The Port Arthur Kiwanis Club has been around since 1931. Some of the current members have decades of experience too.

Over the years, however, the membership has dwindled and the Port Arthur club is merging with the younger and more numerous Mid-County Kiwanis Club. They will now be known as Jefferson County Kiwanis Club since Beaumont no longer has a club.

Charles Gongre and Ray Cline said it will be a great merger as the only Kiwanis Club in the county.

“We didn’t have enough in the Port Arthur club to do a fundraiser and we had a successful fundraiser this weekend that raised $2,000 with a link sale for scholarships. It’s a matter of survival for us to merge,” Gongre said.

Port Arthur Kiwanis sponsors scholarships at Lamar State College Port Arthur in memory of three of its founding members: Leland Lacy, Pat Wood Sr. and Sam Aquilina, according to information from the club.

“Port Arthur Kiwanis Club seeks to include among its members civic-minded individuals who recognize the importance of supporting and nurturing young people in our community and around the world,” the information read.

Gongre said he joined Kiwanis after Sam Monroe, then president of Lamar State College Port Arthur, suggested he join a service club. He visited the Rotary Club, but Kiwanis was “really great and a friendly bunch of guys.”

Cline said his wife, Janet, wrote an article for The News about service clubs activities. He was looking to join a service club at the time and joined Kiwanis.

Hunter Faubion, a member of the Mid-County club, joined Kiwanis in 1996 at Blinn College in Brenham.

The men in the Port Arthur club welcomed him, and he attributes that to why he belongs today.

“They care about young people and I like their service projects,” Faubion said.

Jennifer Tuggle, the youngest member for Mid-County, said she joined the high school and college versions of Kiwanis.

“I’ve developed a lot and now I want to pay it forward,” Tuggle said. “Kiwanis is focused on helping the kids.”

She further explained youth groups sponsored by Kiwanis are:

• K Kids at elementary schools
• Builder at middle schools
• Key Club at high schools
• Circle K International at colleges

To join the Kiwanis Club one must fill out an application. Dues are $25 a quarter plus the cost of meals at meetings. For more information go to www.jeffersoncountykiwanis.org.