KEY CLUB
The esPRESSo February/March 2011
Volume 22 Issue 1
The official publication of the Pacific Northwest District of Key Club International
New year New service Start the year off right with DCON 2012 registration, creative service projects, fundraisers, leadership tips and more!
In review esPRESSo to go Messages
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Website improvements Major Emphasis
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March of Dimes
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Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF Children’s Miracle Network Eliminate Events
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Eastside Rally Canadian Rally
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Southern Oregon Rally
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12
Key Leader in a Nutshell District Project KCCP
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Club Resources
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DCON Club Awards Recruiting Club Elections Holiday Service District Convention 2012 Working with Kiwanis Beating the Final Exams Leadership
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Divisional Council Meetings
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Icebreakers
Editor’s Note
Maintaining Membership
Lieutenant Governor Elections The Key Club Pledge
Find us online!
District Project KCCP
www.issuu.com/the_espresso
In service and caring,
Special thanks to: Allison Lockhart (cover photo) Giovanni McKenzie (divisional spotlight) Grace Chon Bassel Hamieh
Hello and thank you for reading this issue of The esPRESSo! I hope you find this magazine both entertaining and informational as we begin the year 2012 together. You’ve probably heard the theory about the world coming to at the end of 2012 because of the Mayan calendar; I personally think that whoever wrote the calendar just stopped one day, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pretend this is our last year and live it to the fullest! Most importantly, we should continue to serve others to the best of our abilities. Now is the time for selfreflection: what do you like about your club so far? How could you improve yourselves and therefore improve the lives of others? Whether it be about service, Key Club, school or just life, I hope to hear from you soon. You can find my email address along with the other District Executive and International officers’ contact information on the back cover of this issue.
Wylie Mao Mail Northwest R4 Printing
MaryAlice Peng P.S. Sorry if some of this information may seem outdated! I was planning on publishing this in January but ran across technical difficulties. My apologies again.
messages Cole Hickman International Trustee Hello PNW Key Clubbers! I hope you all are having a great Key Club (and school!) year thus far. With convention just around the corner (kind of), I can't wait to see all of you doing your thing the PNW-way! Keep up your hard work and service. I will be sending your LtG's information about a sister clubs program, wherein your club can pair up with another club from either the Southwest District or the CaliforniaNevada-Hawaii KIWIN'S District and exchange ideas, participate in collaborative projects, make friends, and more! As far as the International Level goes, we've been working hard to make this year the absolute best! We recently had our International Board Meeting in Orlando, Florida at the International Convention site, and let me tell you, it is breathtaking! I'm talking two pools, a location that is right next to Downtown Disney, huge meeting rooms, and of course, when filled with all of you Key Clubbers, an amazing place to call home for a week! We have also been busy in our Committee work - remember, there are 4 International Committees: the Executive, the Committee on Committee Chairs, Leadership, and Communications - to produce resources, awards information, communications ideas, and more! In fact, I was talking with President Annie, and she said that there is no party like a Pacific Northwest Party, so I'm counting down the days until we can party it up and celebrate our year of service at DCON this spring. Best wishes! Stay stress-free, time-managed, and focused on service. Until next time, Cole Hickman :) P.S. If you're looking to get an overlay for your Facebook like the one that I have included in this blurb, talk to your Lt.G, or contact me at kcitrusteecole@gmail.com!
Varun Awasthi District Governor Hey PNW Key Clubbers! I hope you have all been able to have a great Key Club year so far! It’s hard to believe that it is already December! All clubs should have now received a District Resource CD and a Call to Convention CD in a fall mailing. Both of these CDs are very important as the District Resource CD contains a lot of vital information and tools for effectively running your clubs, while the Call to Convention CD covers everything relating to DCON 2012. If, for any reason, your club did not receive either of these CDs please contact your lieutenant governor immediately. We can easily arrange for you to receive the CDs. As most of you are already aware, our District Project this year is the Kiwanis Children’s Cancer Program. This program raises money in support of three Pacific Northwest Hospitals (BC Children’s in Vancouver, B.C, Seattle Children’s and Doernbecher Children’s in Portland, OR). While the main goal of this project is monetary, as a Key Club District Project, we are also focused on service projects relating directly to the needs of the cancer patients. Many clubs have made trauma dolls and cards, sewn quilts, or held drives to collect items such as books or games. As a district, we have made many accomplishments with this great project and will continue to do so for years to come. Continue to raise as much money as you can for this project. The overall goal for the Kiwanis Children’s Cancer Program is not to raise a set amount of money, but to find the cure for cancer. The project will be ongoing until that day comes. I have been amazed at the level of commitment that I have seen from Key Clubbers throughout the district. Being able to work with Key Clubbers from Alaska all the way down to Northern California has truly been life changing. If you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me or any other District Board Member. First and foremost, we are here to serve you. Continue to have an excellent service year and I hope to see you all at DCON in March! FEBRUARY/MARCH | THE ESPRESSO
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Emerson Kim
Neha Delal
District Secretary
District Treasurer
Hello PNW Key Clubbers! I hope that all of you have been doing well in school and Key Club. During the holiday season, make the effort to give back to the community and those less fortunate. Even the smallest thing can bring great gratitude. By now, your club should have received an envelope containing the Call to Convention and the District Resource CDs. These CDs contain a lot of valuable resources made by your Lieutenant Governors, so use them to your club’s advantage. The resource CD also includes the District Directory that I compiled during the summer. If you have any updates/changes to make, please email me and/ or your Lt. Governor with the necessary changes. If you have not received the CDs yet, please contact us as soon as possible. On another note, I want to remind all club secretaries to submit your monthly report by the 5th of each month. Not only are these reports part of your duties but they are very helpful to your Lt. Governor. If you ever have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me at emersonkim1221@gmail.com. Thank you all for your service and I cannot wait to see all of you at District Convention!
Hey Key Clubbers! Today’s quote comes from Robert Kennedy: ―Some men see things as they are and ask why? I dream dreams that never were and ask why not?‖ Your amazing efforts have collectively resulted in countless hours of volunteering, hundreds of dollars in KCCP fundraising, and many new members through the promotion of Key Club: you have all inspired me to live up to this quote. Not only that, but you did a fantastic job with dues in the past few months (remember to have your clubs turn them in if they still haven’t!). I’m having an awesome time as District Treasurer of the mighty Pacific Northwest and have been so honored to work with all of you. There’s still more to be done, however. We stand at 10,873 members today and are more than halfway to DCON 2012. By then, our district should be home to 12,000 proud Key Clubbers. KCCP, UNICEF, Eliminate, the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, March of Dimes—all of these organizations are always in need of more support. Keep on volunteering around your community, and inspire the next generation of Key Clubbers. Continue recruiting members, planning projects, fundraising, and otherwise keeping this year TERRFIC. Remember that it’s never too late to get more involved and never be scared to try something new.
MaryAlice Peng
Felicia Nguyen
District Bulletin Editor
Convention Chair
Hey PNW Key Clubbers! Are you all excited for the new year? As first semester comes to an end, now is the perfect time to tie together any loose ends and start fresh. You may have noticed that it’s been a while since the last issue of The esPRESSo and I apologize for that; I’ve been downloading new editing programs and it completely wiped out Publisher! On that note, if you ever have any technical difficulties or questions about creating publications, feel free to contact me. I’m here to answer any and all of your questions about making/publishing/distributing your creations and utilizing Key Club International’s Graphic Standards.
Hello PNW Key Clubbers! Although District Convention is still months away, the date is approaching much sooner than you think! Check out the Call to Convention on the District website if you haven’t already. This is where all things regarding registration, elections, awards, and contests can be found. Registration is due on January 31st, so be sure that you submit your forms to your advisors much sooner. This year, we will be having online registration available. I will also be posting ―how-to‖ video tutorials and instructions on the District website, as well; be on the lookout for those! Lastly, the oratorical topic has been released on the website, if you are interested in in that contest. The District Board is working very hard to put together an amazing and fun-packed weekend for you. Mark your calendars and save the date, because DCON will be from March 30th-April 1st. We are ecstatic to see you there! Feel free to contact me with any questions at feliciakn@yahoo.com.
New club editors: Congratulations on taking leadership in your service! Be sure to add me on Facebook and also join the updated Facebook group Pacific Northwest Key Club Editors. Looks like it cleared out the majority of the old members, so be sure to re-add yourself if you’re an outgoing editor. I’ll be posting more (new!) resources, videos, and of course The esPRESSo. Keep in touch, lovelies!
MaryAlice Peng 2
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In love and service, Felicia Nguyen
Samuel Kim Projects Director Hello again Key Clubbers of the Pacific Northwest! My oh my, wasn’t the first quarter of your Key Club year just as fantastic as your officers had promised it to be? In terms of this years’ District Project, for the Kiwanis Children’s Cancer Program, every chartered club should have participated in at least one event for it. So far, our district has raised over $12,000.00!! This would not have been accomplished without your dedicated Lieutenant Governor, united division, and enthusiastic home clubs. Though the upcoming District Convention will conclude this years’ District Project, there are still multiple fundraising opportunities. Remember that the Kiwanians, district and division officers are always at your disposal. By the end of the year, I hope to see everyone joyfully celebrate accomplishments made for the Kiwanis Children’s Cancer Program. Like always, I am available to any questions and concerns. My email is samkeem@gmail.com. I will try my best to meet everyone at the District Convention, and until then keep serving your community to the best of your abilities!
Kiwanis Children’s Cancer Program Raise awareness. Support research. Fund fellowships. Help find the cure. Pg. 9 for more
Marcus Frates Communications Director Hello PNW Key Club! As Communications Director one of my chief duties is to update the website and work with our Kiwanis counterparts on securing our URL address. Bellow is a small update on the site, some background history on it’s complications, and steps we are taking to fix it. Several years ago a Lieutenant Governor from the PNW District was given permission to create the PNW Key Club website. Unfortunately during the transition of District Administrators and District Board Members we have lost contact with said Lieutenant Governor and in turn lost our ownership over the pnwkeyclub.org domain. For this reason it has become significantly harder for us to edit the appearance and content of the site. As a solution to this problem Kiwanis Secretary/Treasurer, Cleve Parker, and I have put a redirect on the site to a Wix account that I have created as temporary site for the PNW District. This allowed me to upload content and change the appearance of the site freely with out the constrictions of the old site. Unfortunately as of January 22, 2012 the pnwkeyclub.org domain has expired, and our redirect on the site has been deleted by Network Solutions, the company which owns the domain rights overpnwkeyclub.org. Today if you go to our site you will be directed to a Network Solutions site aimed towards selling the domain to potential customers. After talking to our Cleve Parker we have decided to bid for the domain and final gain complete ownership over the site and have full rights over the URL. If we win the bid with Network Solutions we plan on moving the domain over to Go Daddy or some other website service provider once our contract is up. For the time being please go to http://www.wix.com/pnwwebsite/keyclub for updates form the district, thank you! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns feel free to contact me at marcusfrates@gmail.com
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Major emphasis Children: Their Future, Our Focus Every Key Club has the authority to select its own service projects because usually, there are many more service needs in a community than there are service clubs and agencies to meet them. However, all Key Clubs are asked to participate in the Major Emphasis: ―Children: Their Future, Our Focus.‖ The Major Emphasis was created in 1946 in order to challenge Key Club members to focus their energies on creating a unified, international impact.
So what does the Major Emphasis emphasize? The Major Emphasis service initiative, the focus of the program, usually changes every two years. Children: Their Future, Our Focus is the current service initiative and aims to serve the children of the world. By coming together under a common purpose, Key Club International and its service partners intend to put forth a united front against childhood illness and other negative impacts on youth worldwide. As Kiwanis International President-elect Alan Penn said, ―Children are 19% of our population and 100% of our future.‖
Who are the international service partners, and what do they stand for? Key Club International has forged important partnerships with three other organizations that share similar ideas and goals. These international service partners include UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund), Children’s Miracle Network, and March of Dimes. Our relationship with UNICEF is currently dedicated to Eliminate. Children’s Miracle Network focuses on children’s healthcare and the March of Dimes fundraises for premature baby care.
What can I do to help? You can work on the hands-on service initiative project Eliminate, a partner project with UNICEF, which seeks to eradicate maternal and neo-natal tetanus (MNT) worldwide. Key Club International intends to support Eliminate until MNT is stamped out completely, which requires about 1.5 million dollars worth of vaccinations. You can also fundraise for our international service partners during specific months of the year. Check out the following pages to learn more about your part in the Major Emphasis! For more service project ideas, check out the
service project directory online! The directory is filled with projects you can do at your meeting, with your Kiwanis club, with just one person or with upwards of ten. Projects are listed as either easy, medium, or hard. Don’t be afraid to take on the more difficult ones! Although those can be the most challenging, they are also often the most rewarding with greater impacts on the community. You can find it by clicking on the service tab, or following this link: http://keyclub.org/ Libraries/Service/ Guide_KeyClub_Service_Directory__Complete.sflb.ashx
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UNICEF
March of Dimes
By: Stephen Nemeth, Div. 82
By: Grace Chon, Div. 30
In 1946 the United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF, was created to aid in helping children in Europe after World War 2. Almost 65 years have gone by, and now they still continue to help children more than ever with their invaluable services. Today they work in partnership with several service organizations, one being Kiwanis International. We as Key Club members are always there to help our fellow Kiwanians, and that means supporting all that they support, including UNICEF. Every year there is the opportunity to be a part of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, but this year we also have the chance to aid in their fight to eliminate maternal and neo-natal tetanus in third world countries. Today UNICEF is active in over 190 countries and territories, and works with multiple organizations to remove all the obstacles, including disease and poverty, that any child may face. They are a truly wonderful organization that for any and all Key Club members it is a pleasure to work alongside.
So what is the March of Dimes? It all began with Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1938 to fight polio. With help from the March of Dimes, polio was eradicated from the United States 1979. Then the focus shifted to premature birth and birth defects. Since 1938, the March of Dimes has supported and funded some of the greatest medical advances of the 20th century. They have also continuously found new screenings, treatments, and preventions for birth defects and premature birth. Their research has helped save thousands of babies. So then what does Key Club have to do with the March of Dimes? We have been helping the March of Dimes since 1978. In 2010 alone, we’ve raised over $100,000 with fundraisers. In the fall, Key Club raises awareness for Prematurity Awareness Month in November. You can contact your local March of Dimes office for some volunteer opportunities. For World Prematurity Day, on November 17th, everyone is encouraged to wear purple to support the March of Dimes. Also take this day to have an event to educate Key Clubbers on the global problems of premature births. In the spring, we raise funds and participate in the March for Babies. The March for Babies began in 1970 and has raised about $2 billion to benefit all babies. The March for Babies walk raises money to support community programs to help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies. Support the Prematurity Campaign to identify the prematurity crisis and help families have healthy, full-term babies. In 2010, there was a 4% drop in the preterm birth rate in two 2 years. Support the March of Dimes and their mission to help current and future mothers have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies. Raise awareness during Prematurity Awareness Month in November and participate in the March for Babies.
Children’s Miracle Network By: Stephen Nemeth, Div. 82
The Children’s Miracle Network was founded on the goal that through fundraising for children’s hospitals, as many children as possible could be helped. Not only that but the funds that are raised in a community, stay in the community, to help local children. Since 1983 this organization has been established for helping children. Now in 2011, after already having worked with them before, Key Club members have the opportunity to work with them again to help local children. Now we can be a part of a network that works with 170 hospitals across North America, a network that ensures that kids are treated using the funds raised by the people who live around them, and a network which has raised $4.3 billion, usually $1 at a time, since 1983, for kids all across the continent.
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Eliminate By: Grace Chon, Lt.G. Div. 30 Maternal/neonatal tetanus is a disease that is not a problem in the United States and other developed countries. Proper sterilization techniques and warnings have been established along with vaccinations. However, this is not the case in the 38 high risk, underdeveloped countries around the world. The maternal/neonatal tetanus infection begins with the tetanus bacteria (Clostridium tetani), which their spores live in the soil. As midwives assist a baby’s birth with objects, instruments, and unclean hands that has come into contact with the bacteria and proceeds to cut the baby’s umbilical cord with the unsterilized instrument, the newborn has now become infected. The bacteria then grow to produce deadly toxins, which is then carried through the nerves to the brain and/or spinal cord. Clostridium tetani causes the newborn to have severe muscle rigidity, painful convulsions, and extreme sensitivity to light,
sound, and touch. Within a week of infection, the mother is forced to watch her baby die because any touch causes her newborn excruciating pain. Kiwanis International and UNICEF have joined together for the Eliminate Project. The goal of this project is to save the lives of babies and their mothers by eliminating maternal/neonatal tetanus (MNT). Maternal/neonatal tetanus kills an estimated 60,000 newborns and a significant number of women each year. Our goal is to raise $110 million by 2015, allowing 129 million mothers to be immunized across the world. Only $1.80 provides three vaccinations for the mother to immunize herself and her future children. Since 1999, we have made great progress. Over 90 million women have been immunized, more than 20 countries are rid of MNT, and trains two midwives with proper birthing techniques. Join the fight against
maternal/neonatal tetanus and help eradicate this disease around the world. Fundraise within your community, spread awareness, participate in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF in the upcoming year, work with your Kiwanis club, donate online, or anything else you can think of!
MNT recently eliminated from Liberia Senegal Ghana
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events Eastside Rally By: Jimmy Yin, Lt.G. Div. 56 Eastside Beastside. A phrase that will be heard throughout District Convention 2012, and a phrase that all Eastside Key Clubbers can be proud of. The East side of the PNW District of Key Club International is so widespread and the ten divisions hardly get a chance to meet up and celebrate service. On September 17th, they got a chance to do just that, and what an event it was. Over 100 Key Clubbers from Eastern Washington, Idaho Panhandle and Eastern Oregon gathered at Eastmont High School in East Wenatchee for Eastside Rally 2011. The rally was a huge success, raising about $1300 for KCCP through Eastside Pride shirts and money raised from the pie contest, where Division 52 Lt. Governor Keisha Engley was pied by her division. Club officers received training, and regular members participated in a fun improv forum that showcased the creativity and enthusiasm of the east side. We were fortunate enough to have Michelle Campbell from Division 32 Kiwanis to come and give a presentation about KCCP to everyone in attendance. A big thank you to everyone that attended! We would also like to thank all the advisors and Kiwanians who took their Saturday to drive Key Clubbers and help make this rally a huge success. This rally would not have happened without your support, and we really appreciate it! A special thank you to Communications Director Marcus Frates, Project Director Samuel Kim, Membership Development & Retention Chair Cheryl Li and Lt. Governors Grace Chon and Brenda Nguyen for attending our rally! Watch out DCON 2012, the Eastside will be a force to contend with!
Canadian Rally By: Brenda Nguyen, Lt.G. Div. 13/15/17
All the key clubbers that have never tire building with Key Clubbers cheering been to District Convention before was able loud and proud. During lunch time, while to feel the incredible enthusiasm and get a all the attendees were eating to their heart’s glimpse of what it was like at the Canadian content, there were two special presentaRally. Key Clubbers from all over British tions from Ms. Ann Penner and Samuel Columbia and even Kim about SIGN, the from America gathprevious year’s district ered together at Frog project and KCCP, Hollow Neighbourthis year’s district hood House to celeproject. Our service brate their love for project at this year’s service. At approxiCanadian Rally was mately 10 in the mornmaking trauma dolls ing on August 6th, all for the children at those dedicated Key BC Children’s HospiClubbers made their Schools showed their spirit by all wearing the same color tal, tying up the Kiway through a curtain wanis Children Canof rainbow cranes and into a colourfully cer Program’s presentation quite nicely. decorated room for an event that definitely Before we knew it, 6 hours has unforgettable! passed and it was time for the ultimate closEveryone’s Key Club spirit and ing session that included a lot of whip energy was definitely felt at the opening cream and a little bit of wax. Everyone left ceremony. It carried through the informafeeling oh so good and that night, a new tional workshops, engaging icebreakers, Facebook friend request was definitely waitfrom every part of the building; the Key ing for them. Hopefully, those that attended Club cheer could be heard through the en- the rally were able to channel their true in-
ner Key Club geek and put it towards a soon to be another amazingly wacky Key Club year full of service and productivity. Canadians, get ready to work harder, party harder, and show them what we got at District Convention 2012.
Division 35 Lt.G Wyatt Fisher having his legs waxed in support of KCCP
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Events Southern Oregon Rally By: SunSun Gan, Lt.G. Div. 74 Oregonian Key Clubbers gathered together at Camp Wilani in Veneta, Oregon for the Southern Oregon Overnight Rally on August 26 th-27th. The theme was Hawaiian Luau. It was definitely a sight to see Key Clubbers learning how to hula. On the first day, non-stop fun and corky ice-breakers pushed Key Clubbers to get to know each other. Then we started with the general session which consists of five different presentations and discussions: Leadership, Meetings and Membership, Power of Committees, Keys to a Successful Service and Fundraising Project, and Awards at DCON. Afterwards, Key Clubbers participated in the big Capture the Flag game. Later in the evening, we enjoyed the lovely Hawaiian BBQ dinner along with the music entertainment Iron Mango Band. We then ended the night with a small bond fire and a movie, The Proposal. The next day, we have Claudell King, PNW Kiwanis District Governor-Elect, Ken Nagao, Kiwanis Division 74 LtG, and Jaci-Pinkston, Kiwanis Division 76 LtG. to speak to us. Officers were then trained during the officers training session and even the faculty and Kiwanis advisors were trained too. And after we have filled our stomachs with pizzas and rested for a while, we were ready to head to the Alpine Tower, Zip-line, and the Ropes Course. It was a fun and great leadership experience for the Key Clubbers. It was awesome to see Key Clubbers laughing together and working together. We reminded each other that“If you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go with others.” Hope to see you at next year’s Southern Oregon Rally!
Key Leader in a Nutshell By: Jun Park, Lt.G. Div. 33 Key Leader is a weekend experiential leadership program for today’s young leaders. This life changing event focuses on service leadership as the first, most meaningful leadership-development experience. A Key Leader will learn the most important lesson of leadership— it comes from helping others succeed. .
Participants begin by attending a Key Leader conference, which is a weekend retreat. Large and small group workshops, discussions and team-building activities take place over the course of the weekend. Students have opportunities to learn leadership skills that will help them to change their schools, communities, and world for the better. While exploring leadership in a whole new way, participants will make amazing new friends and have experiences they will never forget. Positive, ongoing interaction with other Key Leader graduates offers continuing reinforcement, encouragement and growth of leadership skills.‖ – www.key-leader.org Now what does that mean for us? It means a chance for us to branch out, and maybe have paradigm shifts on what it takes to be a leader. For me specifically, I participated in Key
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Leader this past spring up in Camp Waskowitz, not really expecting much from it because I’ve had a handful of leadership under my belt already. And so I walked into camp with the wrong attitude, hoping for a couple of funny moments with new friends. Therefore, in the first night, I tried to make a good first impression, cracking jokes here and there and playing games to fit in; I was just a typical teenager wanting to fit in, trying to be cool and popular. But there was this young seventh grader from Canada, innocent and shy, who made the weekend worthwhile and became my role model. Clearly, he was younger than the rest of us, but that didn’t stop him from doing more than anyone else at the camp: he would raise his hand for every question even if he didn’t know the answer, he would lead his group and voice his opinions when he felt appro-
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priate, and he would make so much out of every moment that everyone admired his drive and passion for learning and serving. He taught me how irrelevant age or background is when it comes to helping others and being a person of integrity. So while I was being pessimistic and nonchalant, this shy little boy transformed into a charismatic, outspoken young man in a matter of three days, which is the mission for Key Leader, one of the most eye-opening events of my lifetime.
Key Leader at Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp, Oregon
District project kccp So what is the key to curing cancer? Kiwanis Children’s Cancer Program fellows are trying to find out.
So what is KCCP? By: Connie Kim, Lt.G. Div. 27 As a Key Clubber, you’ve probably seen multicolored stick figures holding hands on at least one person’s Facebook for the month of September. If you looked closer, you would have seen the Kiwanis International emblem. If you looked EVEN closer, you would probably have seen KCCP. What exactly is this KCCP? Why is it so important? Why should you, a high school student, get involved? Let me ask you this. Do you know someone with cancer or at least someone who knows someone with cancer? If so, KCCP should matter to you. ―KCCP‖ stands for the Kiwanis Children’s Cancer Program which Kiwanis International, Circle K and Key Club are getting involved with this year in order to find a cure for pediatric cancer. Your lieutenant governor should have a project for KCCP that will require a divisional effort so talk to him/her if you’re interested! This project will implement lives so get involved now! There will be a resource CD coming to your club fairly soon with more information about the program. 2010—The Cure. Be a part of the solution.
So far PNW has raised
$13,241 towards finding the cure
Fundraising for KCCP By: Christopher Ryan, Lt.G. Div. 76 Fundraising has been a Key Club tradition since the club was founded. Whether it was washing cars or selling bracelets, clubs all over the world have fundraised for certain causes. The Pacific Northwest’s current Major Emphasis is KCCP, or Kiwanis Children’s Cancer Program. The project is aimed to find a cure for children’s cancer, and there are many ways you can make help to make a difference. Fundraising for KCCP should be every club’s priority. Ways to cure cancer have been researched but never found. If a cure for adult cancer is found, it still will not help the young ones that are inflicted with it. That is why finding a cure for children cancer is crucial to save lives, as it can lead to a cure for adult cancer as well. There are many ways your club can find a cure for cancer. One way is to spread awareness. Make T-shirts or bracelets with the KCCP logo on them for low costs (there are many websites online that you can buy from) and then sell them in the community. Not only will this help to raise money for the program, but it will also spread the knowledge around faster. By doing this, people will begin to realize what the program is and what it is about. Other than simply spreading awareness through merchandise, clubs can host events in their community as well. Hosting buffets, potlucks, or variety shows are just a few of the events to choose from. These can be plenty of fun, and run smoothly if planned out well. Don’t forget to plan everything, and be flexible with the schedule. Also make sure that the event is publicized, and make sure all attendees know that all proceeds are being donated to the KCCP fund. Fundraising is easy, and if you have an active club, it can be fun! If you have an idea for fundraising, be sure to let your club members know, even if it is just a thought. Every little bit helps the program move one more step forward to a solution. Be sure to send any raised money to Kevin Buyer at the address: 8948 Erie Ave. NW Silverdale, WA 98383. Feel free to also send it to one of the three partnering children's hospitals (Doernbecher's, Seattle Children's, and BC Children's.)
Club resources
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DCON Club Awards
Club elections
By: James Eng, Lt.G. Div. 32 Pacific Northwest District Convention isn’t only about spirit competitions and having fun with your friends. DCON allows you to showcase all the hard work your clubs do over the Key Club year, by including the possibility for your club to receive an award! Some may think that it would be impossible to win an award since there are over three-hundred clubs in the Pacific Northwest District but in truth most clubs don’t apply for awards. There are a variety of awards you can apply for including Outstanding Advisor Awards, Distinguished Club Officer Awards, Malcolm Lewis Outstanding Club Member Award, Distinguished Club Award 6 for 65 Award District Project Award, Service Hours Award and many more! To receive these Outsanding Faculty Advisor awards your club needs to do is to fill out an Award 2010 application and mail it by the time DCON registration is due. Who knows? Your club may win an award! You’re work over the year shouldn’t go unnoticed, keep up your hard work in your clubs and divisions and you will be rewarded for your outstanding service in Key Club. For more information check out the Call to Convention packet!
By: Mayra Prado Reyes, Lt.G. Div. 80 President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Editor, these are the position that has to be filled every year. Whose responsibility is to fill in these positions every year? EVERONE’S! Every position is important regardless of what it is. Club elections are one of the most important tasks your club has to do. Choosing five extraordinary people to fill in the position of Key club officers are one of the most important tasks a club as a group has to make. As the past officers are getting ready to leave a set of new officers most take its place. The Club should make a decision on who will be our new officers of the year. Past officers should let the club know that elections are coming and the officer positions will be available to everyone in the club. During election one most keep order using the parliamentary rules. Keeping everyone involve in what is going on during the election. And have everyone participating in the election. As a club member we should choose the right people for the right key club positions. You as a key clubber should think of who would be right the person for the task. It is your duty to choose the people that would bring your key club farther then it has ever been before. Elections should be held late January, or early February. The past officers should take time and train there new officers so that they could understand how their club works and what we represent as key club officers.
Recruiting
Holiday Service
By: Macy Mulholland, Lt.G. Div. 70 Members: the heart of every club, and the heart of our organization. So at the start of every school year one of your main focuses should be on recruiting members. The best way to recruit members is to keep meetings and service projects upbeat and fun. To make meetings fun and also productive try to warm up with some Ice Breakers; it will give members a chance to get to know each other and be an energizing way to start a meeting. Make sure that things you’re planning are relevant to your members, and that they are enjoying the service projects for the most part. When members first come to see what Key Club is about you want to show them how much fun it is. A good way to get members is to make sure that Key Club is known by more people, in other words; to publicize more. You can accomplish this by making or ordering posters and brochures. Hanging announcements and invitations is helpful in getting people interested in key club. Just make sure that all papers are approved by your advisor and school. Rewards are also a great way to get people to recruit their friends. Some clubs give out small prizes if someone gets a friend to join, or a competition between boys and girls is always fun: compete to see which gender can get more people to join. Last, but probably the most effective way, is just talking with your friends about Key Club. If it’s something that you’re passionate about your friends will see that. Convince people you know by telling them the things you enjoy about Key Club and why you believe they should join. People are always more willing to listen to people they know rather than strangers. It’s a chain reaction: once they join, they’ll tell their friends, and it will go on from there. Before you know it, your club will be thriving with tons of new members.
By: Kelsie Hoppes, Lt.G. Div. 67 It’s the most wonderful time of the year...to get involved helping others! With all of the holidays in this season it is almost impossible NOT to take advantage of all the opportunities. You can do so many hands-on service projects and there are many organizations to fundraise for. Holding community-wide drives are good projects for this time of year. With the cold winter weather kicking in, more and more people need clothing to keep warm, so holding a coat drive can benefit your community in many ways. Food drives will give holiday meals to people who need it the most. You can also fundraise for service partners by selling home-made Christmas ornaments. The ornaments can raise awareness about some of Key Club’s service projects, what Key Club is, and aspects of the holiday season. Selling other holiday-related goodies for a cause is a good idea as well. Don’t forget to help Kiwanians with some of their holiday projects. Local Kiwanis clubs usually have a holiday activity planned to help benefit the community during this time of year. Kiwanians always love Key Club’s help! Make sure you keep in touch with your sponsor Kiwanis Club and ask them if they need any volunteers for their service projects. During the Christmas season there are many things you can do to help in your community; look around and see what activities your area is in need of and act from there. Remember: It is the season of giving; get out there and spread the gift of Key Club!
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District Convention 2012 By: Olivia Owens, Lt.G. Div. 18/20i Every club will be there, every opportunity to your Key Club members. This time is meant better your club is there, and it’s every year in for bonding and finding ways to improve each March… it's DCON! It’s a fun filled weekend individual club. If you are a freshman or where you and your club can bond together sophomore it can also inspire you to run for a while being a part of position next year with the election for new in your division; I know board members. it did that for me my DCON is one of the freshman year. Guest best parts of Key Club speakers are there to in my opinion! This help fill up the day but three day weekend is there aren’t just there to full of high energy peotalk to you about Key ple who share the same Club— they’re inspiralove of Key Club just tional, moving and like you! It starts off pretty funny. While the with hearing a little bit Division 26 shows its spirit during a general session district boards and club about the candidates delegates attend the during caucusing; the candidates will come in House of Delegates to cast final votes for the and give a small speech where you are welnew Executive Board and amend any district come to ask them as many questions as you by-laws, there is a room filled with people rephave. We will play ice breakers and get to resenting different volunteer organizations to meet people across the district. As the weekgive you ideas for service projects. As the end proceeds there are workshops for you and weekend comes to a close there is a general
session to announce the new district governor, secretary, treasurer and bulletin editor along with winners of several different awards following a formal three course dinner. Be sure to arrive at the dinner early in order to avoid a long line! There is a big dance at the end of the weekend with a DJ which is a great way to end the convention. It's a perfect mixture of friends, fun and volunteer work, and it's an opportunity to learn new skills to recruit members. You can bring the skills you learned back to your school to expand and make it the best it can be. Make sure you mark it on your calendar!
Don’t forget the talent show!
Working with Kiwanis
Beating the Final Exams
By: Christina Schaller, Lt.G. Div. 38 Kiwanians are so helpful and caring, especially towards Key Clubbers! That is why it is super important to keep a good relationship with your local Kiwanis club. Attend some of their meetings! They absolutely love having guess Key Clubbers attend their meetings so please do not be shy. At these meetings the Kiwanians will let you know about some of their upcoming projects that your club can volunteer at. They also have all of the inside information about amazing events such as Key Leader, and they can help you get there. Don’t know when your Kiwanis club meets or where it is? Talk to you Kiwanis advisor. They are there to connect you! But if the club meets during school, you can talk to you Lieutenant Governor about attending some of the monthly Kiwanis Divisional Council Meetings. They cover some of the same information but hopefully at a more convenient time for you and other club members. When you get to one of the meetings, while you can help the Kiwanians with their service projects they can help you with yours. Have an amazing project idea, but don’t know how to get started? Go to your Kiwanis! You can make it a KFamily thing and have a lot of fun. Remember: they are here to help you!
By: Virginia Waugh, Lt.G. Div. 11/18C Exams: a dreaded reality of all Key Clubbers’ lives. Twice a year we cram the knowledge of four and half months into a single day— three hours of testing max. Hoping that we have studied the correct areas and will be able to come out with a passing grade and our sanity. But there is light at the end of this extremely long tunnel and it doesn’t even have to be a tunnel if you’re prepared. As I am sure every single person in your entire life past and future will tell you: Don’t procrastinate: It’s horrid. Staying up all night to cram or to even finish homework is just plain torture! EAT FOOD: breakfast in particular; food jump-starts your brain so you can think faster and understand more complex thoughts than the poor souls who spend their exams thinking ―I want food.‖ Sit at the front of class: When the time comes for review, move to the front so you will be able to understand your teachers better and ask questions more easily. Also if you are prone to fall asleep, doodle or start writing down everything your teacher says. Writing helps you remember and keeps you awake—plus it leaves great notes for you to look back on when you realize that you haven’t retained a single lesson! Setting: When studying, do so in a study-friendly environment such as a library, school, coffee shop or even with a group of friends if you trust yourself along with your friends to actually study. Not in front of the television or an electronic device where sites such as Facebook, Google, and YouTube can be accessed. Preparation: start preparing for your exams before the day of or the night before. Create a week prior plan: every night spend 10-15 minutes going over your notes and slowly increase the time as the exam draws closer. This allows the information to sink into your brain and remain there come exam day. With these five tips exams should no longer be a dreaded monster that haunts you in your sleep. So Key Clubbers how do you feel about exams?
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leadership Retaining Membership By: Aleah Walz, Lt.G. Div. 45 What is absolutely necessary to maintaining a club and doing service? Members. Without a good base of members in your club it is really hard to achieve your service goals. Your average Key Clubber is the foundation of our organization and it is really important that you keep them coming to meetings and interested in your club. A very effective way to lose members is to have meetings that either stretch too long or are just not interesting. All presidents should have a planned and typed out agenda for the meeting so that everything can run smoothly and efficiently. Remember boredom is the enemy. Having the occasional game or icebreaker will do wonders in terms of keeping people interested. Also food is extremely important for not only attracting, but keeping members. Make sure you ask members what they think of the meetings because although they may seem interesting to an officer, who knows all of the Key Club vocabu-
lary, it can be confusing and boring to newer members. When in doubt make your meetings short, sweet, and to the point. Another consistent reason for members quitting Key Club is feeling as if they are not doing anything. This is very easily resolved. Do more service. Plan new projects that are interesting and possibly pertain to your own community or school. Don’t get stuck in a rut. Involving your school can make Key Clubbers feel as if they are achieving things because they are seeing direct results. But what if your club already does a multitude of super interesting and involved projects? Make committees! Committees get everyone involved and take stress off of your officers. They allow members to feel important and they let them have influence over what your club does. People are less likely to leave your club if they feel truly invested in it’s well being.
Divisional Council Meetings
Icebreakers
By: Wadsana Xinavong, Lt.G. Div. 21
By: Christopher Ryan, Lt.G. Div. 76
Divisional Council Meetings, also known as DCMs are held every month. Club members, officers, Kiwanians, faculty advisors, Area Administrators, and Kiwanis Lieutenant Governors are usually the attendees. Your Lieutenant Governor will notify you of the location such as a library meeting room, restaurant, school, etc. What happens at Divisional Council Meetings anyway? They’re held every month so that you may all come together in the name of service and discuss what has been going on within the past month in your division. You can expect icebreakers, club updates, guest speakers, and even food! Some LtG’s have their dates set while others will notify you a couple weeks in advance. Be sure to check your email, cell phone and Facebook for notifications or messages from your Lt.G about the details of the DCM. There, you will be able to meet new people from different schools in your division that you can network with and work together with in the future. In some cases, LtG’s plan to work on service projects together during the DCM! The March DCM is especially important because you will also be receiving divisional DCON spirit information. Don’t miss out on an opportunity to network, learn, and educate— all in the name of serDivision 21 works together to vice!
Whether it’s a brand name of gum or a smooth phrase to get that girl you’ve always wanted, Icebreakers have many different purposes. The Icebreakers that I am talking about, however, are not ones you can buy or charm someone with. Icebreakers are another term for ―activity used to make things less awkward in a group of people you have never met before.‖ Perfect for Key Club activities, right? In all seriousness, Icebreakers can be an effective way of starting some sort of organized event. They can have many different purposes, depending on the event. Some may be used to get all of the team members in that ―fun‖ sort of mindset, as they are interactive and often fun. They can also allow people to get to know each other, depending on the type of Icebreaker. Icebreakers also serve a deeper purpose that some people may not recognize right off the bat. They are very effective in leading the group into the purpose of the event. For example, the Icebreaker that is practiced may have something to do with what the main speaker is going to be talking about. Since the group already experienced something related to the subject of the event, they can relate to it more easily. Believe it or not, Icebreakers are very popular in big events, such as meetings or rallies. They are effective in getting the attention of group members, as well as giving everyone a chance to get to know each other, which is much better than a cube of gum.
support Eliminate
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To keep members interested also make sure to give them a voice. Give them opportunities to feel involved. As stated above committees are an excellent way of doing that. But even if your club is large enough that it is difficult to allow everyone who wants to, to be a Committee Chair there are other ways to involve everyone. Presenting an opportunity for everyone to express ideas for the your club is always good. Whether that means having a box in the back for ideas or allowing for members with new concepts to come to an occasional Officer Meeting to share them; make sure they feel included. Another helpful thing is finding a niche for your club, something everyone just seems excited about. For example helping: the homeless, cancer victims, nature, or even animals. It doesn’t matter as long as people are interested and you are helping others. Allow members to have input and they will want to stay. If you want Key Club to remain or become a driving force in your community retention of members is key, but it doesn’t need to be a chore. Getting everyone to stay will make your club more fun and will also help in attracting new members. Remember service is fun!
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Lieutenant Governor Elections By: Giovanni Acorda, Lt.G. Div. AYS Do you got what it take to be a Lieutenant Governor in your division? The mighty Pacific Northwest District covers just about 82 divisions, making it the largest district in Key Club International. Each division has their own skilled and unique Lieutenant Governor. First of all, what is a Lieutenant Governor? Every year a new Lieutenant Governor gets elected sometime in December or January. Lieutenant Governor is elected to lead and represent his or her division to the district. Lieutenant Governor will be the liaison between the clubs in their division and district board. Some of the mandatory duties include monthly Divisional Council Meetings (DCM) and newsletters, gathering contact information from every club, and hosting rallies. During the Lt. Governor’s term, s/he will need to host an officer training rally and the Lieutenant Governor Election Rally. As a part of the District Board, the Lt. Governor will need to attend every board meeting and both District
Convention. An important duty as a leader is to communicate with every club, officers, District Board, Kiwanians, and everyone that will be involve. All of them will make the job much easier. There is not a lot of requirement to be a Lieutenant Governor. However, leadership experiences and community service involvements will give a better chance of getting elected. When running for Lieutenant Governor, expect highly competitive candidates. Expect a lot of responsibilities, so make sure your schedule is always flexible. A Lieutenant Governor must have the true Key Clubber spirit. It seems overwhelming but you will receive a lot of assistance from the District Board and anyone from the K-Family. Aside from the stressful responsibilities, you will meet a lot of amazing people. It will change your life. It will be one of the best experiences in your life because as a Lieutenant Governor you feel like you are part of the K-Family. As a Lieutenant Governor, you will
create a lot of exciting memories. Being part of the District Board will be like a roller coaster. Run because you want to give back to the community not for the position. If you want to run for Lieutenant Governor, make sure to contact your Lieutenant Governor for more information as soon as possible. It is your time to become a leader and represent Key Club into a whole new level. Be part of the best district in Key Club International, the Pacific Northwest District.
The Key Club Pledge By: Stephen Nemeth, Lt.G. Div. 82 While you read these next couple lines of words, hopefully you will think about what you are actually reading. “I pledge, on my honor, to uphold the Objects of Key Club International; to build my home, school and community; to serve my nation and God; and combat all forces which tend to undermine these institutions.” These aren’t just words that are imprinted on the back of every Key Clubber’s membership card; for many, these words embody who people aim to be, stand for, and become once they have joined the International Organization of Key Club. Key Club is an unforgettable experience for many, and while anyone is a part of it, they should never forget our pledge. But what does the pledge really imply? To just read it allows you to know the basics; to read it at every Key Club meeting shows that you are dedicated enough to go through the motions; to memorize the pledge, and think of it whenever serving, lets you know that you understand and live by this pledge. In the words of this pledge there is a uniting voice for all selfless people who not only want to serve, but also want to build a defense against all selfish institutions. It’s not much to think about, but it happens that we are combating a major force constantly. No one realizes it in such a caring organization, but in the best way possible, every member of this organization is combating those selfish people who don’t do anything. Soon those people are going to become a minority in the grand scheme of things as we continually build our defense of service in our homes, schools, and communities. Through serving and caring, other people around you will realize there is always something The PNW District Board having fun with service better to do in life than looking out for the individual self: living a life of service. As we work with Kiwanis, we are preparing the next generation to help us too. And as we serve and work with Kiwanis we are spreading our message. Club International is such a powerful organization because we care so much, that we do everything we can to not only serve, but to get others to serve by our side. When someone sees this pledge and has read it, understands it, is dedicated to it, and lives by it, they see how much a difference they are really making. There is so much more that people can understand through the words of a single sentence. Look at this pledge again, and realize that in so many ways, just by serving as a member of a club, you can make a positive difference in so many people lives.
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Governor Varun Awasthi varun.awas@gmail.com Secretary Emerson Kim emersonkim1221@gmail.com Treasurer Neha Dalal pnwneha@gmail.com Bulletin Editor MaryAlice Peng maryalice.peng@gmail.com Convention Chair Felicia Nguyen feliciakn@yahoo.com Program Director Samuel Kim samkeem@gmail.com Communications Chair Marcus Frates marcusfrates@gmail.com International President Annie Lewandowski keyclubannie@gmail.com PNW International Trustee Cole Hickman kcitrusteecole@gmail.com District Administrator John Jay jmjay@bainbridge.net Assistant District Administrator Suzanne Endroedy suzbeth1@comcast.net
Key Club International Pacific Northwest District PO Box 25006 Federal Way, WA 98006
Recipient instructions: Thank you for supporting The PNW District of Key Club International. Please pass this on to the Key Club advisor and ensure that your club members have an opportunity to read this issue of the esPRESSo. Thank you, MaryAlice Peng District Bulletin Editor
Spotlight on Division 62 with Lt.G Giovanni McKenzie For the past decade, Division 62 (formerly Division 60/62) was one of the weaker divisions of our district. In 2010, our division was very small with only one active club but now it’s grown to seven active clubs and membership has increased by 50%. With determined and hardworking Key Clubbers and supportive Kiwanians, our division is striving to make our world a better place. A new addition to our division is our resources portal, KEYSIS (The Key Club Service Information WebSite). This portal provides Division 62 Key Clubbers with any type of information, from district convention officer resources to scholarships to monthly club reports. This has provided a place where clubs can share ideas, and where members can educate themselves on Key Club related material. Partnering with Kiwanis Clubs has been a great interest in our division. In February 2012, the Key Club of Grant High School, the Lieutenant Governor’s home club, chartered a K-Kids club at the K-8 school across the street in partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Portland. As we speak, the Division 62 Lt. Governor is working closely with the Division 62 Kiwanis Lt. Governor and other Kiwanians to charter a Circle K club at Portland State University. Our KCCP/Key Club wristbands became a big hit across the district this year. We sold 1,000 wristbands to Key Clubbers in support of this year’s district project. And more orders are coming to us each day. Be sure to buy some at DCON! Some of our plans for the new Key Club year include the Eliminate Project Flash-mob and the chartering of new Key Clubs in high schools with an abnormal amount of students in low-income household and high drop-out rates. We envision that Key Club will help to reduce the drop-out rates in these Portland high schools because it is proven that students who devote time to serving others perform better in school. This year has been very productive and successful for Division 62. Please keep up with us on Facebook (Facebook.com/62pnwkeyclub) and on Youtube (Youtube.com/62pnwKeyClub).