Key Club hosts ‘Service Binge’ to support the community
Key club members worked to put together tie blankets for LifeSource. This was only one of the service projects students completed during the 25 hour Service Binge. “We will be making tie blankets for LifeSource, trash cleanup outside of the school, letters to soldiers, teacher appreciation, May Day baskets and braided dog toys for the local humane society. We will also be collecting non-perishable food items at the door to raise local and worldwide hunger,” said junior Savannah Johnson.
Last year when Key Club was formed there were 15 active members. This year, that number rose tremendously. Currently, there are over 80 members signed up and around 50 active participants. This year it was decided there would be a Service Binge planned. This is similar to the 30-hour famines that many churches hold to support their communities. The club’s tremendous growth this year has made it possible to plan larger and more effective events.
Junior Savannah Johnson said, “We have been planning the Service Binge for the past two months. We have different service projects all ready to go. We will be making tie blankets for LifeSource, trash cleanup outside of the school, letters to soldiers, teacher appreciation, May Day baskets and braided dog toys for the local humane society. We will also be collecting non-perishable food items at the door to raise local and worldwide hunger.”
With the quick growth of the club, more duties have arrived. All of the leaders of the club share the responsibilities and help to organize events that benefit the community.
Johnson said, “Being chosen as president for next year is a huge commitment to take on. As co-president this year, I got to see almost everything that goes on and it was nice to have someone with me on the ride this year. Next year, I know the club will grow and my officers will definitely have my back, they are great.”
Loading ...Everyone is very supportive of new members and will welcome anyone with open arms. The ultimate goal is to reach the entire school with the good things the club does.
Sophomore Hannah Anderson said, “All of the officers are really nice and that makes the fun a lot more fun. I was worried at first that it might be awkward going to events but after I went to some of the meetings, I realized everyone was really welcoming and they just want everyone to have a good time serving our community like they do.”
Key Club also teaches people valuable skills that can be useful throughout high school, college and a career someday.
Junior Brooke Espelien said, “I have learned so much about speaking and communication skills. Every other week we have meetings with the members and as a leader, I have to stand up in front of the members and talk about what events will be taking place and any other information they might need to know. That will help me so much in my future no matter what job or career I consider.”
Being involved in a club that participates in service projects and giving back to the community can be very rewarding. Unlike a sport, in which you win or you lose, being involved in the community is like always winning because the reward is always positive.
“I love giving back to my community. It is really rewarding to be able to do things for people and organizations in need. Being part of this club has taught me so many things that will be useful and beneficial to me in the future,” said Espelien.
The Service Binge will count towards service hours for Key Club members or for National Honor Society. They can also be used for anything else students might need service hours for. Key Club is an outstanding and credible organization to be part of because of the recognition they receive on the international and national levels.
“Participants will receive as many hours as they participate in the provided service activities. Approximately 17 hours is what we are guessing most people will average,” said Johnson.
Anderson said, “I really hope more people decide to join next year. Some of the Key Clubs in surrounding high schools have close to 100 members so we are really close to becoming the largest club in the state. I think if we really try to talk sophomores into joining the club we have the potential to be the largest and do a ton more service projects.”
Ultimately, the club will grow over the next few years. This year was only the second year of involvement at the high school, but the impact has been something no one could have imagined.
“It is awesome because I can look back at the 15 members we had last year and look at the almost 80 we have this year and know that I was part of that and I helped to make that happen,” said Espelien.
Allie is a senior at Stillwater. She loves to hangout with her friends. If she isn’t with her friends or family, you can usually find her shopping. She...
Mackenzie Bottolfson • Apr 19, 2015 at 11:25 am
This article was a great overview of what key club is all about. It was nice to hear how the club has grown. Also, the last quote was an awesome way to end the article.