Petaluma Active 20-30 #30

The Active 20-30 Club US & Canada develops leaders and serves the needs of children in nearly 50 clubs coast-to-coast. Each chapter or club is locally run by a volunteer board of directors and members focused on serving the unique needs of their local communities.

Every club has its own particular focus, whether it’s fundraising or community service, but each has a common goal to improve the quality of life of youth in the community.

It’s not all “business” in Active 20-30, though. Our members also like to have fun and build friendships across the organization. This is why social and networking events play a large part in making Active 20-30 US & Canada the service organization for young professionals.

National Motto: Youth, to be served, must serve.

Mission Statement: Providing young adults an opportunity for personal growth, friendships and leadership development while improving the quality of life for the underserved children in our communities.

Slogan: One never stands so tall as when kneeling to help a child.

The Emblem: The original emblem selected for Active International was the buzz saw- Even when motionless, as it is on the emblem, it has the appearance of movement. The buzz saw represents the usefulness of intense activity, and the abundant energy of responsible youth which manifests power, strength, and progress.

The original emblem of 20-30 International was an hourglass, symbolizing the passage of time and the need of young men to take advantage of their time and energy for useful activities. Around the hourglass, the four “S” have a double significance, representing both the initials of the first four 20-30 clubs (Sacramento, Stockton, San Bernardino, and San Francisco), and the initials of the original slogan “Sincerity in Service, our Slogan for Success.”

History of International Organization:

Active 20-30 has a rich history of serving our communities and developing leaders in our local communities. It began by realizing a need that wasn’t being served by existing service organizations. It has evolved with our members and with the times, creating some fun-filled traditions along the way.

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 organize 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: Active, located in Aberdeen, Washington, and 20-30, formed in Sacramento, California.

The clubs became international, in name and location, with the chartering of clubs in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Juarez, Mexico between 1929 and 1933. Both the 20-30 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.

Merging Ideas & Resources:
In 1959, President Norm Morrison of 20-30 International and President Ken Helling of Active International, 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.

By the late 1960's, the presence of the organization had become so large throughout the state of California, that then-Governor Ronald Regan declared February 20-26, 1967 to be "Active 20-30 Week."

The Creation of Active 20-30 US & 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 on 1915 I Street, Sacramento, California. Arnie Krogh of Sacramento served as its first National President. Currently, McDonald Association Management Company, Inc. based in Sacramento, CA serves Active 20-30 United States & Canada as the National Office.

Women in Active 20-30

Many women, often the wives of members, were involved in auxiliary clubs that supported the efforts of Active 20-30 from the early years of the club’s formation. In 1988, the women of 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. Since then, many clubs have transitioned to coed membership, though some have opted to remain male or female only.

International Affiliations:

Active 20-30 US & Canada is also a member of Activo 20-30 International and the World Council of Service Organizations (WOCO).

Contact Active 20-30 National

National Office:
Active 20-30 US & Canada
1900 Point West Way, Suite 222
Sacramento, CA 95815-4706
(916) 634-4212

Dale Fenton, Executive Director, dale@active20-30.org
info@active20-30.org
http://www.active20-30.org

Other Area Clubs (Region 5)

Healdsburg #205
PO Box 355
Healdsburg, CA 95448
healdsburg2030@gmail.com

Napa #57
PO Box 43
Napa, CA 94559
admin@napaactive2030.org

North Bay #656 (Men’s Club)
PO Box 2426
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
active2030northbay@gmail.com

All Clubs - Currently Active (in color) and Inactive (in gray)