key ring may 2016

KEY RINGTHE

The official publication of the Georgia District of Key Club International

District ConventionAward winners, exciting workshops, and more!

PLUS:GSYH New learning center

Meet your newdistrict board!

International Convention

July 5-10Right here in

Atlanta!

MAY 2016

In This Issue...District HighlightsClub Spotlight: My Favorite Key Club Memory

Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes Groundbreaking A brand new education center in Chatsworth!

Mission Complete: District Convention Re-Cap

2016 International Convention in Atlanta, Georgia

Meet your 2015-2016 District Board

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Key Clubbers participate in the GSYH 3K Walk

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Table of ContentsLetter from Governor Minyoung

Letter from District Secretary-Treasurer

Club Spotlight

Youth Opportunities Fund

The Eliminate Project & Kiwanis Family

Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes (GSYH)

GSYH Groundbreaking

District Convention Re-Cap

International Convention

Meet the 2016-2017 District Board

Club Fundraisers & Service Projects

Key Club Service Partners, Vision Partners & Co-Sponsors

Public Relations and Contests & Policies Committee Updates

Editor’s Note and Contact Information for District Executive Officers

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Greetings Key Clubbers!

My name is Minyoung Kim and I am your 2016-2017 Governor of the Georgia District of Key Club International. First, I would like to thank all the District Convention attendees who helped the convention go smoothly. We, as the Georgia District, reached our goal of $27,000 for the district project- Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes and raised over $10,000 for the Eliminate Project, saving 5,709 mothers and all of their future babies from maternal and neonatal tetanus. I would say that our 2016 District Convention was a mission accomplished! I hope that it was an enjoyable experience for all of you.

I am excited to serve the Georgia District into new heights and expand beyond our goals. Together, we will have an amazing year serving our homes, schools, and communities. This year, the Georgia District has planned for new objectives to achieve, such as raising funds for the district and international projects, increasing attendance at district events, and keeping close ties with our Kiwanis Family. At our district board training in Macon, the new district board has already started planning for our upcoming events.

This July, Key Clubbers from 33 districts will join together in Atlanta to celebrate another great year of service! I am thrilled to have the International Convention here in Georgia and to be a part of the host committee. Especially if you missed out on attending District Convention this year, I truly hope you will be able to attend the 2016 International Convention.

I thank you again to those of you who attended District Convention, and I hope to see you again at the 2017 District Convention at St. Simons Island! In addition, I would like to invite everyone to attend our next district event: Georgia Leadership Training Conference on August 27, 2016 at Six Flags Over Georgia. There, you will receive club officer training, meet other passionate leaders, and have a blast riding some rollercoasters!

Thank you for serving the Georgia District and I look forward to working with all of you.

Yours in Friendship & Service, Minyoung Kim2016-2017 District Governor

Hello Georgia Key Clubbers!

Allow me first to thank you once again for electing me as your 2016-2017 District Secretary-Treasurer! It’s truly an honor to serve you in this position! Here are some updates on club officer information and paid dues:

As you may know, club dues are $14 per person; club advisers submit this money to Key Club International. They can do that at gakeyclub.org/dues. Dues for the 2015-2016 year are still being accepted, so it’s time to get that money in and keep your club from entering suspended status! The deadlines for the 2016-2017 year are October 1, 2016 for Early Bird, November 1, 2016 for standard, and clubs that are unpaid after December 1, 2016 are put on delinquent status.

In addition, we are currently accepting officer information for the 2016-2017 year. Club officers are supposed to be elected prior to the district convention, so if you haven’t held them yet, get on it ASAP! This will give your new officers time to learn from the previous ones! To submit officer information, simply get the name, email, and number of your adviser, president, V.P, secretary, treasurer, or any other officers you might have. Then fill out the form found on gakeyclub.org/officerinfo. This will allow us to communicate with you about fundraising ideas, district events, and SO much more!

I can’t wait to meet all of your newly elected secretaries and treasurers at the 2016 Georgia Leadership Training Conference in Six Flags on Saturday, August 27th, and even more of you at the 2016 Key Club International Convention in Atlanta!!

Also, if you have any questions for me throughout the year, I’m here! Just drop me an email or text/call me at [email protected] or (912)-424-1075! I’m happy to help and will do anything I can to solve any problems you may have!

Yours in service,Andrew McGraw2016-2017 District Secretary-Treasurer

Letter from the Secretary-Treasurer

Favorite Key Club Memories of the YearWith the school year coming to an end, we thought we should share with you the most remarkable projects and service we completed!

DCON: A Refreshing Experience By Taylor Hatfield, Lt. Governor of Div. 3

My freshman year in Key Club has been amazing! I’ve built so many relationships and created so many memories that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life!

My favorite Key Club memory was our trip to District Convention this past March. There’s nothing that will bond your club members to each other more than traveling together on a bus and fighting side by side for a common cause. That’s what Key Club is all about, and that’s what we got to do at District Convention.

One of the most remarkable parts of the trip was the Awareness Walk for Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes. We all paid $10 to get a T-shirt and donate to the Youth Homes Fund. The next morning, we all went on an Awareness Walk through Peachtree Corners, Georgia. It was such a fun and easy way to raise awareness, and we raised so much money for the Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes just by taking a walk with our friends!

We also had a great time learning together about Key Club and the organizations we serve. I think we were all more passionate about Key Club after we left District Convention. I love Key Club, and I am so thankful for the relationships, opportunities, and memories that I have because of this organization!K

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Favorite Key Club Memories of the YearChilling at the IceboxBy Hagan Gantz, Lt. Governor of Div. 6

One of my favorite service projects that we did for my Key Club at Westside High School would have to be the clean-up and gardening at Icebox Ministries in the Historical Harrisburg Community. Icebox Ministries is a farm that practices sustainable agriculture while reaching out to better the community. We started our day just meeting up at the site and discussing what our jobs would be. Tasha Alison, the director of Icebox Ministries, warmly greeted us as we entered the backyard of the home base for their operation. She made the the final decision to split us up into groups to paint the house, move mulch, and take out old fencing. Everything was old; it was probably the original items put on the property when it was first built and used as a mill home for the Augusta Mills Enterprise Branch. The fence was so aged that it was a major hazard and needed to be taken out immediately. It was deeply rooted into the soil and into a tree that had grown and connected to it. The task was long and painstaking, but when we finally got it out we had accomplished the most important task assigned. Afterwards, we started planting the boxes, where they now grow the food. This food is then distributed for free to a community in poverty.

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Family Day Fun

By Alli Dunn, Lt. Governor of Div. 9

One of my favorite memories from Key Club last year was helping out at Kiwanis Family Day, an event for the community, at the Albany Museum of Art on March 12, 2016. It is held twice a year, once in the fall and again in spring. This was my fourth time helping out. All the members of my club and some Kiwanians were stationed at different tables and areas to help the kids make Easter and earth day crafts. I helped out at two different tables. I helped the kids make cute Easter foam doorknob hangers and earth day picture frames using foam stickers and string. I loved talking to the kids as they made their crafts and seeing each of them creating their own unique design. I got to hear about their favorite activities and to see their smiles as they finished their crafts. I loved seeing brothers and sisters working together and helping each other make their crafts. One little girl told me about how much she loved making the crafts and how she had worn her special bunny shirt just for that day. As I helped the kids, their happiness and excitement was contagious to everyone in the room. When they worked together they smiled, laughed and had a great time. I also saw parents helping their children, and I could see how much they loved each other. I love helping out at Family Day, because I am able to see how families work together and show their love for each other.

Favorite Key Club Memories of the YearDCON DCON!

By Ameya Chander, Lt. Governor of Div. 12

Two hundred and thirty-one Key Clubbers. Seventy two hours. One conference filled with happiness and a lifetime of memories.

District convention (DCON) was by far my favorite Key Club memory. Every year, Key Clubbers statewide gather at the district convention, where clubs can see what the Georgia district of Key Club, as a whole, had accomplished over the year. Honestly, at my first convention, I didn’t know what to expect. Who would I talk to? What would we do? Is it fun? Let me tell you - it was one of the best experiences in my year.

My favorite part of DCON was that we truly learned more about servant leadership and all the amazing opportunities Key Club has to offer. We get to meet new people, participate in engaging leadership and service

sessions, and compete in various contests such as scrapbook and film. In fact, I did the oratorical contest this year and won first place! Also, during the

2015 district convention, we played a game to find our “one true match”, and I’m still best friends with my match today.

District convention was honestly such a spectacular experience and I cannot wait to see what is in store for the upcoming year. Alone we can do little, but together we

can accomplish so much. I am excited to serve as the lieutenant governor of division 12 and to achieve a year full of great results and wonderful memories with you all.

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My experience with Key Club has been phenomenal. My home club at Alcovy High School has done many service projects throughout the years. My favorite one that we participate in annually is when we go to our city’s local homeless shelter and spend Christmas with all of the residents there. We usually go about a week before Christmas. The residents and Key Clubbers bond through fun activities like playing bingo, singing Christmas carols, and listening to the band play their tunes. The experience is eye-opening whether you’ve been there one time or five times. All of the children are great, and they love getting to sit on Santa Claus’s lap and whisper what they want for Christmas. Everyone there is very thankful and it makes me feel like a more fulfilled and understanding person when I walk out.

Christmas with Santa

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By Rebecca Skelton, Lt. Governor of Div. 15

Youth Opportunities Fund

The Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) is an endowed fund for Key Club International held within the Kiwanis International Foundation.

This fund uses earned interest to help Key Clubs and Key Club members serve the world by providing grants for service opportunities. The Youth Opportunities Fund is established through gifts to the G. Harold Martin Fellowships.

YOF grants can help you take action. Look around and identify the things that need to get done in your school, community or world.

THE NEW APPLICATION WILL BE AVAILABLE IN JULY.

YOF grants are given only to Key Clubs and/or club members.There is only one funding cycle for the Youth Opportunities Fund. The application must be received by October 15 at 11:59PM EST.Clubs may request funding assistance ranging anywhere from US$100 to US$2,000. The committee typically funds those clubs who are asking for a portion of the total cost of the project, and clubs who are working with other organizations to fund and complete the project. There is one funding cycle for YOF grants per year. Applications received by October 15 at 11:59 PM EST are reviewed by the Key Club International YOF committee at their November meeting. Funding notifications are mailed no later than January first each year.Applicants must use the current YOF grant application. Previous years' applications will not be accepted.Guidelines for filing the application are also listed in the Key Club Guidebook under Board Policies.

Applications can be mailed to:

Kiwanis InternationalAttn: YOF Application/Nicole Harris3636 Woodview TraceIndianapolis, IN 46268 3196, USA

Applications can also be faxed to 1 -317- 879- 0204 or emailed to [email protected].

By Jose Ramirez, Major Emphasis & Kiwanis Family Chair

It is a new Key Club year, and the Kiwanis Family/Major Emphasis committee is ready to plan a record-breaking one for our Georgia District. The 2015-2016 Key Club year was amazing; we raised $10,275.51 for the Eliminate Project, an organization between Kiwanis and UNICEF that helps end maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) around the world. This disease affects not only mothers, but also innocent babies, killing one newborn every eleven minutes.

There are only twenty one countries left with this terrible disease, and that is why the Major Emphasis committee set a goal of $14,000 to be donated to the Eliminate Project. As an individual club, your goal is $250, which can earn your club a patch to put on your banner. This will help us get closer to the Eliminate Project goal: $110 million!

Our committee encourages every club to not just raise funds, but also increase the awareness of MNT, because an informed public can make the most change. You can take advantage of doing this in the upcoming Eliminate Week (May 2-6). At our district convention in March, we had a fun “Race to Eliminate” scavenger hunt where winners were crowned “Agent Eliminate.” Congratulations to Agents Diana Flores, Kelly Flores, Harry Mohamed, and Vyom Shah for being on the top two winning teams. Please find out more about the Eliminate Project and Eliminate Week at http://sites.kiwanis.org/Kiwanis/en/theELIMINATEproject/ Let’s make 2016 a year of success by eliminating MNT from the world!

As you may or may not know, Key Club’s major emphasis is Children: Their future, our focus. You, as members, are crucial for the success of Key Club. So we challenge you to interact with the entire Kiwanis family: K-Kids, Builders Club, Key Club, Circle-K, Kiwanis, and Aktion. Having communication between the Kiwanis family can help your fundraising and awareness for projects such as Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF and so much more! One of the best ways to start is by attending Kiwanis Family Day which will be on October 15, 2016 at Georgia Tech. We will be hard at work over the next several months promoting and perfecting the event for Key Clubbers. Please plan to attend and visit gakeyclub.org/kiwanisfamilyday for more information. Each ticket purchased is a donation to the Eliminate Project!

Our year starts today! So plan to meet your goals, advocate for the Key Club Major Emphasis, stay in touch with your Kiwanis Family, and make this a memorable year!

Key Club’s Major Emphasis & the Kiwanis Family

The Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth HomesBy Peter Vuong, District Projects Chair

Hey Key Clubbers! Welcome to a new club year, a new opportunity to expand Key Club and our cause. I hope you had fun raising

money for the Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes (GSYH) last year. It is amazing that we hit our goal of $27,000. Thank you to all for your hard work and dedication into aiding the futures of these deserving children.

Many of you do not know me, but that is not a problem. You will hear from me so much that you will get bored by me. My name is Peter Vuong from and I am from

Dunwoody Key Club, and I am super excited to serve as your new District Projects Chair!

This year we will be continuing our support for Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes. Specifically, our funds raised will go to the Foundation for Education project, which provides the money to build a new education center at the Mountainview campus in Chatsworth. Key Club has pledged to raise $120,000 by the end of 2019.

The District Projects committee has decided to keep $27,000 as the district goal for this Key Club year. We will continue with the #my375 campaign, which encourages every club member in the district to raise only $3.75. If this is fulfilled, we will have no problem hitting the $27,000 mark. However, we would need everyone to contribute. Whether you host car washes, have bake sales, or even sell pizza, we highly encourage for you to support the future of our peers.

For more information, visit www.georgiasheriffsyouth.org.

GSYH Ground Breaking of New Education Center!

By Amanda Lang, Public Relations Chair

Dozens of Kiwanians, Key Clubbers, and Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes (GSYH) residents gathered on Saturday, April 16th to celebrate the ribbon cutting ceremony for the grand opening of a brand-new education center at the Mountainview campus in Chatsworth, Georgia. Because it was a community event, people living in the area even came to watch the opening of the new education center, along with multiple sheriffs.

The scenery was vivid and bright, and the air filled with excited chatter and a new-house smell. From the outside, the new building looked small and rigid. Upon opening the doors though, dwellers could easily see the coziness and comfort of the education center, already furnished with desks, computers, chairs, and offices. It was a hot day, but luckily, the building had air conditioning.

Key Club’s own district administrator, Brad Malone, and immediate past District Projects chair, Emma Johnson, were chosen to do the honor of cutting the ribbon. The new center appeared small from the outside, but was felt cozy and comfortable in the inside. The view, too was incredible: standing at the center, you could see vast expanses of tree-topped mountains.

Residents of the Mountainview campus were smiley and jittery, excited to enter the new building and take advantage of its resources. The education center was named “The Georgia District of Key Club International Office/Education Center” because Key Club pledged to raise $120,000 by 2019 to build it and providing these kids with an education, a gift that will last a lifetime.

Shayne Goddard, the Division Director of Development/Properties and Facilities, said, “It [education] allows us to start building the bricks that they need for a strong foundation in life.” It is important that we continue our support for this amazing organization that affects thousands of children’s lives and shapes them into dedicated, caring citizens.

How can I help?

Make an online donation (up to $2000) at gakeyclub.org/donate

Or mail a check, payable to “Georgia District Key Club” to:Georgia District Key ClubAttn: Project AccountP.O. Box 6618Macon, GA 31208

To learn more about Key Club’s partnership with GSYH, visit www.gakeyclub.org/gsyh.

By Amanda Lang, District Bulletin Editor

On Friday, March 18th, two hundred and thirty-one weary-eyed travelers from all over Georgia joined together to learn about and celebrate the accomplishments of the 2015-2016 Key Club year.

Attendees kicked off the weekend by breezing past an energetic registration room, where they met all of the board members and signed up for talent, oratorical, and quiz bowl contests. They also previewed our service fair, which included tables with information on the Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes, Circle K, Key Leader, and Yuda Bands.

In the first workshop session, members could choose between Key Club 101, presented by International Trustee Giselle Campbell, Club Officer Training presented by the Executive Board, or Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a Key Club preferred charity, presented by Beth Agee, the program coordinator for CMNH.

In the next round of workshops, Key Clubbers had even more options. They could learn more about the District Project, the Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes, presented by Shayne Goddard, the Director of Development or explore the world of Circle K, presented by its very own 2015-2016 Governor James Braswell and administrator Brent Leslie. In another room, there was a presentation about Yuda Bands, presented by Phillip Whiting, the project supervisor. Daryll Gumz, the Georgia District Key Leader Chair, also presented about Key Leader, a weekend of service, leadership, and learning.

Friday night’s opening session included positive remarks from Circle K Governor James Braswell. Yuda Band project supervisor Phillip Whiting told an inspiring story of how the number of Yuda Bands Key Clubbers bought at convention amounted to almost enough to pay for a child’s education. Then came the Eliminate Project presentation, where it was revealed that the Georgia District of Key Club International raised $10,275.51 this year, enough to save 5,709 mothers and their babies from maternal and neonatal tetanus!

Mission Complete

2016 District Convention:

Immediately following the session, we were treated to a comedy hypnotist show by Tim Triplett, who hypnotized district administrator Brad Malone to shout "Only YOU can prevent forest fires!" without any memory of anything that went on.

The following morning, members met to raise awareness for the annual Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes 3K Walk. After that, they changed into spiffy outfits for caucusing and lieutenant governor elections. The third workshop was full of lively entertaining options: you could learn how to swing dance, improve your public speaking skills, or become a better team leader through fun group exercises. Then there was the Race to Eliminate, as teams of two explored different areas of the hotel, distracting employees as the Key Clubbers answered trivia questions and completed fun challenges.

Later that day, a service project was held for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals by making colorful no-slip socks for the patients at CMN hospitals. Dozens of Key Clubbers attended and bonded while doing service for one of Key Club’s preferred charities.

Finally, it was banquet time. We were treated with three amazing performances, including a Chinese yo-yo show.

In addition, we raised a whopping $27,000 for the district project, Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes “Foundation for Education”, so that they could build a new learning center in Chatsworth. This was an incredible feat and brought us closer to reaching our GSYH goal of raising $120,000 by 2019.

On Sunday morning’s Farewell Brunch, Giselle Campbell, international trustee, invited the Georgia District to International Convention, which will be held right in our backyard of Atlanta July 5-10.

Kiwanis Governor Richard Dixon lauded the Georgia District of Key Club’s amazing accomplishments and retired the 2015-2016 District Board. Carol Wisdom, Kiwanis Governor-elect, installed the 2016-2017 District Board and added that our momentum as an organization will continue to augment into the new Key Club year.

Congrats to Amanda Lang, Andrew McGraw, and Minyoung Kim for being elected into the respective positions of District Bulletin Editor, Secretary-Treasurer, Governor. It was bittersweet to see the 2015-2016 year breeze by, but the new Key Club year is sure to be a fine one, full of more fantastic achievements and dedication to service.

Congratulations to the following individuals and clubs awarded:Outstanding Club OfficerPRESIDENT Jake Kwon, Lambert High School Emma Johnson, Glynn Academy Annalise Barron, Habersham HighVICE PRESIDENT Carmen Liu, Peachtree Ridge High SchoolTREASURER Abigail May So, Lambert High School Emmie Landford, Glynn Academy

Governor’s Service MedallionsBill LieberAlexia LieberJames BraswellRichard Dixon

Eliminate Board Goal Recipients Leslie Hodnett, Lt. Governor of Division 5Emmie Landford, Lt. Governor of Divisions 6 and 13Minyoung Kim, Lt. Governor of Division 14Mina Jeong, Policies & Contests Committee Chair and District TreasurerAnnalise Barron, District SecretaryAmanda Lang, Major Emphasis & Kiwanis Family Chair

Ted C. Harris Growth Award Emmie Landford, Lt. Governor of Divisions 6 and 13Sarah Neal, Lt. Governor of Division 4Tyler Jones, District Governor

Strive for Twenty-Five Membership Growth Award1st place: Central High School (Macon) with a 150% increase!

Talent Contest Participation AwardMegan Oliver, Habersham Central High SchoolJanaye Masters, Chapel Hill High SchoolJason Lin, Tallulah Falls School

Oratory Contest1st place: Ameya Chander, Peachtree Ridge High School2nd place: Roopa Patel, Valdosta High School

GSYH Awareness Award1st place: Habersham Central High School

GSYH Fundraising Award1st place: Glynn Academy, $95.23/member2nd place: Habersham Central High School, $40.92/member

GSYH “TOP Contributor”Key Club of Glynn Academy, $4418.48

J. Marion Brantley Outstanding Key ClubberRebecca Braun, Chestatee High School

Sandy Nininger MedalEmma Johnson, Glynn Academy

Walter Daven Stapleton Outstanding Club Officer ScholarshipAbigail May So, Treasurer of Lambert High School

John C. Thompson Outstanding Kiwanis AdvisorCate Gooch-Coolidge, Kiwanis Club of Brunswick

Endorsed Project Award1st place: Glynn Academy – CMN 2nd place: Central High School – MoD 3rd place: Habersham Central High School – MoD

Service Initiative Award1st place: Colquitt County High School, 32% participation with $10/member2nd place: Habersham Central High School, 42% participation with $5/member

KCI Major Emphasis1st place: Habersham Central

Georgia District Leadership ScholarshipSherine Kullman, Morgan County High SchoolHanna Thompson, Colquitt County High SchoolCarmen Jia Min Liu, Peachtree Ridge High SchoolEmma Leigh Johnson, Glynn Academy

S. Michael Goss Outstanding Faculty AdvisorDarlene Butler, Southwest Georgia Homeschool Association

Georgia District Key Club T-Shirt Contest1st place: Flowery Branch High School2nd place: North Atlanta High School

Dr. Robert Barron Outstanding Community ServiceGlynn AcademyTallulah Falls SchoolColquitt County High SchoolValdosta High SchoolHabersham Central High SchoolCentral High School

Georgia District Key Club Quiz Bowl1st place: Southwest Georgia Homeschool Association2nd place: Tallulah Falls School

KCI Non-Traditional Scrapbook1st place: Tallulah Falls School2nd place: Southwest Georgia Homeschool Association

KCI Traditional Scrapbook1st place: Southwest Georgia Homeschool Association2nd place: Chestatee High School

KCI Single ServiceBRONZE 1st place: Chestatee High SchoolSILVER 1st place: Tallulah Falls SchoolGOLD 1st place: Habersham Central High SchoolPLATINUM 1st place: Chapel Hill High School 2nd place: Flowery Branch High School

KCI Promotional Video1st place: Habersham Central High School2nd place: Glynn Academy

KCI Non-Digital Club Poster1st place: Glynn Academy2nd place: Tallulah Falls School

KCI Digital Club Poster1st place: Lambert High School2nd place: Chapel Hill High School

KCI Annual Achievement Report Award1st place: Habersham Central High School2nd place: Tallulah Falls School

KCI Distinguished Club Diamond LevelHabersham Central High School

KCI Distinguished ClubTallulah Falls School

Frank J. Powers “District Administrator’s Award”Kelsey Meiring, Georgia District Key Club, Assistant Administrator

Outstanding District Board MemberHaley Davidson, Lt. Governor of Division 3

Governor’s AwardRyan JonesTamikia Mahoney

Dr. Samnuk Pow-anpongkul ScholarshipAdrianna Rain Eskew

Ralph “Griffin” Evans ScholarshipAdrianna Rain Eskew

By Jenny Kim, District Events Chair

Are you missing all fun you had at District Convention? Do you want to learn more about Key Club on an international level? You’re in luck, because the Georgia District is proud to announce that we will be hosting the 2016 Key Club International Convention (ICON) in Atlanta!

Over 2,000 students worldwide will gather to celebrate an outstanding year of service. Here you will attend workshops led by servant leaders, listen to distinguished speakers, and elect the new international board for the 2016-2017 Key Club year.

The convention will be held July 6-10, 2016. Georgia Key Clubbers will arrive on July 5th to assign volunteer duties and participate in fun activities together in Atlanta. As members of the Georgia District, we make up the host committee, so our job is to ensure all attendees from all over the world have an unforgettable convention! It is important to represent the Georgia District as a district with active, passionate Key Clubbers. This is an amazing opportunity to meet other Key Clubbers and gain more insight on how they serve their communities.

Registration cost is $600 and includes convention registration, 4-star hotel accommodations, at least 3 meals (including a fabulous District Dinner), a stylish convention t-shirt, and a tour of the National Center for Civil & Human Rights! You will also have the chance to bond with other Key Club members immediately at the extravagant meet-and-greet at registration. This wouldn't be complete without a super cute photo booth and, of course, a bouncy house!

If this hasn’t persuaded you how awesome ICON will be, the hotel you will be staying at is the Atlanta Marriott Marquis, where they shot some scenes from the Hunger Games! Get ready for a week filled with LOTS of Key Club spirit, dances, and pin trading. Hope to see you there!

Registration closes Monday, May 9th on gakeyclub.org/icon.

MEE

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This year’s board is comprised of an eclectic mix from 15 schools all over Georgia! Read here for some quirky facts about us!

The Board’s favorite foods: pizza, sushi, pasta, tacos

Favorite Music/TV Shows/Movies• Lana del Rey (Noah Merck, Div. 10 Lt. Governor)• Chopped (Sarah Vidyasagar, Div. 7 Lt. Governor)• Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (Riley Power, Div. 13 Lt. Governor)• Arrow (Roopa Patel, Div. 4 Lt. Governor)• The Office (Ameya Chander, Div. 12 Lt. Governor)• The Great Gatsby (Adenike Makinde, Div. 1 Lt. Governor)

Hobbies• Sleeping (Andrew McGraw, Secretary-Treasurer)• Video gaming (Jake Kwon, Div. 14 Lt. Governor)• Dirtbiking (Alli Dunn, Div. 9 Lt. Governor)• Fashion (Peter Vuong, District Projects Chair)• Singing (Rebecca Skelton, Div. 15 Lt. Governor)• Horseback Riding (Taylor Hatfield, Div. 3 Lt. Governor)

Interesting Factoids• “I have been swimming for 8 years.” (Jin Jeon, Policies & Contests Chair)• “Nothing, I’m boring” (Hagan Gantz, Div. 6 Lt. Governor)• “I’m addicted to sudoku.” (Mary Grace Watson, Div. 5 Lt. Governor)• “I’ve lived in Germany for 3 years.” (Nadine Johnston, Div. 2 Lt. Governor)• “I want to be a comedian.” (Amanda Lang, Bulletin Editor and PR Chair)• “I love llamas.” (Minyoung Kim, Governor)

Specfically, avocados (Jenny Kim, District Events Chair) and tamales (Jose Ramirez, ME&KF Chair)

Club Fundraisers & Service ProjectsBy Adenike Makinde, Lt Governor of Div. 1

Earlier this year, Landmark Christian School was a part of the Kiwanis sponsored Alzheimer's walk where over a dozen members attended. The all-morning event,

sponsored by the Kiwanis of Peachtree City, promoted awareness and funding for Alzheimer's.

Prior to the walk, Kiwanians hired a live jazz band to play for the event and set up a cool photo spot for the walkers.

Mason Mahaffey, former club president, started off the day setting up banners and chairs for various stations and directing people. Then, club members prepared food to distribute to the walkers. In the end, cups of water were passed out at the finish line. Members of Key Clubs in the area networked and got to meet senior members of Kiwanis. All in all, it was a great time.

The walk was a major event involving members of Kiwanis organizations from all around the area. Members put in massive amounts of time and effort to set everything up.

Alzheimer’s Awareness Walk


By Nadine Johnston, Lt. Governor of Div. 2

At the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year, we had just elected our new officers at Harris County High School. We wanted to kick off the year with a small service project in order to get to know everyone and build the momentum for the service projects later to come. Someone brought up a service project our Key Club had done the school year before, and we all thought it was a simple yet great way to serve, and, as a bonus, a nice way to build relationships with our fellow Key Clubbers! The week before our meeting, we sent out a reminder to all of our Key Clubbers to bring in plastic grocery bags to our next meeting. At the meeting, we constructed plarn, or plastic yarn, by folding, cutting, and weaving together strips of plastic bags that would later be used to construct birthing or sleeping mats. No glue or crafty knitting needles required- simply acquire some plastic bags from shopping trips, and a pair of scissors, and you could change a person’s life forever.

The Mats for Uganda Project is aimed at providing clean areas for mothers to give birth, or areas in which the Ugandans can sleep. We often take for granted the furniture in our rooms, and the extremely safe and cleanly practices at our hospitals, rarely stopping to think about those who aren’t so lucky to live somewhere so advanced. So I encourage you all to take just fifteen minutes to make a mat or two, and to spread the word!

Mats for Uganda


By Mary Grace Watson, Lt. Governor of Div. 5

My favorite Key Club memory would have to be the annual male beauty pageant at Colquitt County High School. The males of our club dress up as girls and participate in a beauty pageant. This year our theme was “teacher edition”, so all of our guys dressed up as specific teachers from our school. (It was hysterical.) I added glitter to a giant apple for decorations. I escorted the “girls” on stage. A couple of my friends and I dressed up as the Jonas Brothers (I was Kevin). I shot a confetti cannon from underneath a table at my best friend’s face (on accident, I promise!). I even had to fill in for our club president, who was going to be dressed as Adele, for a special performance. It took a week of practice, but in the end we had an amazing show prepared for the people who attended. Through the male beauty pageant, I got to know a lot of people in my club a lot better, and I made tons of memories that will last a lifetime. I can’t wait for next year’s show.

We sent all of the money to CURE Childhood Cancer. It was a great way to fundraise as well as entertain a lot of people!

MaleBeauty Pageant

Club Fundraisers & Service ProjectsWhat it Means to Adopt-A-RoadBy Sarah Vidyasagar, Lt. Governor of Div. 7

There is a bright blue sign on the side of Old Peachtree Road that states “The Key Club of Peachtree Ridge High School has adopted this half-mile stretch of sidewalks.” The program that allows different clubs and organizations to help clean up the streets is called Adopt-A-Road, and it is sponsored by Gwinnett Clean and Beautiful. Very many Saturday mornings I have gotten up out of bed early, even if it was a struggle, to help this organization. I have been volunteering with this program for 3 years and it has been a stupendous experience. Every year I have met someone new. Freshman year, I met the current president of Peachtree Ridge High School’s Key Club, who made me realize how great Key Club is and how I can become a leader. It is usually a small group of 5 to 15 people who clean the sidewalks together, so every time you participate, you bond with new people and make great friends in only an hour. This month I met a girl named Angie who talked with me about another volunteering club she is in and I chatted with her about the event I went to the night before. Our friendship blossomed and I still text her today. Even if I have to wake up early on the precious weekend for this event, it is rewarding enough for me to do it multiple times over the course of the year, not only to make new friends for myself, but also to enrich our community. I will always love forcing the members to take pictures as we pick up trash and pose in our super cute safety vests. I am so happy that this event is available to me and hope all Key Clubbers can one day participate and adopt their own roads.


By Noah Merck, Lt. Governor of Division 10

My favorite service project we did was to raise awareness for the Eliminate Project. Our Key Club hosted an outdoor Halloween festival for all of the teachers and their kids. Every club in our school was represented with a booth to show off what they were doing in school. There was also a Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF box at every club’s station. There were so many fun games and delicious food was provided for everyone. Although no large profit was made, it was amazing to show everyone at our school what the Eliminate Project was all about! It is a very key memory of mine and I think every school should do it. By simply contacting all school clubs and getting teachers to show up, it is an amazing time - full of fun, service, and teamwork! If anyone would be interested in hosting something like this at your home school it would most likely be very easy to gain permission and I would love to give you any information you want! Through projects like these, I have become extremely passionate about Key Club and would like to show people the difference we make in the world.

Division 10

Halloween Festival


Division 10

By Anna-Bryce Tucker, President of Chestatee High School Key Club

The members of Chestatee High School’s Key Club have participated in countless community events over the years including the annual event Touch a Truck, the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, Operation Christmas Child, Trick or Treat for UNICEF, and Elachee Snake Day. Each of these events brought the Key Club closer to the community and were quite rewarding for the members to be able to take part in. In particular, the Snake Day event at the Elachee Nature Center in Gainesville consisted of the most participation by club members and was an overall successful event. Snake Day is an annual event in which students and adults alike can see a variety of exotic and native snakes. Key Club members volunteered by painting lots of faces, greeting members at the event, getting messy with the kids at the arts and crafts table, and simply providing help wherever it was needed. It truly was a sight to see, watching other members of the club giving so much back to the community while their smiles never faded. This event inspired the club to continue devoting their time and resources to the community in a variety of ways, while also building relationships and strong friendships as they go.

Elachee Snake Day

By Riley Power, Lt. Governor of Div. 13

The Glynn County local environmental program, Keep Golden Isles Beautiful, organizes a monthly beach or marsh clean-up on Saint Simons Island (which happens to be the location for the 2017 Georgia District Convention!!). The marshes of the Golden Isles are a prized possession and a natural beauty, catching the eye of locals and tourists alike. Made famous in a poem by Sidney Lanier, the Marshes of Glynn not only serve as a tourist attraction, but also as an important part of the local ecosystem.

Sadly, these marshes are not treated as respectfully as they should be and the litter that lies on the surface not only harms the aesthetics but also negatively affects the wildlife. During these marsh clean-ups, Key Clubbers along with other members of the community enjoy getting down and dirty in order to keep the natural sea grass clean and healthy. For a couple of hours, participants put on their mud shoes and sink down into service… litter-ally. At the most recent clean-up the team involved with Keep Golden Isles Beautiful collected two dozen industrial-sized garbage bags full of waste. The items collected ranged from beer bottles and coolers to car tires and encyclopedias! Key Clubbers from Glynn Academy are always alarmed by the sheer amount of trash collected. As one Key Clubber said, “After you pick up one (piece of trash), you see five more. It’s never-ending!” After a day of community service, the participants always feel accomplished - especially because they can physically see the effects of their labor, not only on their mud-covered selves, but also in the marshes that make the Golden Isles so beautiful.

Division 13


Keep Golden Isles Beautiful

Division 13


Keep Golden Isles Beautiful By Andrew McGraw, Wayne County High School Key Club

In Division 13, the Key Club of Wayne County High School has been a busy bee with the James E. Bacon Elementary School students!! Back in February, volunteers from the Key Club teamed up with the Jesup Kiwanis Club to spend a day working in a pre-K class. Our Key Club gathered donations to purchase new and gently used books, which were distributed to the kids in the class. A book was also given to the class to add to their class library! When volunteers arrived to the classrooms, they read a book to the kids, then stayed to help with an arts and crafts project - making Valentine’s Day cards with construction paper and plenty of glitter. This is a really easy and simple service project; it is very inexpensive and aligns with Kiwanis’ mission: serving the children of the world! The kids were so happy to receive a book with their name in it, and most certainly enjoyed making Valentine’s Day cards with high schoolers!

Books for Pre-Schoolers


Division

Yuda BandsBy Jake Kwon, Lt. Governor of Div. 11 & 14

During last year’s District Convention, the Lambert Key Club had the opportunity to meet with Phillip Whiting, the project supervisor of a service organization called Yuda Bands. Through Phillip, Lambert Key Club’s members learned about the poverty cycle that has stricken the country of Guatemala. To eliminate these conditions that hinder the security and safety of the Guatemalans, Yuda Bands has decided to step up to the challenge and fundraise for the ultimate weapon against impoverishment: education. "We fight poverty with education and opportunity", is the mission statement of the organization.

This year, Lambert's Key Club partnered with Yuda Bands and chose to participate in this fundraiser to sponsor a student’s education in Guatemala. For two weeks, Key Clubbers sold handmade leather-and-coconut bracelets for $7 each on their own time. In addition, members signed up to sell them at lunch to the students and faculty at Lambert in 30-minute shifts. Our Kiwanian also offered to sell some to his friends and family. The proceeds would then be shipped to fund the education of the student that Lambert Key Club selected. From that two-week period alone, 376 bands were sold, and Lambert Key Club raised $2636.87 to not only completely cover the education of seventeen-year-old Osny Bosbely Vasquez Garcia, but also to help finance the education of another deserving child in Guatemala. Because of the efforts and dedication of Lambert's Key Clubbers, the essential opportunity of education was brought to a student of Guatemala, and if every Key Club did this, this privilege could open many more doors that will eventually lead to Guatemala’s victorious escape from poverty. Lambert Key Club’s service has developed servant leaders that will transform not only Guatemala, but the world, into a better, safer place.


Division

By Chantel McCarty, past Vice President of Lambert High School Key Club

This past Christmas, Lambert High’s Key Club participated in the Macy’s Believe campaign for the first time. The Believe campaign stems from the partnership between Macy’s and Make-A-Wish Georgia, whose mission is to grant the wish of every child diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition. During the campaign, Macy’s donates $1 for every Christmas letter written and dropped off at Macy’s or sent via online. However, all letters submitted on National Believe Day (December 11) double the donation amount to $2 per letter. Through the organization, the funds raised by the Believe campaign go to help make four unique types of wishes come true: wishes to go, to have, to be and to meet. Wish kids can visit any place in the world, have a special gift, become anyone they can imagine or meet their favorite celebrity. There are currently more than 750 children in Georgia waiting for their wishes to come true. To support these children, Lambert’s Key Club partnered with Make-A-Wish Georgia and initiated the Believe campaign at the high school. The 159 members of Lambert’s Key Club collected over 120 letters towards the campaign! It was clear that our members were enthusiastic to support Make-A-Wish Georgia. Because these letters were submitted on National Believe Day, the group helped to generate almost $250 towards this great cause.

Through our communication with Make-A-Wish Georgia, the Key Club obtained information regarding other programs such as the Kids for Wish Kids to aid the granting of wishes for children in Georgia. Lambert Key Club hopes to maintain this special connection with the organization and raise more money next year so that more children’s wishes can be granted. To learn more, visit their website at www.georgia.wish.org. 14

Key Club Vision Partners, Co-Sponsors, and Preferred Charities

Nickelodeon joined the Kiwanis family as a 2013 Vision Partner of Kiwanis International with a focus on its Big Help initiative, which addresses issues in service, education, the environment and health.

Key Club Co-Sponsor Rustic Pathways has 30 years of experience leading exceptional international education and service programs for students. With over 130 programs in 20 countries, Rustic Pathways is the global leader in its field. Recognizing our shared values, Rustic Pathways has partnered with Key Club to provide its members with the opportunity to broaden their global perspective while performing meaningful service projects in communities around the world.

Key Club participates with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals by sponsoring fundraising events. Key Club members also participate in service projects at their local children’s hospital.

For decades, Key Club has partnered with the March of Dimes to give every baby a healthy start. Key Club members raise thousands of dollars annually through various programs, including collecting change, holding dances and taking part in March of Dimes’ signature event, March for Babies.

Since 1994, Key Club has been Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF and over the years has raised nearly US$5 million for iodine deficiency programs worldwide and HIV and AIDS programs in Kenya and Swaziland. Now it’s helping The Eliminate Project.

Policies and ContestsBy Jin Jeon, Policies & Contests Chair

Many awards and scholarships were presented and awarded to outstanding, inspiring, and creative Key Club members at this year’s (2015-2016) district convention! District awards, such as the Distinguished Club Officer Award, Endorsed Project Award, and Service Initiative Award, were presented to clubs and to club officers that went above and beyond their call of duty! The Strive for 25 Award, for the first time, was proudly awarded at this year’s district convention to Key Clubs that showed significant progress in increasing their membership. Amazing scrapbooks, nontraditional scrapbooks, posters, and videos were also submitted by talented and inventive Key Club members of the Georgia District.

Keep on the lookout, because the Policies and Contest committee members of the Georgia District are currently discussing circling ideas for new scholarships and awards!

Congratulations, once again, to all clubs and members that have received an award, and thank you to all who have taken the time to apply or put together memorable posters, scrapbooks, and videos at this year’s district convention. We hope to get a new batch of awesome award entries before the 2017 District Convention in St. Simons Island!

Committee Updates Galore

Public RelationsBy Amanda Lang, Public Relations Chair

This year I am calling all historians and reporters to keep track of what is happening in your clubs! The year does whiz by pretty quickly, so make sure you are taking photos to commemorate your year.

Starting August, the Public Relations committee will be looking at all the photos you send in and choose a “Club of the Month” for every month of the school year. We will post a candid picture of them doing service on our Facebook page and Instagram!

In addition, I would like to invite you to send me blog posts about anything related to Key Club - a service project, a meeting with your Kiwanians, helpful tips for events - andything that can be remotely helpful to inspire other students to do service. Email these to me at [email protected] and I will notify you as soon as it is published on our website, gakeyclub.org!

Please stay in touch via our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, (all gakeyclub) and website. Much more is to come in this amazing Key Club year.

A Note from the Editor

Thank you for reading this issue of the Key Ring! I hope you learned something new and enjoyed reading the articles. As always, if your home club would like to be featured in the August edition, send your article and picture files to me at [email protected].

Yours in service,Amanda Lang2016-2017 District Bulletin Editor

Contact Us!Brad MaloneDistrict [email protected]

Minyoung KimDistrict [email protected]

Andrew McGrawDistrict [email protected]

Amanda LangDistrict Bulletin [email protected]

key ring may 2016

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