Fundraising Events

The annual Kiwanis Spaghetti Dinner, held the last Saturday in February, has been a

highlight of the Islands’ social calendar for decades. Originally begun as a fun social

gathering where Island residents could get together for a friendly meal, it has grown

over the years to become a major anchor of the Club’s annual fundraising efforts with the addition of a raffle, silent auction and live auction. And staffing the dinner has become a unique source of fun and camaraderie for Kiwanis Members who put on the show.

For the earliest Spaghetti Dinners, Kiwanis volunteers took over a local restaurant

where they prepared and served pasta and meatballs to their friends and neighbors. Some years later, the Spaghetti Dinner became our first fundraiser, when funds were raised to pay for air conditioning at the newly constructed Sanibel School. In time, the event was moved to the Sanibel Community House to provide the space needed to feed

the Islands’ growing population.

In spring the Club mounts its second major fundraiser of the year, preparing and distributing the popular Diner's Delight 2 for 1 Coupon Books starting in late spring and extending into the fall months. This program helps local restaurants and other food establishments add customers during the summer and early fall months, when tourist traffic is slow and snowbirds leave town. The coupons also give locals savings on eating out and a reason to try out new places at a time when restaurants need the business.

In late spring, Kiwanis hosts a major golf tournament, the King Of The Rock Invitational,

open to all local golfers, at The Dunes Golf & Tennis Club. Entrants are able to enjoy 18 holes of tournament golf in a spectacular setting, with range balls and lunch provided, plus prizes and trophies for the top finishers. A pre-event “Calcutta” gathering is held the night before at The Dunes Clubhouse. Teams and flights are organized into Men’s and Women’s Divisions. All proceeds for the tournament benefit the Kiwanis Foundation Scholarship Fund.