In 1936 Jay N. Emerson, a member of the Pullman Washington Kiwanis Club, presented a plan to his club proposing that the Pullman Kiwanis Club purchase a house that could be rented to young men in need of assistance to attend the local college. The plan became a reality as the Kiwanians established the "Circle K House" at Washington State College. For ten years the "Circle K House" became affiliated with a Greek letter organization, although it continued to be sponsored by the Pullman Kiwanis Club.

Eleven years later (in 1947), Donald T. Forsythe, Trustee of Kiwanis International, aided in transitioning Circle K from a fraternity to a service-oriented organization. That year, during September, the first Circle K club similar to our present-day organization, was chartered at Carthage College in Carthage, Illinois.

For two years, the Carthage College Circle K Club existed alone. But on March 26, 1949, the University of Western Ontario became the second Circle K Club to charter. Carthage College and the University of Western Ontario were soon joined by the Louisiana Polytechnic Institute on May 13, 1949. Circle K gained momentum and grew rapidly throughout the United States; sixteen more clubs chartered in 1950.

With the formation of Circle K clubs, Kiwanis International established a Special Committee on Circle K Clubs in 1952. The motto of the organization became the same as that of Kiwanis International: "We Build."

History of the California-Nevada-Hawaii District

The first Circle K club was founded in 1947, and the California-Nevada-Hawaii District was one of the two founding Districts of Circle K International, along with the Michigan District. California-Nevada-Hawaii was instrumental in the internationalization of the organization. Chartered on December 12, 1957, the district was founded with thirty-one clubs and has grown to over forty clubs at the present.

• Kiwanis International: Business and professional leaders
• Circle K International: College Students
• Key Club International: High School Students
• KIWINS: High School Students
• Builders Club: Junior high and middle school students
• Aktion Club
• K-Kids

Like Circle K International, Key Club International and Builders Club are also Sponsored Programs of Kiwanis International. All branches of the K-family work to accomplish the same goals and objectives. As the four organizations coordinate their service endeavors within the community, the impace they can make together is tremendous. Circle K'ers, in working with area Key Clubs and Builders Clubs, can facilitate their club's membership recruitment in years to come. Circle K'ers should be active contributors to the K-family relationship.