A small but strong Westbrook Kiwanis Club maintains its dedication to the city.

When Dana Smith rang the bell to signal the start of the Westbrook Kiwanis meeting last week, a few people were still shifting their chairs around a small table at the Westbrook Community Center, making room for more.

Smith, who has been a member of the Westbrook club since 1971, said the bell has been used during weekly meetings since 1926. When he joined, there were more than 60 members, but, he recalled, just a few years ago the club had six members and was close to folding.

Now, as the Westbrook Kiwanis Club celebrates in 90th anniversary of serving the community, the organization has 18 official members, with a few more yet to be confirmed. As more and more community organizations are struggling to stay relevant and find new, younger members, or close altogether, Westbrook Kiwanians are staying active and continuing to make important contributions to the city.

“They seek out needs within our community and fill them,” Mayor Colleen Hilton said this week. “Whether it’s a booth at Westbrook Together Days, or helping out with Pumpkins in the Park, or helping a particular family in need, their dedication to the community is inspiring.”

The club has already launched a reading program in tandem with Westbrook schools, and is hosting its annual Family Skate Night at the Westbrook Armory rink on Stroudwater Street sometime in February. There are also plans in the works for a larger 90th birthday celebration this summer.

“Because of their community projects, they are attracting new members who are passionate about service to their community on a regular basis,” said Ava Adams, the District 5 lieutenant governor for Kiwanis. (District 5 includes most Greater Portland municipalities). Adams, who is based in Scarborough, inducted four new Westbrook members in last October.

Adams referenced the club’s book program, “Read It and Leave It,” with Westbrook elementary students, and its bike safety program for third-graders. A focus on supporting children is the most important tenet of Kiwanis, and safety courses have been a recurring program for Kiwanis clubs for decades.

“We are an organization that is devoted to kids,” said Veronica Bates, Westbrook Kiwanis’ assistant secretary. “Everything we do is to celebrate and help children.”

According to Bates, who is also a member of the Westbrook School Committee, Westbrook Kiwanis is the fourth oldest Kiwanis organization in Maine.

Kiwanis International, based in Indianapolis, Ind., was founded in 1915, and celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. According to the organization, Kiwanis clubs raise more than $100 million annually worldwide and report more than 18.5 million volunteer hours “to strengthen communities and serve children.”

In collaboration with the Westbrook School Department, Walker Memorial Library and Westbrook Communities That Care, Westbrook Kiwanis kicked off its 90th year with a program called “90 Days of Wonder.” The initiative hopes to get students and community members to read the book, “Wonder,” by R. J. Palacio, a New York Times bestseller, which follows a boy with a facial deformity going into fifth grade.

Kiwanis members and school officials distributed 30 sets of books across the district last week, and are urging people to read and discuss the book during the next 90 days.

At its meeting last week, members also discussed future events in 2016, including continued support of the Maine Market in Riverbank Park, and a city Halloween event. In October, Kiwanis stepped in to support a “Pumpkins in the Park” Halloween event after the annual Halloween on Main Street was canceled.

Maria Dorn, the director of community services in Westbrook, said last week that the Kiwanis has been increasingly active in event planning.

“Most notable are the events that they do for the community,” she said. “They have always supported initiatives and events, but over the last three or four years, they’ve jumped into big events.”

According to records at the Westbrook Historical Society, Westbrook Kiwanis held its first “charter night” on March 16, 1926, at the Falmouth Hotel in Portland, where there were more than 200 members gathered. There were representatives from all sections of the state, international and New England Kiwanis districts present.

Thomas E. Babb, an international trustee for the New England District, was the principal speaker. He urged Kiwanians to take a firm stand against “reckless disregard for human life by speeding automobiles.” He said the “spirit and friendliness and service of Kiwanis can aid in changing conditions.”

Westbrook Kiwanis once held an annual circus, which signifies the importance and popularity of community organizations such as Kiwanis during the time period. An article recapping the third annual Kiwanis Circus in 1928 described it as a festive affair.

“Clever jokes, snappy music and many original and unique features added much to the evening’s enjoyment,” the article said.

Leading up to the circus, an article stated that “the house has been virtually sold out.”

Bart Stevens, the governor of the New England and Bermuda district of Kiwanis, called Westbrook’s 90 years “quite an accomplishment for a service group to reach such a milestone.” However, he said, his home district of Waterville has them beat by three years.

According to Stevens, there are 147 clubs in the district, with 4,100 members. He said new membership is an issue for Kiwanis, with many clubs aging, but that the problem isn’t specific to just them.

“Membership is an issue not only with Kiwanis, but with all service organizations in general,” he said. “We have come through a period of time where people are just not joining organizations such as Kiwanis as quickly and readily as in previous generations.”

But, he said, Maine remains one of the most active states in the district.

Smith said that in 2010, when Westbrook Kiwanis was in danger of losing its charter due to low membership, the club was revitalized by the current club secretary, Dr. Kelly Larsen-Brunner, and her husband, Matt Brunner.

“Thanks to their hard work, we now have several new members who will carry on the traditions of the club and we continue to grow,” he said.

Brunner became president in 2010, and urged other friends and family to join. One of those new members was Dylan Knight, the current president.

Following its initial formation in 1926, Westbrook Kiwanis eventually branched out to form the Standish club, the Gorham club, and the Prides Corner club. Prides Corner was one of the most active, sponsoring the Westbrook relay races, the building program at what is now the Westbrook Regional Vocational Center, and sponsoring the first Little League team in Westbrook – one of the first four in Maine.

The Kiwanis Club of Prides Corner, founded in 1951, was also responsbile for building the former playground at Prides Corner Elementary School and erecting a bus shelter for kids.

The last records available for the Prides Corner club are dated 1993-94, pointing to the club closing or merging with the older Westbrook club.

Westbrook Kiwanis celebrated its 75th year in February 2001, with an anniversary celebration at Keeley’s on Warren Avenue in Portland. Peter Curran was then president. The club celebrated its 80th anniversary in May 2006, presided by president John Bernier. Mayor Bruce Chuluda presented the group with a plaque.

Kiwanis International has a number of branches, including service organizations for students – the Key Club for high school students, Circle K for college students, Builders Club for middle school, and K-Kids for grades 4-5.

Larsen-Brunner helped to initiate a Builders Club at Westbrook Middle School this year. So far, students have led a hat and mitten drive for children and are planning other projects.

Stevens said Kiwanis is battling declining membership by putting added focus on its student service organizations like Key Club.

“Getting them involved at an early age ensures their want, and need, to make a difference in their local communities, and around the world,” he said.

He said a new Builders Club in Westbrook is a good sign.

According to Kiwanis documents from the 1970s, the group sponsored the Key Club, gave jackets to Westbrook High School cross country, sponsored a Little League team, provided a school Halloween party, purchased a new rowboat for Boy Scouts, provided 15 “camperships” to Girl Scouts, dontated to the Westbrook Rescue Unit, and provided Christmas gifts for underpriveledged Westbrook families.

The club is maintaining many similar endeavors, including multiple scholarships. Most of the group’s initiatives are funded by an annual golf tournament.

The club meets every other Tuesday in the conference room at the Westbrook Community Center.

Smith said this week that he joined the club 44 years ago at the urging of a friend. He said he wanted to give back to the children of the community, and agreed to join, even though he lived in Portland at the time. He has served the club in many leadership roles, including as president in 1981-82.

He said when he joined, the social aspect was as important as service to the community, with Kiwanis sponsoring dances, a carnival, talent shows and more. On the event planning docket for this year is the return of a talent show.

While taking a photo Tuesday he held up the Kiwanis meeting bell.

“There are a lot of scratches on it,” he said.

Westbrook Kiwanis President Dylan Knight, right, and 44-year Kiwanis veteran Dana Smith display club memorabilia this week. The club is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, making it one of the oldest in Maine. The bell has been used during weekly meetings since 1926. This photo was taken at the 2nd annual Westbrook Kiwanis Circus in 1927. The club was chartered in 1926 and immediately had more than 100 members. This photo depicts the Prides Corner Kiwanis Little League baseball team in 1952, one of the first teams in the state. Westbrook Kiwanis continues to sponsor a Little League team. Wilfred Rosenblad, a Prides Corner Kiwanian, is pictured here with Kathie Harper and Jamie Gagan at the Prides Corner playground in 1958. Kiwanians helped to build the school’s playground.