Texas Oklahoma Kiwanis District Convention Overview

TEXARKANA, Texas — More than 300 Kiwanis members and 58 Key Club and Circle K International (CKI) student leaders from across Texas and Oklahoma gathered in Texarkana from July 23–26 for the 2026 Texas-Oklahoma Kiwanis District Convention. The four-day event celebrated leadership, service, and community while generating an economic impact for the Texarkana area through local hotels, restaurants, retail, and tourism.

Hosted at the Texarkana Convention Center, the convention featured leadership development, educational workshops, district business sessions, networking opportunities, community service projects, and nationally recognized keynote speakers.

The opening ceremony included a special proclamation presented by Texarkana, Texas Mayor Bob Bruggeman, on behalf of both the City of Texarkana, Texas, and Texarkana, Arkansas Mayor Allen Brown, officially proclaiming July 24, 2026, as Texas-Oklahoma Kiwanis District Day in recognition of Kiwanis’ decades of service to children and communities throughout the district.

One of the convention’s featured keynote speakers was Texarkana native and former NFL player Byron Williams, who played for the New York Giants and Green Bay Packers. Williams inspired attendees with lessons from his book, The Playbook of Life, sharing how the principles of preparation, teamwork, perseverance, discipline, and character learned on the football field can be applied to everyday life and leadership.

In keeping with the Kiwanis mission of serving children and strengthening communities, convention attendees collected nonperishable food items for the East Texas Food Bank, donated children’s books for We Are Washington, and raised funds through the convention’s silent auction benefiting Beds for Kids. Barbara Walker, 2026 Texas-Oklahoma District Convention Event Chair with the Kiwanis Club of Texarkana, said the convention raised a total of $6,500 to give back to the community.

“This year’s theme, ‘Two States. One Mission.’ couldn’t be more fitting for Texarkana,” Walker said. “We’re one community connected across two states, and that same spirit of unity is what Kiwanis is all about. No matter where we come from, we’re united by one mission: to serve children, strengthen our communities, and make a lasting difference.”

The Texas-Oklahoma District of Kiwanis represents clubs throughout Texas and Oklahoma whose members volunteer thousands of hours each year through service projects, scholarships, youth leadership programs, and initiatives that improve the lives of children and families.

Hosting the 2026 District Convention showcased Texarkana as a premier destination for regional events while highlighting the partnerships between local businesses, volunteers, civic leaders, and community organizations that helped make the convention possible.