Image courtesy of Kiwanis Club
Kiwanis Mayors - 1
On Wednesday, December 3, the Kiwanis Club of Homewood-Mountain Brook will host their weekly luncheon with two very special speakers: Mayor Jennifer Andress of Homewood and Mayor Graham Smith of Mountain Brook. Both mayors, who are members of the Homewood-Mountain Brook Kiwanis Club, are excited to share their visions for the community.
Mayor Andress, a Kiwanis member since 2019, has witnessed the club’s diverse service efforts first-hand. "It is truly inspiring to see the hard work this club puts in to make our community better. Early on in my time as a Kiwanian, I was honored, along with Dr. Audie Woolley, to share the story of the Woolley Institute for Spoken Language Education (WISE), a pre-school for kids who speak and listen using cochlear implants and/or hearing aids like our two sons (our youngest was in the inaugural class of WISE—in fact Sam Gaston came and read to the children!). I love seeing how open our club is to learning about new service opportunities, and am so appreciative of that earlier opportunity to share about an issue so personal to me and my family," Andress said.
As both mayors complete their first month in office, they have hit the ground running. "What has surprised me most about being mayor is how quickly we’ve been able to hit full stride. I expected a slow ramp-up, but thanks to the thoughtful succession planning of prior leaders, every new member of our team stepped into their role with energy, creativity, and purpose. Instead of easing into the job, we’ve launched forward with real momentum—and it’s been inspiring to be part of that powerful start," said Smith, who joined Kiwanis in 2023.
When discussing her goals for the year ahead, Smith outlined her priorities: "My biggest goal for my first year is to personally meet with every stakeholder our city relies on—other municipalities, BJCTA, ALDOT, Alabama Power, our consultant teams, and many, many others. The stronger and deeper those relationships are, the faster we can solve problems for our residents and move projects across the finish line. Building those connections face-to-face is essential, and I’m committed to laying that groundwork right away."
Community members are invited to attend the luncheon on December 3. There is a $15 lunch fee, and reservations can be made by contacting Club President Terri Allan at 205-222-5441.
Kiwanis Club meets weekly at the Homewood Public Library in the Large Auditorium on Wednesdays from 12 to 1 p.m.
