Division 22: Vernon Township, Sussex County Technical, Sparta. Pope John XXIII Regional, Hackettstown, Mount Olive, High Point
Clarkin’s Chronicles Volume I Issue I April 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1-2: Introduction Letter Page 3:-4 District Convention Page 5-6: Regional Training Conferences Page 7: District Project 2015-2016 Page 8: Governor’s Blog and Reminders Page 9: International Convention Page 10: The New Board Page 11: Social Media Page 12: Contact information
Introduction Letter Dear New Jersey District, I have the pleasure of introducing myself as the new Lieutenant Governor of Division 22 for the new service year of 2015-2016. My name is Ciara Clarkin and I am a freshman from Vernon Township High School. Before High School I was a part of other Kiwanis families like K-kids and Builders Club. However, for years I had been hearing from my brothers about the different fundraisers and service projects they helped in. It came with no surprise that my brother Ryan then proceeded to become Lieutenant Governor and then Governor of New Jersey. This opened up all new aspirations within me. My brother came home talking about the good he was doing in the world and how much fun he was having helping those that could not help themselves. How could I not join Key Club after that? When I finally attended a Key Club activity in High School I knew exactly what I wanted to do. The feeling you get when you help someone else is unparalleled in regular everyday life. The smiles I got when giving Christmas gifts to children, who wouldn’t receive any, cemented my decision. I had already attended District Convention the year before, but the magic that was that March weekend was nothing compared to the actual volunteering. I had the power to make others happy with just a few hours of service. That very fact resonates with me and as key clubbers, the power to help another resonates within you too. Whether you are a general member or an officer, we all have that power to make a positive change in somebody’s life. That power is the reason why I ran for Lieutenant Governor and will continue to dedicate myself to the New Jersey District of Key Club International. This next year I hope to work with all of you personally to make Division 22, as well as the rest of New Jersey, reach their full potential in serving our communities. However I am not just a name and a position. When not participating in Key Club I am involved in Model UN as well as Mock Trial. My favorite hobby is, and probably forever will be, reading. When I’m not studying or doing homework for one of my classes, I am most definitely delved into a book. I might actually be a bit too obsessed with reading than what is considered “healthy”. When I’m stressed or just need to think I’m listening to various different genres of music. Within the realm of school, I take the highest courses possible, leaving long nights of studying. The job of a Lieutenant Governor is a difficult one and includes a lot of responsibility. I find myself to be completely dedicated to Key Club and more than ready to take a larger role in serving our community. I may not be as old as many Lieutenant Governors but I
believe in this volunteer organization and what it does that my age does not stand in my way. I will serve our division with 120% focus so we could become the absolute best we could be. With your help I want to touch more people with the power of service and as Lieutenant Governor I know I can accomplish this. I hope to work with you all personally in completing my goals for this new service year. Some of my goals include:
To make sure all dues are paid by the Early Bird Deadline
Send all paperwork as soon as possible to Key Club International
Increase Division 22 attendance rates for district functions
Increase the general member count
Build a club
Keep in close contact with all officers (at least twice a week communication)
Hold more than one divisional event
Get all club officers trained before the start of the school year
Visit each club by the start of the school year
Encourage clubs from around the division to work together
My excitement for this new service year cannot be described in words. I can’t wait to start working with you all. Know that you can contact me at any time, with any suggestions or concerns, as I am your liaison to the District board. You can call, text, email, or send me a message on Facebook and I’ll be sure to get back to as soon as possible with a response. Your opinions and views are what help strengthen the division so do not feel shy in coming to me for anything. Division 22 is capable of greatness and together we can reach new heights.
Yours in Caring and Service,
Ciara Clarkin Lieutenant Governor of Division 22
District Convention District Convention is a magical weekend where you can meet with other Key Clubbers. This past DCON was March 27-29. The weekend was a LOT of fun! Key Clubbers both laughed and cried when saying farewell to the old board and welcoming the new one. At District Convention you celebrate the ending of the last service year and start a new one. During DCON, you can attend workshops, meet new people, talk with the district board, party at dances, walk on the board walk, get frozen yogurt, swim at the pool, enjoy the views of the beachfront hotel, attend/ compete in contests, receive awards and overall have a blast. District Convention was a great experience. The enthusiasm and overall Key Club spirit of NJ is overwhelming. I would encourage all of you to attend DCON 2016 as 2015 was a weekend I could never forget.
Regional Training Conferences
What are RTCs? Regional Training Conferences, or RTCs, are a series of training conferences organized by the NJ District Board. All members of Key Club - general members, officers, and advisors alike - are invited to join! RTCs are held from 9am to 1pm on select weekends, and they feature informative workshops on a variety of topics, Including: district events, service and fundraising ideas, public speaking, and ways to get more involved with Key Club. New club officers are strongly encouraged to attend - in fact, each officer MUST attend at least one RTC during his/her term in order to be distinguished at the end of the year at District Convention. Each club is encouraged to send at least one representative to its nearest RTC - and keep in mind, the more the merrier!
Why Should I GO? Going to an RTC can help you become more familiar with how Key Club branches from your school's club, to the NJ District level, and to Key Club International. You'll be able to get to know your 2015-2016 District Board and make friends with numerous other Key Clubbers around New Jersey through fun icebreakers. Plus, we have free food!
Pumping Up The Volume Of Service
New District Project This new service year of 2015-2016 brings not only a new board but also a District Project. For the next year NJ Key Club will be working in our very own communities. The service project is the New Jersey Federation of Food Banks! This organization or rather federation is comprised of five different nonprofit organizations whose goals are to not only collect food but also distribute the food across the state. Help to stop hunger in our very own state and county! Hunger is real and the District Board greatly encourages you to support this cause using different service projects, food drives, and even fundraising. ANY effort would go a long way to serve the unfortunate.
Governor’s Blog and Reminders To keep up with all things NJ Key Club read Governor Suddeth’s Blog on the District Website! It is a very informative, quick and easy way to see what’s going on in our District.
Reminders:
Email me with the dates of your club election
Submit a club roster to me and District Secretary Sarah Park after elections
CMRFs are due the 6th of each month!
Send CMRFs to both me and the District Secretary
Attend at least one of the Spring or Fall RTCs
Email me if you are interested in attending International Convention (ICON)
If you ever have any questions please contact me
International Convention 2015 CONVENTION - JUNE 24 - 28 Why go to the convention? Because it’s the biggest event of the Key Club year! Imagine celebrating the amazing things Key Club does with more than 1,600 Key Clubbers from all across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. If that isn’t enough, you’ll also have the opportunity to: Share innovative service project and fundraising ideas. Listen to amazing speakers. Learn about servant leadership. Train for your 2015–16 leadership position. Elect next year’s Key Club International Board. Celebrate 100 years of Kiwanis and its clubs (including Key Club!). Hear about our success so far with The Eliminate Project—and how you can help eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus. Discover new charities and organizations you and your club can team up with. Have fun and make memories and friendships that last a lifetime. See the sites in Indianapolis.
ROAD TRIP! Amusement Park, Baseball Game, Concert, ETC.
Boards: Both Old and New
During District Convention, the new Lieutenant Governors were installed. The board members of the 2014-2015 service year said their farewells in a tear jerking ceremony. Then, the new LTGs were installed with their predecessors presenting them with pins. Then, the same process was done for the new executive board.
District Board of 2014-2015, you will be sincerely missed. You did exceptional work in your terms and became great leaders. You made an impact on those you met, and I speak from experience, thank you!
Also, if you want to be featured on the NJ Key Club website (njkeyclub.org) simply tag your Key Club related Instagram posts with #njkeyclub in the description.
Important People and Their Info Josie Suddeth District Governor governor.suddeth@gmail.com
Sarah Park District Secretary secretary.separk@gmail.com
Bobbie Boettinger District Treasurer treasurer.boettinger@gmail.com
David Guirgis District Editor editor.guirgis@gmail.com
Shannon Peng District Webmaster webmaster.speng@gmail.com
Ciara Clarkin Lieutenant Governor ltg22.clarkin@gmail.com