Spring Sunshine Source

Volume 20 - Spring Issue (March, April, and May)

The Sunshine Source

Official Florida District Publication

IN THIS ISSUE 01 02 03 07 08 09 11 13 15 16

New Key Clubs Service Spotlight Executive Messages International Partners International Convention Service Spotlight Club Development Tips Club Officer Tips Spring Service Contact Information

Welcome, New Key Clubs!

Cypress Creek High School Medical Academy for Science and Technology

Tarpon Springs High School Winthrop College Prep Academy Know of more schools in your area without a Key Club? Contact your Lt. Governor and ask about chartering a club! You can also reach out to your Lt. Governor or other local Kiwanis Family leaders if you are interested in helping to start a K-Kids or Builders club!

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SERVICE SPOTLIGHT Armwood Key Club, Division 14C Key Club members volunteered at a pet relief center, helping to wash dishes and clean supplies to ensure the animals had a clean and safe environment. “Our club members always have a good time volunteering for animals!” says Arazely, a representative of Armwood Key Club.

Their teamwork and dedication made a positive impact, supporting the staff and contributing to the center's mission of caring for animals. In fact, a key club member even adopted a pup!

Sunlake Key Club, Division 12 Collaborating with the organization Create for Kids, which works to give joy to hospitalized children through the power of art and creativity, members of Sunlake High School Key Club created cards for children currently facing chronic illness or staying in hospitals. They aimed to spread some holiday cheer by showing support through handmade cards with warm messages and fun pictures. Even simple projects can make a huge difference!

Working with existing organizations is also a great way to help your community through an established method.

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EXECUTIVE

MESSAGES

Governor Alejandro Ganaza Hello, Mighty, Mighty Florida District, With spring in the air, we look towards dewy days, constant studying, or getting ready to graduate... even then, I encourage you all to read this final Sunshine Source of the 2024-2025 service year.

I am immensely proud of our remarkable accomplishments over the past few months. I urge you all to utilize these initial months of the year to establish a positive atmosphere for the upcoming 2025-2026 service term. It may seem surreal, but our terms are drawing to a close! As we approach DCON 2025, there are numerous exciting prospects ahead. Kindly conduct your officer elections promptly, preferably before DCON, and ensure the participation of your Lieutenant Governor.

At our recent Zone Rallies, new Lt. Governors were elected for their respective divisions to serve during the 2025-2026 service year. Additionally, you can still apply for the District Executive and Committee Chair positions, so make sure you turn your forms in according to the deadline.

Lastly, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your dedication to the governor’s project. I am delighted to announce that we have partaken in over 28,000 hours towards Lit for Life. We have also built over 5 little libraries, with 2-3 finalized for each week from now until DCON! The impactful contributions of the Florida District through our collective efforts will resonate for years to come.

Wishing you all a splendid new year ahead, and I eagerly anticipate seeing you all at DCON! Should you have any inquiries or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me!

Yours in service and friendship, Alejandro Ganaza governoralejandro@floridakeyclub.org

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Secretary Daniela Aguas Hello, Key Club Members!

We are in our final stretch before DCON. Please make sure you are holding your officer elections early so the old officers are able to train their successors. For my new secretaries, Key Club International has excellent resources for each officer role, so check out the secretary-specific one in their resources page under officer guides. Additionally, the Officer Information Form for the 2025-26 service year has opened on Keymmunity. Once your club has hosted elections, please fill out the form as soon as possible. Thanks to everyone’s efforts, our District has currently completed 170,470.06 service hours, with 27,953.65 of those being Governor’s Project hours as of February 4th. As always, I’m available to answer questions at secretary@floridakeyclub.org, so never hesitate to reach out.

Wishing everyone a great spring season. See you all at DCON!

Yours in Service and Leadership, Daniela Aguas secretary@floridakeyclub.org

My favorite Key Club Memory has to be when some members and officers from Leesburg’s Key Club went to DCON. I enjoyed this because I got to connect and meet a lot of other representatives and members along with learn about Key Club and the other branches. The seminars, classes about leadership helped me be able to run a club smoothly along with connect with others. I also really enjoyed the service projects we were able to do.”

Lacie Wittman, Leesburg Key Club Member

I loved KCKC as I got to experience Key Club in a much larger setting and heard others share their experiences. I had a lot of fun with the activities and games we played. I also got to meet new people both students and adults alike which I really enjoyed. I overall had a really amazing time!”

Khristian Toledo, Coral Springs High Key Club President

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Treasurer Issa Allison Hello, Leaders, I hope everyone is doing amazing after the end of the first semester, moving into the last one for my fellow seniors. Here are some reminders as we begin to close out the second half of the 2024-2025 year: You can still pay dues for any new members! This will ensure that all members are eligible for awards and scholarships. Budgeting and fundraising resources for treasurers can be found on the District website.

Additionally, applications for the Florida Opportunity Fund (FLOF), our service grant, are still open! If you are interested in or running for District Office, feel free to reach out if you want to learn more about my role as District Treasurer. Thank you all for continuing your incredible work! As always, if you ever have any ideas or questions, please feel free to reach out to me at treasurer@floridakeyclub.org. I would love to hear from you!

Yours in Service, Leadership, and Friendship, Issa Allison treasurer@floridakeyclub.org

Editor Willow Young Hello, Florida District, I hope all of you are doing well. It has been such a great year and I cannot wait to see what you all accomplish in these last few months. Remember that everything you do makes a difference, so keep up this momentum as we move towards DCON. To all of my Editors, I have loved seeing your work and am so grateful for the time and effort you have put into your roles. Advertising and communications is a vital part of a successful Key Club and I applaud each of you foryour consistency and dedication.

Remember that you can always reach out to me!

Yours in service, leadership, and friendship, Willow Young editor@floridakeyclub.org

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Webmaster Eleanor Koh Hello, Leaders of the Florida District, I hope you are all doing well as we move into the last stretch before DCON! I hope you are all ready and excited for times ahead of us. As Keymmunity is crucial for communication, remember to fill out your Officer Information Forms (OIFs) for the 25-26 year in Keymmunity.

Don’t forget to check out our Florida Key Club website for the latest updates and valuable resources.

Maintaining an active online presence is essential for any club, and having a well-maintained website plays a key role in that! To all webmasters, I highly encourage you all to create a website. If you need more information or guidance, please feel free to reach out at webmaster@floridakeyclub.org As we near the end of our terms, I want to express my immense gratitude for your commitment to Key Club! I wish everyone a happy spring and I can’t wait to see you all at DCON!

Yours in Service, Friendship, and Leadership Eleanor Koh webmaster@floridakeyclub.org

Executive Assistant Rose Khosh Hello, Florida District!

Congratulations on a great start to 2025! I know most of you are finished or studying for midterms and eagerly anticipating Spring Break, so finish strong!

Also, huge kudos to all the seniors out there working on their post-high school plans. I know many of you have wrapped up your Zone Rallies, I hope that you all learned something valuable at the workshops and DCMs to take back to your clubs. Remember, the deadline to apply for an appointed position is March 25th. If you have any questions about appointed positions feel free to reach out!

Yours in service, Rose Khosh ea@floridakeyclub.org

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INTERNATIONAL Key Club PARTNERS MAJOR EMPHASIS Erika's Lighthouse aims to ensure no young person feels alone in their depression. This nonprofit organization encourages good mental health and strives to break down the stigma surrounding mental health issues.

Erika's Lighthouse is dedicated to creating a community of empathy and education.

Key Club has partnered with Schoolhouse to bring free tutoring to thousands of learners across the world.

A platform for free, peer-to-peer tutoring where you can receive help, build skills, and pay it forward.They're driven by a mission to connect learners with safe, equitable opportunities to learn, teach, and grow.

PREFERRED CHARITIES Thirst Project hopes to educate the next generation by arming students with information about how they can be a part of social change, make a difference and encourage others to join in the effort.

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UNICEF helps over 150 developing countries through community-based services in primary health care, basic education, and safe water and sanitation.

International ICON ‘25

100 YEARS OF SERVICE

Get ready for the event of a lifetime: Key Club International Convention 2025! Join Key Club members from around the world in an amazing celebration of service and leadership. During ICON, attendees will enjoy participating in engaging workshops, hearing from inspiring speakers, electing 2025-26 International leaders, and much more! This celebration of a century of service will demonstrate just how powerful the past 100 years of Key Club have been.

July 2-6, 2025 Orlando, Florida Shape the future of Key Club!

Register today and prepare for a service celebration you will never forget! Need assistance with funding your trip to ICON? Visit the Key Club International Website’s ICON page to access their Sponsorship Toolkit. More information including schedules, promotion materials, and workshops can be found on the ICON page of the Key Club website.

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SERVICE SPOTLIGHT South Fork High School Key Club The South Fork High School (SFHS) Key Club members and Kiwanis Club of Stuart (KCOS) members attended the 30th Birthday of the club charter at Kiwanis Park. This special event was called “Fostering the Love of Reading” as both clubs supported the Key Club Governor’s project, “Lit for Life “through many projects accomplished before, during and after.

Activities during the event included: A Book-A-Thon, where SFHS key clubbers read to elementary aged children and the K-Kids from Palm City Elementary read to preschool aged children.

A book reading by renowned children’s book author Catherine Bailey that captivated children and adults alike A book drive and bookmark-making activity where children that participated in the BookA-Thon could receive a new book, certificate, and bookmark.

“To Go” bag discussions and assembly, which officers of SFHS made from collecting items like toiletries, socks, books, jeweled bookmarks, journals, composition books and a trauma doll. Bags were delivered in January to Rina’s House of Blessings for 40 disadvantaged children who are either homeless or from an abusive home .

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In addition to the countless Kiwanis, Key Club, and K-Kids members in attendance at the park, other families there were invited to join in the fun and some special guests, including the Principal of SFHS, Assistant Superintendent of Martin County Schools, Past Governor of Florida Kiwanis and Lieutenant Governor of Key Club Division 16; participated in this literary celebration, as well.

Deb Conn, sponsor from KCOS said, “I am very proud what the members accomplished in the special program, ‘Fostering the Love of Reading’ for the Stuart Community as they embraced the goals of “Lit for Life” and was a testament to a deep understanding of leadership and service.”

South Fork High School Key Club and the Kiwanis Club of Stuart did an amazing job organizing and running this event. Their activities and service projects demonstrated the importance of the influence of the Governor’s Project, “Lit for Life” and was clearly a great way to connect the community. Remember that with proper preparation, enthusiasm, and a goal, your Key Club is capable of achieving large, impactful events such as this one! If you’re needing help with planning a project, or want some ideas for how to get started, reach out to the Service and Partners Committee or visit the Florida District website for resources.

Pictures and information provided by Deborah Conn, Kiwanis Advisor of SFHS Key Club

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MAKE YOUR KEY The Rain Like all living, influential things, your club needs water. In Key Club, the service is in the rain.

Some seasons have more and some clouds are stronger, but each raindrop -- as in every service project the club performs, makes a difference. xWhen planning or participating in service events with your club, try to identify which areas of your community could use a little more help. You can also contact the Service and Partners Committee to learn more about our service partners and get ideas on how to increase service within your club.

The Air Plants need clean, healthy air to grow and thrive. Maintaining an engaging, motivated, and fun atosphere will not only attract membership and lead to more involved participation, but it is a huge factor of membership retention, as well. Member recognition, icebreakers, and club activities are great ways to create a positive environment and develop an air perfect for your club to flourish in.

The Blossom Of course, a successful Key Club takes a few more components than a flower, but overall if you put effort into each of these areas, you are sure to see improvements!

Remember to use the resources at your disposal and never be afraid to ask for help! Through the shine of the officers, strength of the soil in which you root your club, and the incorporation of exciting events and a healthy, fun environment, your Key Club will grow into something amazing.

The Soil Ways to Improve your Soil Health: Everything needs a strong base to grow from.

The “soil” is the administrative side of your club.

Though not always shiny and colorful, ensuring Balance pH - Make sure to give an even amount that reports are completed, members are of effort to different tasks and prioritize improving accounted for, and finances are updated is the on weaknesses. first step to having a successful Key Club. Using Rotate your crops - Try out new ideas and provide resources such as google sheets and a club variation. If things aren’t working out, adjust your website can keep everything organized. The methods and ensure you’re using a solid system of facts and data provide important nutrients! organization and tracking.

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CLUB BLOOM The Sun Every flower needs sunlight. A consistent, powerful 09 force supporting its growth through every stage.

Club officers serve this purpose. Looking over everyone, your officers should work together to ensure smooth meetings, plenty of opportunities, and strong inter-club connections. As the sun, club officers help clubs bloom by guiding members through all service projects, events, and meetings.

Remember that leadership is a journey, and that enthusiasm and energy will go a long way!

How to Shine Bright: Stay consistent - Just as the sun rises and sets each day, ensure your officers communicate regularly and manage recurring responsibilities. Officers are there to help!

Lead with Purpose - As the sunshine of the club, officers should guide club members with intention and encouragement. Make sure that everyone shares a common goal and understands the reasoning behind the actions of the club. Strong guidance and a sense of connection will keep everyone more engaged and committed!

Questions?

Reach out to the membership and club development committee for more tips and tricks to help!

The Seedlings The seedlings represent new membership and opportunities. They’re fragile but hold the promise of success and ideas. It is important to nurture them right from the beginning. Make sure that your club includes all of its members, recognizes accomplishments, and seeks out potential new leaders. If you notice members that seem particularly passionate or involved, encourage them to go for leadership positions! Leaning into their potential will help with the sprouting of your club.

Nurture your Seedlings: Make officer meetings open and accessible to show those interested what it’s like!

Have icebreakers/games that encourage members to meet others and speak in front of the group.

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SO YOU WANT TO BE ...

Serving as a leader in Key Club is a great opportunity to develop skills, connect with like-minded others, and make a difference in your community. Read on to hear what a few leaders around the District have to say about their terms and get some advice from those that have experienced these roles first hand! For more information on being a club officer, keep reading onto the next page for tips and tricks and visit the District Website for detailed information.

“As president of my club, I’ve experienced both the highs and lows.

Whether it’s navigating a dip in attendance or celebrating the achievement of over 100 members, it’s all part of the journey. What really stood is getting to work with so many passionate people who are committed to making a real difference. One of the best parts has been building connections, like with our Winter Haven Kiwanis president, Mr. Gonzalo, who has been instrumental in helping make our club successful. Watching our club grow from just an idea to something much bigger has been incredible, and it’s inspiring to see how far we’ve come.

Some tips I’d give to anyone taking on a higher position in Key Club is to remember that you don’t have to handle everything on your own. You have your faculty advisor, board members, fellow Key Clubbers, and District members to lean on for support. Also, not everything will go according to plan, so being adaptable and having a Plan B can make things run much more smoothly.

And, of course, never forget that you have a whole support team behind you!”

Kimberly Wang, Winter Haven Key Club

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AN EDITOR

A PRESIDENT

My favorite part about being club Editor is getting to bring my creative vision to life through my designs. I love creating content that sparks interaction and engagement while also growing our social media presence. One of my proudest moments has been helping our Instagram grow over 550 followers!

Watching our club grow, and knowing that my work has contributed to this, makes this experience even more rewarding than I imagined.

Sebastian Soto, Doral Key Club

A SECRETARY Overall, my experience as Key Club Secretary was really amazing and I truly appreciate the fact that it enabled me to become more involved with the club as a whole. I have loved seeing our club grow.

For advice, I’d recommend that club secretaries take records of everything.

Club attendance, service project information such as hours possible and participation, membership, and anything else. Having digital records will be a huge help for applying for awards and you’re less likely to make an error.

Chance Bates, Pensacola Key Club

SPRINGING INTO THE NEW YEAR CLUB OFFICER GUIDES

PASSWORDS & MORE

Being a club officer is an amazing thing, but there’s no doubt that all of these new responsibilities and tasks can seem daunting. The District website has many resources, including guides for every club officer position and faculty advisors full of checklists, tips, and tricks, available for your use.

These are a great way to understand responsibilities and feel confident about the new club leadership.

As the service year comes to an end and we transition to new leaders, it can be easy to forget the little things. As you’re preparing for the shift in leadership, make sure that new officers have access to everything they need including social media accounts, Canva, club websites, and anything else. Having a shared drive with resources the club officers have used and learned from over the past year, including passwords, references, brand guides, advice, schedules, and more, will help prepare the new officers and ensure a smooth transition.

OFFICER INFORMATION FORMS One of the most important parts of ensuring a smooth transition and year is fully completed, thourough Officer Information Forms (OIFs). Done through Keymmunity, these forms allow Lt. Governors, DIstrict Officials, and admin to contact your club. The form for the 2025-2026 service year is open, so once new club officers are elected, start filling out your OIF! Remember to keep this updated throughout the year and make sure that all of the information for new officers is correct and current.

SHADOWING Show the officer elects the ropes! Invite them to officer meetings, have them help plan projects, and let them run parts of your club meetings. Officers begin right after DCON, so this is a great way to prepare officers and let them see what to expect.

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SPRING SERVICE Spring is the season of life, new growth, and change. As the Key Club service year comes to an end and we transition to new leadership, remember to continue serving your committee with passion and kindness. Take advantage of the warming weather, ending school year, and exciting opportunities. This is a great time to get members excited about ending strong and building momentum for the next service year. Keep reading for some ideas of ways to serve your community this season: Have a flower or tree planting event to promote green spaces Create/clean a community garden at your school or a local park; encourage students and members to learn about growing food and plants Host a park or beach cleanup Create summer fun kits for local elementary students complete with outdoor toys, snacks, and books Reach out to a local assisted living home or Ronald McDonald house and offer to help with some Spring cleaning

KEY CLUB WALKS As one of our preferred charities, performing service to help the Thirst Project is a great way to spread awareness about the water crisis and make a difference.

Each year, they participate in a global event, called “Key Club Walks” to raise money for fighting the water crisis that many in our world face. This year, our District is trying to promote this event more than ever, so please look into participating in the 2025 Key Club Walks campaign! During this service event, Key Clubs worldwide will pick a date (preferably in April) to walk 3.75 miles (the average distance people walk to collect contaminated water) and raise $25 each. Every $25 raised gives one person clean water for life, and our goal is to raise $24,000 to build two clean freshwater wells in the Kingdom of eSwatini. You can create a team as an individual or as a club and be sure to spread the news to all in your community!

For more information about this important campaign, visit the Thirst Project website and go to the Key Club Walks page.

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My favorite key club memory was the mad hatters tea party ran by Gulfport Kiwanis. It’s main purpose was to give school supplies to kids in need right before the new school year! We dressed up like Alice-in-Wonderland characters and engaged our community in a fulfilling way. I’m so glad I was able to participate!”

- Tucker Henry, Saint Petersburg Key Club Co-President

My favorite Key Club memory was being able to serve all of you. Creating The Sunshine Source has been a true labor of love and I have greatly enjoyed being able to not only provide information for the District, but highlight our amazing members and accomplishments as a District. If you ever have questions, feedback, or new ideas for how this publication can develop further, please let me know! It is with a great honor that I officially close out this final issue of Volume 20 of The Sunshine Source for the 2024-2025 Service Year.

Yours always in Service, Leadership, and Friendship,

Willow Young

Willow Young, 24-25 District Editor

CONTACT INFORMATION Executive Committee:

Administrators:

Governor Alejandro Ganaza governoralejandro@floridakeyclub.org

District Administrator Heather Locke heather@floridakeyclub.org

Secretary Daniela Aguas secretary@floridakeyclub.org

Assistant District Admin. Alan Quon alanquon@floridakeyclub.org

Treasurer Issa Allison treasurer@floridakeyclub.org

Assistant Administrator Jose Leoncio jose@floridakeyclub.org

Editor Willow Young editor@floridakeyclub.org

Finance Administrator Steve Leblanc steve@floridakeyclub.org

Webmaster Eleanor Koh webmaster@floridakeyclub.org

Stay Connected!

Executive Assistant Rose Khosh ea@floridakeyclub.org

@flkeyclub

www.floridakeyclub.org

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Florida District of Key Club International Published March 2025