The Golden Gazette: Year-End Edition 2014-2015
Table of Contents
3. Service
9. Leadership
13. Fellowship
19. Members I pledge to uphold the objects of Circle K International,
Lieutenant Governor Message Hello Golden Gate Guardians! Wow! What a spectacular year we have had as members of Circle K, as friends within the division and as excellent leaders in our home clubs. To the 2014-2015 year in particular, we have grown in the numbers of clubs in the division, with Napa Valley College CKI joining us and with the University of San Francisco almost done chartering, and we have served so many folks in our communities! We have touched the lives of those around us, and I can ensure that this past year, we have left our mark in the CalNev-Ha Circle K District and Circle K International! Thus, our first ever divisional yearbook, is to preserve the memories we have had together in this division forever in our hearts through these pages. Thus, the divisional board and I have decided to give the members of Golden Gate, a yearbook for all to enjoy and treasure! To highlight the accomplishments we have reached within out time in Circle K this past year and to always remind members why we do what we do each day. It’s because we care about one another, we love this division and we want to create that positive impact in our communities. Thus, the divisional board and I have decided to give the members of Golden Gate, a yearbook for all to enjoy and treasure! To highlight the accomplishments we have reached within out time in Circle K this past year and to always remind members why we do what we do each day. It’s because we care about one another, we love this division and we want to create that positive impact in our communities. This success could not have been achieved without the help of the remarkable divisional board, the seven presidents and the members of Golden Gate! Cheers to an astonishingly brilliant year Golden Gate! I am proud to have had the privilege to serve along side you all! Cheers to an astonishingly brilliant year Golden Gate! I am proud to have had the privilege to serve alongside you all! With love, Angela Apinyavat 2014-2015 Golden Gate Lt. Governor
Media Relations Message Hello Golden Gate I’m so glad that we’ve been able to share in this amazing journey together. The past 12 months have been a golden year for Golden Gate and I hope this yearbook can serve as a small token of some of the great things this amazing division has accomplished. Not all the memories, laughs and maybe not even all the events were included but I highly encourage you to grab a pen and add it in! What better way to remember what this past year meant to you than by writing it in yourself. Everyone has grown so much since the term began and I’m so glad I was able to be share a part of this journey with you all. I just want to take this time to thank everyone who has helped me with the newsletter the past months. I want to thank the divisional board Angela, Jerry, Tiffany, Jarell and Brandon for reading countless drafts over and over again checking for spelling errors. I also want to thank Heyun, Claire and Cat for helping me with design. Lastly, I would like to thank all of you, the members for submitting articles and pictures. As cliche as it sounds, this would not have been possible without all of your help and contributions. I hope you enjoyed these newsletters and look forward to more Golden Gazettes in the future. Robert Rodriguez 2014-2015 Golden Gate Media Relations Chair
Service
To foster compassion and goodwill toward others through service and leadership It has been an amazing year, Golden Gate. We kicked off the term by leading educational activities for kids at Eggster’s annual festival. We even got our interdivisional service game down early and volunteered with Sunset at the Kiwanis Special Games where we led and cheered on disabled student athletes. In the fall, we joined Sunset again for the delicious Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival. Eventually I got around to organizing my first project—Habitat for Humanity in Walnut Creek! We put in lots of muscle, sweat, and overtime to beautify houses for well-deserving families. We also helped an Oakland health clinic pack harm reduction supplies for at-risk communities. I can safely say we are seasoned marathon volunteers with the SF Marathon, Nike Women’s Half Marathon, and Chinese New Year Run under our belt. We always managed to brave these hectic events whether dealing with not having water to hand out, organizing people’s items in a school bus craze, or directing traffic on the busy streets. And the proceeds we received from these events later helped us win the Mario Doll at DCON for highest total funds raised on-site for DFIs! Moreover, we have done a lot to create a welcoming learning environment for students at local schools. At East Oakland PRIDE Elementary and Roots International Academy, we organized classroom libraries and painted everything from playgrounds to classroom door murals to promote literacy. The latter was a large scale project over six months in the making but it was definitely worth all the ups and downs in the end! And we can’t forget all the service activities that the clubs organized for DCMs. All in all, I hope you enjoyed the projects this year and had fun serving the community and hanging out with divisional friends. Early in my term I got the nickname Service God (dangit Matt) and I don’t know why it stuck (dangit Brandon and Justin) because honestly I don’t do much compared to all of you. As much as I can try to plan fun and meaningful projects, they wouldn’t be anything without everyone who volunteered, wanted to volunteer but couldn’t, encouraged people to come out, drove people to events, and continued to actively serve at the club level. I think Service God is more like a Megazord that you all transform and combine to become when you do these things and maybe I am just an earlobe or something. I know for sure that my successor will definitely be a great earlobe and maybe even get promoted to a more functional structure. I’ll admit that I was a newcomer to this division, so thank you to everyone for welcoming me into this family. I’m happy that this position pushed me to be more involved and share at least one awesome, jam-packed year with the division because you all are the coolest and most dedicated people I have met. And of course to my fellow board members, I love you all and feel so lucky to have grown closer to you this year. To end in a really cheesy and terribly punny way: my favorite service has been serving this division. With Service, Tiffany Wong 2014-2015 Golden Gate Service Chair
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Eggster E
by Justin Cruz
ggster Egghunt is an annual event known to be the largest free Easter egg hunt in Northern California. Volunteers arrived as early as 7:30am on March 19th to take part in the Divisional Service Project. We helped manage stations with fun games for kids such as ring toss, bean bag toss, and a hunter-prey game identical to Red Light, Green Light. My favorite part was helping out with the egg hunts by replacing the eggs that were taken with new ones. We all ended the day by helping tear down the tables and chilling at the Campanile where we witnessed a wedding proposal being prepared on Memorial Glade. It was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning with the rest of the division.
Kiwanis Special Games by Claire Lee O
n Friday, May 16th, 2014, Golden Gate Guardians traveled to Sunset Division’s De Anza College to help with the 36th annual Kiwanis Special Games! This was the May Divisional Service Project. The Kiwanis Special Games is a one-day Special Olympics event held every May for special-needs children from all across the area. This is the one day of the year that these children feel validated and strong enough to participate in physical activities and succeed. A child even told me that they look forward to two things every year: Christmas and Special Games. We were very lucky to have the chance to volunteer at the Kiwanis Special Games! Volunteers had different tasks. Most of us led and managed a small group of kids, grouped according to their disability. We led them around the De Anza track in games such as 50-yard dash, Frisbee throw, and an obstacle course. My favorite part was watching children in wheelchairs race around an obstacle course; it was so adorable to watch! Sean Yoo of UC Berkeley worked solely at the 50-yard dash that day. He stood at the finish line and cheered on the different kids as they raced towards him. “Their faces were bright with victory,” says Sean. Once they reached the end, Sean and his group were in charge of handing out ribbons to the different kids. There were first place ribbons, second place ribbons, and best effort ribbons. The kids’ faces lighted up with joy as they received ribbons from competing in the dash. Overall, this was a wonderful event that I’m sure everyone would love to volunteer at again next year! It was great working with the different kids and bonding with Sunset Division.
Habitat for Humanity
by Kevin Sar
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SF Marathon
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n June 6, 2014 summer vacation started for most students who are off from school or for others the beginning of finals. However on this date our division along with other members from other divisions came together to assist the local Habitat for Humanity organization. Here Golden Gate members flexed their muscles in working on the inside and outside of the houses. Everyone was tasked with a different job from painting, landscaping, and cleaning. It was a hot day and we were given numerous water breaks to stay hydrated. In the end, we finished and the houses from the inside out were beautiful and fit for a family to live in.
a h t r By Be
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:45am. That was the excruciating minute that Golden Gate Guardians from all over the Bay Area had to be ready to serve at the SF Marathon. Accompanied by Alex Nguyen from Magic Kingdom and Norman Wong from Sunset, Golden Gate was in charge of a water station at the 18th mile of the marathon. From the first runners gliding past us to the final runners carefully pacing themselves, Golden Gate was there with a refreshing cup of water or electrolytes for every runner. This included CNH District Secretary, Jonny Paguio, who sped by with enough energy to lead us into a CKI cheer! Despite being physically exhausted, nearly every single runner took the time and breath to express their gratitude. Early morning or not, this divisional service project was a tremendously good time. After the final runners passed, our group headed out for some pho and SF’s infamous Tpumps Boba!
Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival T
he September Divisional Service Project was volunteering at the Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival in San Francisco. All proceeds from this event went to Project Open Hand, which is a non-profit organization that provides meals to senior citizens and the critically ill. Members from the Golden Gate and Sunset Divisions came together and worked various booths giving out chocolates for attendees to enjoy! As a reward for our hard work, the volunteers were also able to enjoy some free samples at the end of the day! This service project was truly a successful and fun event supporting a meaningful organization!
by Angela Apinyavat
Nike Women’s Marathon by Donald Franks
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n the very early hours of Sunday, October 19th, Golden Gate convened in the heart of San Francisco and began assisting marathon runners with their belongings before the start of the race. Assigned to various buses, we partnered up and lifted bags, sweatshirts, water bottles, purses and other items into the buses and placed stickers on the runners’ bibs - providing them with a simple code to help both runners and volunteers find belongings. he clock wound down, and the race began. Squished into the aisles of the bus, we took a brief nap and went for a short ride until we arrived near the water’s edge, the area sparkling with flecks of light as the sun began to rise over the city. By this time, the daring runners finished approximately half of their run. As we waited for the runners to collect their items, we mingled with one another inside and outside the buses, taking pictures and socializing until some exhausted individuals approached. he day passed, and slowly but surely, the lines to collect belongings grew longer and longer. Even with occasional bag misplacements or seemingly-lost bags, our buses did well, with not a single lost item to report! After assuring that the bags were returned to their rightful owners, we gathered around, took a group picture, and either headed back home, or sought out a place to eat. A number of us enjoyed some Tpumps and pho, while others had some studying before midterms to get to. The day was long, and the sleep was brief, but spending a day with Golden Gate is always a fun time.
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RENOVATE EAST OAKLAND PRIDE by Ana Chavez
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n the early Sunday morning of November 16th, Golden Gate Guardians were invited by UCLA CKI alum Connie Lam to East Oakland Pride Elementary for our monthly divisional service project! It was an engaging event coordinated by our division’s wonderful service chair, Tiffany Wong. More than 30 members separated into groups to help the teachers renovate classrooms, storage rooms, and the teacher lounge. Some dusted and wiped an endless amount of counters and shelves, then organized the teachers’ materials. Others were stapling away for hours, moving furniture, throwing away trash, and a few of us even cleaned the teachers’ fridge down to the last spot. If the division raised a dollar for ELIMINATE every time one of us said, “I remember these!” MNT would have probably been cured that day. Everything from the kiddy scissors, incentive star charts, jigsaw mats and colorful pattern blocks were flashbacks to what we used to see ten years ago as kids. This project not only gave the elementary students a better learning environment, but allowed the teachers to come in everyday with a positive outlook. The collaboration between the teachers, the principal and our members for this event was truly fantastic. They had a vision for their school and as volunteers we were able to help them make that vision a reality and so much more. It was quite the productive day for everyone who came and the pizza lunch we had in the end with the staff was the cherry on top of it all!
January by Tiffany Wong DSP
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o kick off the new year of service, Golden Gate gathered in Oakland to support Casa Segura, an organization dedicated to stopping the spread of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C in Alameda County. Providing healthcare services to homeless people, drug users, and sex workers, Casa Segura supports a community that “most people don’t want to deal with,” as described by HIV counselor Mike Snow. The clinic offers HIV testing, counseling, and treatment, clean clothes, something to eat, and a safe place to shower.
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ver 20 Guardians filled the small office to help pack harm reduction supplies for free distribution at the clinic. These supplies included new cottons, cookers, and tourniquets to promote safer injection drug use and condoms for protected sex. Even though drug use and sex increase health risk, the reality is that they are still prevalent practices, so at least providing the resources for safe practice is extremely valuable for disease prevention. Thanks to awesome GG workflow, we put together a huge amount of harm reduction kits, which will go a long way to protecting lives.
DLSSP North
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by Zuberi Johnson “we erase the problems of the world”
LSSP North was a very enjoyable event. Thanks to ties with current teacher (former Circle K member) Connie Lam, Golden Gate and the other northern divisions were given the opportunity to beautify East Oakland PRIDE Elementary School and Roots International Academy. I personally loved everything this event had to offer: it’s like the event coordinators had “Happy Birthday Zuberi” on their mind while creating it. First, this event was located in Oakland, my hometown. Second, members from other divisions like Capital and Sunset attended and I love events where I get to meet people from other divisions. Finally, I loved this event because it required hands-on work. There are few things more hands-on than beautifying a school. he members were divided into groups based school supplies with my group being the Erasers. With lots of members from Santa Cruz in my group, we created the motto, “We erase the problems of the world.” Our first task was to paint the poles on the playground. The problem of badly painted tetherball and basketball court poles was eradicated quickly. Our second task was re-organizing a classroom. The Erasers answered the call. Santa Cruz folks are efficient and fun to work with, I approve. ince it happened to be Valentine’s Day, I decided to spread the love by offering everyone Oreos because what says love better than Oreos. Because of an awesome miscommunication, CKI gave the school playground’s US map a colorful makeover. It would have been great to see the students’ reactions to all our work. The District Service Committee deserves an ovation. This year’s DLSSP North is definitely one of my all-time top 10 CKI events. I, Golden Gate’s Father Time, thank you Cal-Nev-Ha.
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Literacy Mural Project by Bertha Te
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olden Gate volunteers gathered up in the heart of Oakland at Roots Academy for our long-awaited February Divisional Service Mural Project-- and boy did it live up to expectations and more! As teachers roamed the hallways and spoke with us Circle K-ers, thanking us for the murals we painted on nearly every classroom door, we truly learned what an impact this bright surprise would make on the students when they came back to school on Monday. The murals brightened the hallways and encouraged the beauty of reading. I entered Roots Academy with no painting skills whatsoever. By the end of the day (Saturday February 21st), I had painted beautiful masterpieces across four classroom doors, with the swift precision of Picasso and the delicate details of Michelangelo. Just kidding! I wasn’t Picasso at all-- that title goes to our Divisional Service Chair, Tiffany Wong. Not only did she coordinate the entire event with the divisional board, but Tiffany went around and sketched initial drawings onto most of the doors along with designs from Jasmine Park, Robert Rodriguez, and Monica Willemsz, advising us on what each teacher wanted to see painted on their doors.. As for me, I was more like Chewbacca with a paintbrush. After I added some (much needed) character to a book drawings to a door (it ended up looking like a Harry Potter character), I was relegated to painting a giant space blue-- something that required no lines or detailing. Which I did, excellently. Repainting a few mistakes aside, everyone had a blast-- as the hallways of Roots Academy were filled with the cheery laughter of Golden Gate Guardians. When several Guardians banded together to save a door that paint had dripped all over-- the result was a beautiful mural of all the several unique and loving handprints that had created it. I walked out of Roots Academy with nearly less painting skills than I entered. With paint on my arms and legs and clothing (and on the doors, of course), the Mural Project was a blast and one of my favorite divisional service projects so far!
Chinese New Year Run by Donald I Franks
n celebration of Lunar New Year, Circle K-ers from Golden Gate, Sunset and Central Coast gathered in the heart of San Francisco Chinatown to help with the annual Chinese New Year Run. After a quick breakfast we debriefed with the coordinator then headed on out in our groups. Equipped with neon vests and cones, we marched out into the streets, securing our designated intersections, redirecting heavy traffic and ensuring a safe path for the runners to pass through. While some drivers were a little more, should I say, in a rush than others, most drivers were fairly forgiving and actually gave us some kind words of appreciation. After some time, the police had come for us—but with a relieving “you’re free to go!” With a sense of excitement and energy, some of us joined the runners in finishing up the last leg of the race, going around the blocks all the way back to the YWCA meeting point. We returned our vests, took some pictures, and headed back home. Count on Golden Gate to kick off the new term strong!
Year of the
s h eep
Leadership
To develop my abilities and the abilities of all people
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Leadership. When I think of leadership, I think of the incredible individuals who dedicate their time to serve others in our organization and beyond, spending countless hours planning events or encouraging others to also take on leadership roles. Servant leadership is what keeps the engine in our organization humming; it inspires others to serve in the same capacity and is the gift that keeps on giving. This year, I’m honored to have been able to see so many leaders grow out of their shell in this division and take up roles in servant hood so that they can make the same impact many before them have made. Leadership isn’t limited to a position or a title; leadership is all about making an impact through your own actions, ideas, and passion. The members of our organization (you!) are leaders. They serve others humbly and make a difference not only in the community, but also in the lives of many. We have some of the most passionate members in the world, and it brings me great joy how much passion our division has. Through the various retreats, training conferences, and leadership events that we’ve had over the year, it’s clear that the best leaders in our district come from Golden Gate. Congratulations Golden Gate for finishing your term as leaders for the 2014-2015 term; you’ve not only inspired others to lead, but you’ve clearly shown the district why we’re number one in the states. Stay incredible Golden Gate, and keep on leading, impacting, and inspiring others. Jerry Bao 2014-2015 Golden Gate Executive Assistant
Officer Training Conference
by Tina You
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olden Gate Division’s Officer Training Conference, or OTC, took place on a beautiful sunny morning at UC Berkeley on July 5. Bringing together an assortment of board members and general members from our five schools - CSU East Bay, Los Medanos College, Diablo Valley College, San Francisco State University, and UC Berkeley - the conference consisted of a series of workshops to train us for a thrilling year of service and leadership ahead!
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fter registration, we jumped straight into workshops.. With tons of hosts from all over the district, there was a wide variety of workshops to chose from. From “Small and Large Schools” to board guidelines, there was something to learn and apply at your home club. There was even a resume and interviewing workshop hosted by none other than Joe Lee to apply in your professional life.
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izza quickly satisfied everyone’s hunger pangs; thinking and learning is tiring! After a few more workshops, we finished off the event with a summer pen pal letter-writing session. We also made bookmarks for the students at our local service events! Overall, it was a productive, fun, and helpful conference and a fantastic opportunity to bring our entire division together in service, leadership, and fellowship.
Napa Valley College
Charter Party T
he January DCM and Charter Party is one of the many Circle K events that I will remember for a long time. It was not only my birthday a couple days before that, but it was the day that Golden Gate finally got to celebrate the chartering of my home club, Napa Valley College CKI, together with the sponsoring Kiwanis Club of Greater Napa. The amount of people that came is amazing because they drove from as far as CSU East Bay and SFSU to come to the northern part of the division. At the DCM/Charter Party, we had the chance to do a couple different fundraisers to help support NVC CKI and the Eliminate Project. One of the fundraisers was auctioning the NVC Executive Board and Divisional Board. Thanks to Jerry, Angela and Robert for buying the NVC E-Board and daring us to participate in a Pokémon battle. I am now a Pokémon master in battling with a magikarp. Thanks to Robert, Aaron, Bertha and me for paying for the Divisional Board to serenade their buyers at Project Valentine. Overall, we raised a total of $48 for the Eliminate Project. Another activity that got people thinking was guessing the number of M&M’s in a jar. Let’s be honest here, I didn’t actually count the exact amount. Brandon and I estimated based on the serving size. Congratulations to Tiffany for surprisingly guessing the closest amount, being only .5 away from the actual amount. Eventually we moved on to official business. The meeting was shorter than usual, but we had great news that USF would soon be another new club in Golden Gate. This event was truly a memorable one and thanks to Golden Gate for all the support during the charter process. Peace!
by Joe Samson
FALL training fall TRAINING conference CONFERENCE
all Training Conference is an event in the mountains of Sonora to experience and be exposed to what Circle K is really about! It is a weekend filled with campfire skits and talent acts, memberled workshops, team games, and new member induction. In Sonora, the members build long-lasting relationships with both new and returning members of our wonderful district to celebrate our three tenets of service, leadership, and fellowship. Members are exposed to what Circle K is all about and get exposure to what the organization is on a district level within California, Nevada, and Hawaii. For some, this experience is one of the most memorable and impactful weekends of their Circle K career. There is so much love, spirit, compassion, and welcome in our district and Fall Training Conference is the place to find that! Mimi Ton, FTC Chair
amazing ily fam FTC
surre a
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District Convention: Searching for Service 2015
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n March 27-29, Circle K clubs from all around California, Nevada and Hawaii gathered at Warner Center Marriott Woodland Hills with their detective hats ready to solve a mystery at the largest District Convention in Circle K history. Our weekend of clue-hunting began on Friday night with a back-to-back general session, first workshop and caucusing. It was a whirlwind of emotions — not only reuniting with old friends, but meeting new ones — as everyone settled down in anticipation of the weekend. The next day, we rose bright and early for the final round of caucusing and workshops. A particular memorable workshop was “Real Talks” hosted by our very own immediate past Golden Gate Lieutenant Governor Angela Apinyavat and executive assistant Jerry Bao. Even with such a large group in attendance, they facilitated an intimate discussion and, well, “real talk.” Before we knew it, it was already Awards Night! Diablo Valley College, San Francisco State University and UC Berkeley all received Mei Po Wong Awards — determined by total service hours per member! Voices were lost, but people were appreciated! Finally, Sunday morning rolled around in the form of Closing Session. We not only received divisional excellence for our strength and unity this year, but the Mario Doll for raising the most money in on-site fundraiser, Searching for Scissors. Diablo Valley College Jared Rodda and Los Medanos College Jarell Calvin were given the honor of cutting immediate past District Governor Byron Montilla’s hair. It was especially amazing to share the great experience that is district convention with first-timers! Together, we clapped, we cheered and we cried. And then we all got sick and had sore throats… But thank YOU, Golden Gate, for the amazing experience. We’ve had a great year, but I can’t wait to see where we go next. Go, go Golden Gate, number one in the states!
by Heyun Jeong
People's Choice Award: DCON Talent Act
Mario Doll
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Fellowship H
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And to dedicate myself to the realization of mankind’s potential.
ey Golden Gate Division, This past year has been a very special one! This division is and forever will be my home. I love you all and I want to thank you for everything that you have done for this division! You the real MVP!! Whether it was coming out to our socials or working your butts off at talent act practices, you always should your spirit and hard work and I will always be thankful for that. You all have taught me what fellowship is and that Golden Gate is definitely #1! Coming into this term I didn’t know what to expect because I didn’t know a lot of you and I wasn’t sure if you’d love or hate me. I know now that at the end of the year I feel like I grew a connection of some sort with a lot of you and if I still haven’t met or spoken to you, let’s talk now lol! A couple of my favorite moments with you all had to be at broomball, every talent act practice, and DCON! At broomball, whether we were falling or scoring goals, there were smiles on every face because we were having fun together. We bonded and even though it was really cold, you all warmed my heart with your laughter and enthusiasm. During every practice there were times where we messed up and it seemed like some of us just couldn’t get it but we once again we joined together and proved how strong our bonds were and had fun and made sure we supported one another until we all got it. Then there was DCON, where you all displayed that hard work and WON people’s choice! I was beyond happy and proud of all of you and I will never forget those moments! Even though I got way too excited and broke the flag from cheering, (sorry Brandon) it just shows the joy I felt! Thank you so much for everything this year Golden Gate! AU, stay golden! ;) Jarell Calvin 2014-2015 Golden Gate Spirit & Social Co-Chair
What is fellowship in Circle K? What does this tenet even mean? Unlike the other tenets of service or leadership, fellowship is different. It embodies the other two tenets. As Circle K’ers, we create bonds throughout the short time we have in this organization. Whether it’s through working with others as a board member, meeting someone for the first time at a service project, or even finding the courage to say hi to that cute girl/guy at a general meeting, we find ourselves surrounded in an environment we can call a second home. I have seen so many new bonds that were created throughout this year. Some of them, I was even lucky to be a part of. Looking back, it’s funny to see what starts a friendship in this organization. Somehow even “punifying” someone’s name is a way of starting a bond. Other things like sitting by a fire, just relaxing with other people can make memories that will last for a lifetime. The thing that makes fellowship in Circle K important is that there will always be people there to help pick you up when you are down. With all the stresses of planning events, being a leader, as well as trying to balance everything else in your life, it is an incredible feeling to know that people will always be there for you when you need it. I would like to propose a challenge to you. Years from now when Circle K becomes a distant memory and we are all living our adult lives, take one moment to think back. Think back to this time. Think about all the people who affected you throughout your time here. Although some bonds do stand the test of time and others sometimes fade always remember they will never truly be gone. Our time in Circle K is short, but what has happened or what will happen will stay with us for the rest of our lives. With that said, always remember this: “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.” Hilary Cooper Thank you Golden Gate for having me as one of your Spirit/Social chairs! It has been a great and fun experience and I was truly honored to serve this division. Brandon Capulong 2014-2015 Golden Gate Spirit & Social Co-Chair
Ocean Beach Social by Brandon Capulong
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ho says you need a nice warm day with a clear blue sky to go to a beach? On May 31st, it was a normal cloudy day in San Fransisco, but that didn’t not stop Golden Gate from having a social at Ocean Beach. What was really surprising was that even people from Capital and Sunset joined in. It really was a relaxing day, hanging out with fellow CKI members around a fire, eating the snacks everyone brought. The sand was surprisingly very warm so we ended up burying one of Capital’s members, Mo-Kang, in it. Before the day came to the end we all decided to go get dinner together, so we went to a ramen shop around the area. We nearly filled up the entire restaurant. To end the day, we all got boba at Tpumps. For me, the social was a great break from all the studying after finals especially since I got to spend time with other CKI members.
Member Retreat H
by Donald Franks
osted in scenic Concord by Angela Apinyavat, Jerry Bao and his family, the retreat had something for everyone: good food, great entertainment, and even better company. Perhaps it was the crazy card games we played and witty, yet creative skits we performed, or maybe it was the team-building, stack-the-straws competition, or it could’ve been the simple mailboxes for which we wrote letters and became acquainted with new, unfamiliar faces. Whichever it was, with warm, welcoming smiles, it’s hard to say the retreat felt anything less than homely. We even had the opportunity to get to know each other a little more personally—we shared similar struggles, worries, and fears. But there wasn’t any awkwardness to it; it felt safe. Accompanied by some late-night movies and food, the mood lightened and this unparalleled experience was complete. What a way to start the year!
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Drive In Social by Brandon Capulong
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he Divisional Drive-In Social was a great way to start off the Golden Gate Weekend of Awesomeness. It was a pretty chill night: a bunch of CKI members in cars and lawn chairs watching movies together. The movies we watched were Book of Life and Dracula Untold. Many of the members that attended told me that it was their first time at a drive-in theater, so it was cool to have this be their first experience. Overall it was a fun and relaxing night. Shout out to special guests from Capital, Kyle Prado and Mo-Kang Ling, and Golden Gate Alumni Stephanie Yu and Katie Fullerton for coming out!
Broomball Social
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by Vivian Nguyen
What is broomball?!” I asked myself when I first saw the word. For about a week leading up to the event, I had so many thoughts and ideas of what broomball would be like. I initially believed that it was what it sounded like: where each player would have a broom- like the stiff ones you find on the janitor’s cleaning cart, and a hockey puck. It’s silly I know! To my surprise the game was not what I expected, it was so much better and a lot more fun. The game is actually played with a broom-shaped stick, a ball for a puck and no ice skates! It was really great to start off the event with meeting so many people from the different divisional clubs as well as seeing familiar faces! I really enjoyed myself as I went around talking and catching up with some people while exchanging laughs when meeting new people.
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veryone received either a red or blue hockey stick, helmet, and a team—corresponding to your stick’s color and the game finally started. Although many of us fell every now and then (maybe I did a few more times than others) it was a wonderful experience to see everyone enjoying the game and even seeing some of everyone’s competitive nature.
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s the game became more exhilarating, another ball was added to the gameplay, initiating a greater chance for more exciting and exhilarating teamwork. In the end, one team did win, of course we all had lots of fun! We concluded the evening by going for a late-night meal at Denny’s. I wasn’t able to go to last year’s divisional broomball, but as for this year’s broomball—I would say that this has become one of my favorite divisional events and a great first experience. I can’t wait until next year’s Divisional Broomball Social!
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Nerf Social by Robert Rodriguez
n January 27, Golden Gate held its very first Nerf Social. Held at Pleasant Hills Park, members enjoyed an energetic day of adrenaline and socializing under the golden sun. everal rounds of games were played. In one game, two teams were pitted against each other and had to lead the team’s captain to the other side of the field without the leader getting hit by the opposing team. Capture the flag was also played and James Seto led his team to victory by sneaking all the way around the field to steal the opponent’s flag. Many battle wounds were acquired but fun was had by all. It was great seeing the assortment of Nerf Guns and seeing everyone having fun and laughing. fter the Nerf games, we had our very first practice in preparation for the DCON Talent Act. To conclude the evening, we all went to In-N-Out for dinner and to spend even more time with each other. Overall, it was a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
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Cheer Training & paradise Skating social T
he Cheer Training and Spirit Social was a blast. We learned most of the cheers for the schools in Golden Gate, and even started to learn the stomp. It was kind of tough to learn, but once we got it down it looked amazing. Shoutout to Brandon, Jerry, and Jarell for being amazing teachers. I can’t wait to start cheering and stomping at DCON. Once the Cheer training was over, we moved on to the talent act practice. Everyone looked amazing, and we only got better as the day went on. Another shoutout to Robert and Jarell for helping us get everything down. I can’t wait to see what it all looks like at the end. Once everyone was ready, we headed across the street to the roller rink. It was such a fun social, everyone was laughing, skating, and falling over. But we all stuck together, and in the end, everyone was able to skate no problem. I hope that everyone had a blast, and hope to see y’all soon!
by James Seto
DCON Talent Act Winner: People’s Choice Award Showing my awesomeness Cherilyn Seetho I loved meeting more people from the division and getting to participate in something so fun and meaningful my last year in Circle K. Tina You It was really hard and I was tired, but everyone was pushing through it together and helping each other out, so I liked the community vibe a lot. Frances Asha
Everyone worked hard and dedicated their time, effort, and energy into this talent act!! I truly love my Golden Gate family :) Jarell Calvin As terrified as I am in front of people, I’m happy I get to experience something like this with the division. The journey has been long and a bit tiring but it’s all been worth it. I’ve enjoyed getting closer to everyone too! Lissette Urbina
Participating in the Golden Gate talent act was an enjoyable experience as I was able to spend time with my friends. Despite it being hard to gather everyone together, we were very welcoming in teaching our peers/friends what they have missed. Seeing everyone working, making adjustments and suggestions to one another, but we were like a family, not afraid to receive criticism and to make ourselves better from it. It was most rewarding seeing what was created as a result of our efforts. Jasmine Liu Being a part of the talent act was a special experience. I was able to meet so many new people and become closer to people that I already knew. Through all the practices, we all had fun. We smiled our way through it all, and that way, our energy stayed up through the long practices. Thanks for making this the best group dance that I have even been a part of. James Seto
Divisional Council Meetings
April DCM Hosted by CSUEB
GG OTC
NORTH
May DCM @ STC North
June DCM July DCM @ OTC Thirsty Games Hosted by DVC
August DCM Hosted by LMC
September DCM Hosted by UCB
18 October DCM @ CKI North
December DCM Hosted by LMC
February DCM Hosted by CSUEB
November DCM Hosted by SFSU
January DCM @ NVC Charter Party
March DCM Hosted by SFSU
2014-2015 Golden Gate Dues-Paid Members Members of Golden Gate, thank you for your constant dedication and support.
Clubs in Golden Gate: Cal State University East Bay Diablo Valley College Los Medanos College Napa Valley College San Francisco State University University of California Berkeley
Coming Soon:
19
University of San Francisco
* Club Board ** Divisional Board † District Board ‡ District Committee § International Board ^ International Committee
CSUEB
Stacey Acosta* Dev Banerjee Archie Barrina Sheila Chen Michelle Chhun* Emmanuel Escobal Casey Gielen Hidetomo Komorita* AJ Luna Aileen Mandilag Adriana Morales Pablo Narez* Dominique Nunez Kevin Sar* Alex Sarkissian Octavio Torres
DVC
Naznen Akbar Gina Alvarez* Brandon Capulong** Prudencio Capulong Carter Duong Kingsley Chow* Kim Cruz* Ellen Limpin Jasmine Liu* Adrianne Miller Jared Rodda* Nazanin Sadati Cherilyn Seetho* Kellie Stone Darshweni Subramaniam Jun Tan* Richard Tang* Monica Willemsz*
LMC
Jarell Calvin** Clare Dinh Rebecca Hoover Angel Jimenez* Christina Lee* Christine Lee Martin Magsambol Crystal Reyes Lorenzo Reyes* Roberto Ruiz* Lissette Urbina* Diego Valencia‡
NVC
Andy Baldorino Lauryn Borromeo Abigail Camerino Salynne Colobong Michelle Cristi* Miryam Gil Omari Johnson William Knudson Rigel Laganse* Guejazi Navarrete Marilyn Nguyen* Jennifer Pilapil Adriana Ramos Joe Richard Samson* Nisa Zamora
SFSU
Frances Asha* Amy Brandt Tina Chau Yumi Chen Aaron Dante* Hung Do Michael Ray Domingo* Rajada Ealey Andrea Famularcano Anna Fang Brian Flynn Danielle Gascoigne Cesia Gomez Amanda Hutchins* Zuberi Johnson Adam Khuong Marianne Lagasca Tiffany Le Diella Lee Robert Lin* Judy Ly* Neda Moosavi* Jay Nguyen‡ Kyana Nguyen* Maica Porcadas Christine Reyes Erick Reyno* Bernadette Rivera* Chanfou Saelee Caroline Tieu* Thomas Tran Emilie Wong Katty Xayadeth
USF
Natalie Hara* Joyce Huang* Ryan Jann* Darian Lau* Brittany Luu* David Park*
UCB
Diyar Aniwar* Angela Apinyavat**† Jerry Bao**‡ Roselyn Chan Roselynn Chang Ana Chavez Kevin Chen Tom Cheng Joyce Chio Tiffany Chow Stephanie Chu Julia Chuang Itzel Cortes Remy D’Agnillo Christina Doan May Draper James Fang Donald Franks Anna Giang Marlon Gonzalez Eric Grewal Veronica Hall Stanley Han* Emily He Catherine Ho† Yu Wen Huang Wendy Huynh* Heyun Jeong*^ Madiha Khan Kristy Kim* Yumi Ko Liane Kuo*^ Aneeka Latif Claire Lee‡ Sayaka Elizabeth Lee Cherie Leung* Jason Liang Leon Liang* Josephine Liao Jasmine Lin Michael Lockwood Alondra Lopez Brenda Lopez Joyce Lu Thomas Miao* Mark Miller
Alberto Nanez Jr. Ada Ng Alyssa Nguyen Kimberlee Nguyen Philip Nguyen*‡ Vivian Nguyen* Gabe Otero Karen Ou Jasmine Park*‡ Nathan Park WonHoo Park Akash Patel‡ Neiron Penalba‡ Alan Perez† David Phan Sarah Phan Nathan Pier Andrea Platten Justine Po Nhi Quach Robert Rodriguez**‡ Stephanie Ruiz-Delgado Seokhyeon Ryu James Seto Ankita Shete‡ Joyce Shin Lisa Sui Ashley Tang Jasmine Tatah Bertha Te* Mimi Ton† Ryan Tsao Tina Tu‡ Esteban Vasquez Cesar Villalobos Chad Vo Jenny Voong* Erinn Wong^ Jonathan Wong Julian Wong Tiffany Wong** Bryan Wu‡ Tiffany Wu Edison Xu*‡ Kelly Yong Sean Yoo^ Tina You*‡ Michael Zhou§
Members of the month
April: Justin Cruz
Emmanuel Escobal
June: Zuberi Johnson
July: Jasmine Liu
August: Donald Franks
September: Joe Samson
October: Aaron Dante
November: Maica Porcadas
December: Kim Cruz
January: Marlon Gonzalez
February: Frances Asha
May:
superstar is what you are!
March: Lissette Urbina
1, 2, 3... n-i-c-e NIce!
March: James Seto
Autographs & Messages
So long as the memory of certain beloved friends lives in my heart, I shall say that life is good. Helen Keller