Awards/Installation 2023

Kiwanians celebrate

another good year

Longtime member James McKinney was honored as Kiwanian of the Year during the club’s annual Awards and Installation Luncheon Sept. 27 at the Jonesboro Country Club.

James has twice served as club president — in 1993 and then again in 2016. He just completed another 2-year term on the Board of Directors and has been a member of the club’s Scholarship Committee for many years.

James’ brother Doyle was also a member of the club until his death on Sept. 18. Funeral services, attended by several club members, were held two days before the Awards and Installation Luncheon.

Roy Ockert, in his final official function as Missouri-Arkansas District governor, installed officers for the coming year.

McElhanon was installed for a second year as president because Ron Sitton, for personal reasons, was unable to move up. The other officers installed are:

• President-elect — Warren Skaug

• Vice president — Jimmy Franklin

• Secretary — Diann Jenkins

• Treasurer — Shirley Park 

• Directors (2-year term) — Brandon Brewer, Neale Bartee and Jerry Lewis. Elected to fill Franklin’s second year as director was Matt Silas.

Holdover directors, with one year remaining on their terms, are Billy Woodruff and Traci Perrin. Retiring from the board were Dan Spencer and James McKinney.

Ockert remains on the board as the most immediate past president.

The club also inducted two new honorary members — former Jonesboro Mayor Harold Perrin and outgoing District First Lady Pat Ockert.

Harold served three terms as mayor after many years as a City Council member and made many appearances at Kiwanis meetings and other events over the years.

During her year as First Lady, Pat collected somewhere between 1,500 and 2,000 books  and distributed them to five different children’s hospitals in Arkansas and Missouri.