they held the Kars for Kids 
Car Show annual fundraiser, which was enjoyed by both participants and 
the community.
  On behalf of the people of New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District, I 
would like to thank the Las Cruces Kiwanis Club for their service to 
the Las Cruces community and its youth and congratulate them on their 
centennial anniversary. We are grateful for the Club's astounding 
contributions to New Mexicans, and we wish them continued success for 
years to come.

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