As they have for years, the Knoxville Morning Kiwanis Club was on hand at Breakfast with Santa on Saturday morning, helping Stepping Stone Early Learning with their annual fundraiser; but it was their swan song at the event…because the Morning Kiwanis will be disbanding at the end of the year.

The Morning Kiwanis Club has spent the last few years developing the Miracle Playground at Young’s Park; but the time and effort needed to bring the playground to life — and more importantly, an aging membership base — led to the decision to break up.

Mike Rank is the club president; he tells KNIA/KRLS News the Kiwanians have no regrets about undertaking the playground project, which will wind up as the club’s lasting legacy.

“Certainly…if you ask us would we do it again, we’d probably have to think about it; but it’s the most proud thing that we have done, by far,” Rank says.

Some of the members will switch over to the Noon Kiwanis Club, but Rank says many of their members are around the age of 80 and were ready to slow down in any case…and new Kiwanians just weren’t coming in.

Members of the St. Anthony’s Church Knights of Columbus came to help out with the pancake breakfast; they may be investing in some of the club’s grills and other remaining assets, and will likely take over some of their projects.