The Luverne Kiwanis Club hosted Crenshaw County Chamber of Commerce Director Kathy Smyth at their March 18 meeting. Smyth shared the latest updates on what’s happening around the county including news of developments projects and upcoming events.

A feature of the Chamber’s year has been the Friendlist City Festival held in October. Smyth discussed the event’s success, showing Kiwanians a video highlighting the handcrafted items, activities and tasty treats offered at the event.

“The festival has grown each year,” Smyth said. “We asked Alabama Power to do a geo fencing from that day and tell us how many cell phones were in that area at a certain time. Lots of people came to enjoy the day. It’s a way for our county and cities to give back and an opportunity for small businesses to come out and sell their products.”

Treats-On-Us followed the festival in October and Smyth said every year brought planners new ideas for the event. In 2024, organizers moved the event off Main Street to Glenwood Avenue, which seemed to provide the perfect, safe alternative venue where families could enjoy the festivities out of the line of U.S. Highway 331 traffic.

In addition to these events and others, like the Citizen of the Year banquet planned for April, Smyth said the Chamber holds ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremonies throughout the year. One new addition to the group’s efforts is a business highlight, providing an in-depth look at longtime local businesses like recently featured Hicks, Inc. and Petrey Wholesale.

Another Chamber initiative, the Chamber Ambassador program, fosters the next generation of local leaders by inviting high school students to serve their volunteer hours by assisting with events. Smyth said a “jail-and-bail” fundraiser is in the works for later this year to help raise funds for scholarship opportunities for seniors in the program.

After-hours business training events are in the works, too, Smyth said. 

“We always welcome feedback and suggestions about topics that you might be interested in hearing from,” Smyth told Kiwanians.

Chamber membership is trending upward, Smyth noted, and citizens are engaging to be a part of the momentum.

“Our membership is up; it’s increasing,” Smyth said. “People seem to be interested in being a part and shaking off the blues from a few years ago. We have moved to a small office, which used to be the police department decades ago. We’re looking for archive photos of Crenshaw County to put up in there.”

For updates on chamber news and events, follow the Crenshaw County Chamber of Commerce on social media.

The Luverne Kiwanis Club meets the first and third Tuesday of each month at noon in the Chicken Shack private dining room. Individuals interested in the club are invited to attend as a guest. The club’s next meeting will be April 1 at 12 p.m.

The 6th Annual Luverne Kiwanis Club Charity Golf Tournament is scheduled for April 2, 9 a.m. at the Luverne Country Club. See any Kiwanis Club member for more information.