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Volume 64, Issue 1 “Caring...Our Way of Life” September 2010
The Jersey KeyPsychedelic with Service Edition
The Official Publication of the New Jersey District of Key Club International
The Skinny
District Information 1-4International Information 5-6Events Around the State 7District Board & Committee 8-11Peace Out! 12
Get Down with the District Project! Ami Shah LTG Division 3 The District Project for the 2010 – 2011 service year is once again Children’s Specialized Hospital! For the 5th year in a row, the New Jersey District will be serving this wonderful hospital. Children Specialized Hospital, also known as CSH, is the largest freestanding pediatric rehabilitative hospital in the country, but all eight sights are locat-ed right here in New Jersey! CSH treats over 16,000 children each year. The hospital serves children affected by brain injury, spinal cord dysfunction and injury, premature birth, autism, developmental delays, and life-changing illnesses. As Key Club-bers, it is our job to help these children out as much as we can! Our fundraising goal is $75,401.65. This number stands for numerous values. The 7 stands for our seven days a week constant dedica-tion towards Children’s Specialized. The 5 stands for our 5th year with CSH. If this goal is achieved, we will have raised about $401,000 for Children’s Specialized Hospital as our five-year total and the 65 commemorates our 65th year as a District. Our service goal is 15,700 hours. Key Clubbers can obtain service hours by visiting one of the hospitals and participating in recreational therapy. Recreational therapy gives Key Club members a chance to spend time with the children in the hospital and it is truly a wonderful experience.
Whenever a club participates in recreational therapy or a service event, make sure to fill out a service report form that’s available on our District website! Remember: everyone can do something to help! Any Key Clubber can start a new fundraising or service event at their school. You can do events such as bake sales, dances, merchandise sales, movie nights, lock ins, auctions, and stall days. Feel free to look at more ideas on the District website. Try your best to get more involved with Children’s Specialized Hospital this year and get psychedelic with service!
Governor’s Message Rachel Orbach District Governor
Greetings all you groovy guys and gals! This is Rachel Orbach, your New Jersey District Governor for the 2010-2011 service year. Before you read on, ponder this far out thought for a second: are you ready to get psychedelic with service?
See GOVERNOR, page 3
It’s time to go back to school again, but by this point we are all well embarked on our funky fresh journeys through the ser-vice year. As an officer, advisor, or a general member, you may be asking yourself what you can do for your club at this point in the year. Well, don’t stress my fellow flower children, there’s plenty for you all to do!
First off, hold a simple service project to benefit your community. You’d be surprised to hear the response you get from simply asking what you can do to aid your community. If you’re feeling funky, hold a far-out fundraiser to benefit our district project- Children’s Specialized! Don’t forget to visit your local CSH location for a tour or a recreational therapy visit.
In addition to upholding your duties as a Key Club member, hosting projects and holding fundraisers, you can be sure to advocate for the many causes the New Jersey District endorses! Causes we advocate for include the Live 2 Learn, the Major Emphasis Program, any of our service partners including March of Dimes, UNICEF, and Children’s Miracle Network.
Created bySami Fiorino, Holmdel High School
Sing the Songs of Service at Fall Rally Sami Fiorino LTG Division 9 Every year thousands of Key Clubbers from across New Jersey gather at Six Flags Great Adventure for the biggest Key Club event of the year- Fall Rally. This year, it will held on Sunday, October 10th. As thousands of Key Clubbers fill the stands of the arena, dressed as their favorite singers in preparation to get psychedelic with service, be prepared for a thrilling day. The morning will start off with a fifty-minute rally and then a wild adventure will begin when Key Clubbers fill the park an hour before it actually opens. Remember to dress to impress, because the best costume will win a prize! This years Fall Rally costs only $32 if you get your payment in by October 1st. If you pay late, or bring your money to the door, it will cost $37, so get your money in early! You’ll be able to enjoy Six Flags for half of the prize and be there before the general public. For all you season pass holders, Fall Rally will only cost you $6. So be a part of the 3,000 people who will attend this year- and be sure to come to Fall Rally. Start planning now! It takes a lot of time to work out the logistics of the event, so start talking to your club about attending. If your club already attends, talk about how you can get more people involved. This year we are striving for 3000 people, so help us reach that goal! Get in touch with your schools and Boards of Education now about arranging transportation, because things can get hectic in the beginning of the year. If you are having trouble planning your transportation, working with your school, or worried about the cost- talk to your sponsoring Kiwanis club, they are always willing to help. And of course, start getting excited and spreading the word.
If you have any questions or concerns, contact your Lieutenant Governor. They will help you with any problems you may have and will have all of the information you may need. And do not forget to Sing the Songs of Service as a part of the 3000 at this year’s Fall Rally!
Page 2 District Information The Jersey Key
Gnarly Dues Devan Corona District Treasurer Before you get psychedelic with service this up-coming year, you need to become an official member of Key Club International. The only way to do this is to pay dues. Every year each Key Club must collect the dues fee from every member and submit membership and dues information to both the New Jersey District and Key Club International. This process is very simple but before we go into detail on how to pay let’s focus on why we pay. In 1969 a ticket to Woodstock would cost you $6 a day, and would cover all of the bands playing the show and a place to park your van. Key Club doesn’t charge per day, dues are a once annual membership fee. We can’t provide Jimi Hendrix but we do offer great resources to truly make an impact in your community. As a member of Key Club you will have the opportunity to seek leadership positions with all necessary training provided. You will receive constant updates from the New Jersey District and publications such as our newspaper, the Jersey Key. You will also be invited to attend our district events that always push it to the max. There is Fall Rally where 3000 Key Clubbers gather at Six Flags for a day of rallying and thrills on roller coasters. There is Dis-trict Convention where you will spend an entire weekend in King of Prussia meeting fellow Key Clubbers while learning
about the organization and relaxing with your friends. Key Club offers so much; you have to experience it to understand.
The toughest part about dues is convincing members to pay and pay on time. Keep in mind the due’s due dates: December 1st is the final due date before your club becomes in bad standing and is on the path to losing its charter and November 1st is the deadline for the prestigious Early Bird Dues Award. Aim to be ahead of the game! The process starts by collecting member information and dues money. As of this past District Convention as dues increase was passed. Key Club dues are now range from $12-$17.50. This breaks down into $6.50 going to Key Club International, $5.50 to the New Jersey District and each club allowed to charge up to $5.50 for their own expense account. The recommended dues charge is $16 where the club would charge $4 for their own account. Once the money is collected log onto keyclub.org and click the “Dues and Reports” tab. Follow this link to the membership update center. A video explaining the update center and printing an invoice is on the district website to help you understand a complex system. Once you have printed your invoice and sent it along with the money to Key Club International your club is official and you will have all the benefits of being in such a great organization.
To pay dues, log on to: www.keyclub.org
Rock Out with Service...At this year’s RTCs Meagan Koch LTG Division 18
Are you ready to rock out with Service?!? Join the NJ District of Key Club International as we ‘Rock’ Regional Training Conferences (RTCs). All general members, club officers, and advisors are encouraged to come and learn how to have a rockin’ service year. RTCs are an opportunity for you to learn more about your role in this organization and how you can be more involved in your community. From new and informative workshops, to fun and invigorating icebreakers, your club is guaranteed to come away with awesome tips to amplify your year. Workshops include information on various organizations such as our District Project- Children’s Specialized Hospital, and also UNICEF, March of Dimes, Children’s Miracle Network, and the Kiwanis International New World Wide Service Project: the ‘Eliminate Project’. Also, at RTCs you can learn more about how to make your meetings more interactive and fun, how to hold unique and successful fundraisers, and how to publicize for all of your clubs events. Attending RTCs will allow your club to have a record breaking year. This fall, Regional Training Conferences will be held in 3 locations. The south RTC will be held at Central Regional High School, Sunday, September 19th; the north RTC will be held at Millburn High School, Saturday, September 25th; the central RTC will be held at JP Stevens High School, Sunday, September 26th. For more information about this years RTCs please visit www.njkeyclub.org/events-rtcs. This is a ‘can’t miss’ event for all Key Clubbers! Join us as make RTCs a smash hit!
Did you miss information at Spring RTCs? Check out njkey-
club.org/events-rtcs
Created byNevon Kipperman, Tenafly High School
Workshops are fun! (Despite what you may think)
Key Clubbers at the Morris Knolls HS RTC
Photo credit: Brian Cheung
September 2010 District Information Page 3
Hop On the Tubular Tech Train to njkeyclub.org! Shivam Patel District Webmaster
Tired of searching through your emails for important Key Club documents? Fed up with always having to ask others for event dates and service opportunities? Wish there was just some place you could go to to find some general Key Club information? Well then, it sounds like you need to grab your PC and boogie on down to njkeyclub.org! The New Jersey District site is a rad resource of info for any and all Key Club members to check out! Crusin’ through the site, members can find a variety of useful Key Club tools including a funky electronic CMRF creator, a groovy interactive newsletter viewer, and a bangin’ advice request form! Can you dig it? Along with all of these totally tubular tools are pages filled with vital information on important Key Club events, accomplishments, affiliates, and mottos! Ever lose an issue of the Jersey Key? Not to worry! The district site also contains an online Jersey Key archive filled with downloadable electronic copies of the paper dating back to the year 2000! If that isn’t enough to make you say “Gee Wiz!”, then I don’t know what is! So what are you waiting for? Get down with your techy-self and check it with njkeyclub.org today!
GOVERNOR, continued from page 1Get good vibes by publicizing for this year’s Fall
Rally at Six Flags Great Adventure on October 10th, 2010 as we aim to reach 3000 attendees! Make sure you bring all of your fellow Key Club members- be there or be square! Lastly, try your best to attend Regional Training Conferences in your area if you haven’t yet had the chance to. These are extremely useful for all Key Club members whether you’re an officer, advisor, or a general member; you’ll be bound to find a super psychedelic workshop to fit your liking!
Along with everything going on with our super funky district during this busy time of the year, I am putting together a Governor’s Project titled “Operation Educate”. My project aims to promote the prevailing issue of children’s education throughout the state of New Jersey. My project aims to help defeat this issue through a variety of ways. Depending on what is most prevalent in a particular area, clubs can choose to volunteer, to tutor or read to their local elementary or middle schools, host book drives, and they can contribute to our 3rd annual Tools for Schools school supply drive at Fall Rally! The aim of my project is to provide clubs with a sense of freedom in choosing how they wish to combat the issue, all while promoting service. In turn, Operation Educate will not only support the Major Emphasis Program, but it will also fortify Kiwanis’ Bringing Up Grades (BUG) program, all without deterring from any fundraisers or service initiatives the New Jersey District endorses.
Make sure to read up about all of the causes and organizations I have mentioned in this groovy issue of the Jersey Key! Everyone on the District Board has worked extremely hard to ensure the success of this service year successful so far, and we have much more in store! Thank you, my fellow funksters, for everything so far and I hope to see you in the near future!
Peace, love, and Key Club
Rachel OrbachNJ District Governor
Get Funky with Public Relations Brian Cheung LTG Division 20
What are public relations? Public relations are the means by which communication is made to the large masses. If you’re advertising or announcing something, public relations are probably what you’re looking for. As you can probably tell, “public relations” is a broad term. So what are public relations in the context of Key Club? In Key Club, it is imperative that strong communication be implemented. Without the free flow of knowledge, there is no way that service projects, newsletters, or club meetings would get done. How do you create the free flow of knowledge? That is where the creative liberties come into play. Public relations can be placing notepaper-sized advertisements for a service project all over your school. Public relations can be sending a mass text to general members to remind them of an upcoming meeting date. Public relations can be anything, as
long as it’s reaching many people for a specific purpose. The key is to define the target audience and the message being relayed. The target audience is whom you are trying to communicate with. If you were trying to tell your school’s population that there is a volleyball tournament, you would design an ad that would appeal to the age group of your school’s population. The message being relayed is just as important as who is receiving it. If you want to broadcast a bake sale fundraiser, it is important for you to consider exactly what the target audience needs to know in order to attend the fundraiser. In most cases, defining who, what, when, where, and why provides sufficient information. If you consider both of these things in your public relations interests, you should be able to successfully communi-cate Key Club and its operations to your community.
Radical Children’s Specialized Hospital
Facts
• The first hospital was opened on July 15th, 1892• There are 8 Children’s Specialized Locations in the world, and they’re only in New Jersey• If we reach the fundraising goal by the end of the year, the district will have raised $401,000• This is our 5th year in a row work-ing with Children’s Specialized
Outstanding Key Club Member
Name: Junnie ShahClub: J.P. StevensGrade: SeniorOffices: Past Secretary, Current Co-President
Give one word to describe this outstanding leader: Dedicated
In one sentence, what makes this leader stand out above all other Key Club leaders? Junnie always does any and all the work necessary and goes above and beyond her duties to make sure that the club and all events are successful and inspires others to do the same.
In another sentence, why is this leader an out-standing member? Junnie puts Key Club first and never seeks any recognition, even though her passion for service is evident to everyone. (She also designed and created the poster that won 1st place at ICON)
Page 4 District Information The Jersey Key
Far Out Advocacy Kevin Sun District Secretary
Poverty seems like such a strong, foreboding word to most of us reading this right now. Some of us may be confused, some of us may be scared, but most of us are definitely uninformed. That is the precise reason that we, as Key Clubbers, must advocate for poverty-ridden individuals. Of the 307 million citizens in the United States, 13.2% of them live in poverty. That comes to about forty million sufferers of poverty. Of this forty million, thirteen million are children. There are nine million citizens living in New Jersey. Within this number, eight hundred thousand live under the poverty line. So what are we to do? The Advocacy Subcommittee decided to divide the service year into fall, winter, and spring seasons. These seasons are assigned the themes of education, shelter, and hunger respectively.
of the problem. On the other hand, before we can take on any problem, we must educate ourselves. During the fall season, you will receive a brochure on poverty and the ways in which you can combat it. To supplement this information, lieutenant governors will be releasing information about poverty from statistics to methods of mitigating the situation. As we move into the winter season, we believe shelter to be the most important issue at hand. Winter brings harsh weather and without
The last facet of the focus is combating hunger in spring. We will have educated, provided shelter and clothing, but the only basic need remaining is food. After all, no one can go on without food, but many in poverty must. Food is not something they can take for granted, so we ask that, in spring, you take time to volunteer at soup kitchens and hold canned food drives. Like the previous two seasons, information will be provided by your lieutenant governors on locations and instructions about how to hold canned food drives.
Education serves a dual purpose in its service to poverty victims. In conjunction with the District Governor’s Project of educating children across New Jersey, the Advocacy Subcommittee encourages providing book drives, tutoring, and participating in Tools for Schools to kindle education among children of all ages. One of the most major causes of poverty is the lack of education so let’s start at the root
The Advocacy Focus is in no way a limiting factor in the battle against poverty, but rather, think of it as a guide. Each season’s respective service ideas are only ideas to kindle others, and we encourage you to participate in other ways of fighting poverty as well. Nevertheless, we, at the District Programs committee know that we can do this together and together we will.
the right shelter or proper clothing, chances for survival or even continuing education or minimal. In this month, we ask that Key Clubbers focus on volunteering at homeless shelters and donating clothing to various organizations such as the Salvation Army or Goodwill. In this month, your lieutenant governors will send out information about
homelessness and locations where you can donate clothing items.
The Psychedelic Year Began at the 64th Annual District Convention Meagan Koch LTG Division 18 On April 16th, Key Club members from across the state traveled by planes, trains, and automobiles to attend this year’s 64th Annual District Convention. Whether it was your first convention, or you were a fourth time attendee, each and every member had an amazing time “Traveling the World of Service”.
This year’s DCON was a weekend full of many exciting events to kick off another great service year. Starting off on Friday with an energizing opening session, and a motivational speech by Kiwanis International President Paul Palazzolo, the 64th annual District Convention was well underway. The fun continued with divisional caucusing, allowing each member to become more acquainted with this year’s candidates for the District Executive Board. Friday night continued with the first dance of the weekend, allowing members to get to know other Key Clubbers from across the state. Saturday was filled with informative workshops, the House of Delegates, and the highly anticipated awards session. At this session, clubs and members were recognized for their outstanding service year and projects such as scrapbooks, videos, and posters. The weekend came to a close on Sunday with the farewell session. At this session, members finally said farewell to the past service year and welcomed a new one by inducting to office 21 new Lieutenant Governors and retiring the past District Board. This year’s District Convention was the best yet! We look forward to seeing you next year at the 65th annual District Convention from April 8th-10th!
For more information on the district advocacy focus, visit njkeyclub.org/about-advocacy.html.
Photo credit: Namir Shah
In the Advocacy Subcommittee, we do something truly great. We speak for those who cannot speak for themselves for a separate focus of our choice without detracting from the District Project.
TOOLS FOR SCHOOLSat Fall Rally!
When: Sunday, October 10thWhere: Six Flags, Great Adventure in Jackson, New JerseyWhat: School Supply Drive Staplers Notebooks Backpacks Pencils Rulers Copy Paper ...and more!
How: Bring any unused school supplies to Fall Rally to be donated to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey
Questions?: Contact Rachel Orbach at [email protected]
Sing the Songs of Service by doing your part!
September 2010 International Information Page 5
Groovin’ n Treatin’ for UNICEF Jiayun Fang LTG Division 14
Key Clubbers have been getting psychedelic with service for UNICEF, a Key Club International Service Partner, for over 15 years! Some recent projects launched include I Believe in Zero,” Operation Uruguay, and The Eliminate Project!
Key Club International focuses on Operation Uruguay: Protecting the Rights of Children. In Uruguay, there is a clear lack of motivation and opportunity because only 1 in 3 students graduate from high school. For Operation Uruguay, Key Club set a goal of $1.5 million for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF. All funds will go toward building and maintaining cultural and educational centers, like the Mandalavos Center, which provides sanctuaries for children needing support, education, and health care.
UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) is a Key Club International Service Partner. This year, UNICEF launched their “I Believe in Zero” campaign. This awareness program is based on the fact that, worldwide, 25,000 children die every day from preventable causes. UNICEF hopes to reduce that number to “zero”.
Key Clubbers all over the world have Trick-or-Treated to raise over $1 million to support a UNICEF. This year, for Operation Uruguay, it will be no different. Through Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, every club can partake in the worldwide effort to give opportunity back to the children of Uruguay! The starter kits, which every club should receive by October, contain orange boxes, stickers and other important information. Some ideas for use include leaving them in local businesses or in rooms throughout your school. Try sticking them in friend’s lockers or teachers’ mailboxes. The most common method, of course, is going around Trick-or-Treating on Halloween with the bright box in hand! This year, the fundraising goal for UNICEF for the NJ District is $33,190.25. To reach this goal, we need everyone’s help so please pick up an orange box today and start groovin’ to Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF!
Furthermore, Kiwanis International has teamed up with UNI-CEF to launch The Eliminate Project. This is an international effort to eliminate the devastating effects of a lethal disease called maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) by 2015. Every year over 60,000 babies and 30,000 mothers die from this disease that can be prevented with only three doses of a 60 cent vaccination. To reach its goal, Kiwanis plans to raise $110 million with the help of every member of the Kiwanis Fam-ily. Key Clubbers all over the world have already spread the word and voiced their support, have you?
The Real Skinny on Service: Key Leader Tom Kraeutler LTG Division 14
Key Leader is the opportunity of a lifetime for you to get down with service and leadership. Key Leader is Kiwanis International’s leadership education program for students, with a mission of providing a “life-changing experience that inspires young people to achieve their personal best through service leader-ship.” Can you dig it? Key Leader is for students who already demonstrate strong leadership potential, but also have the motivation to grow further. The program focuses on leadership in three communities: the local community, the state/national community, and the global community. Key Leader is a highly esteemed program in New Jersey and its greatness is directly related to the high remarks of our District on the national level. Together, these three areas will work to take your leadership to the max. This year, Key Leader will be held from Friday, December 10th through Sunday, December 12th at Camp Lebanon in Lebanon, New Jersey. There are no restrictions on the number of attendees from any school. Students from grades nine through twelve can attend and you don’t even have to be a Key Clubber! Registration is $140 for all Key Club members and $165 for any non-member. If you’re interested in attending, sign up at www.key-leader.org and click ‘participate.’ This weekend is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will teach lessons in leadership that will be applicable throughout life. I hope to see you there!
The Hip Major Emphasis Program Harsh Swaminarayan LTG Division 15
Let’s roll back the clocks and listen in, the year’s 1946 at the Key Club International Convention. KCI challenges clubs and members to make an international impact in which children across the globe would be affected and from thereon, the hip term, “Major Emphasis Program” (MEP) was coined. Those Key Clubbers present at International Convention thought ‘no sweat’ and ever since then, Key Club members have created a program known as “Children: Their Future, Our Focus.”
Every two years, a new service initiative is selected by Key Club International which ties into the MEP. The initiative for the 2008-2010 service years has been extended for one more year so the service initiative will once again be “Live 2 Learn.” Every day, there is a Key Clubber making a difference in the lives of 5-9 year olds in three major ways. Firstly, Key Club members help ‘improve grades’ by tutoring and mentoring. Secondly, Key Clubbers ‘give back’ by coordinating service projects for young students to take part in while teaching them to be lifelong servant leaders. Lastly, Key Clubbers serve primary school children by ‘growing together,’ essentially by helping the development of social skills in young children while subtly teaching them to think creatively. Give someone the opportunity to do what you once had the chance to do. Help elementary school children overcome learning obstacles so they can be successful and give back, while servicing their homes, schools and communities. Getting involved in the MEP is so simple! You can simply volunteer, donate or just get involved in any fundraiser or activity which will benefit a child. Any fundraiser which goes to a charity entirely for children falls under the Major Emphasis Program. Sometimes, many Key Club-bers participate in the MEP and don’t even know it! So get out and improve the world by helping one child at a time and partaking in Key Club International’s Major Emphasis Program!
Created byChanthia Ma, Millburn High School
Page 6 International Information The Jersey Key
NJ District Goes Far Out For International Convention 2010 Neepam Shah LTG Division 19 On July 4th, Key Clubbers from all over New Jersey departed for Key Club’s 2010 International Convention in Memphis, Tennessee. Before arriving in Memphis, this eager group of leaders made a stop in Ohio to visit the popular Cedar Point Amusement Park. After enjoying rides such as the Corkscrew and Raptor, the New Jersey District traveled to Nashville, where they spent the night before heading to Memphis. Once in Memphis, the New Jersey Key Clubbers visited many different sites. The tour included visiting the Memphis Zoo, Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley, and the Civil Rights Museum, which was built as part of the motel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot. However, immediately following the visits to these iconic locations came the highlight of the week: Key Club’s 2010 International Convention!
Held from July 7th-11th, International Convention consisted of Key Clubbers from all over the world united in Memphis, Tennessee for Key Club International Convention. The festivities kicked off with an exclusive concert from pop-rock band Relient K, who entertained the crowd with new songs and old favorites. Immediately following the concert was the meet and greet, in which Key Clubbers from different Districts exchanged both greetings and pins. The convention then started in full swing the next day with workshops, a service fair, and the Opening Session, which featured a Keynote speech from past-Kiwanis International President Bo Shafer, who urged Key Clubbers to be grateful for what they have. The next day, convention goers piled into caucus rooms and emerged, several hours and many speeches later, with enough information on the candidates running for the International Board to cast preliminary votes. After another round of workshops, Key Club International President Abigail McKamey and International Vice President Lance Wilson
Alas, the next day was the last day of ICON. The day started off with the Friend A Gorilla Campaign walk, and continued with the House of Delegates session, in which the new International Board was elected. After some final workshops, Abigail McKamey called the Farewell Session to order. In this session, Kiwanis International President-designate, Sylvester Neal, urged Key Clubbers to make this service year the year of Kiwanis Fire, and, after a tear-ridden farewell from the immediate-past Board, the new International Board was installed. The audience sat anxiously as he announced that the Key Club International Trustees would be: Nick Cornell, Andre Hamilton, Matt Harper, Caleb Lapsley, Annie Lewandowski, Lisa Nicholson, Robert Peck, Will Robertson, David Velasquez, Stephenie Yuan, and Nancy Zhang, that the International Vice President would be the elegant Ikwo Morris, from the Caribbean-Atlantic District, and that the International President would be the intelligent XinLei Wang, from the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District. ICON was an amazing weekend, and was one that will shape the future of Key Club in the coming year. Attendees left with a burning fire for service, and one can be sure that the upcoming year of service is going to be a good one.
Get Funky with the Youth Opportunities Fund Jared Greene LTG Division 16 Whether you have a club of 15 members, or 115 members, when creating large service projects money is always an issue. Between materials for a playground, or a deposit to rent out a concert hall you need money to start with, and the current economic squeeze only heightens this need. Most abandon the idea after seeing this financial roadblock up ahead but there is a solution right under your nose. The Youth Opportunity Fund (YOF) is a source of financial support just waiting to be utilized and yet, it rarely is. With no limit to how many grants they can give out, of amounts ranging from $100 to $2,000 there is no reason not to apply! For everything from building houses to renovating schools, YOF is there to help you. So stop standing around with that “impossible” project idea, apply for YOF and make it happen! Simply fill out the application which is due October 15th and talk to your Lieutenant Governor for help. Remember YOF is here to help you, so you can be there to help the world.
For more information on the Youth Opportunities Fund, visit www.keyclub.org/service/yof.aspx
Key Club Week/CSH 2010 Chris Godshall LTG Division 6
What’s one of the most important weeks in all of Key Club International? Key Club week, of course! November 1st-5th, 2010 is a week that gives Key Clubbers from all over a unique opportunity to show the world what it is we do: serve. Each day has a “theme” that helps promote Key Club and our ideals in our homes, schools, and communities.
Day 1: “Show Your K in Every Way” Day 2: “Kudos to the Key Players” Day 3: “Connect the Ks” Day 4: “Bring a Friend to Key Club” Day 5: “Your Way”
But hey, that’s not all you can do! Here in the New Jersey District, we take Key Club Week a step further. CSH Week, a week to show our support for our District Project, Children’s Specialized Hospital, coincides with Key Club Week. From October 30th to November 7th, plan an event to benefit CSH or go do some recreational therapy yourself. You can even combine a CSH event with one of Key Club International’s suggested activities, such as planning a joint event with another K-Family club. Whatever you choose to do, let your NJ Key Club pride shine and have fun with it! Get Psychedelic with Service during the 2010-2011 Service Year’s Key Club Week!
For more information about Key Club week, visit www.keyclub.org
hosted the Convention’s Recognition Session, which featured former American Idol-contestant Clay Aiken speaking on behalf of UNICEF and singer-songwriter Simon Curtis speaking on behalf of the Friend a Gorilla Campaign. A special congratulations to all the New Jersey District officers who received a distinguished award and to J.P Stevens High School for winning First Place in the digital poster contest!
See you in Phoenix, Arizona for International Convention 2011!
• Florida is the oldest Key Club district• Females were first admitted to join Key Club in 1976• Key Club is represented in 30 nations• The first Key Club met in 1925• The New Jersey District has approximately 12,500 members• The Pacific Northwest District is geographi-cally the largest district
Did you know...
K-Family Picnic 2010Kelly DavidsonKey Club of MAST
September 2010 Events Around the State Page 7
Advice ColumnWhere Your Questions are Answered
www.njkeyclub.org/jkey-advice.html
Q: Do you have any ideas on how to improve relations with my club’s sponsoring Kiwanis Club?A: Hey there, thanks for asking for advice- it’s really great to see that people are utilizing the tools we have set up!There are plenty of ways to become more involved with your sponsoring Kiwanis Club. The first step to doing this would be to simply establish contact- try sending the club president and secretary an email introducing yourself. From there, ask when they’ll be holding their next meeting, and if you and a few of your fellow officers can attend. Once you’ve gotten this far, the simplest thing to do is simply to express your desire to have better relations with them! Attend as many Kiwanis meetings and events with as many of your club’s members as possible to educate them. Conversely, invite your Kiwanis club to all of your events and give them notice on everything that you do. Once you’ve established strong contact, it’s inevitable that you’ll have a better relationship!
Q: What events would keep Key Clubbers in my school more interested in service?A: To get Key Club members in your club more excited to serve and to help them better understand what service is, start by asking yourself this one simple question, “What can I do to help my community?” Once you answer that question, contact your sponsoring Kiwanis Club if they know of any service projects in the area, and to let you know of any if/when they come up. Your club can start by cleaning up a local beach, park, or highway, volunteering at a nursing home, tutoring and reading to elementary or middle school students (to support both the MEP and the current governor’s project!) and much, much more! You’d be surprised how much there is to do in your community if you simply ask.
Do you have a Key Club-related question? Click the ‘advice form’ link on the district site, and ask away! Governor Rachel will
be happy to answer your question!
Halloween is the Perfect Time to Spend at Chil-dren’s Specialized!
Christina SandsKey Club of Central Regional HSBAYVILLE - This year, one of our projects in my club was to make super hero capes for the kids at Children’s Specialized Hospital as Halloween costumes. I loved this project for many reasons, such as seeing the faces on the kids and workers at Children’s Specialized Hospital when they saw the capes we made. This project also helped bring our club together in a new way because everyone got to show off their creative side. We had to make capes for all ages. Everyone had a great time decorating the capes so that each child could be their very
own super hero. They turned out wonderful and everyone was proud of what we did. The best part was delivering the capes to the hospital, where we got to meet some of the children who would be wearing them.
Overall, it was a terrific experience and we all were so happy to help take part in a great Halloween with our friends at Children’s Specialized Hospital. And, with the fall season approaching, I cannot wait to spend another Halloween with them! This was definitely my favorite and most memorable service project!
OAKHURST - On Saturday July 24th New Jersey Key Clubbers, Circle K-ers, and Kiwanians gathered together at Oakhurst Park in Ocean Township for the K-Family Picnic. The Picnic was hosted by the New Jersey Circle K District Board along with the help of the host Circle K club, Stockton College. The afternoon was filled with good food, fun activities, and of course lots of friends! The event started at 12pm. Everyone began to arrive and was excited for the upcoming afternoon. Music was playing, the grill was going, and dancing Circle K-ers were there welcoming everyone and getting them pumped up for a fun time. In attendance were many Kiwanis officers and members, Circle K District Board members, many other Circle K officers and members, Key Club current and immediate-past District Board members, and many other club officers and enthusiastic general members. As everyone walked into the picnic area there was a large buffet of delicious hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, fruits, cookies, and other side dishes. Each person grabbed a plate and began to socialize. Once everyone had been fed, the activities began. There were volleyball games, a water balloon toss, karaoke, and a three-legged race. At 4pm the event wrapped up and everybody began to leave. It was a fun afternoon for all, especially the New Jersey Key Clubbers who were reunited after a great time at International Convention. It was a great opportunity for Key Clubbers, Circle K-ers, and Kiwanians to come together and get excited for the rest for the 2010-2011 service year and all of the other fun events that the year will bring!
Blankets for the ElderlyNikhil PatelKey Club of Clearview Regional HSMULLICA HILL - My favorite service activity that we did this year at Clearview Regional High School was making blankets for the elderly at a local retirement center. We made warm blankets that the women at the center could use as shawls. A few members of our club who know how to stitch taught the rest of the group members how fun the activity can be. I thought that the best part of the activity was the incorporation of team work. Without one another, making blankets would be a hard task; however, together, as a team, we made it possible.
Hey Key Clubbers! What’s your favorite service project?
“Definitely Union Catholic’s annual September bake sale because I love to cook delicious treats to raise money for great causes.”Alyssa VillaUnion Catholic Regional HS
“My Key Club’s annual benefit concert. The concert always excites the kids in school with the
feeling of giving.”Angelito Nieves
Elizabeth HS
hey, 2010-2011 new jersey District Board!
Page 8 District Board & Committee The Jersey Key
“I like the 80’s because of their fun-loving tunes.”
Alyssa Keenan, LTG Division 2 “The 90’s because of Full House.”
Ami Shah, LTG Division 3
“The boom of the Civil Rights movements was in the 60’s which makes it my favorite decade.”
Kirsten Reed, LTG Division 4
“The one we’re living in now because we are witnessing revolutionary ideas,
great music (in my opinion) and drastic improvements in science and technology,
and we’re growing up amidst all of it.”
Julia Dickhaus, LTG Division 5
“The 1990’s because of all the amazing television shows I watched on Nickelodeon as a child.”
Chris Godshall, LTG Division 6“Worry does not take the pain out of
tomorrow; it merely takes the joy out of today.” -Anonymous
Tom Kraeutler, LTG Division 7
“Why, is the 70’s of course. What’s not to love about platform shoes, the Watergate scandal, and Woodstock?”
Elizabeth McCormack, LTG Division 8 “The 20’s because I live for the moment.”
Sami Fiorino, LTG Division 9“The 1920’s. There was new fashion, inventions and an entirely new culture in the country. I would have loved to live in the roaring twenties.”
Sarah Noorani, LTG Division 10
“The 90’s, because that was the decade in which both the world wide web and I were born.”
Shivam Patel, District Webmaster
“It’s time to bring the innovation and dynamism of the Roaring Twenties back to Key Club...just without the lack of credit oversight.”
Kevin Sun
“The 60’s are without a doubt my favorite
decade because I’m a flower child at heart.”
Rachel OrbachDistrict Governor
District Secretary
“I like the 90s because I grew up with the television shows that were on during
those years like Rugrats and Arthur.”
Andre Rosario, LTG Division 1
what’s your favorite decade?
September 2010 District Board & Committee Page 9
“The seventies! because it gave a name to my awkward dancing (disco).”
Crystal Ibe, LTG Division 11“The 60’s. It was a time to challenge old ways of thinking and take a stand for what you believed. The style was very relaxed and true to oneself. I really would have liked to be alive in the 60’s. Also, that was the time when the world was introduced to The Beatles. What’s not to love?”
Aimee Meissner, LTG Division 12
“The 90’s because most of my early childhood was centered around shows and
events in the 90’s. When thinking about the 90’s I tend to get nostalgic.”
Joe Bonaccorso, LTG Division 13“The 80’s had it all: great music, weird food, scientific innovation, political revolutions, and Star Wars.”
Jiayun Fang, LTG Division 14
“The 1950’s, I think it would be fun to live like an episode of Happy Days.”
Meagan Koch, LTG Division 18 “The 2010’s- the unwritten decade. Our clean slate. Out generation’s first chance to change the world
and make it a better place for all of mankind. This is our time and this is our chance, let’s make the
best of it.”
Neepam Shah, LTG Division 19“The 70’s was undoubtedly the most tubular decade. It was the funk-filled era of Grandmaster Flash, the personal computer, aviator shades, muscle cars, Enter the Dragon and discotheque. Did I mention Enter the Dragon?”
Brian Cheung, LTG Division 20
“Somedays, I think I’m from another time when I can’t relate to people— when I just want to lay
back and live and breathe life; when I just want to play my guitar, sip green tea, and make art. I think
I’ve got a soul of the 60’s.”
Gabrielle Gutierrez, LTG Division 21
“My favorite decade was definitely the roaring 20’s. I think it was such a glamorous, carefree era.”
Kimberly Lu, LTG Division 17
“The best decade was the 1990’s. School was easy and tv was simply better.
Brink and Fresh Prince of Bel Air; enough said.”
Devan CoronaDistrict Treasurer
“The 80’s are by far my fa-vorite decade. Their music was awesome, and so was their fashion sense.”
Nicole DarrahDistrict Editor
“Whether it’s the music created by Drake, books written by J.K. Rowling or the technology created by Apple, each reason gives more explanation on why the decade spanning the years 2000-2009 is
my favorite.”
Harsh Swaminarayan, LTG Division 15“My favorite decade would have to be 1915-1925 because these were the starting years of Kiwanis (1925) and Key Club (1925).
Jared Greene, LTG Division 16
Page 10 District Board & Committee The Jersey Key
Greetings from Key Club International! My name is Will Robertson, and it is my honor to be serving as the New Jersey District’s International Trustee for the 2010-2011 Key Club year. I am a senior at Myers Park High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. I have two younger brothers, two awesome parents, and a bunch of fun friends. In my freetime, I like to read, play tennis, go to church, advocate, and most of all do service for the community.
A Chat with Our Governor Aimee Meissner LTG Division 12
You know her as Governor Rachel Orbach. She just prefers “The Governator”. A title like that seems intimidating, so when I found out that I had to interview her, I wasn’t too sure what to ask her. And I was sure I didn’t want to bore her. However, my interview brought some surprising results. As it turns out, she’s just like everyone else! She has other activities besides Key Club, and she has quite a time trying to keep up with everything. But it is her heart and her devotion to this organization that sets her apart from all the rest.Q: What prompted you to run for District Governor?
A: There was no particular moment in time when I decided to run for Governor, but the decision dawned on me during my year as Lieutenant Governor. I realized my full potential and my love for Key Club, and spending the year on the district board as an LTG gave me all the skills necessary to fulfill my duties as governor.Q: Compare Key Club to making Jell-o.
A: I suppose making Jell-o is a multi-step process, just as if obtaining success in Key Club. It’s easier said than done, and you have to work for it. In other words, the quality of your Jell-o depends on how much work you are willing to put into it.Q: What’s your favorite part about being in Key Club?
A: It’s so hard to pick one favorite part when there are so many good parts, but if I had to pick the best part it would be being presented with so many opportunities that you wouldn’t normally be exposed to. There are so many outlets to pursue whatever goal you have in mind, and Key Club gives you the opportunity to fulfill your goals.Q: So, how do you balance school, friends, Key Club, and other activities?
A: If there’s one thing Key Club has taught me, it’s how to manage my time. No matter what’s on your plate, there’s a way to balance everything. First and foremost comes school, then Key Club, and then everything else (work, friends, family, sleep, etc) finds its way into the mix. Of course I’ve missed out on plenty of social gatherings, family events, and even sleep, but it’s definitely worth it in the end. It also helps to stay organized and use planners and calendars. Not to mention- having a strong support system of family and friends makes things easier as well.
Having served on my District Board as well as the International Board the previous year, one of the things that I have learned is that Key Club offers many opportunities to clubs and members at the District and International level. Having said that, there are several International events clubs should be aware of. The first of these is the application for a Youth Opportunities Fund grant. This International account subsidizes club service projects for $100-$2000. To take advantage of this financial support, all you have to do is fill out the application form found on the International website, www.keyclub.org. Lt. Governors will also have the form if you cannot find it on the website. The applications must be at the Key Club International office by no later than October 15th. Grants will be announced in December or January. Also, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF is one of Key Club International’s most successful projects. The office will be sending out boxes to all clubs and encourages your participation. This year all funds will go to Key Club International’s sponsored development facility, Mandalavos Center, in Uruguay. Please help us fulfill our 1.5 million dollar pledge to this cause. Finally, Key Club week will be the first week in November. Try to come up with an event or project to do during this week to help raise international awareness of our organization. Key Club International also has a model Key Club week for your reference on the International website. Good luck this year and I look forward to hearing about all your successes and inspirations in the upcoming month!
International Trusteeto and from
the New Jersey District
Will Robertson
In Passion for Service,
Hello New Jersey Key Clubbers! You elected me to serve as your 2010-2011 District Editor, and I could not be happier. I thank everyone for this awesome opportunity, and I promise I won’t let you down!
With that said, I hope you enjoy reading this issue of the Jersey Key, and don’t forget to get “Psychedelic with Service” this year!
I distinctly remember the moment when I was pushed into joining Key Club. A prede-cessor of my own convinced me that Key Club was the way to go. When I attended my club’s first meeting of my freshman year, I was completely enthralled with what Key Club had to offer: helping others. I became as addicted to Key Club as a child is addicted to candy. During the time of Lieutenant Governor elections that year, I was asked to run for the position of my division. I was a bit nervous, but when I won I was overjoyed about serving on a higher level, but even more ecstatic about what else the coming year would bring me. I soon found out: friendship. When you become a member of the District Board, you create bonds and new friendships with 25 other Key Clubbers. That year was truly a dream come true. When District Convention began to quickly approach, I made the choice of running for a District Executive Officer position, the position of Editor. This time around, I was even more nervous at elections... mainly because you’re speaking in front of 700 people, instead of 7. When I was elected to be your Editor for this service year, I was swarmed with so many happy emotions, not one word could describe. When the service year began, I realized Key Club yet again could bring me something else: love. This year on the District Board has hit me an entirely new way, with different emotions. This Board has become a second family to me, and I could not be happier. If you’re an underclassman who is reading the Jersey Key right now, I encourage you consider taking the path that I and so many others took: the path of running for a district posi-tion. Who knows what it could bring you!
Yours in Caring and Service,
Nicole DarrahNJ District Editor
September 2010 District Board & Committee Page 11
Hello New Jersey Key Club-
Yours in Kiwanis Family Service,
Robert AcerraNJ KCI District Governor
It’s with great honor that I am able to write to you all about the happenings of the New Jersey CKI District. For those of you that do not know what CKI is...Circle K International is basically Key Club International’s older brother/sister organization, in the sense that we are both Service Leadership Programs of Kiwanis International. CKI on the other hand is for College Students opposed to Key Club being for High School Students. As a former Key Clubber in the New Jersey District, I know the time, attention, and dedication that each of the 250,000 Key Club members around the world put into the service that you all complete in your homes, schools, and communities.
New Jersey CKI currently has clubs on 10 campuses around the state. 250 members strong and growing into the 2010-2011 Service Year, New Jersey CKI is working towards “Connecting the Pieces” this service year. Circle K International has four service partners that CKI members all over the world are all able to work towards serving. My personal favorite out of the four service partners serves as my Governor’s Project for this service year. Better World Books is basically an organization that allows for CKI clubs to host book drives on their campus or in their communities. The best parts of the Better World Books (BWB) book drives are that they come at no cost at all to the CKI Club. For more information, visit www.betterworldbooks.com. New Jersey CKI is excited to work with the Key Clubs all over the state of New Jersey through your service projects, events, and club meetings. Please visit our district website at www.njcirclek.org to find the CKI Club nearest you. Please feel free to also to contact me at anytime to talk about what CKI is, what our CKI clubs can do to help your Key Clubs and vice versa, or even to ask some advice on college search/application process.
Thank you all for caring about your homes, schools, and communities and being one of the 250,000 members strong that have joined your organization to provide service, build character, and develop leadership throughout the world.
Welcome to another exciting year of service, caring and fun with Key Club. The 2010– 2011 District Board has been hard at work since District Convention in April planning what will be another outstanding year in Key Club in New Jersey. The 2009-2010 year was outstanding and this Board is working hard to top it and I am sure they will. I would like to remind you all about a few upcoming events that will take place this fall. You may read articles about all of these events on the pages of this issue of the “Jersey Key”. On September 19th at Central Regional High School, September 25th at Millburn High School and September 26th J. P. Stevens High School the District will hold the Regional Training Conferences. These sessions are a great opportunity for the officers and committee chairs and Advisors to learn more about their positions and to exchange ideas. We have already held two RTC’s in the spring which were well attended. For those of you that did not attend them in the spring we urge you to attend the ones in the fall. We are also encouraging Advisors to attend and sit with me in a session to help you plan the year. I urge you to attend; they will start at 9:00am and end by 1:30pm.
The other big year long event is the District Project the Children’s Specialized Hospital. This is the fifth year of this project and we have set a lofty goal. Please help to support this great cause.
On Sunday October 10th, 2010 we will hold our annual Fall Rally at Six Flags Great Adventure. This is an outstanding way to start the year. You will get the opportunity to meet and be with over three thousand Key Clubbers from around the state. For the Advisors we will be doing the same thing as last year. This year each club will get one free ticket to the park and lunch for one advisor. For each additional 10 Key Clubbers attending you will get another free lunch ticket for an adult ONLY. These tickets may be used by adults only. You will also have the ability to purchase more lunch tickets for other adults that attend. We will again be offering a lunch for students with same pricing as last year. Please see the Fall Rally Registration Packet in the September mailing for details. It is never too early to plan for the biggest event of the year, The 65th Annual New Jersey Key Club District Convention. The convention will again be held at the Valley Forge Convention Center and Radisson in King of Prussia, PA. The dates are April 8th-10th, 2011. More details will be coming soon but please put this date aside.
Again, let me encourage you get involved in your club, division and the district. Remember the greatest thing you can do is to give of
Funkadelic Message from NJ Circle K
District Administrator’s Message
Mr. Barrie WerfelDistrict Administrator
Message from NJ Kiwanis Governor-Elect
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Kiwanis Family and a new year of personal growth for you as you continue your studies as well as service through your Key Club. On October 1st, I will become the Governor of the New Jersey District of Kiwanis when the new Kiwanis year begins. Our Kiwanis year runs a little differently than your Key Club year but it has no impact on your activities.
Dear NJ Key Clubbers,
I was very pleased to hear how well the NJ Key Club District was recognized at your International Convention in Memphis. New Jersey once again had all four Distinguished Executive officers, the only district in all of Key Club International to achieve that! You also had 11 Lt Governors who were recognized as Robert F Lucas Distinguished Lt Governors. In addition, I am very pleased that the Key Club of JP Stevens received First Place for their creative Key Club poster. You can expect to see copies of it available in the near future through the Key Club International offices. In addition I know that many of your clubs were acknowledged at the Key Club District Convention in April for the wonderful service and fundraising projects you are involved with in your school and communities. You make me very proud of our New Jersey District, and all of your Kiwanis Club sponsors are equally pleased with the great work you do to help our local and worldwide communities. I am looking forward to the coming year as we work on growth in our New Jersey Kiwanis Clubs as well as in Key Club. I hope that you will encourage the adults in your life to join us in Kiwanis as well as furthering the growth of your Key Clubs by convincing your friends who are not in Key Club already to join with you in providing service on a regular basis. Please feel free to contact me if I can help you in any way. Thank you for all you do, you are a critical source of Kiwanis Jersey Pride. I look forward to seeing you throughout the year.
Yours in The Spirit of Kiwanis Family Service,
Marc H. Litwack2010-2011 Kiwanis Governor
Page 12 Peace Out! The Jersey Key
Calendar of Events2010-2011
September10 Club Monthly Report Form due19 South Regional Training Conference25 North Regional Training Conference26 Central Regional Training ConferenceOctober10 Club Monthly Report Form due11 Fall Rally!November1-5 Key Club/Children’s Specialized Hospital Week5-7 Kiwanis Family Conference10 Club Monthly Report Form dueDecember10 Club Monthly Report Form due10-12 Key LeaderJanuary10 Club Monthly Report Form due Lieutenant Governor ElectionsFebruary10 Club Monthly Report Form due Lieutenant Governor ElectionsMarch10 Club Monthly Report Form due4-6 Mid-Winter Training ConferenceApril8-10 District Convention!June-July29-2 International Convention in Phoenix, Arizona
Pick Next Issue’s Theme!
Vote on www.njkeyclub.org’s homepage!
District GovernorRachel Orbach
District WebmasterShivam Patel
Lt. Governor of Division 4Kirsten Reed
Lt. Governor of Division 8Elizabeth [email protected]
Lt. Governor of Division 12Aimee Meissner
Lt. Governor of Division 16Jared Greene
Lt. Governor of Division 20Brian Cheung
Financial CounselorMr. Andrew DeFelice
Zone Administrator - 10, 11, & 12
Mrs. Helene [email protected]
Kiwanis District GovernorMr. Mark Esposito
District SecretaryKevin Sun
Lt. Governor of Division 1Andre Rosario
Lt. Governor of Division 5Julia Dickhaus
Lt. Governor of Division 9Sami Fiorino
Lt. Governor of Division 13Joe Bonaccorso
Lt. Governor of Division 17Kimberly Lu
Lt. Governor of Division 21Gabrielle Gutierrez
Zone Administrator - 1, 2, & 5Mr. Matthew Guenther
Zone Administrator - 13, 19, & 20
Mrs. Jeanne [email protected]
Kiwanis District Governor-ElectMr. Marc Litwack
District TreasurerDevan Corona
Lt. Governor of Division 2Alyssa Keenan
Lt. Governor of Division 6Chris Godshall
Lt. Governor of Division 10Sarah Noorani
Lt. Governor of Division 14Jiayun Fang
Lt. Governor of Division 18Meagan Koch
International TrusteeWill Robertson
Zone Administrator - 3 & 4Mrs. Susan Andris
Zone Administrator - 14, 17, & 18
Mrs. Celeste [email protected]
Circle K District GovernorRob Acerra
District EditorNicole Darrah
Lt. Governor of Division 3Ami Shah
Lt. Governor of Division 7Tom Kraeutler
Lt. Governor of Division 11Crystal Ibe
Lt. Governor of Division 15Harsh Swaminarayan
Lt. Governor of Division 19Neepam Shah
District AdministratorMr. Barrie Werfel
Zone Administrator - 6, 7, 8 &9Ms. Kaitlin McCann
Zone Administrator - 15, 16, & 21
Mr. Stephen [email protected]
Do you want to read a Jersey Key article from way back when?
Do you want to read what Key Club was like in past years?
If so, visit the Jersey Key archive at www.jkey.njkeyclub.org!
Created bySami Fiorino, Holmdel High School
