CAPE MAY – Kiwanis Club of Cape May celebrated the 60-year anniversary of one of its own Jan. 15 at the clubhouse on Beach Avenue. Charles “Bud” Swain was awarded a dedication plaque by president Tom Hynes.
Swain told Kiwanis members that he joined in 1954 as a young, single member of the U.S. Coast Guard stationed in Cape May.
His father Nick was a member and always talked of the service it provided to the community. Bud looked forward to every meeting and enjoyed singing club songs and listening to speakers every Wednesday night discuss interesting current events.
He had perfect attendance for the first seven years of his membership, both at club and board meetings, and worked his way up through the ranks to serve as president in 1960.
Swain wanted to do something “big and memorable” while he was president and decided to charter a plane from the Cape May County Airport to take club members to a Kiwanis Club meeting in Toronto, Canada. With the plane half full, he approached the Court House and Wildwood clubs and sold the remainder of the seats. When landing in Canada, police surrounded the plane.
Swain had not received clearance to come from an outside country into Canada and said, “I thought the plane took care of that.”
The police escorted the Cape May members to the clubhouse where local members greeted them. The headline in the local newspaper read, “Goodwill people from U.S. were arrested.”
Bud went on to say that friends have kept him coming back to the club and that he has the longest length of service and was the youngest president at age 30. He thanked everyone for coming to the celebration and introduced his wife Pat, daughter Terri and her husband Glenn. Also in attendance were sons Rick (president in 1991) and current member Scott.
President-elect Carol Hackenberg said, “It’s always nice to see Bud at his usual table on Wednesday nights. I know I’m in the right place at the right time.” Hynes told the Herald that Swain “continues to be an active member of the club” and that his father, Nick Swain, purchased and donated the clubhouse, a former life-saving station, 75 years ago. He also mentioned the club is significant because it is probably the oldest and most active in the Lower Cape May region and “when people in Cape May talk about service, the Cape May Kiwanis is first for hands on.”
Kiwanis Club of Cape May will hold its 90th Anniversary Gala at Cape May Convention Hall Saturday, April 26 from 6 to 11 p.m.
Tickets will be available for purchase by the public with details coming soon on its website, http://capemaykiwanis.com.
To contact Linda Duffy, email lduffy@cmcherald.com.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
