Alabama Kiwanis Gov. Paul England, with his wife Debbie and Lt. Gov. Ricky Powell, visited Luverne on Tuesday, June 3 and met with the Luverne Kiwanis Club to enjoy lunch and conversation around the international organization’s work and purpose.

England, who joined Kiwanis Club in 1986 and is a member of the Monroe club, has served the organization in various capacities and looks said he is excited to lead Alabama Kiwanians in the statewide position.

“The club has been very supportive of me and my Kiwanis journey,” he told Luverne Kiwanians gathered at the Chicken Shack for the club’s first-Tuesday meeting. “I have met a lot of great people, a lot of fun people, with a lot of shared stories.”

The governor explained the role of Kiwanis Club in his life, describing the opportunities for personal development membership has afforded him.

“For me, it all comes down to being able to do service and meeting kids, doing different things,” he said.

England described the joy of reading to Head Start children, an activity connecting him directly with preschool children to foster literacy. He also updated the group with a few initiatives happening at the club’s state and international levels.

“Our international headquarters [has] 29 districts in North Alabama,” he said. “Alabama is its own separate district. Some of our states… are having to travel. 

“We have 11 divisions in Alabama. They have two divisions in the whole state of North Dakota, so that’s how big we are.”

Districts will converge for the international convention in Pittsburgh at the end of June, England said. The Alabama convention will be held in Gulf Shores and the governor encouraged Luverne club members to consider attending to hear from guest speaker, Chris Singleton.

He also touched on Kiwanis children and youth programs which include Key Club for high school, Circle K International for college and university students, K-Kids for elementary-aged children and Builders Club for middle school.

“There’s going to be a push, and I can say we need younger people in Kiwanis,” England said. “There’s a real push to get young adults, in the 18- to 27-year-old range. There’s going to be sort of a new group called Voices of Service.”

The group, he explained, will be aimed at young adults who elect not to enter college directly after high school.

The Luverne Kiwanis Club meets at the Chicken Shack at 12 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month. Individuals interested in learning more about the club are invited to come as a meeting guest.