Keystone Kops

OF THE UNIVERSITY KIWANIS, ANCHORAGE

The Keystone Kops: In the mid-1960s, the Kiwanis Club of Anchorage established the Keystone Kops in Anchorage to be the pin selling “enforcer” for the Fur Rendezvous. These law abiding volunteers built some portable jails to “lock-up” the folks who thought they could wander around our fair city without wearing a Fur Rondy pin or button. Blowing their whistles and swinging their billy clubs, they keep their eyes open for “rebels without a pin” to encourage their support of the event. During the Rondy parade, they even arrest children who aren’t wearing a pin. This is usually orchestrated by their parents who were arrested when they were young. (They also take bribes to arrest others who are “flaunting the law”.)

Being a benevolent group, the Keystone Kops allow these perpetrators of the crime of not wearing a pin or button return to being upstanding citizens of Anchorage by buying one and wearing it at all Rondy events. Naturally, the Kops are the ones selling the pins. The pin selling starts around Thanksgiving when tables are staffed on weekends at various stores in town. They also have a table at the Christmas Village Bazaar held at the Dena’ina Center, sell pins at the annual Fur Rondy Melodrama, and are welcomed at many retail establishments in Anchorage and Eagle River to sell pins and add to the merriment of the Rondy activities. Individual Kops usually have a stash of pins to make it easier on the good citizens of our community! They create their

own pin to sell as well. This is the Kiwanis Club’s largest fundraiser. They receive a percentage of the pin and button sales for their efforts. All funds raised from the public ae returned to the community through its many community service projects. The largest of these projects is the sponsorship of Key Clubs in the Anchorage and Eagle River High Schools. These Clubs provide leadership and community service training and conduct many service projects in their school and area. Over these past 50+ years the Kops have become recognized as the face of the Fur Rondy celebration and its ambassadors during the festival. They appear in their Kop outfits (resembling a British Bobbie) with pins all over their coats and hats. They raid the television newscasts and arrest local newscasters who do not have a Fur Rondy pin and appear at many public functions to advertise the event. Visitors take their pictures and ask for directions to the events. All of this is done to promote Anchorage’s winter carnival. The Kiwanis Club of Anchorage has openings for more Kops and members. Come join them in the fun of the Fur Rendezvous and the many other community projects they work on throughout the year.

For more information, or to learn how you can join the fun and become a Keystone Kop, visit: KiwanisAnchorage.org or email them at kiwanisanchorage@gmail.com.