key club magazine

March 2011 www.keyclub.org

A Kiwanis-family publication

Positive pressSnag media coverage for your service projects

march 2011 KEY CLUB 3

contents

2 KEY CLUB march 2011

for starters

KEY CLUB is published at 3636 Woodview Trace, Indianapolis, Indiana 46268, to promote the Objectives of Key Club International, a high school organization incorporated not for profit under the laws of the State of Indiana and representing Key Clubs worldwide. KEY CLUB is published twice each year—September and March. Standard postage (CPC Publication Agreement #40030711) rate paid at Indianapolis, Indiana, and at additional mailing offices. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Kiwanis—2835 Kew Drive, Windsor, Ontario N8T3B7 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Key Club, 3636 Woodview Trace, Indianapolis, Indiana 46268. A single subscription to KEY CLUB is provided to all members of Key Club International. Additional member subscriptions are available for $4 a year. Subscriptions for nonmembers are available for $8 a year. PRINTED IN U.S.A. COPYRIGHT 2011 by Key Club International.

2010–11 Key ClubInternational Board

PRESIDENT

XinLei Wang,

Burlington, Wisconsin

VICE PRESIDENT

Ikwo Morris,

Bridgetown, Barbados

TRUSTEES

Nick Cornell, Wausau, Wisconsin

Matt Harper, Kahoka, Missouri

Caleb Lapsley, Glencoe, Alabama

Annie Lewandowski, Molalla, Oregon

Lisa Nicholson, Camas, Washington

Robert Peck, Riverton, Wyoming

Will Robertson, Charlotte, North

Carolina

David Velasquez, Montverde, Florida

Ashley Williams, Fayetteville, North

Carolina

Stephenie Yuan, Fremont, California

Nancy Zhang, New York, New York

MAGAZINE STAFF

Editor Michael Downs

Managing Editor Jack Brockley

Executive Editor Amberly Peterson

Art Director Andy Austin

Advertising Director Kim Stephenson

Contributing Editors Adrian Kendrick,

Shanna Mooney

Content Manager Alyssa Chase

Grab the headlines for your clubWelcome to the first-ever digital-only edition of Key Club magazine. The 2010 House of Delegates voted to amend Key Club’s bylaws so that Key Club could be “published at least twice a year” instead of “printed twice per year.” Come to the 2011 Key Club International Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, June 29–July 3, and you could help make decisions like these that will impact Key Club’s future. Find out more on Page 5.

On the cover: This issue’s cover story is all about how you can help make Key Club a household name. It starts in your school and in your community. Ad-vance to Page 9 for easy-to-implement tips for getting media coverage. Thanks to Southport High School (Indiana) and cover models Jessica Romano (left), Michael Samm and Twang Lian, all Southport Key Club members.

District connections: We asked district governors and administrators to share their signature projects. See the complete list and get inspired on 0.

Pins are in: If you’ve attended your district convention or a Key Club Interna-tional event, you’ve probably brought pins to trade. Read about the tradition of trading pins. Hear from a couple of Key Clubbers who’ve designed district pins on Page 14.

Green getaways: Planning a vacation for you and your friends? Wish there were a way to make your next getaway greener? Consider a “green” break. Check out Page 17 for ideas and see what other Key Clubbers have done to leave smaller carbon footprints on environmentally-friendly trips.

Good luck, grads: Whether graduation takes you to a university campus or a full-time job, keep in mind that the Kiwanis family has a place for you. Stay in touch by joining the Key Club International Alumni Association (free!) or Circle K International on your college campus. Best wishes!

— Amberly Peterson

Take action. The Earth is in

your hands.

April 2009

www.keyclub.org


March 2010 www.keyclub.org


Don’t

believin’Hold on to the feelin’— Key Club’s 85-year journey goes on and on

January 2009 keyclub.org

I’m so over it

The march of triumph

often passes through

the shadow of failure

September 2010

www.keyclub.orgA Kiwanis-family publication

recruits?Inpursuit

ofHow to make your club

worthy of new members

KC0910pOFC.indd 1

8/3/10 3:40 PM

04 News

06 Key Trends

08 On the Web

10 Rekindle your public relationship

14 Pins bring grins

16 Green break

20 Signature Service

24 Spotlight

25 Annual Report

30 Your Space

5

24 30

28

16

Did you see these recent issues of Key Club magazine? They were mailed to yourclub advisor, but this issue is digital-only and will arrive in your e-mail inbox ifyou subscribed at www.keyclub.org/email. Tell a friend.


newsnews

How well do you know The Eliminate Project?Take this short quiz to test your knowledge about The Eliminate Project:Kiwanis eliminating maternal/neonatal tetanus.

1. Approximately how many babies die each year because of neonatal tetanus?A. 20,000B. 60,000C. 100,000

2. When a newborn contracts neonatal tetanus, which of the following symptoms typically occur?A. Sensitivity to light B. Sensitivity to touchC. Repeated, painful convulsionsD. All of the above

3. How many countries are affected by maternal/neonatal tetanus?A. 39B. 35C. 24

4. Approximately how many mothers must be immunized to eliminate maternal/neonatal tetanus?A. 600,000B. 18 millionC. 129 millionD. 250 million

5. About how much money must the Kiwanis family raise to eliminate maternal/neonatal tetanus?A. $20 millionB. $110 millionC. $160 million

Find out more at www.TheEliminateProject.org.

It’s always hot in Phoenix, Arizona, in July, but it’ll be even hotter when the 2011 Key Club International Conven-tion comes to town. Be there June 29–July 3, to catch all the action—interna-tional elections, educational workshops, dances and a charity walk to kick off The Eliminate Project. Hear from Eric

Sapertson, founder and chief creative officer of Live in Wonder Entertain-ment, who’s made appearances on “The Today Show,” CNN and Headline News. The renowned public speaker and author has risen to national promi-nence by delivering clear insights that inspire and stimulate human potential.

You’ll be awed by Craig Karges, an “extraordinist” who’s also an award-winning entertainer and a well-known speaker and author. He combines the art of magic with the sci-ence of psychology and the power of intuition to create the impression that nothing is impossible.

All convention activities and lodging will take place at the JW Marriott Des-ert Ridge Resort.

Key Clubbers can attend as part of a district tour, or by bringing their own chaperones. Interested in your district’s tour? Consult your district administrator, governor or lieutenant governor for tour information and sign up at your district convention.

If you can’t make it to Phoenix, watch the sessions live at www.livestream.com/keyclub.

Registration fees• Early bird (prior to May 23), US$165 • Regular (May 24–June 8), US$200

Every Key Club should save Saturday, April 2, 2011, for Kiwanis One Day, the annual Kiwanis service event that’s observed worldwide.

On Kiwanis One Day, every club is urged to join the rest of the Kiwanis fam-ily—K-Kids, Builders, Circle K, Aktion Club and Kiwanis—for a day of united service. It’s a global effort, but it’s made of personal commitments. Individual clubs join together and accomplish great things in communities around the world. Think of the impact of more than 600,000 Kiwanis family members can make in one day of united service.Want to learn more?Watch a video message from Key Club International President XinLei Wang.Visit the official Kiwanis One Day page.

Pitch in on Kiwanis One Day

Key Club Location Project Amount

Harris County High School Hamilton, Georgia Back to School Rush $2,000

Ingersoll District Collegiate Institute Ontario, Canada Ingersoll Key Putt $2,000

St. Andrew High School Kingston, Jamaica Operation Restore Shady Grove Basic School $1,941.11

Claiborne High School New Tazewell, Tennessee Midway Playground Project $1,905

Wetumka High School Wetumka, Oklahoma Christmas Food Baskets $1,500

More than $27,000 has been awarded to 32 Key Clubs through the 2010–11 Youth Opportunities Fund grants. Now those clubs can make a differ-ence in their communities. Here’s a snapshot of the winners and their plans. See the complete list of win-ners at www.keyclub.org/magazine. And don’t forget to submit your YOF application by October 15, 2011.

Take the leadFor motivated teens, Kiwanis Key Leader weekends are a life-changing experience. Do things you’ve never done. Meet people you’ll never forget. And discov-er things you’ve never known about leadership—and yourself. Is Key Leader coming to a town near you? Look below. For the most up-to-date listings, visit www.key-leader.org.

March 25–27GA FFA Center Covington, Georgia

April 1–3Alabama 4-H Center Columbiana, AlabamaCamp Conrad Weiser Wernersville, Pennsylvania

April 15–17Jamestown 4-H Camp Williamsburg, VirginiaShiloh Park Camp Marion, Indiana

April 29–May 1Camp Waskowitz North Bend, WA Recreation Unlimited Ashley, Ohio

May 13–15Arlington Echo Center Millersville, MarylandCamp Stella Maris Livonia, New YorkHowell Conference Center Howell, MichiganTrinity Pines Cascade, Idaho

May 20–22Camp Lee Canyon Las Vegas, Nevada

June 3–5 Rock Springs 4-H Center Junction City, KansasSky Ranch Quapaw, Oklahoma

Answers: 1. B, 2. D, 3. A, 4. C, 5. B

Shoutin’ out the Youth Opportunities Fund winners


Make the desert your destination

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key trendskey trends

Walking in the March of Dimes’ March for Babies gives hope to the more than half a million babies born too soon each year. If you participate in the event, you’ll be supporting Key Club’s service partner, the March of Dimes. Plus, the money your club raises will go to support programs in your community and fund research to find answers to the problems that threaten babies.

In 2009–10, Key Clubbers raised US$100,000 for the March of Dimes.

March for Babies is the March of Dimes’ largest fundraiser. Typi-cally it takes place in late April. Visit www.marchforbabies.com to find the event’s date and location in your area and sign up online. On the site, you can register as a new or returning walker and find fundrais-ing and fun team-building ideas. Make sure you register as a Key Club team!

If you have any questions, contact your local March of Dimes chapter.

By the numbers:Bullying1 in 3Number of students who are involved in bullying.

15 to 25%Students in the U.S. who are bullied.

15 to 20%Students who bully others.

4%Decline in school violence over the past few years.

5%Increase in bullying during that same time period.

63%Increased likelihood of being bullied if you are a teen who is obese, gay or has a disability.

160,000Number of students, who on any given day, stay home from school because they are scared of being bullied.

60%People who admitted they were bullies between the grades of 6 and 9 who had at least one crim-inal conviction by the age of 24.

Sources: National Youth Violence Preven-tion Resource Center, Health Resources and Services Administarion, Olweus bullying prevention program.

Top 5: Friendship tipsAccording to an MTV-funded study, friends are and will continue to be the most important relationships contributing to youth happiness: 80 percent of the youth polled said that having lots of close friends is very or somewhat important; 23 percent said that when they go out with friends, they stop feeling unhappy.

But to have good friends, you have to be one. Here are some traits the best friends always have:1. Listen. Not just to words, but feelings. Good friends can usually tell when

something’s wrong without you having to say it.2. Be supportive. No making fun of anyone’s dreams and goals.3. Be loyal and trustworthy. No spreading gossip and rumors or stealing

boyfriends or cell phones.4. Be caring. Friends not only stick by each other in good times and bad,

they try to make the bad times good.5. Be fun. One person’s fun is another’s annoying. Friends usually have to

just “click” on this one.

Sources: MTV, Teen advice, common sense

Coming soon: Healthy, local school lunchesThe United States House approved a bill that will improve the nutritional stan-dards of school lunches, increase funding for breakfast and lunch programs and restrict junk food sold in vending machines and elsewhere in American schools. The U.S. Senate already gave unanimous approval to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which was championed by First Lady Michelle Obama.

In a statement, Obama said she was “thrilled” by the bill’s passage, and that it “will significantly improve the quality of meals that children receive at school and will play an integral role in our efforts to combat childhood obesity.”

The bill also provides US$40 million to establish farm-to-school networks and cre-ate school gardens to bring more local pro-duce into cafeterias.

Walk to save babies

Muggles suit up for quidditch Blurring the line between fantasy and reality, quidditch, the sport created in the Harry Potter series, is becoming a popular sport on high school and college campuses around the world.

How popular, you ask? Consider:

• This past fall marked the playing of the fourth-annual Quidditch World Cup.• Teams from Harvard University, M.I.T, Yale, Penn State,

Duke—as well as more than 50 others (both high school and college)—registered for the Quidditch World Cup.• There’s an International Quidditch Association (www.

internationalquidditch.org).• National Public Radio in the United States reported

that there’s a campaign being waged to get the sport recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.• A side note of particular interest to Key Club members:

This year marked the first Quidditch World Cup book drive. More than 9,000 books were collected and donated to schools and libraries in need.

Courtesy International Q

uidditch Association

Keep your commitment to Key Club values. Renew your passion for UNICEF. Join Circle K International (CKI),

the premier collegiate community service, leadership development and fellowship organization in the world.

Learn more at www.circlek.org.

Take the next step. CKI.


on the web

Key Club swagAs you get closer to the end of the school year, you may want to think about honoring the club members and volunteers who’ve helped make your Key Club year a success. Find all the awards, recognition items, ap-parel and giveaways you need in the Key Club Store. Check it out at www.keyclub.org/store.

Don’t diss your districtBond with other Key Clubbers over dances and service projects, elect your district officers and hear more about the 2011 Key Club International Con-vention when you attend your 2011 district convention. District conven-tions happen in March and April. Find the complete list of events at www.keyclub.org/districtconventions.

Elect to run for officeAre you interested in running for district office? Find out what each district leadership position is all about and what will be expected of the Key Club-bers who end up in those roles at www.keyclub.org/becomealeader. If you have your sights set on an international office, that road runs through your district conventions, too. Before you can run for an international office, you must first be endorsed by your home district at your district convention. Find out more on your district’s website. Not sure how to find your district website? Visit www.keyclub.org/districtwebsites for a list.

Honor thy club, honor thyselfEnter to win a 2011 Key Club International award. All club awards must first be submitted to your district and judged at your district conventions. Those winners will then be eligible for entry at the 2011 Key Club Interna-tional Convention.

Robert F. Lucas Distinguished Lt. Governor awards are judged by dis-tricts prior to the district convention.

Most contest submissions, including Distinguished District Officer awards, are due to the Key Club International Office by Friday, May 6. They could also be sent with your district administrator to the 2011 Governors and Administrators Training Conference. Oratorical and Talent and Scrap-book contests will be judged at the 2011 Key Club International Convention.

Learn more at www.keyclub.org/awards.

Tune in to Key Club TVEvery month, Key Club International debuts a new video. In the past we’ve covered Key Club service projects, outstanding Key Club alumni and cool Key Club events. Stay on top of what’s happening with Key Clubs from far and wide when you subscribe to the Key Club TV channel on YouTube, www.youtube.com/keyclubtv, then sign up to start receiving the monthly videos in your e-mail inbox at www.keyclub.org/email. Want to be fea-tured on Key Club TV? E-mail your idea, including dates and details, to [email protected] at least eight weeks in advance.

Become a leader like international trustee David Velasquez. He ran for office

at the 67th Annual Key Club International Convention.

10 KEY CLUB march 2011 march 2011 KEY CLUB 11

Media coverage has benefits. Here’s how to get yours.

By Shanna Mooney

Good public relations has the power to boost your image, high-

light your Key Club’s achievements and improve communica-

tions with teachers, parents, school administrators, government of-

ficials and local business owners.

When you tell your club’s story through the media, using news-

papers, magazines, trade journals, websites and social media

like Facebook, you boost your visibility and credibility. Getting

the word out about what you do can define your club in positive

terms and position it as an important resource in your community.

“Widespread public recognition will benefit your club in many ways,”

says Kristian Little, Kiwanis International public relations specialist.

“With members, it can build pride that leads to better attendance,

greater participation in fundraising and service projects and stronger

retention. In school, it can help draw new members, and in the com-

munity, it can definitely make it easier to solicit public support for Key

Club projects and fundraisers.”

Rekindleyour publicrelationship

march 2011 KEY CLUB 1312 KEY CLUB march 2011

Here are a few tips to get you start-ed on a PR campaign for your club:

Identify your media outlets. Compile a list of local newspapers, websites, newsletters, radio stations, cable outlets and television stations that provide news in your communi-ty. Find contact information (usually available on the media outlets’ web-sites) for each one.

Build relationships. “Once you know who to target with your news item, call them,” Little says. Be respectful of the reporter or editor’s time; ask if they are on deadline and would pre-fer that you call back another time. If they are able to talk, introduce your-self and give a brief background on why you are calling.

Ask the reporter:• What areas or “beats” they cover regularly• How they’d like to receive information from you—phone, e-mail, mail or fax• What they’re interested in right now and which trends they’re following• What information you can share about your club that would be of interest

“Keep in mind that this first phone call will not likely result in the report-er covering your Key Club,” Little says. “Instead, it will be the begin-ning of a relationship between you and the reporter and will help you understand what stories might be of interest to them in the future. This will increase your chances of them covering your Key Club.”

That’s exactly what the Key Club of Mauston, Wisconsin, High School does.

“We live in a small community of 4,500,” says Leah Lechleiter-Luke, the club’s faculty advisor. The area has two county-wide papers, she

says. “The editors and reporters of these papers are easy to talk to and supportive of school activities, and the daughter of one of the report-ers was a Key Club member when she was in high school. Whenever we’re doing something ‘big,’ we call or e-mail the reporter. She does an excellent job of covering our events. I think what other schools, big or small, should do is get to know who covers the school beat. Don’t be afraid to call them. Intro-duce yourself. Establishing a rela-tionship with the reporters is key to getting coverage.”

Prepare your PR tools. Create a fact sheet about your club and send it to the people on your media list. Include a brief description of Key Club and Kiwanis, unique facts about your club, the number of members you have, which service projects you coordinate, how many service hours you complete and how much money you’ve raised for local and international causes. Be sure to include your name, e-mail address and phone number so the reporter can call you with ques-tions. You can also hand out the fact sheet to reporters who show up at your events.

Identify a spokesperson in your club. Identify two individuals who can speak about your events or projects with the media. “Speakers should be trusted members of your club, preferably the president or the public relations liaison, who are well informed about the club, its service projects and who can communicate its messages,” Little says.

The Mauston Key Club bases its choice of spokesperson based on mes-sage delivery: “Be sure that your most articulate student leader is the one making the media contacts,” Lechleiter-Luke says, “Along with the advisor.”

Train club members about public relations. Help (members) become aware that everyone plays a role in public relations. “Everywhere they go, they give the public an impres-sion of what Key Clubbers are like, especially when they’re wearing their pin or Key Club gear. Regard-less of the stories in the media, the public’s real opinion of Key Club is formed when they meet a Key Club-ber or see Key Clubbers serving the community. So, whenever your club is doing great things, its members need to identify themselves as Key Clubbers by wearing pins, putting up signs and telling bystanders, ‘This is Key Club!’” Little says.

Coach members on how to answer questions, and keep these things in mind yourself: Remember to insert the words “Key Club” in place of “us” or “me.” For example, instead of saying, “I really enjoy visiting the el-derly every Tuesday,” say, “Our Key Club really enjoys visiting the elderly every Tuesday.”

“Talking like this will take some practice and might sound awkward at first, but doing it ensures that peo-ple will remember Key Club was do-ing that service project, not just some nice kids,” Little says.

Enjoy news-release success. A press release is one of the most popular methods for getting news to media outlets. However, not all press releases are successful. Con-sider the following tips when cus-tomizing your release and distribut-ing it to media:

1.Consider your audience. Before you shoot off a press release, ask yourself, “Why does the reader care about our event/product/news?”

“The media will be more interested in your release if they feel it will have an impact

on their readers, so, by asking this question and including the answer in your press release, you increase the likelihood of getting media attention,” Little says.

2.Get thewordout. Be sure to send the release to each media contact through their preferred delivery method (e-mail, mail, fax, phone call, etc.). Include a note with the news release letting the reporter know that you have Key Club members and advisors available, and to contact you to schedule an interview.

3.Be persistent. Within a day or two of distributing your press release, call or e-mail each media contact to ask of their interest in your release and see if they have any additional questions or would like an interview. “Often, reporters receive so much information that a quick reminder will be appreciated and bring their attention back to your story,” Little says.

Persistence is something Lechleit-er-Luke suggests as well. “Call them. E-mail them. If they don’t respond, be persistent,” she says. “Continue to send them informa-tion about upcoming events. Give them plenty of advance notice. Send articles to the paper after an event. Send pictures. And always remain positive in your conver-sations—even if they have never covered your events. Keep inviting them. Eventually they will want to see what all the hype is about.”

Get out a public service announce-ment (PSAs). Each year the broad-cast industry donates millions of dollars worth of public service an-nouncements; however, they are under no obligation to grant time to any specific group, and they face a

tremendous demand for free public service time. Usually, a public service or public affairs director is respon-sible for PSA scheduling. Find out who is responsible for PSAs at your local news channel and contact them at least three weeks in advance to see if time is available for your message. Make certain your message is impor-tant, interesting and presented in the best possible format.

Write a letter to the editor.Typically, letters to the editor are gen-erally printed verbatim. “The writer of the letter controls the content more so than an article written by the re-porter. This can be a very effective tool,” Lechleiter-Luke says.

Lechleiter-Luke likes writing a thank-you letter to the community for support received for an event. She also does it for recruitment.

“I’ve submitted a letter to the edi-tor right before school starts encour-aging parents to keep their kids involved at the high school. I encour-

age them to consider volunteering with the Key Club and encourage their kids to join.”

Keep it in the Kiwanis family.“In many smaller communities, school journalism classes or clubs get to publish their work in the commu-nity’s newspapers,” Lechleiter-Luke says. “Some years, we’ve had Key Club members in the journalism club. They made Key Club events their regular beat. They wrote the articles for the paper. We like that, of course, because Key Club is about being stu-dent-led. At one point we also had a Kiwanis member who wrote for the paper. He always made sure we had coverage. Check with your Kiwanis club(s) to see if there is an ‘in’ there.”

Check out public relations tools at www.keyclub.org/prtools. Here you’ll find sample press releases, rec-ognition certificates and many use-ful tips. You also can download the Key Club public relations manual at www.keyclub.org/prmanual.

Southport High School (Indiana) Key Club members Jessica Romano (left), Michael Samm and Twang Lian are ready for their closeups.


documents, although nearly every district mentions the swapping of pins in their international conven-tion tour informational mailings.”

Many pins feature a district mascot or something the state or country is known for. But, not all pins are cre-ated equally. Rare or interesting pins are valued more and often trade for 2–5 other pins. And sometimes, those with the coveted pins are hesitant to give them up. “Southwest pins! I love when everyone wants them but I’ll never give them out!” says Vanessa Richards, a Fountain Hills Junior-Se-nior High School (Arizona) Key Club member on the official Key Club In-ternational Facebook page.

Blake Roller, the Kentucky-Ten-nessee District governor who at-tends Sullivan Central High School in Blountville, Tennessee, is an avid collector. He has amassed more than 60 pins in the past two years, all of which he stores in a book. “I love trad-ing and collecting Key Club pins,” he says on Facebook. “I designed a new Kentucky-Tennessee District pin this year. And that’s the first new pin we have gotten in like five years.”

For the new pin Roller used the

district mascot, Jodi the pig, in front of a spider web design. “We called it Jodi’s Web, like Charlotte’s Web,” he says. His pin differs from previ-ous year’s district pins because the pig is sitting up and facing outward. In previous editions of the pin, the mascot was depicted from a side view on all four legs.

“She even has the Key Club logo as a locket on her collar,” Roller says.

Some districts choose to use well-known places or events on their pins instead of mascots. Indiana’s world-famous race, the Indy 500 in-spired David L. Dillman, of the Key Club of Delphi Community High School in Indiana to use the Key Club logo and two checkered flags on the Indiana District pin. But Dill-man says the appeal of pins is about more than the design.

“There is just something about col-lecting them that is so fun and mem-orable,” he says. “So far collected I’ve only 18 or so, which I’m sure pales in comparison to so many others. The pins are a source of conversation, and they help connect us all. Plus, unlike icebreakers, you can take the pins back home as a souvenir.”

A t times it’s almost like a sporting event—Key Club member A spots

Key Club member B from across the room and realizes she’s from a district whose pin he doesn’t have. All else is forgotten. Time stands still as member A breaks into a sprint, dodging others in an attempt to reach member B and complete the swap before the work-shop begins. You’ve seen it time and again at conventions. The “champs” of

this particular sport wear their med-als proudly on lanyards around their necks, messenger bags or backpacks.

No one knows exactly when the tra-dition of trading Key Club pins began, but it’s been going strong for decades.

“The tradition is inherited from the world of Kiwanis,” says Dave Wohler, club advisor counselor at the Kiwanis International office. “There is no mention of pins in the governing

Pins bring grins Key Club pinsPros

• Members love them.

• Serve as an icebreaker to get to know students from other districts.

• Considered a major accomplishment to trade for and get a pin from a non-North American nation—especially Aruba.

• Provides a constructive activity during the convention—especially when there is down time.

• Pins demonstrate the “largeness” of the organization; many do not appreciate the size of the organization until they see the number of pins the attendees “show off” when they return home. The design of them can stimulate the creative thought process in the district board members.

Cons

• Expensive; adds to the cost of a district tour.

• Same or similar designs year after year.

• Sometimes members don’t have an active role in the pin process.

• Too much emphasis on swag instead of service.

• Could be considered wasteful of the world’s resources.

Key Club members follow the tradition of tradingBy Shanna Mooney

A Key Club member proudly displays her pins on her

messenger bag at the 2010 Key Club International

Convention in Memphis, Tennessee.


Imagine a spring break where your ecological footprint is nonexistent.

Last year, Gavin Huang, now a fresh-man at Dartmouth University lived it. He was a Key Club member at Stuyvesant High School in New York City, New York, when he took an en-vironmentally-friendly trip as part of his college’s orientation program.

The five-day canoeing trip took him downriver from Maine to New Hampshire. During the day, the group paddled along the Androscog-gin River and at night, they set up camp. “We were encouraged to use non-paper bowls, plates and utensils and washed them by rinsing them with lake and river water,” Huang says. “We didn’t have a campfire, so we used a portable camp stove. All of our meals were vegetarian; there was no meat and we used vegetables that were grown by farmers in the area. Often, the sites we went to didn’t have outhouses, so we used trowels to dig holes for ourselves. We slept under a tarp each night, and every morning, we picked up our trash and carried the bags with us in our canoes until we reached a site that had gar-bage disposal.

“I would say we were spectators of nature. It was just comforting to relax and paddle our way through trees, between mountains and past differ-

ent wildlife. At one point, we spotted a bald eagle. After five days, our eco-logical footprint was nil.”

If you or your club can swing it, consider an alternative spring break like the one Huang experienced. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Take a service trip Past Wisconsin-Upper Michigan

District Governor, Emily Mulloy, now attends Boston University, but her Key Club-bred service mentality traveled with her. In fact, she now serves as an alternative spring break trip coordinator. Check out what she has to say about alternative spring break trips.

“An alternative spring break is ex-actly what it sounds like: a different way to experience your week away from school,” she says. “I’m coordi-nating a trip to Nashville, Tennessee, where my group will build wheel-chair ramps throughout the middle part of the state.”

Emily understands the allure of the beach, but she really thinks everyone should try an “alternative.”

“Often, kids are brought up in such a way that there’s only one option for spring break—to go to Florida, relax and go completely outside the norm of their typical behavior. However, here at BU, we’re trying to take the

fun and relaxation of spring break and combine it with the idea of mak-ing a difference. With more than 30 different trips to locations around the United States and Puerto Rico, col-lege students can see the new places, while also making it a better place,” Mulloy says.

Most trips last five to seven days, with at least five days spent at their service location. The days are spent working with a specific group, such as United Cerebral Palsy, Habitat for Humanity or the Target House, to name just a few. At night, groups can explore the city, meet new peo-ple and eat delicious food, specific to their location.

“I feel that participating in an al-ternative spring break is something that every student should at least try,” she says.

Launch a project at homeThe Key Club of Livonia High

School in New York got involved with Pack, Paddle, Ski—and turned the connection into a great club project.

“My family has been involved with Pack, Paddle, Ski for years,” club president Maggie Hanafin told Pack, Paddle, Ski. Most recently, her parents went on a Kilimanjaro climb. When she read in the PPS newsletter that

Green breakAn environmentally-friendly spring break may

be easier—and more fun—than you thinkBy Shanna Mooney


www.keyclub.org/convention

www.facebook.com/keyclubintnl

A Key Club International program of Kiwanis International

If you like it hot, you’ll love the 2011 Key Club International Convention.

Join us for our annual event in Phoenix, Arizona. We’re gearing up for a

cool experience...in the place the heat calls home.

someone was seeking clothing and other donations, she knew just what to do. After getting enthusiastic approv-al from her club, the group helped put up posters and made announcements throughout the school district.

“Then we decorated big boxes and left them in the schools,” she says. “We had to check them about every other day to empty them because we go so many donations.”

Try a staycationAnother “green break” option:

The staycation. Follow the model of the Kiwanis club travelogue, where someone gives a presentation and members watch a video about a par-ticular destination. Then add a re-lated service project to the mix. Why stop there? Serve snacks from the re-gion and, dress the way the natives do. Walk or bike to the event. Think of all the gas you’ll save!

Green travel programsWork with your Key Club advisor, your parents and your friends to pick a project or organization and get involved. Check out these tour operators:

• Context

• Country Walkers

• Earthwatch Institute

• Ecoventura

• Elevate Destination

• Intrepid Travel

• Kumuka Worldwide

• Pack, Paddle, Ski

• REI Adventure

• Responsibletravel.com

• Seacology

• Sierra Club Outings

• Travel Green Wisconsin

• Undiscovered Country Tours

• Virginia Green

• World Wildlife Fund

No matter your travel style, making tweaks here and

there can make your trip more eco-friendly. Pick and choose from the tips below for your chosen journey:

Start at home. Before you take off, turn off (or at least down) heat and air conditioners, unplug com-puters, televisions and gaming con-soles (they’ll continue to use energy as long as they’re plugged in) and stop newspaper delivery (some papers also allow you to “donate” yours to schools, where they can be delivered there while you’re away).

Use an e-tinerary along with your e-ticket. Why print directions, travel plans, etc. if you don’t have to? Sim-ply access those items through your smart phone.

Reuse your hotel towels. If you don’t see one of those lit-tle cards in the bathroom inform-ing you of that option, put your “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door so the housekeeper doesn’t come in to change towels every day.

Walk, bike or take mass transpor-tation. Many cities also offer walk-ing tours, which is a fun, informative and green way to sightsee.

Research green lodging. The Green Hotel Association brings together people interested in en-vironmental issues and provides members with guidelines and ideas for reducing bills. It also gives you access to the info on-line at greenhotels.com.

Stay at a bed and breakfast. Mom-and-pop-type places have to keep their eye on the bottom line, so they aren’t going to waste much. Many B&Bs support local farmers by offering fresh, local op-tions rather than food shipped in from around the world. No matter where you stay, ask management if they recycle, check to see if they use CFL bulbs in lamps and offer guests the option to reuse their towels, etc.

Camp responsibly. What better way to get closer to the Earth than to camp? Don’t forget to use only local wood purchased at your campground or, if allowed, wood that’s fallen nearby. Don’t burn your trash; take it with you and re-cycle.

Don’t stash trash. When eat-

ing out, take only the amount of condiment packets, napkins, etc. that you’re going to use. And avoid stuffing your bag with free-bies from the brochure rack. Just look for a Web address on the bro-chure, look up the destination on your smart phone and return the brochure to the stand.

Ditch disposables. Break your hoarding habit and donate all those tiny bottles of lotion and shampoo you’ve been collect-ing to a homeless shelter. Just save one of each and reuse them again and again. Stop using new ones in hotels.

—Shanna Mooney

Travel tweaksSimple tips for traveling green


signature servicesignature service

Alabama pThree years ago the Alabama District pledged to raise $150,000 over five years to purchase two rooms at the Benjamin Russell Hospital for Chil-dren. The rooms are for children and teens to forget about treatments and enjoy life. The district has raised more than $60,000 toward its goal.

BahamasThe Bahamas District is working with the Kiwanis Club of Nassau AM on its service projects, especially refurbishing projects the clubs start-ed last year at the Persis Rodgers Home for the Aged. The Key Club-bers replaced tiles and sheetrock and painted rooms and the home’s exterior.

“When we give ourselves in ser-vice, someone is always apprecia-tive of it no matter how big or small. That caring, sharing and service should be our way of life daily,” says

District do-goodersKey Club’s districts show off their signature projects By Adrian Kendrick

Janae Henefield, district governor.

California-Nevada-Hawaii qThe California-Nevada-Hawaii District is focused on Project Shine: Bring light into someone’s life. The project helps improve the lives of

people with special needs.“It’s easy to make a difference. You

don’t have to cure cancer to have an impact. Just taking time out of your day and sharing it with a child makes a huge difference,” says Kathy Hong, lieutenant governor.

CapitalKey Club’s Capital District contrib-utes service to the initiative Opera-tion: Hometown, which involves giving back to the community via education and caregiving. Mem-bers volunteer at schools, libraries, daycare centers, hospitals, homeless shelters, food banks, nursing homes and animal shelters.

Caribbean-AtlanticThe Caribbean Atlantic District does Key 2 Kids: Mentor, inspire, encourage project. It’s similar to the Key Club International initia-tive Live 2 Learn and focuses on improving grades, giving back and growing together. The ses-sions include help with home-

work, storytelling, recycling proj-ects, arts and crafts, educational games and much more.

CarolinasSince 1981 the Carolinas District has been helping The Boys and Girls Club at Lake Waccamaw. The Boys and Girls Club provides care for children, many of whom have been abused and neglected. Key Club members provide time, cloth-ing, food, school supplies, toiletries and more.

Eastern CanadaThis district collaborates with War Child Canada to raise funds and in-crease awareness within schools and the community. War Child assists children whose lives have been tat-tered by conflict, and provides them with means to build a better future.

“I’ve learned a great deal about myself and how everyone should get out into the community and strive to make a difference whether big or small,” says Anh Than, district ser-vice project committee chairwoman.

FloridaThe Florida District project is the Spe-cial Needs Awareness Program. The goals of SNAP include promoting ser-vice to help those with special needs and building awareness and increas-ing communication between the com-munity and those with special needs.

GeorgiaEndorsing the Georgia Sheriff’s Youth Homes as its project, the Geor-gia District donates to the expansion of the Learning Center at the GSYH Campus in LaGrange, Georgia. Each club is expected to raise at least $400 for the project, in order to surpass the district’s goal of $20,000.

Illinois-Eastern IowaThis Key Club district teams up with

its Circle K and Kiwanis counterparts for a district project that benefits the Spasitc Paralysis Research Founda-tion. Together, they provide finan-cial grants to medical and scientific researchers specializing in spastic paralysis and other diseases of the central nervous system.

IndianaIndiana’s district project is Water for Villages. Working with the orga-nization A Simple Thing, Key Club-bers provide water to three villages in the Kavre District, located in the northeastern part of Nepal. Water is installed in a water pumping and piping system from a nearby water source that will take clean, drinkable water to these villages all year round.

JamaicaJamaica’s district project is help-ing beautify Browns Basic School, a small rural community of children who wish to learn and become pro-ductive citizens. The district officers believe this project will significantly help the environment become more conducive to learning.

Kansas pThe Kansas District project is giv-ing back to the elderly for the hard work they did in building and fram-ing America. Key Clubbers volunteer and host Rake and Run, Senior Citi-zens Prom, Majestic Movie Night and Bingo Night.

“What I enjoy the most about this project is that senior citizens seem to be the most thankful people. They are grateful for the simplest of things,” says Brice Peterson, district governor.

Kentucky-TennesseeThe Kentucky-Tennessee District serves the Ronald McDonald House. RMH is a home where families can stay when their children are sick in the hospital. Key Club members donate time to clean and cook for residents. They also raise money to donate so the house can purchase supplies and food.

Louisiana-Mississippi-West TennesseeThis district works with Healthier Eating Always Leads to Happier Years (H.E.A.L.T.H.Y.), which en-

An Alabama District Key Clubber plays dress-up with a patient at the Children’s Hospital of Alabama.

Key Club member, Robert Sedeno, helps an ESL student as part of the Migrant Education program, which prepares students for the start of a new school year.

Key Clubbers Sara Drouhard and Gene Cardone feel accomplished after raking leaves at a local senior citizen center in Harper, Kansas.


signature servicesignature service

courages people to lead healthier lifestyles. The project is divided into two parts: ‘Taking an Action,” which involves volunteers talking to people about specific topics, and “Raise Funds for Diabetes,” which raises money for the American Dia-betes Association.

MichiganOperation Smile is Michigan’s dis-trict project. The nonprofit organiza-tion provides free surgery for chil-dren to repair cleft clip, cleft palate and other facial deformities.

Minnesota-DakotasThe Minnesota District project is Kids Against Hunger. The goal is to eliminate world hunger. Meals are distributed to starving children and their families in more than 60 countries worldwide. To kick off the fundraiser members are hosting a Duct Tape the Governor event,

where people will pay to duct tape the district governor to a wall.

Missouri-ArkansasThis district is encouraging Key Clubs to read books to young chil-dren (preschool through grade four) and then donate books to the class or the library. The district board chose this because of its potential to help the local communities in the district.

MontanaMontana is among the top three states in the nation for teen suicide. The Montana District wants to change that statistic through Project Life, an anti-suicide and anti-bullying project.

“This project isn’t easy to talk about, but talking about it is the best way to lower suicide rates. We make a difference. In a couple years our suicide rates will decrease and that will be the best experience of all,” says Tori Houle, district governor.

Nebraska-Iowa pBy teaming up with Building Tomor-row the Nebraska-Iowa District is helping make the world a better place. Building Tomorrow is a nonprofit or-ganization that raises funds to build schools in subsaharan Africa with the help of schools and colleges. Currently, there are five active schools in Uganda.

New EnglandThe New England Key Club is tack-ling three projects this year. The first is Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Insti-tute, where clubs raise funds to sup-port a Key Club project sponsored by KPTI. Another is Camp Sunshine, where the clubs host fundraisers for families and children with diseases. Finally, the district works with Chil-dren of Peace International, an orga-nization that provides schooling for children in the poorer areas of Viet-nam. New England has provided funds to build a school.

New JerseyThis district is focused on Opera-tion Educate, a program designed to promote both service and education across the state through community involvement. Members may host a book and school supply drive, or plan a visit to their local elementary schools to read or tutor students.

New YorkThe New York District project seeks to reach children and senior citizens through reading and education. The project, Keys to Education, ranges from reading a book to children at a local library to teaching a group of people how to play basketball.

OhioThrough the district project Lend a Hand, Key Club members can direct-ly serve others.

“Hands represent connectedness to the rest of the world. When you inter-act with those you are helping, you can see the good you do right in front of your eyes,” says Michael Murray, district governor.

Pacific NorthwestThis district works with Surgical Im-plant Generation Network (SIGN), which builds medical clinics that treat patients who have suffered trauma or severe bone fractures. The Pacific Northwest District has a goal of raising $25,000 to build a medical clinic in Tanzania.

“It really astounds me how much a group of high school students can ac-complish when they have a common goal and a passion for service,” says Caitlin Snaring, district governor.

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania is working with Cait-lin’s Smiles for its statewide Youth Serving Youth project. The organi-zation and the district aim to help children with chronic and life-threat-

ening illnesses by giving them hope, laughs and smiles. The program was named in memory of Caitlin Mary Hornung, who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 1997.

Rocky MountainThe Rocky Mountain District’s proj-ect is to raise $25,000 to finish a school in Sapa, Vietnam, for Children of Peace International. The moun-tainous village will serve as the only school in Northern Vietnam to teach indigenous children.

“The most significant thing we can give is the opportunity of a bet-ter education to thousands of kids, as long as we work as one,” says Jared James, district governor.

SouthwestThe Southwest District will be sup-porting the Beads of Courage Pro-gram, whose goal is to provide sup-port to children who are coping with serious diseases. The organization also supports the childrens’ families and their healthcare providers.

Texas-OklahomaSelecting Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation as its district proj-ect, the Texas-Oklahoma District hopes to knock out cancer for

good—one cup at a time.

West VirginiaOne of life’s necessities is food, and the West Virginia District is making sure it can provide enough for those in need. Through food drives and fundraisers, the district is helping Food for Thought.

“Together everyone can make a dif-ference and help those in need. One can of food at a time,” says Philip Mickinae, district governor.

Western CanadaSupporting Free the Children, the West-ern Canada District is doing a combi-nation of two projects, Thousand-mile Week and the Brick by Brick project. The Thousand-mile Week uses a week of fundraisers and awareness events to highlight the importance of empower-ing communities through long-term sustainable development. Through the Brick by Brick project, the district helps build a school for children in a third-world country of their choice.

Wisconsin-Upper Michigan qThis district is participating in Fight-ing Hunger. Clubs are not only col-lecting food for those in need, but they also raise awareness in commu-nities across the state.

The Nebraska-Iowa District sold paper airplanes at the Kiwanis district convention, Whoever landed his airplane closest to the laundry basket filled with Key Club goodies won the basket. The fundraiser raised over $200 for Building Tomorrow.

Key Club member Lily Brunner expresses her triumph after a successful food drive, where more than 25,000 pounds of food was donated to Fighting Hunger.


W hat price would you put on education? It’s priceless, right? Now, how about a school? Nothing fancy, just a place where children can go to

learn. A couple of million bucks? What about US$7,500? Sounds crazy, right?Not according to One Dollar for Life and all 24 of Hawaii’s Key Clubs that

are edging closer to meeting their fundraising goal of $7,500 to do just that.“ODFL helps Key Clubs organize fundraisers on their campuses,

where every student is invited to give just one dollar,” says Robert Freeman, ODFL founder and member of the Kiwanis Club of Palo Alto, California, on his website, www.odfl.org. “We use that money to build schools and other projects in the developing world. The result is magical: bigger people here and a better world out there.”

In this case, “out there” is the remote Indonesian village of Manikaji, cho-sen because of Hawaii’s Pacific Ocean location.

“We were looking for something to do as an entire state, so we could make a big impact” says David Ochoco, Kauai High School Key Club member and Division 22 lieutenant gov-ernor. “At first it was hard to imagine that one dollar could do very much. But when we saw the effect of putting lots of dollars together, we

Children in Indonesia stand in front of their almost-finished new school which was funded in part by donations from California-Nevada-Hawaii Key Clubs. Key Clubs in Hawaii are funding another new school this year.

One Dollar For Life representative Robyn Freeman (left) meets with Hawaii Division 22 Lieutenant Governor David Ochoco (center) and Service Project

Chairperson Nicholas Pang (right) to plan a new school in Indonesia.


The impact of a buckHawaii clubs help Indonesian schools with One Dollar for Life By Shanna Mooney

realized the impact could really be quite large.”

“Our kids raised about $9 apiece,” says Nicholas Pang, Divi-sion 22 service project chairperson and Hilo High School Key Club member. “When you think about it, that’s not that hard, but when you realize what it makes possible, it’s almost unbelievable.”

Charlene Masuhara, Hilo club advisor, says club members knew the project was a good fit for a number of reasons: “Every dollar a student gives goes into an actual school-building project. That was important to us,” she says.

Masuhara also noted that the stu-dents wanted to build something

tangible, something that would help children, something that would be there for many years. “We want our students to feel that their contributions make a real dif-ference in the world,” she says.

Indeed, Pang realizes that. “This project is truly inspirational. We have the ability to help to give the gift of literacy to multiple genera-tions of people in a remote part of Indonesia. That fact alone stops you in awe.”

Ochoco agrees. “The best thing about this project is knowing how far our money can go to help ben-efit others who are in need of aid,” he says. “To be a part of this fund-raiser helps us see how much of an

impact we can have on the lives of other people.”

From bake sales and penny wars to simple donation jars, all Hawaii clubs pitched in to do their part—and it was clear from the concep-tion of this project that everyone was on board, Pang says.

“The project was initiated by an ODFL speaker who attended our regional training conference to share information about the pro-gram,” he says. “After the speaker finished, we challenged the mem-bers at the conference to raise as much money as possible in 15 minutes.” In those 15 minutes, the clubs raised more than $150—a great kickoff for the project.

spotlight spotlight

Statements of Financial Position 2010 2009Assets:Cash and equivalents $ 774,973 $ 280,125Investments 1,010,237 887,144Other assets 122,886 194,441

TOTAL ASSETS $ 1,908,096 $ 1,361,710Liabilities & net assets:Due to Kiwanis International $ 262,881 $ 199,191Other liabilities 4,218 939Net assets-unrestricted 1,511,512 1,161,580Net assets-temporarily restricted 129,485 -

TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS $ 1,908,096 $ 1,361,710Statements of Activities 2010 2009Revenues:Membership dues $ 1,609,390 $ 1,543,858Convention fees 270,358 227,949Investment income (loss) 123,130 65,315Subsidies from Kiwanis International 264,411 152,965Advertising and other 21,605 29,460Contributions 798,192 -

TOTAL REVENUES $ 3,087,086 $ 2,019,547Expenses:Governance $ 94,436 $ 95,498Convention 333,456 245,563Leadership, education and development 611,238 620,205Magazine 132,902 245,759Membership services 405,272 383,739Marketing 133,299 92,480Grant expense 668,707 -General and administrative 228,359 214,639

TOTAL EXPENSES $ 2,607,669 $ 1,897,883SURPLUS (DEFICIT) $ 479,417 $ 121,664

Paid Membership Paid Clubs

245,607 2004 4,786

243,422 2005 4,812

238,071 2006 4,847

244,106 2007 4,900

244,175 2008 4,930

249,619 2009 4,945

259,469 2010 4,989

5.6% since 2004 4.2%

3.9% since 2009 0.9%

Key Club annual report 2009–2010

Key Club International presents its 2009-2010 financial statement. For a copy of the audit report, send your written request to:

Kiwanis InternationalAttn: Audit Report3636 Woodview TraceIndianapolis, IN 46268

or e-mail your request to:[email protected].

Years ended September 30


YOU’VE MADE CONNECTIONS.NOW MAKE THEM LAST.[ ]

Alumni www.keyclub.org/alumni

Graduating soon? With the Key Club International Alumni Association, you can stay connected.

Join now. Membership is free! Read about upcoming events. And keep up to date with Key Clubbers.

Register by May 1, 2011—and be eligible to win a $100 cash gift card.

Join the Key Club International Alumni Association today!

Go to www.keyclub.org/alumni.

spotlight

Once a year children celebrate the day they were born: their birthday. Balloons, cake and presents usually are part of this special day.

Unfortunately, not everyone is able to celebrate their birthday with such festivities. That’s why Blackman High School Key Club in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, decided to make a change.

On October 23, the club hosted a Candlewishes Party. Candlewishes, an organization started by Blackman alumnus Jenny Williams, grants under-privileged children the opportunity to have a birthday party they would not otherwise receive.

“Providing the children with the best possible birthday we could was our greatest challenge,” says Wesley Porter, president of the Blackman High School Key Club. Porter and the club of-ficers approached the task with open minds, a multitude of ideas and hard work.

More than 50 children participated in face painting, piñatas and more. At the conclusion of the party, the children received a bag full of their requested wishes. Parents joined the students in the special occasion.

Projects like the Candlewishes Party can be time consuming, but the reward of providing so many children with a great birthday they’ll al-ways remember is “truly priceless,” Porter says.

Granting wishesA Tennessee Key Club made 50 kids’ wishes come true

at a one-of-a-kind birthday party By Adrian Kendrick


spotlight

I t’s rainy and cold outside, and 120 kids along with four chaperones are all out on a football field, snuggled up in their beds for the night—in a cardboard box. Trading a warm, comfortable bed for a cardboard box may not sound appealing.

Yet the Fridley High School Key Club sought to experience how the homeless live, through a September fundraiser called Homeless Sleepout.

Students grabbed as many boxes as they could to build their temporary homes. Some even decorated their homes with spray paint. To entertain themselves, Key Clubbers played touch football, walked around the track or listened to music.

“This project is one of those things that make our Key Club fun and popular within our school. It gets people interested and leads to growth in the club and money being raised,” says Haley Solz, junior representative of Fridley Key Club.

The students who participated in the sleepout found sponsors and collected pledges to stay in a box all night on the football field. The money raised will benefit a local charity. This fall’s event raised US$1,555, topping last year’s profits.

Member Alison Ranum says the fundraiser is a great way to have fun while earning money for Key Club.

“Hopefully other clubs can start their own type of Homeless Sleepout, or something similar to generate participation and raise money for a good cause. This is a really great project. Hopefully our success will in-fluence other clubs to try new projects,” Ranum says.

Trading spacesKey Club members spend the night outside to raise money

and awareness for homelessness By Adrian Kendrick

In September, 120 Fridley High School Key Club members camped out in cardboard boxes on the school’s football field to raise money for and awareness about homelessness. The club raised $1,555 for the cause and donated it to a local charity.

your space

Gettin’ piggy with itCoffee High School Key Club Advisor Denise Fountain submitted this photo

of Key Clubbers Dru Betts and Meagan Thomason posing with Porky Pig at Six Flags Over Georgia. The Key Club members attended the Georgia Leader-ship Training Conference and received club officer training, helpful hints and materials to help them lead their Key Clubs throughout the year. At the end of the conference, the Key Clubbers got to ride coasters and play carnival games inside the amusement park.

Facebook feedbackWe ask a lot of questions on our Facebook page. We also get a lot of good

answers. Here’s a great example. See what your fellow Key Clubbers have to say below and join the discussion online.

Q: We know that Key Club helps lots of people in need, but how has it helped you?

A: Key Club gave me exactly what I wanted. I wanted the chance to help people who need it. It also gave me what I needed. The chance to become a leader, as well as the ability to put myself out into the world and make friends no matter where they are from.

Ryan Edquist, Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District

It’s helped me find ways to help my community and make it better. It’s also helped me change peoples’ lives. Even though I don’t always meet everyone we help I know we’re making a difference. And for that I’m glad I found Key Club. It has changed me for the better and for that I will always be thankful. Key Club rocks my socks!!

Nahomi Torres, Florida District

It’s helped me realize who I truly am. It’s given a new goal, not only for my senior year at high school, but for my life. Helping others is a wonderful feel-ing, and I don’t ever wanna let go of this feeling.

Gurleen Kaur

Random thoughtsWhat’s your best tip for running a club meeting?

“Make meetings fun. If you don’t enjoy them then other people won’t either.”

Christina Heifferein, 17

Patchogue-Medford High School, New York

“Involve everyone. If they aren’t involved in the meeting, they won’t be involved in service.”

Adam Quinn, 18

Decatur Heritage Christian Academy, Alabama

“Always have icebreakers.”

Katherine Jones, 15

Harrison College, Barbados

“Don’t let me run it.”

Phil Poulette, 15

Malta High School, Montana

“Be organized! Know what to do, when to do it and how to get it done.”

Bo Woo, 16

Liberty High School, Washington

“Bring food.”

Katie Fitzgerald, 16

North Hagerstown High School, Maryland


Max had his first surgery when he was 3 days old.

He’s had holes in his heart repaired and overcame a lung collapse.

But you can see hope in Max’s eyes. He’s a

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® raises funds

for 170 children’s hospitals across North America,

which, in turn, use the money where it’s needed

the most. When a donation is given it stays in the

community, ensuring that every dollar is helping

local kids. These donations have gone to support

research and training, purchase equipment, and

pay for uncompensated care, all in support of our

mission to save and improve the lives of as many

children as possible. Children just like Max.

CMNHospitals.org

real miracle

Take steps to help moms have healthy pregnancies and save babies’ lives.marchforbabies.org/Kiwanis

Join Key Club in March for Babies this spring!

© 2

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Mar

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f D

imes

Fo

und

atio

n

www.key-leader.org

care.Like you

About your life. About your future. About your world.

Go to a Key Leader weekend—and feel the rush of discovery. Meet teens who share your desire to make a difference. Learn new things about your potential for leadership. Experience an event you’ll never forget. For dates and locations, go to www.key-leader.org.

WHAT IF YOU COULD SAVE A BABY’S LIFE?With The Eliminate Project, you can. Maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) kills one

baby every nine minutes. But three doses of a 60-cent vaccine can protect babies—

and their mothers too. Kiwanis and UNICEF have joined forces to bring this vaccine

to 39 countries, eliminating MNT from the face of the Earth. What can you do now?

Grow your club, because you’ll need strength to take on the challenges of the cam-

paign. Learn about MNT, and advocate for the cause. Over the next five years, the

work you do will change the world. Find resources at www.TheEliminateProject.org.

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