Capital Key OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF CAPITAL DISTRICT KEY CLUB VOLUME 59, ISSUE 1
IN THIS ISSUE... • How to grow club membership • One Key Clubber recounts how Key Club changed his life • DCON 2014 awards and stories • ICON 2014 preview and pictures • Service Spotlight: Courtland High School
Capital Key: June Edition Increasing Membership Looking to grow your club in size this year? Read about one Key Club President’s experience increasing membership at his school, St. Mark’s High School, in Wilmington, DE. page 5
Governor’s Project One of the six branches of the Kiwanis family is Aktion Club, a Kiwanis program for adults with disabilities. This year’s Governor’s Project is to get involved with Aktion or a similar club (like Miracle League or Best Buddies) for members of your community that have special needs. page 6
District Convention Wrap-Up Capital District Key Club Convention 2014 in Baltimore was an unforgettable experience. Awards and recognition were delivered to clubs all around the District and we presented our fundraising total for The Eliminate Project. Read about the award winners and members’ experiences. page 8
International Convention Preview This year’s International Convention, or ICON, is taking place in Anaheim from July 2–6. Leaders will be elected, dances will be danced. and fun will be had by all. Read the official preview from International President Raeford Penny! page 17
ELI MIN ATE
ELIMINATE Service Projects This year, some of our student leaders received Elimidallion medals for their work to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus from the world. Read about The Eliminate Project as well as the service projects that went on this year in Capital. page 19
EXECUTIVE UPDATES Hello Capital District Crabs! My name is Anastasia Slepukhova and I am truly overjoyed to have the honor of serving as your 2014-15 District Governor. I attend Lake Braddock Secondary where I play Varsity Lacrosse and shoot for my school’s rifle team. Gandhi once said “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” So lose yourselves this year in volunteering and raising funds to save precious babies from maternal and neonatal tetanus! Feel free to contact me at slepukhova.anastasia@gmail.com even if you are just stopping by to say “Hi”!
District Governor Anastasia Slepukhova Burke, VA Hello everyone! My name is Hojin and I am stoked to serve as your new 2014-2015 District Secretary. During this year I hope to focus on improving the connection between Lieutenant Governors and club Secretaries through informative online meetings as well as remaining open to any of your questions and opinions. When I’m not in the Key Club mode, I enjoy playing badminton and the saxophone! Feel free to contact me at hojinyoon98@gmail.com with any questions!
District Secretary Hojin Yoon Timonium, MD
What’s up Capital District? I’m Ruthvik Gali and I’m ecstatic about being your District Treasurer. I’m currently a Junior at Dulaney High School. I also enjoy playing cricket, playing chess and listening to music but most of all, I enjoy to help others! I really look forward to working with you all with your dues this coming year and feel free to contact me anytime about anything at sruthvikkumar@gmail.com!
District Treasurer Ruthvik Gali Timonium, MD
Hello friends! My name is Jack Morris and I’m super excited for my second year on the Capital District Key Club Board. As your district editor, I produce all of the year’s issues of this publication, the Capital Key. This year I hope to produce awesome editions of the Capital Key and get to know as many club editors as I can! I am working on providing resources to assist the editors of our District as they produce their club newsletters throughout the year. If you have any questions about newsletters or anything Key Club related, please email me at jxmorris12@gmail.com!
District Editor Jack Morris Arlington, VA
EDITOR’S CORNER Hey everybody! My name is Jack Morris and I’m your new District Editor! I will be creating a new edition of the Capital Key every few months this year. The goal of the publication is to educate you Key Clubbers, so if you ever have a topic that you would like to be covered, feel free to contact me! On the same note, if you ever have photos or a service project you would like me to include in the next edition please do as well (my contact information is above). One of my main goals for this year is to work on publicity for the Capital Key. Although all 16,000 members of our District are supposed to have access to it, only a fortunate few get to read every edition. I aspire to change this by publicizing this year’s editions of the Capital Key as much as possible! Please help me out by posting, tweeting, and emailing them out to your clubs. Thanks, and have a great year! Yours in service, Jack Morris,
KIWANIS YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES FUND The Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) is an endowed fund for Key Club International held within the Kiwanis International Foundation. This means that Kiwanis International gives out grants for service projects to Key Clubbers just like you! The fund also provides academic scholarships for higher education. The Youth Opportunities Fund is established through a portion of your Key Club International dues and through the the generous donations of Kiwanians. To apply for a YOF grant, find the application online at www.keyclub.org and fill it out with a project idea that you have for next year. The applications are due each year on October 15th. If you don’t have a project idea yet, don’t worry! There are many different ideas that won grants in the past available for viewing on the Key Club website. Last year, eight clubs in the Capital District were awarded grants from the Youth Opportunities Fund. They did great things with their grants! Deep Run High School in Glen Allen, VA ran a Color Run service project for their community (pictured). Dulaney High School in Timonium, MD ran a Grassroots Soccer tournament to raise money for The Eliminate Project (photo on cover). We would be thrilled if that number increased next year – so don’t hesitate to apply!
GROWING MEMBERSHIP Getting members involved, motivating club officers, and getting people to come together are some of the most difficult tasks a leader in Key Club will encounter. These issues are faced from the club level up to the international one. Growing an individual club is a task that varies in difficulty and requires different methodology from club to club. However, I’m going to tell you about my experience with club growth and what you could possibly do to help expand and improve this wonderful organization as well. I hadn’t been very involved at my school until I joined Key Club mid-sophomore year. When I joined, our club was a club that started the year off with fifty or so members and finished around ten. Although everyone didn’t share my opinions, I developed a passion for Key Club and ran for president, knowing I could change my club for the better. After elections, I began recruitment and caught people early before the next school year began. I collected over a hundred signatures from everyone in school as commitments to join the club next year. Although we didn’t actually use the signatures for anything, this task had amazing results. Those who had committed felt obligated to join the club the following year, and we ended up more than doubling membership. And although increasing initial membership is important, holding onto it is even more important for a successful Key Club to function. Our officers made sure to hold regular, well-organized meetings. By conducting meetings professionally, we ensured that over 75% of mem-
bers attended each meeting. Another point I made was to always send out meeting reminders and event reminders. Personally reaching out to others is also important and one of the best ways to develop relationships with members. By keeping things organized, efficient, positive, and exciting, the same passion that you feel can be spread to others! Building Key Club takes both time and dedication, but those with a true passion for this organization can motivate others to feel the same way. Putting in time and eventually seeing growth makes your effort both worthwhile and fulfilling. In Key Club and beyond, motivating others is a frequently encountered problem. Nevertheless, it is important to work achieve your goals and never give up. You have the chance to change someone’s life. So get out there, spread your enthusiasm, and help produce future servant leaders!
–Dylan Colby, Lieutenant Governor, Division 6A
Governor’s Project
KOTIO
-Key Club Outreach to Include Others-
Hey there Key Clubbers of the mighty Capital District! My name is Anastasia Slepukhova and I am truly honored to be able to serve as your District Governor for the 2014-2015 service year! Every year, the District Governor chooses a special cause and designs a project to implement within his or her term. I see this as an amazing opportunity for Key Clubbers to have another reason to get involved in their communities and truly make an impact with hands on service! I present to you "KOTIO" which stands for Key Club Outreach to Include Others. Did you know that disabilities are one of the nation’s most important public health issues? More than 20% of Americans are living with disabilities, 70% of which rely on family and friends for assistance with daily activities. With Inclusiveness being one of the Key Club International’s core values, it is important that we extend our service and kindness to everyone in our communities. When choosing the Governor’s Project I was very mindful to pick a cause that we can truly help and also be easily accessible by all clubs. So go ahead and take the challenge! Work with your club leaders (Include your Lieutenant Governors and local Kiwanis too!) to plan a service project; the possibilities are endless! As an added bonus, you will also receive special recognition at the Annual District Leadership Convention if you successfully participate in an event that benefits individuals living with disabilities. Thank you for all that you do, and once again- I am very excited to be able to work with all of you this year. -Anastasia Slepukhova 2014-2015 Capital District Governor
EXAMPLES Volunteer with organizations like Kiwanis Aktion Club, KEEN, Best Buddies, Easter Seals, Miracle League and others. Teach children how to ride a bicycle or swim. Volunteer at Special Olympics event in your community. Possibilities are endless!
Participating clubs receive a special patch for their home club banner and recognition at the 66th Annual Key Club District Leadership Convention in Baltimore, MD March 20-22, 2015! Make sure to mention your participation on your monthly report! Governor’s Project
“My Key Club Experience” My Key Club experience has been more than just a bimonthly gathering; it’s been a daily journey filled with amazing memories accompanied by multitudes of friendships made. All of which were created with the help of quality service. As a freshman, entering high school was probably the intimidating thing that I’ve ever faced. However, I remember walking into my advisor’s classroom during a meeting and I was welcomed with open arms and warm smiles. I knew from that point on, I would devote my life to service and the Kiwanis family. I had the pleasure of serving as my Club’s Secretary my Junior year, and was even lucky enough to serve on the District Board as a Lieutenant Governor and Committee Chair. But that’s not what matters. What matters most was the unforgettable experience that was Key Club. High School was beyond rough. Try cripplingly brutal. But, because of Key Club, and the amazing people who got to experience every event, fundraiser, rally, and convention with me, I was able to make it through and now happily say that Key Club is my life! So, as you read this, don’t let small little things keep you down! Key Club changed my life and if you stick with it, it’ll change yours. And while everyone’s experience is different, you’ll still have the some of the same unforgettable experiences I was lucky enough to have.
–Colin Austin, Immediate Past Lieutenant Governor, Division 4A
DCON 2014 “MY DCON EXPERIENCE” I came into my first District Convention this year nervous and a little skeptical as to how fun this event was going to be. However, as soon as I walked into the hotel in Baltimore, I was completely taken by surprise. There were so many students, people going up and down the escalator and steps, suitcases everywhere, all kinds of spirited Key Club t-shirts, and so many new faces! I had no idea convention was going to be this big. As soon as the four other officers and I had gotten settled, we all went to the introduction ceremony, which was essentially a huge pep rally. Music was blasting, people were all dressed up for the jungle theme, and everyone was cheering. The next day, I attended helpful workshops our group had chosen such as Public Speaking and How To Improve Your Key Club Meetings. The motivational speaker, Patrick Maurer, had his own workshop to discuss topics of leadership, life skills, and setting and achieving goals. His presentation was incredible. Throughout the evening, he made me laugh, tear up, and laugh so hard I teared up. Through countless stories and lessons, he inspired me along with hundreds of other students. Later that night, the awards ceremony took place. It was here I truly understood the big picture of Key Club on a district level. When I saw other clubs from different areas being awarded for officer positions, videos, posters, scrapbooks, etc., I began to realize how small our club is in the midst of the entire district. Back at school, Key Club was just a club that everyone joined. No one knew about the District or International levels of Key Club and how we are part of something so much greater. I came back from the convention motivated and determined, ready to change my own community for the better. Although I’m heading off to college next year, Key Club has given me leadership skills and opportunities that will stay with me for the rest of my life. –Emily Tu, Immediate Past Lieutenant Governor, 11A
I rushed out of my house that Friday morning, perusing my brain for whether or not I had forgotten anything direly important. Toothpaste? Check. Toothbrush? Check. Casual as well as semi-formal garments? Check. That day was a mix of daydreaming and real dreaming, for I daydreamt in school and actually dreamt on the car ride to Baltimore for my first District Convention ever. I had heard great things about this convention – how I would meet great people from all across the Capital District; how I would have a blast discovering the beauty of Inner Harbor during my free time; how I would never want to leave... would the forthcoming experience live up to its hype? The car ride was lackluster, to say the least. I listened to the radio, played a few bouts of “I spy...” with myself, and even, as mentioned before, slept for a few hours. The sun beat down into the car for what seemed like an eternity in the never-ending traffic, but alas, I arrived. I bid farewell to my dad and stepped into the Hyatt Regency of Baltimore. Immediately, I was bespectacled by the buzzing atmosphere and chirpy Kiwanis family. I registered and proceeded to take in my surroundings: hundreds of Key Clubbers around the same age as me, crabs everywhere, and most importantly, smiles all around. The guest speaker, Mr. Maurer was the perfect blend of comedian and motivational speaker and I definitely had a good laugh or two while listening to him that night. And to top it off, the dance was great as I could relax with my friends and get in the groove of things. The first day of arrival, though hectic, was only a sprinkling of what I would experience in the next few days. Saturday was a busy day. I spent the morning attending workshops and learning a variety of things to help my own club out. I took away many techniques to implement on the local level, but I also learned things that I could use as my term as Lieutenant Governor starting extremely soon. After the workshops, I was able to relax that afternoon and hangout with seniors from my school. They will be missed dearly as they attend prestigious colleges across the nation. Like Friday night, I was able to go to another dance to end the night. On Sunday, I woke up bright and early to attend the caucuses and to elect the future District Executives. I was especially looking forward to Jack Morris’s presentation and let me tell you, he did not disappoint! After the caucus, it dawned on me that it was the last day of DCON. I tried to keep a smile on my face as I got inducted to be the next Lt. G of my district, but it was all bittersweet. DCON was truly an amazing experience in which I am already looking forward to experiencing again next year! I was able to learn about Key Club on a national and international level that I had previously never known about. I cannot wait to meet others who are crazy about service as I am, as well as learn new things and proudly represent my division. –Johnson Song, Lieutenant Governor, 2D
Outstanding Officers President Anna Vuong – Dulaney High School – Division 12 President Jessica Son – Battlefield High School – Division 10A Vice President Blake Showers – Courtland High School – Division 10B Secretary Caroline Massey – Glenelg High School – Division 14B Treasurer Luke Spafford – South Carroll High School – Division 9 Editor Arshad Fakhar – Dulaney High School – Division 12
Alan Devers Outstanding Member Award Chris Lodge – Dulaney High School – Division 12
Stuart Mendelsohn Outstanding Kiwanis Advisor Mr. Louis Hofheimer – Alexandria Kiwanis – Division 20A
Outstanding Member Chris Lodge at a Salvation Army service project.
Dale Q. Larson Faculty Outstanding Faculty Advisor Mr. Jeremy Brown – Linganore High School – Division 9
Scott Hunter Ms. Kristina Dlugozima
Outstanding Board Member Colin Austin – Division 14A
Stacy Phillips Outstanding Board Member Ashley Carroll – Division 4C
Four--year District Board member Ashley Carroll receives award from District Administrator Joe Stankus.
DCON Award Winners Club of the Year Westminster High School Division 9
Westminster HS Key Club poses at DCON!
Most Improved Club Glen Allen High School Division 4A
Members of Glen Allen Key Club after a service project.
Best New Club J.E.B. Stuart High School Division 20D
The chartering ceremony at J.E.B. Stuart HS.
Major Emphasis Honorable Mention Dulaney High School in Division 12 Honorable Mention Meade High School in Division 14B First Place Southampton High School in Division 21 Single Service Bronze Division: First Place Nor th Carroll High School in Division 9 Platinum Division: Honorable Mention Meade High School in Division 14B Platinum Division: First Place Southampton High School in Division 21 Impromptu Essay Contest Honorable Mention Savannah Maxwell from Albemarle High School in Division 5A Honorable Mention Katya Monovski from St. Mark ’s High Sachool in Division 11B First Place Nikki Amico from West Potomac High School in Division 20A Oratory Contest Honorable Mention Colin Austin from Nor th County High School in Division14A First Place David Foster from Meade High School in Division 14B Non-Digital Poster Honorable Mention Milbrook High School in Division 19 Second place West Potomac High School in Division20A First place Dulaney High School in Division 12 Digital Poster Award Honorable Mention Battlefield High School in Division 10A Honorable Mention Seaford High School in Division 11A Second Place James Wood High School in Division 19 First Place Southampton High School in Division 21 Club Video Honorable Mention Millbrook High School in Division 19 Second Place Albemarle High School in Division 5A First Place Dulaney High School in Division 12
N o n-Tr a d i t i o n a l S c r a p b o o k H o n o r a b l e M e n t i o n S e v e r n a Pa r k H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 1 4 A H o n o r a b l e M e n t i o n S o u t h C o u n t y H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 2 0 A S e c o n d P l a c e C e n t r e v i l l e H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 2 0 B Fi r s t P l a c e S h e r a n d o H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 1 9 Tr a d i t i o n a l S c r a p b o o k H o n o r a b l e M e n t i o n D u l a n e y H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 1 2 H o n o r a b l e M e n t i o n S o u t h a m p t o n H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 2 1 S e c o n d P l a c e A l b e m a r l e H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 5 A Fi r s t P l a c e J a m e s Wo o d H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 1 9 Key Clubs of the Month D u l a n e y H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 1 2 Va r i n a H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 4 C D e e p R u n H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 4 A S o u t h a m p t o n H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 2 1 Fe a t u r e d K e y C l u b b e r s K r i s t e n Ta l m a n f r o m C e n t r e v i l l e H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 2 0 B M a t t h e w C r a w f o r d f r o m G l e n A l l e n H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 4 A M i c h e l l e Yu t h f r o m C h e s a p e a k e H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 1 4 A A n n a S h i e l d s f r o m S t . M a r k ’s H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 1 1 B Distinguished Club D i s t i n g u i s h e d Le v e l B a t t l e f i e l d H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 1 0 A D i a m o n d Le v e l M e a d e H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 1 4 B D i a m o n d Le v e l S o u t h a m p t o n H i g h S c h o o l i n D i v i s i o n 2 1 R o b e r t Tu r n e r C a p i t a l D i s t r i c t K i w a n i s Fo u n d a t i o n $ 1 0 0 0 S c h o l a r s h i p s Pa i g e S t a n l e y L a u r e n B r i t t i g a n A n g e l a L i Claudia Mui D a v i d Pe t e r s R o b e r t Tu r n e r C a p i t a l D i s t r i c t K i w a n i s Fo u n d a t i o n $ 2 0 0 0 S c h o l a r s h i p Z a c h a r y B r i g h a m
Parade of Checks Results • The Capital District raised $72,530.01 for The Eliminate Project! • This total is equivalent to about 40,295 mothers saved from maternal and neonatal tetanus and their future babies.
Talent Acts Ben Lee, Daniel Shin, Brian Ko, and Annie Brantigan from Division 12 and 17A Chris Lodge and Iris Zou from Dulaney High School in Division 12 Michelle Guldan from Westminster High School in Division 9 Brian Ko from Montgomer y Blair High School in Division 17A Workshop Raffle Winners Patrick Andrews from Western Albemarle High School Connor Pear from Gar field High School Matt Novak from Deep Run High School Sarah Brewer from Tome School Ashley Nelson from South County High School Tyler Estrada from Patriot High School G. Harold Mar tin Recognitions Erin Murray Lopes Justin Garrow Millie Passwaters Matt Brent
The “Inter-Divisional Quartet”.
Raffle winner Matt Novak accepts his award in a crab hat!
Michelle Guldan performs at the awards dinner.
Above and Beyond Outstanding Members Division 1
Aidan Marshall-Court
Largo High School
Division 2A Casey Farmer E.C. Glass High School Division 2B Jaelen Guerrant Patrick Henry High School Division 4A Gabby Levet Deep Run High School Division 4C Sydney Taylor Varina High School Division 5A Caitlin Dutta Western Albemarle High School Division 5B Brian Draper Fishburne Military School Division 9
Christjan Campbell
South Hagerstown High School
Division 10A
Connor Peak
Gar-Field Senior High School
Division 10B
Emma Adams
Courtland High School
Division 11A
Bethany Brinsfield
North Dorchester High School
Division 11B
Camille Vesier
The Tome School
Division 12
Ruthvik Gali
Dulaney High School
Division 14A
Carmen Lau
North County High School
Division 14B
Megan Johnson
Meade High School
Division 16
Hannah Foster
Cape Henry Collegiate
Division 17A
Yidong Hu
Winston Churchill High School
Division 17B
Pratisha Pradhan
Albert Einstein High School
Division 18 Sarah Patton Matoaca High School Division 19
Michael Schrader
Millbrook High School
Division 20A
Anthony Jones
South County High School
Division 20B
Kristen Talman
Centreville High School
Division 20C
Mallika Subandh
Briar Woods High School
Division 20D
Alex Altobelli
Lake Braddock Secondary School
Division 21
Sarah Giorgi
Southampton High School
Division 22A
Skylar Coker
Huntingtown High School
Division 22B
Dominique Mitchell
Patuxent High School
Division 23
Grace Caterine
Poquoson High School
ICON 2014 Hey Capital Key Clubbers! I am Raeford Penny the current Key Club International President, whose term is sadly ending in July of this year. It is my duty as International President to exercise general supervision over the work and activities of Key Club International working alongside the Key Club International Board and staff; and I work hand in hand with our partners as well as the staff of the Eliminate Project. Our duty to make sure that the best opportunities are being given to our members and that our members are giving the maximum service back to our communities.
Now, let’s take a moment to clear our minds‌ponder these facts and imagine. Think, did I enjoy DCON, or any other Key Club event?...Do I wish they could have lasted longer?...Did I wish it was warmer outside?...Do you wish you could have meet more people?...Do you wish you could have seen amazing things outside of your hotel window?...Well now let your mind ponder these next few facts. What if I could say there is another convention? What if this convention was over twice as long as our DCON? What if you could meet over 2,000 individuals from all over the world? What if when you walk outside of your balcony you saw palm trees and Disneyland? If you smiled for even one of those reasons then the 71st Annual
Key Club International Convention in Anaheim, California is the place to be in early July! What does this convention entail for each of you? Well you’ll learn even more strategies for providing a new level of service to your homes, schools, and communities while listening to keynote speaker Chris Bashinelli who you may remember from HBO’s hit The Sopranos. Currently Chris is the host and producer of PBS’ Bridge the Gap, a show in which he discovers what it’s like to walk in someone else’s shoes for a day You will expand your leadership potential, elect next year’s Key Club International Board, and make countless friends and memories that will last a lifetime. Key Club International Convention is a great way to start your summer break in style! It really is more than just a convention; it’s more than just the Carolinas District; it’s more than just service. Key Club is a way of life and a group of individuals who are from every corner of the globe who share your passion for service, the drive to build their character, and the enthusiastic yearn to lead. Imagine flying to sunny California where you will be a block away from Disneyland. Imagine spending the Fourth of July in downtown Disney for their fireworks show. Imagine the celebrities you will meet, no seriously. Last time the International Board was in Anaheim we got to meet Bill Nye the Science Guy! Think about touring Hollywood, walking where your idols have walked. What about the Hollywood Walk of Fame where you can take a selfie with your favorite celebrity’s star! Imagine the freedom of having everything from restaurants, to a world famous amusement park, to palm trees, all in your hand’s reach. Yours in Service, Raeford Penny Key Club International President raefordpenny@gmail.com
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INTERNATIONAL VP UNANIMOUSLY ENDORSED
POSITIONS HELD:
Lt. Governor |Div. 9; Kiwanis Family Committee Member Capital District Key Club Club Secretary Club Freshman Representative
by the 2014-2015 Capital District Board
AWARDS:
Robert F. Lucas Outstanding Lt. Governor Award (2013-2014) Distinguished Club Secretary (2013) Honor Roll (2008-2014)
GOALS:
Serve: Assist every member in serving their home, school, and community to the best of their ability Strengthen: Build the connection between the international level of key club and its members Sustain: Continue to help the District Boards make positive decisions who affect all, but to also expand on our reach to every member
[@lizzymoo11]
[lizzymoo11]
[lizmoore11@comcast.net] ATTENDANCE: 2008-2014 ] Sponsoring Kiwanis Meetings 2011-2014 Club Meetings 2012 Capital District KC District Convention 2012 Key Leader (Participant) 2013 Capital District KC District Convention 2013-2014 All District Board Meetings 2013 Key Leader (Facilitator) 2013 KC International Convention 2014 Capital KC District Convention 2014 Capital CKI District Convention
MISSION STATEMENT:
To build “caring and competent servant leaders” who will “transform communities worldwide.” Every Key Clubber can change the world for the better by serving their home, school, and community and taking the lead. It is Key Club Internationals’ Board Members jobs to provide the tools necessary for building these servant leaders.
VOTE MOORE, GET MORE
The ELIMINATE Project CHANGING THE WORLD FOREVER ........ AGAIN! Kiwanis and UNICEF joined forces to tackle iodine deficiency disorders, achieving one of the most significant public health successes of the 20th century. Now, we are eliminating MNT from the face of the earth. Imagine. We are eliminating a disease that kills innocent newborns and destroys families. And in doing so, we are reaching the poorest, most neglected babies and mothers with additional lifesaving healthcare. The end of this one disease means the beginning of better health for so many families. WHAT IF YOU COULD SAVE A BABY’S LIFE? There are few events more joyful than the day a new born baby is welcomed to the world. But in 40 countries a dreaded disease quickly turns that joy into tragedy. Maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) kills one baby every nine minutes – that’s 60,00 babies every year who will never grow up, make their mothers laugh play with friends or dream about the future. The effects of the disease are excruciating – tiny newborns suffer repeated, painful convulsions and extreme sensitivity to light and touch. Up to 30,000 mothers die of MNT every year too. BABIES AND MOTHERS ARE DYING, BUT THERE IS A SOLUTION. The good news is that this deadly disease can easily be prevented. Three doses of a 60 – cent immunization protect mothers, who then pass on the immunity to their future babies. How can we allow MNT to take its vicious toll when we have the power to prevent?
DO YOUR PART. Prepare. Grow your club. Get your friends to join the cause. Educate. Educate yourself about MNT, and share what you learn with your club, your community, your family, and your school. Advocate. Let the world know that the poorest, most vulnerable babies and mothers need our help. Invest. Be among the first to invest in this global project. ELIMINATE. MNT will be eliminated!
ELIMIDALLIONS Key Club International awards Elimidallion medals to individuals who raise enough money for The Eliminate Project to save 350 or more lives. This year, four lieutenant governors were awarded Elimidallion medals District Convention. Tyler Ambrose held a “Zumbafest” in Roanoake, VA for members of Division 2B. Key Clubbers Zumba-ed for almost five hours in an awesome effort to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus worldwide! From selling $5 tickets and collecting donations from various businesses and individuals, Tyler’s project raised over $5,000 for ELIMINATE.
Jessy Spencer held a Walk to Eliminate in Poquoson, VA. She also sold awesome ELIMINATE MNT socks to support the cause! Her event raised over $2000 in addition to increasing her community’s awareness of maternal and neonatal tetanus. Samad Fakhar held several fundraisers in Division 12 (now Division 6B). He raised over $300 from a Chipotle Eliminate Fundraiser, almost $200 from the Division 12 Fall Charity Walk, and even more through Trick or Treat for Unicef. Samad’s efforts, paid for vaccines for over 400 mothers around the world from maternal and neonatal tetanus!
Sahana Rao helped Centreville Key Club run a Winter Carnival in Centreville, VA. The carnival was open to the entire community and raised money from fun carnival events as well raffles of different themed baskets. Sahana’s carnival raised over $3000 for the Eliminate Project and saved over 1700 lives!
District Governor Garrett Fraino received Walter Zeller Fellowship Recognition for all of the money that the Capital District raised over the course of the year. Walter Zeller Fellowships are received by individuals who raise over $1250 (the equivalent of saving almost 700 lives) for The Eliminate Project.
International President Raeford Penny also received a Walter Zeller Fellowship for the money he raised for The Eliminate Project. Raeford attended several DCONs this year (including ours in Baltimore!) and at each one sold lanyards for The Eliminate Project. His efforts saved over 700 mothers and all of their future children from MNT.
SERVICE SPOTLIGHT COURTLAND HIGH SCHOOL
Hello Capital District, my name is Blake Showers and I am truly honored to be featured in this month’s issue of Capital Key! I am humbled to serve as Courtland High School’s Key Club President for the 2014-2015 school year. If you have any comments or questions please do not hesitate to email me at blakeshowers@comcast.net. On May 31st, Courtland Key Club hosted a prom for senior citizens at Golden Living Center in Fredericksburg, Virginia. When my club first came up with the idea several months ago I was excited and eager to begin working on this event. I believe it is a wonderful opportunity to visit and interact with the elderly because they offer not only kind words and wisdom, but also a great sense of humor. Were as a were club excited to spend the afternoon with the residents, and they were just as enthusiastic to do so with us! One resident even went to the trouble of getting dressed and made up that morning! During the prom, we all worked to serve and greet the residents with a smile and a friendly attitude. The menu selection included Arnold Palmer drinks (many of the residents got a kick out of the iced tea and lemonade mixed together), cookies, and platters of meat and cheese. We also helped create arts and crafts like pictures frames and door hangers! Our afternoon at Golden Living Center was amazing not only for the residents, but also for the staff, who greatly appreciated our service, kindness, and entertainment. The residents enjoyed it so much that we were even invited to come back. The project was a wonderful experience for both high schoolers and the seniors, and I cannot wait to see what service opportunities await us next year! – Blake H. Showers, President, Courtland High School Key Club
MEMBER OF THE MONTH ENNY OLAKUNLE In years that I know of, Division 6A has not been very active. Many clubs were failing or inactive, with low membership and participation. When I assumed responsibility for this division as Lieutenant Governor, I knew I was in for an extremely taxing and difficult year despite how rewarding my work would be. However, I have been provided new reason to have an increased optimistic attitude towards the future success of Division 6A. Why? Because of the inspiration that enthusiastic and passionate newly elected club officers and members have given me. One spirited officer in particular, Enny Olakunle, President of Elkton High School Key Club, is already on a fast track to improving her nearly inactive club. I had not been able to contact her club, and she reached out and expressed her excitement to work with me. She has been actively working to improve morale and membership at her home club. She is already holding a recruitment drive for the next school year and actively planning future service projects, fundraisers, and club events. Elkton has not had Treasurer or Editor positions since its charter, but Enny recently established these positions for the betterment of her club and has already appointed officers to fill these roles. Key Clubbers like Enny that are passionate about what they do inspire me to do my job to the best of my abilities. I look forward to working with Enny this year, along all of the other motivated officers working to make Division 6A the best that it can be. –Dylan Colby, Lieutenant Governor, Division 6A
Capital Key
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