Landmark Hermosa: Kiwanis Club Hall

Hidden behind the shrubs of Valley Park are the unmistakable ivory and green buildings occupied by the .

Though the club was founded in 1926, nearly 10 years after the first Kiwanis Club was formed in the West Coast, the Hermosa Beach meeting grounds were not conceived until the late 1950s.

In 1957, Kiwanis member and South Bay contractor Austin Blankenship, who also served as the club's president during that time, built the historic clubgrounds on 2515 Valley Dr. under a 25-year lease.

The lease was renewed in 1981 and for a second time in 2006. The philanthropic organization's international motto is "We Build," according to the club website.

In Hermosa Beach, the Kiwanis have spent 85 years supporting neighborhood nonprofits including , Boy and Girl Scouts and the , allowing a number of organizations to hold events in their Valley Park headquarters.

The Kiwanis name is rooted from the Native American term, "Nun Keewanis," which translates to "I make a noise." This term conveys the idea of making oneself known through self expression.

Congratulations to Hermosa Beach Historical Society President , , and  for correctly guessing today's Landmark Hermosa. We'll have a new trivia next week.