Our History
Active 20-30 Club United States and Canada provides young adults with the opportunity for personal growth, friendship and leadership development while improving the quality of life for the special needs of the children in its local community. We have been serving the Eugene, Oregon area since 1927.
Realizing the Need
Active 20-30 International had its beginnings in 1922 when young men in two widely separated communities of the United States saw the need for a service club for young men. They found that established service clubs were dominated by older men, run by older men, and whose officers were invariably much older men.
This realization led those groups of ambitious young men to stray away from existing groups and organized a club of their own. These clubs shared the ideal that young men would have a chance to engage actively in service to their communities; where young ideas, backed by enthusiasm and the energy of youth, could share in civic responsibilities on an equal basis with clubs composed of older men.
These pioneers of young men’s service clubs simultaneously created two virtually identical clubs: the Active International, located in Aberdeen, Washington, and 20-30 International formed in Sacramento, California.
Both the International and Active International Associations were charter members of the World Council of Young Men’s Service Clubs (WOCO). John Armenia, Joe Crowe and Arnie Scheldt of Active and Dr. James Vernetti, Henry Heyl and Ray Fletcher of 20-30 were among those who fostered the World Council movement up to its formal beginning in 1945 (See WOCO information).
Merging Ideas and Resources
In 1959, President Norm Morrison of 20-30 and President Ken Helling of Active, exchanged a letter renewing the long standing proposal that these two identical young men’s service clubs should merge.
Between 1959 and 1960, meetings were held between the two groups, culminating in the proposed Constitution and Resolution to be presented to the 1960 Conventions of each organization. In addition to Morrison and Helling, Jack Kummert, Doug Martin and Clint McClure of 20-30, and Victory W. “Bill” Smith, Owen Barnes and Jim Robertson of Active participated in the early negotiations.
In 1960, the 20-30 International Convention was held in Santa Cruz, California. The delegates unanimously adopted the merger proposal and the Constitution. One month later, the delegates at the Active International Convention in Calgary, Alberta, also unanimously adopted the propositions. Therefore, on August 1, 1960, Active International and 20-30 International became the Active 20-30 International.
While the mechanics of the merger were being formulated, each organization maintained its separate administrative structure, officers and National Office through its convention year. In October 1960, the first combined magazine, Active 20-30 made its appearance. The first convention of Active 20-30 International was held in Tucson, Arizona, July 10-14, 1961, where the Constitution and bylaws were officially adopted.
The major International Projects selected for the new organization were Keys in the Car, Aid to Scouting, Public Speaking and Rheumatic Fever. During the 1975 Convention in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the new International Charity Foundation was adopted to replace Rheumatic Fever.
The Creation of the Active 20-30 United States & Canada
In 1981, a proposal was put forth to the membership to allow for National Associations in Active 20-30 International. In 1982, the Active 20-30 United States and Canada, Inc., was formed with its National office in the building owned by Active 20-30 US & Canada on 1915 I Street, Sacramento, California. Arnie Krogh of Sacramento served as its first National President.
In the late 1980s women officially became members of Active 20-30 US & Canada. 1988 was the year that the women in the Orange County (CA) Auxiliary petitioned the National Organization to become the first women’s club in the Active 20-30 organization. This request was approved and from that day forward women were officially full-fledged members of Active 20-30 United States & Canada. They were followed by Southern Arizona #1027 / Valley of the Sun #1028 / Redwood Empire #1029 / Gold Country #1030 / Sacramento Evening #1031 (co-ed) / Greater Sacramento #1032 and Gold Rush #1034.
Currently, McDonald Association Management Company, Inc. based in Sacramento, CA serves Active 20-30 United States & Canada as the National Office.
Objectives of 20-30
- To develop members, by precept and example, into a more intelligent, aggressive and serviceable citizenship, and to create in them a desire to participate actively in a civic and welfare work in their respective communities
- To create in every member a personal desire for knowledge and self-improvement, and to develop trust, friendship and understanding between people in their professional and social activities
- To provide a practical means of forming enduring friendships and good-will among its members in their communities, their country and throughout the world
- To hold and promote entertainment, instructions, programs and social gatherings in and for the furtherance of the purposes of the “Active 20-30 United States and Canada“
Eugene Active 20-30 Club #920
The Eugene Based Active 20-30 Club was founded in 1927, focused on serviceable citizenship in the community of Oregon’s Lane County, while improving the quality of life for special needs children.
Our Club meets every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month at noon at DickieJo’s Burgers near Valley River Mall.
Our Board of Directors meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month.
Members of the Eugene Active 20-30 Club donate tens of thousands of hours every year in order to help raise money for children’s charities in Lane County. There are three ways that our Club helps the community:
- Staff projects held by other children’s organization to help them raise money.
- Hands on projects where we work directly with children.
- Staff projects put on by our Club in order to raise money that is redistributed to the dozens of local charities that we help fund.
Our Mission
We have plenty of causes, missions and #goals we hope to achieve. Watch the video to learn more.
Get Involved
Now that you know about us, we want to get to know you. Find out how you can get involved with our community today!
