Circling the
Empire The official publication of the New York District of Circle K International
2016 – 2017 Issue 4 • End of Service Year
TABLE OF CONTENTS 03 04 05 06 08 11 12
14 20
Farewell from the 2016-2017 Editor Introduction of the 2017-2018 Editor What is CKI? District Goal Progress District Convention District Awards Service Year Spotlight CKIx 2017 Call to Convention International Awards Member Spotlights The Tomorrow Fund
Circling the Empire is the official publication of the New York District of Circle K International. For questions or concerns related to this volume of Circling the Empire, contact 2016-2017 District Editor Terrell Merritt via email at terrell.cki@gmail.com. For general information about the New York District, visit us on the web at nycirclek.org. For general information about Circle K International, visit circlek.org.
A FAREWELL FROM 2016-2017 DISTRICT EDITOR
TERRELL F. MERRITT
Dearest friends and members of the New York District! Hello for the final time as your district bulletin editor. It is my pleasure to present to you the fourth and final issue of my volume of Circling the Empire. It has been quite an amazing service year, and this newsletter will only continue to touch on the sentiments expressed during our 55th annual District Convention. As you move on into the new service year, remember why it is that you are here. Maybe a friend peacefully coerced you to join, as Amanda Rizzi of Binghamton University reflected on during District Convention. Perhaps you were like me, having already followed your club on Twitter before arriving on your campus. In either scenario, you joined the world’s largest collegiate service organization. Now you build your homes, schools, and communities (to borrow a line from the Key Club International pledge). You are a part of something great. When first elected to serve as district bulletin editor, I had so many questions about how this year would turn out. While there are some things that I will always wish I did (or did better), to witness the district’s strength right now makes me feel amazing to have been a small part of this. Thank you to the 2016-2017 District Board (I think we were the Hawaiian Board?) for the great times, many laughs, and amazing performance. A special thanks to outgoing Governor Jerry Cimo for always believing in me, even when I was not at my best. To the incoming board, the district has elected you because they trust in your abilities – but you must trust in your abilities as well. Do not sell yourself short. To Rebecca Lopez, my bubbly successor, always remember that your job is primarily to deliver information to and highlight the successes of our clubs. I have the utmost faith in your capabilities from the energy that I have seen you exhibit, especially during Convention. Make the most of that energy, and I will always be here if you need my help. I had a conversation with a friend whom I met in Key Club. Without going into too much detail, I ended up thinking a lot about why I joined the Kiwanis family, and why I ended up in a position where I can be writing this long-winded letter. Whatever selfish reasons may have been involved at first, I am glad I stayed and still do service. With the Kiwanis family, I am doing service with people whom I always end up calling my friends and subsequently my family. It is because of this family that I have gotten through some of my darkest days but also have shined enough to give back the way that only CKI members can. So to wrap this up, thank you all for being a part of my family. Now enjoy this last issue of Circling the Empire! Yours in Service, Leadership, and Fellowship,
3 2
Terrell F. Merritt terrell.cki@gmail.com • (347) 762-8963
AN INTRODUCTION BY 2017-2018 DISTRICT EDITOR
REBECCA L. LOPEZ Hello, Mighty New York District! My name is Rebecca Lopez, and at District Convention two weekends ago, I was given the honor of being elected to serve as your 2017-2018 District Editor. I am from Staten Island in New York City, and a first-year Civil Engineering Technology major at Rochester Institute of Technology. I love talking to people, getting lost in NYC, petting dogs, and of course the Kiwanis family! I do not have to tell you how amazing Circle K International is, but in case you need a little reminder: we have over 1,200 members in over 40 clubs throughout the New York District, we have raised over $34,000 for countless organizations and proudly served over 20,000 service hours!
During my term, I want to incorporate something that I learned the importance of while serving in Key Club: the importance of members! I want to feature a club of the month and club member of the month; I will send out a short application in the coming weeks to submit nominations for either of these features. I am personally very excited for this because while people show appreciation for the service that we do, it tends to go without thanks. By creating a service spotlight, we can give thanks for the money, time, and love you donate to your communities. I also want to interact more with members and share your experiences in Circle K, in order to increase membership retention. Most of all I want this to be a fun and successful service year, and I look forward to speaking with you all and hearing about your Circle K experience! I would also like to congratulate the outgoing District Board on a fantastic service year! Shout out to Ryan Coffey and Jerry Cimo for shaving their heads at DCON! Congratulations to the outgoing club officers for taking time out of your busy schedules to help your communities! Congratulations to the incoming club officers; I think that this is going to be a great year! Finally, congratulations to the incoming District Board, I look forward to getting to know each one of you! Finally, congratulations to you for a great service year – we could not accomplish anything without you! Wow, that was quite a lot of congratulations! Feel free to contact me at any time. I find that I do not sleep much and will usually be up to help in any way I can. You can email me or text/call me at using the contact information below. Good luck and remember: live to serve, love to serve! Yours in Service,
Rebecca Lopez rebecca.lopez@nycirclek.org • (914) 263-8825
4
WHAT IS CKI?
To develop college & university students into a global network of responsible citizens and leaders with a lifelong commitment to service
To be the leading global community-service organization on college and university campuses that enriches the world one member, one child, & one community at a time.
CKI Mission
CKI Vision
5
District Goal Progress
As we reflect on the 2016-2017 service year, let us look at the progress we have made on our goals, set by the 2016-2017 New York District Board. Please note, these numbers are accurate based on reporting by our clubs from April 2016 through January 2017. This information is available online at nycirclek.org/goals.
2,203
service hours, district project goal: 1,000 (220%) ~1 service hour/member
433
service hours, gov.’s project goal: 1,000 (43%) ~1 service hour/member
$23,200 total funds raised goal: $35,000 (66%) ~$35/member
dues-paid members goal: 1,234 (72%)
14,542
total service hours goal: 20,000 (73%) ~20 service hours/member 6
892
111 interclubs goal: 100
160
117
132 socials
goal: 150
goal: 150
kiwanis family relations
attendees
district large scale service project goal: 130 (123%)
110
attendees
new york speaking conference goal: 100 (110%)
Progress data compiled by 2016-2017 District Secretary Jack Curzon
7
DISTRICT CONVENTION Message from International President Shayna Cole, Ball State University
I had the wonderful opportunity to meet the New York District and celebrate a year of service, leadership, and fellowship with them at their annual District Convention. I was amazed by the passionate servant leadership that swept the room throughout workshops, general sessions, and the service fair. Congratulations again to the 2016-2017 district board and Governor Jerry Cimo for a successful year in Circle K! ∎
8 8
2016-2017 DISTRICT AWARDS
Club Recognition Outstanding Apparel Cornell University Outstanding Interclub City College of New York & Molloy College Outstanding Video Molloy College Outstanding Social Media SUNY Oswego Outstanding Website City College of New York Outstanding Newsletter City College of New York Mary Jean Sprague Memorial Outstanding Scrapbook SUNY New Paltz Outstanding Fellowship Initiatives Yellow Tier: SUNY New Paltz Blue Tier: Stony Brook University Outstanding Fundraiser Yellow Tier: SUNY New Paltz Blue Tier: City College of New York Service Hours University at Buffalo Funds Raised Binghamton University
Outstanding Leadership/Development Yellow Tier: SUNY New Paltz Blue Tier: City College of New York Outstanding Service Project Yellow Tier: SUNY Cobleskill Blue Tier: University at Buffalo Governor’s Project – Mind Your Mind Ithaca College City College of New York SUNY New Paltz District Project – Hope 4 the Homeless Queens College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Molloy College Club Membership Growth Award Adelphi University Binghamton University Cornell University Hofstra University Hudson Valley Community College Ithaca College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Russell Sage College St. John Fisher College St. John’s University Syracuse University Distinguished Club Yellow Tier: Adelphi University Blue Tier: Stony Brook University
9
Individual Recognition Larry Jonas Memorial Outstanding First Year Member Peony Tse, Stony Brook University
Outstanding Club Treasurer Timothy Leung, Binghamton University* Odalis Gutierrez, City College of New York Jorge Vilca, Molloy College Adria Lam, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Vivian Li, Russell Sage College
John R. Jack Memorial Outstanding Circle K Member Ryan Coffey, City College of New York
Outstanding Club Editor/Webmaster Grace Rosado, City College of New York* Kora Sileo, Binghamton University Dylan Forgoine, City College of New York
Anthony J. Palangi Memorial Outstanding Kiwanian Steven Chin, NYC Young Professionals Outstanding Faculty Advisor Scott Ball, SUNY Oswego
Outstanding Club Committee Chair Peony Tse, Stony Brook University* Ridmila Sudasinghe, City College of New York Viktoriya Borisova, City College of New York Sandy Zhu, Stony Brook University Kerry Gordon, SUNY New Paltz
Outstanding Kiwanis Advisor Chuck Eckert, Canisius College Outstanding Club President Kristian Mosquito, City College of New York* Courtney Aronica, Binghamton University Julia Dressler, Canisius College Amanda Tam, Stony Brook University Ashley Cimato, SUNY New Paltz Sandra Wong, SUNY Oswego
Distinguished Member – Bronze Abigail Gabor, City College of New York William Dadario, City College of New York Distinguished Member – Silver Massiel Celi, City College of New York Alicia Wong, Stony Brook University Sandy Zhu, Stony Brook University
Outstanding Club Vice President Katie Lim, Stony Brook University* Emily Wagner, Canisius College Justin Bennett, City College of New York Ashley Murdock, SUNY New Paltz Maryanna Cocchiara, SUNY New Paltz Barry Lee, University at Buffalo Outstanding Club Secretary Brianna Huckell, University at Buffalo* Monroe Marshall, Adelphi University Cecilia Fernandez, City College of New York Gurleen Kaur, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute *Officer was recognized as the Distinguished recipient for their position.
Distinguished Member – Gold Ethan B. Samowitz, City College of New York Evalynn Zheng, City College of New York Jack Curzon, New York University Sarah Lee, St. John’s University Distinguished District Committee Chair Karandeep Singh, Binghamton University Distinguished District Lieutenant Governor Sara Louie, City College of New York Distinguished District Executive Member Jack Curzon, New York University
10
MY SERVICE YEAR IN REVIEW
Article by 2016-2017 Club President Sandra Wong, SUNY Oswego
Wow! I cannot believe that the 2016-2017 service year is already over. It feels like it was just yesterday when then-Iroquois Lieutenant Governor Ed Kroll came to SUNY Oswego to talk to us about the Circle K chartering process. Now, nearly a year after becoming recognized on campus, I am proud of how far my club has come. First off, I had the opportunity to serve as Club Charter President in this amazing organization and met a plethora of inspiring individuals who motivate me daily to do my best. I have grown as a leader
and have made lifelong friends along the way. This service year was filled with ups and downs, but SUNY Oswego Circle K still managed to reach nearly 500 service hours this service year. Through each of our meetings and events, I am extremely grateful to have gotten to known individuals in my club and division who share the passion of service. Although my club is small, we still found ways to actively serve and make an impact in the Oswego community. I am glad that I joined Circle K and had the opportunity to assist on various levels. This remarkable organization has shaped us into the leaders we are today and ignites us with the desire to serve others. After attending all three district events for the first time, it has been a pleasure to meet all these individuals who love making a difference on their campuses and communities. My first year in Circle K was the start of an amazing journey and will always be an unforgettable one. I am looking forward to what the 2017-2018 service year has in store for us all. ∎
11
CALL TO CKIx CIRCLE K INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION & LARGE SCALE SERVICE PROJECT
CKI will gather from July 5th through July 9th, 2017 for the 62nd annual Circle K International Convention at the Grand Hyatt hotel in San Antonio, Texas! During this convention, you will have the opportunity to do service alongside members of CKI from all over the country and the world, attend workshops, elect the 2017-2018 Circle K International Board, and much more! ∎
circlek.org/ckix OFFICIAL CONVENTION WEBSITE
US$200 US$250 REGISTRATION FEE UNTIL MAY 1ST
REGISTRATION FEE MAY 2ND – JUNE 2ND
*No registration after June 2nd will be accepted
If you are interested in attending CKIx, please reach out to On to International Convention Task Force Chair Jerry Cimo, who will be coordinating the New York District’s attendance at CKIx; Also feel free to reach out to him with any questions regarding convention.
Jerry Cimo 2017 On to International Convention Task Force Chair jerry.cimo@nycirclek.org
12
BE RECOGNIZED Apply for International Awards today! CLUB AWARDS – due online June 1st* Club Achievement Outstanding Kiwanis Family Relations Outstanding Single Service Preferred Charities & Service Partners Traditional Scrapbook Non-Traditional Scrapbook
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS CKI Hall of Fame (at least 3 service years in CKI) – due June 1st Oratorical Contest – due at CKIx You can find the award applications and a manual online at the official CKIx website:
circlek.org/ckix If you have any questions throughout the process, feel free to reach out to the 2016-2017 International Awards Task Force:
Donald Franks
Terrell F. Merritt
Task Force Chair cki.donaldfranks@gmail.com
Task Force Secretary terrell.cki@gmail.com
*Club awards can also be submitted in person at CKIx registration.
13
"Where's Peony?"
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
PEONY TSE
Larry Jonas Outstanding First Year Member Stony Brook University Club Executive Assistant District Club Building & Resources Committee Member District Convention Host Club Chair “Peony, you radiate so much potential and are always putting others before yourself! I remember when you saved my workshop with your amazing icebreaker idea! Your food recommendations are the greatest and I am so honored to witness your dedication to this organization! Keep on shining, I will always be rooting for you!” – 2016-17 Club President Sarah Moughal, Molloy College
“’Where’s Peony?’ ‘In the bathroom.’ ‘For 30 minutes? Huh. Makes sense.’ Before meeting Peony, I never knew it was possible for a person to take so long to get ready... for anything. Please shower faster Peony. But yeah, she's enthusiastic, dedicated, supportive, and has shown so much potential as a leader. Working with her has been a pleasure, and laughing at her has been hilarious.” – 2016-17 District Awards Chair Nicole Chan, Stony Brook University
14
“Peony took her first year in CKI and made the most of it by serving as a committee chair in her club and by representing on the district level as well. She really took the initiative to foster fellowship within her club and led an effort to make Stony Brook University Circle K one big family!” – 2016-17 District Governor Jerry Cimo, Binghamton University
“Peony is a mini-me and normally that would be weird but she is amazing and unbelievably driven to do everything possible within the organization and in the world. If you look at her eyeliner, you can tell that she is a perfectionist in every aspect of her life and her care for meticulous details makes the organization run smoothly. Her dedication and passion to CKI gave her the courage to attend all three district events as a freshman. She has a lot in store for her!” – 2016-17 Club President Amanda Tam, Stony Brook University
“Peony is everything that a CKI member should strive to be. She is a person who is willing to do whatever she can to make sure everybody else is smiling as much as she naturally is, willing to give it her all in the name of service, and willing to grow as a servant leader. Not to mention that she’s such a pure sweetheart. It has been my pleasure to share the start of Peony’s CKI journey with her, and I can tell there will be nothing but good things to hear moving forward.” – 2016-17 District Bulletin Editor Terrell F. Merritt, Rochester Institute of Technology
15
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
RYAN COFFEY
John R. Jack Outstanding Circle K Member City College of New York Club Co-President District Conferences & Conventions Committee Chair
“I can think of no person who exemplifies the spirit of Circle K more than Ryan Coffey. He displays all three tenets of Circle K in everything he does. Without him, our club definitely would not be as funny or as accomplished as it is now. I am honored to have worked with him as co-presidents for our club. More importantly, I’m honored to call him my friend.” – 2016-17 Club Co-President Kristian Mosquito, City College of New York
Shout out to Ryan Coffey for Braving the Shave and by going bald, helping to raise money to support children’s cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. We’ll be seeing a bit more of your Yankees hat for some time!
16
“Ryan is a hardworking and independent gogetter. The amount of work that he put into running each of our district events this year is appreciated, and it has been a pleasure working with him.” – 2016-17 District Governor Jerry Cimo, Binghamton University
“As much of a comedian as he likes to be most of the time, Ryan Coffey is a true gentleman who has always reached out to help others. I have been fortunate enough to witness countless occasions in which Ryan has given more than he had to, simply because he could and thought it would benefit others. Ryan has been a person I could have the strangest conversations about the Kiwanis family with, and I truly enjoyed working alongside him. It’s just unfortunate he lives on Staten Island. But in all seriousness, I’d like to think that our district is better off because we have him.” – 2016-17 District Editor Terrell F. Merritt, 17 Rochester Institute of Technology
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
NIKITA LEE “She is somewhat soft spoken when you first meet her, but extremely enthusiastic member who has gotten extremely involved this past year not only in her club, but also by serving on two of our district committees. Any time that I have approached her to help me work on something, she has always been extremely excited and ready to help out in any way that she could. She does this even if it means spending over 10 hours with another member of the District Club Building & Resources Committee combing through every resource our district has made in the last eight years to work on reorganizing them for our website.” – 2016-17 District Governor Jerry Cimo, Binghamton University
“What makes Nikita so special is her ability to be so hardworking and determined, but also have such a pleasurable and charismatic personality. She was always willing to step up and go the extra mile and I looked forward to every one of our conversations and meetings. She truly is the most genuine and delightful person I have met this year. It was truly an honor to serve with Nikita this past year on the Conferences & Conventions Committee, and I am so excited to see what she does as Lieutenant Governor.” – 2016-17 District Conferences & Conventions Chair Ryan Coffey, City College of New York
18
Governor’s Unsung Hero Cornell University Club Fundraising Chair District Conferences & Conventions Committee Member District Club Building & Resources Committee Member District Convention Sergeant-at-Arms Chair “She is absolutely wonderful to be around and I am so glad that I have gotten to know her so well this past year. She is very reliable and will help out with anything, even when she is totally overwhelmed with all of the other activities that she is involved in. You can always count on her to get the job done, and she is very social and good at talking to other people. She makes our members feel very welcomed, and we all love her so much!” – 2016-17 Club Co-President Christina Cheung, Cornell University
“There are some people who you meet, and the energy they give off lets you know that they are going to be something special. Nikita Lee was definitely one of those people when I met her at District Convention in 2016. In her, I almost immediately saw somebody so energetic and ready to get involved (as her Facebook messages to me immediately afterwards indicate) – and she did not let down. She is truly an Unsung Hero, working behind the scenes in so many different ways to make sure that the New York District lives up to its potential. I’m calling it now – the Southern Tier Division is going to be one to look out for during her term as Lieutenant Governor!” – 2016-17 District Editor Terrell F. Merritt Rochester Institute of Technology
19
THE TOMORROW FUND GRANT 2016-2017 District Treasurer Edgar Hu, Stony Brook University Every year in the fall, Circle K International starts accepting applications for the Tomorrow Fund. The Tomorrow Fund is an endowed grant that helps CKI clubs and districts serve the world through grants for service opportunities. Clubs may request funding assistance from US$200 to US$2,000. The review committee typically funds those clubs asking for a portion of the total cost of the project, and clubs that are working with other organizations to fund and complete the project. This year, the Tomorrow Fund funded the
New York District to make hygiene kits in the name of our district project, Hope 4 the Homeless (see article below). For more information about the Tomorrow Fund, visit the official Tomorrow Fund webpage. If your club is interested in applying next fall, contact 2017-2018 District Treasurer Kate Wong. This application asks your club to plan a service project or event ahead of time. We have past applications for the grant that you can look at, so definitely consider applying for the grant starting in October 2017! ∎
circlek.org/tomorrowfund Official Tomorrow Fund webpage
kate.wong@nycirclek.org
Kate Wong, 2017-2018 District Treasurer 20
HOMELESS HYGIENE KITS
Service Fair, 2017 District Convention
This year, our Governor’s Project was “Hope for the Homeless,” and we tried to combat homelessness in our communities across New York state. One of the biggest challenges that the homeless face is a lack of basic hygiene items; without access to daily showers and sanitary items, it is easy for disease and illness to plague the community. That is why we made “Homeless Hygiene Kits” at our Service Fair during District Convention, to be able to distribute them to the less fortunate in our neighborhoods. These kits are being
delivered to our local homeless shelter, to be passed out to people so they can use them wherever they are. In the kit we included: antibacterial wipes, lip balm, toothpaste, toothbrushes, Kleenex tissues, a deodorant roll, shampoo, and a fresh pair of socks. Although this won’t last forever, hopefully it will allow them to be able to sustain themselves longer in a healthier living environment. We worked together to put all of these supplies together into a plastic zipper bag and at the end of the day, we made over 100 bags to be distributed. It was also a great bonding experience and a lot of fun for everyone involved! ∎
21
nycirclek.org | circlek.org
Circle K International • 3636 Woodview Trace • Indianapolis, Indiana 46268