Our Beginings
In 1961 a group of neighbors were concerned and wanted to establish an organization to help maintain the streets, address sewage problems and provide other services. On April 21st ,1961, a dream became a reality. The first meeting of the residents of Madonna Acres (Sunglow Ave. and Kenridge) was held in the home of Mr. & Mrs. William Krumpelman with thirty-eight residents present to discuss the establishment of a Civic Club. Mr. Krumpelman opened the meeting with a few remarks as to the purpose of the meeting and then asked Mr. Bob Stephenson to act as temporary Chairman to run the meeting. With some input and assistance from both Mr. Joe Summe and Mayor Wiemyer of Ft. Wright, and question and answer session, the idea of formulating a Civic Club was put to a vote and the decision was unanimous with all thirty-eight residents eagerly enthused with the project.
The Civic Club was an organization that was created to serve the community, as it continues to do so today.
An example of VHCC's was proven at its seventh meeting on October 15,1962, when Mr. George Parsons and Mr. J. Stivers approached the Civic Club and asked for two loans in the amount of $500.00 each. The request was put to a motion and unanimously carried to loan the money. Since the Villa Hills Civic Club was formed prior to Villa Hills' becoming a City, it was through the Civic Club's financial aid and support that the City got it's start; the Civic Club was the catalyst for the City's incorporation.
Recreation was also an important goal for the Civic Club. The Civic Club began searching for areas to play baseball. At the March 18th, 1963 meeting, Mr. Joe Franzen generously offered approximately 27 acres of land behind the lake on his property for the Civic Club's use in building two baseball diamonds. Mr. Franzen being safety minded, had stipulated one hard and steadfast rule that “No children were permitted by the lake.” A financial arrangement to purchase this land from the Franzen's was agreed upon. The Franzen's generosity continued. The Civic Club purchased Franzen's Lodge and surrounding acreage in 1969 which is the current of the Villa Hills Civic Club. Through the years the Civic Club would sell parcels of land to the city to permit the construction of the building the current houses the Villa Hills Police Department and Council Chambers.
The Civic Club further developed ballfields behind the Lodge and also established a park. The Civic Club provides two adult ballfields and two instructional ballfields for the children of our city and surrounding area.