Kiwanis Club of Gulfport holds 2023 Installation Banquet

The Kiwanis Club of Gulfport held its annual community awards last night.

Government officials, community leaders, and Kiwanis members filled the Great Southern Club at Hancock Whitney Bank for the banquet.

It’s a night of inauguration and recognition for officers, board members, and community leaders. Several awards were also given out at the event, including educator of the year, public safety employee of the year, and the inaugural John McFarland Leadership Award.

Jenny Gates was welcomed as the new Gulfport Kiwanis Club president for the 2023-2024 term.

Cleo McQueen, who is stepping down from her role as president, says she enjoyed her time in that role. “I have always been told you’ve got to be president. And I’ve made a promise to one of our past members who is no longer with us, Harry Bell, that I would be president cause he says ‘you need to be’. And, he was right. It’s been a really great year, people have been so supportive, my board members, my officers, and most of all our club members.”

The Kiwanis Club of Gulfport says it takes a village to help local children and community members.