District Governor Communications & Marketing Chair Sunburst Editor
UC Los Angeles: Homeless Toiletry Bag Worknight UC Riverside: Thanksgiving Basket Packaging
Delta College: 1000 Cranes for Cancer
Crazy Kompetition for Infants (North & South) Fall Training Conference District Committee Updates
UC San Diego Masquerade Ball UC Los Angeles Ice Skating Social Foothill Spooktactular Social
University of Pacific Key to College UN Reno Kiwanis Takeover
Hello Sunny CNH! Welcome to the final stretch remaining in this term together. Let's make a collective effort into contributing and finishing strong! About ten months ago, I was elected to lead this district to be brought towards new heights. Since then five clubs have been chartered, there are currently four more pending. I am excited to see the growth of this district and where the new leaders of the future are going to take it. Enjoy this edition of the CNH Sunburst. I am so proud of all that our clubs have accomplished this year. In the real world, we are given years to take a project and build it. In a Circle K term, we are only given a year to create ideas, implement them, and inspire others to follow. Being an officer and contributing to a term is no easy task, so consider where you want to be in five years from now and how you want to use Circle K and your relationships you make to develop your future. Lead with passion and ignite the fuel in others by taking those steps into whole heartily becoming a servant leader in both the community and the our friends. It is a bittersweet feeling thinking that my time with you all in this position is running up very soon. I will do my part to finish strong, and I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming District Events! Until next time!
Congrats everyone for getting through 2017! I understand it can get tough during the autumn months to balance your school work, Circle K activities, and spending time with your loved ones. Somehow, we all got through it and hopefully aced'd our finals and had a wonderful holiday season. There was a lot going on this fall whether it be from finding your athletic side for Crazy Kompetition or braving the cold for Fall Training Conference, I hope CNH Circle K has treated you well. Special thank you to all the article writers and article submitters because The Sunburst isn't really much without your stories and contributions. Lastly, good luck to everyone in the New Year!
Welcome CNH to 2018 and the second to last issue of Sunburst for the 2017-2018 term! Just one more newsletter for me to share your amazing stories throughout your term! Fall was filled with all the wild adventures to FTC and the magical competitions and Crazy Komp for Infants! Seeing that you all had an amazing time serving, leading, and having fun with CNH, I will be excited to read what comes next in all of your CKI stories! With the Winter coming, the roses will showcase the meaning of Kiwanis at Go West, intergalactic jams will be played at K-Rock, service all over will be HUGE at DLSSP, elections are on its way for the next generation, and the end of the long road trip marks En Route to District Convention. Thank you to everyone who shared your stories for the Fall edition and I look forward to the new stories yet to come for the Winter Edition! Stay awesome CNH!
Everyone gathered at the De Neve “Cave” on November 30th from 7-9pm to cut up fabric to make scarves for the homeless toiletry packages. I didn’t expect over 30 people to come and help, and when they did, it was truly a heartwarming surprise! We made all the scarves in about 45 minutes. We didn’t have a ruler, so we used a calculator and a coupon booklet to cut the widths of the scarves. Everyone paired up and helped each other hold the fabric while some cut them into wearable pieces. While everyone was working, everyone suggested that I play some Christmas music and BTS K-POP. It was fun talking to all the members I don’t usually have the chance to talk to. Through the conversations we had, I had a sense of what kind of music everyone listened to and made sure to play their requests! From General Meeting #6, we made about 60 scarves, but that night alone, we made 90 more! I was overall surprised by how quickly we were able to finish the scarves, so I got volunteers to get paper towels to wrap 150 soap bars and write “Happy Holidays” on each one. The soap bars were damaged through shipping, so we had to wrap them in something to prevent it from chipping into the package. The scarves and soap bars eventually were included in 150 toiletry packages later in Service Marathon.
-Vivian Wong (UC Los Angeles)
THANKSGIVING BASKET PACKAGING Thanksgiving Basket Packaging event was an amazing event that I enjoyed. This event made was worth it to wake up 7:30 AM in the morning instead of sleep in. The whole event was very efficient and productive. We formed an assembly line system for efficiency. Each of us got assigned to a different station and we were designated to be in charged of that specific station. Of course, we could help out one another if needed, but the way they arranged us was great. Although my whole body got really sore the next day, I still love the service because the meaning behind it. Many of us may not realized how lucky we are because we are so used to have everything. However, there are a lot of underprivileged families going through a hard time that a thanksgiving dinner can be something unaffordable. So I thought why not lend out a hand when we can, plus they aren’t even asking us for food. Also, I really liked this event because it serves as a way for us to give back to our community.
-Annie Zhou (UC Riverside)
On November 25th, we held our first 24 hour service project. The project was led by our Vice President of Service Abby Lok, and service chair Allen Lor. They led this project alongside a committee of two other members Denny Nguyen and Brandon Chavez. The 24 hours project was divided into four segments: morning, early afternoon, late afternoon, and night. In the morning, we went to Boggs’ Tract Community Farm and helped to create a wall by putting mortar on it. At early afternoon, we went to Stockton’s Animal Shelter and made blankets for cats and dogs. We also washed and sorted the towels and blankets. This helped the animal shelter by giving animals clean blankets as well. Afterwards, we went to Stockton’s Homeless Shelter and assisted them by cleaning their windows and picking up trash that surrounded the building in the late afternoon. We also helped give those living at the homeless shelter a slightly cleaner environment as it's always nice looking out a clean window. We then went to University of the Pacific to start our nighttime activities. Shoutout to UOP for helping us get a room for these tabletop projects. These activities consisted of putting together 50 care packages (consisting of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, water bottles, floss,
and chips), attempting to make 1000 origami cranes for cancer, creating get-well cards for hospital patients, and making dog and cat toys to donate to the animal shelter. After the activities were finished, we then went to the homeless shelter to distribute the care packages. Afterwards we’d gone to animal shelter to donate the dog and cat toys. The get-well cards were donated to the St. Joseph’s Medical Hospital. We are still working on the 1000 cranes for cancer, as there is a legend that 1000 cranes can bring good luck and hope. Overall, as Delta’s first ever large service project, I am proud of the turnout of members that volunteered. This was a great start to having a service marathon and hopefully will be improved in the future!
-Jonathan Amaral (San Joaquin Delta College)
Into the Wild My first FTC as a new member in 2016 was an unforgettable experience unlike any other, and like many individuals, I always looked back on Fall Training Conference as my defining moment during my Circle K journey. From the workshops, to the team activities, to the new member induction ceremony, and everything in between, FTC was the event that showed me that beyond community service, CKI stands to make people of all ethnicities and backgrounds feel welcomed and accepted, while also empowering individuals to believe in themselves and develop themselves as leaders. The impact that my first FTC had on me was what motivated me during my time on FTC Committee this year. I
learned that each committee member all had a special place in their hearts for FTC. Many of us shared similar fond memories reflecting on different aspects of Fall Training Conference, and together our passions translated into making FTC an even more memorable experience for all attendees. The six months spent brainstorming, planning, and executing FTC was definitely a very different yet unique and equally rewarding experience for me. Out of my time on FTC committee, I made some of the greatest memories of my life as well as some amazing friendships. I learned so much about myself during the entire journey, and even though I was pushed outside of my comfort zone more times than I
could count, I wouldn’t have traded this wild adventure for anything in the world. My second FTC was just as fulfilling, if not more so, after seeing all of my committee’s hard work come to life and witnessing the impact that FTC had on every member that attended. I am so grateful to have served the CNH District and to have worked alongside 15 incredible individuals to create such a meaningful event, and I hope that Fall Training Conference: Into the Wild inspired other members to believe in themselves and do more, just as it inspired me.
-Josephine Molina
(Folsom Lake College )
Many teams entered, but only one remained at the end of this Crazy Kompetition! Strong performance in each round of games would give points, and there were even bonus points to be gained by doing team challenges. The four teams with the highest scores then moved on to the playoffs, and the final two teams squared off in a game of quidditch. After a hardwon fight, one team stood victorious, their team name forever etched into history. Overall, this was a really great time not only because of the fun games and exciting atmosphere, but also because of the bonds forged between teammates and the begrudging respect created for teams from across Norcal!
-Joey Zhuang (UC Berkeley)
CKI South (aka Crazy Kompetition for Infants) is one of the biggest district events in the Southern region AND it's a huge fundraiser for the Pediatric Trauma Program (PTP). PTP focuses on preventing and treating accidental injuries and deaths of children and infants across the nation. CKI South helps raise money for PTP by providing a series of fun, competitive mini-games and relays. This was actually my first time going to CKI South and I had a really great time! I decided to be a judge because I'm not very athletic LOL I judged the game "Enchanted Relay", a 5 part relay game, and I had a lot of fun watching people put pantyhose over their faces to try to knock down cups LOL All the teams were so spirited and there was so much energy!! One of the teams from UCR even won **Best Cheer** (shout-out to Henry, Erica, Alex Park, Robin, Vanessa, and Michael!!!) I also saw some really cool team costumes; my favorite was Squirtle Squad from UNLV. Overall, I had a memorable first time experience at CKI South and I HIGHLY recommend going to people who haven't been yet!! It's a day filled with crazy energy, fun, and laughter and you won't regret it! I promise.
-Fion Chen (UC Riverside)
The Communications and Marketing Committee is still working hard to provide you with more district content, such as the Sunny TV series. We're also continuing our efforts to help others with their graphics through the graphics request form and the preparation of the publications guide. Other things to look out from the committee is more tabling material and a more active district blog. If you ever want to get involved and share anything from your school or division feel free to check the "Media" tab on the District Website or the Sunspot for submission links! Hello CNH! I hope you all are excited for District Convention 2018: En Route to Service! Like always, the committee has been working extremely hard! We’re getting a lot of approvals in for our promotions, so stay updated through our website and Facebook Event page! We’re finalizing our workshop hosts and matrix, and the Professional Expo planning is in the process of finding and inviting guests. There’s lots of logistics to go through, so we’re all working on every aspect of DCON to the best of our abilities. Please look forward to everything we’re preparing because it’s all for you! If you see a District Convention Committee member, feel free to ask them questions about the event and give them a pat on the back for putting in amazing work! You can’t see it yet, but I KNOW you’ll be as proud of them as I am! I can’t wait to see you all at District Convention 2018!
The FTC Committee is excited to show support for other upcoming district-wide events! We hope to see many of you, and we are looking forward to this year's District Convention to celebrate a successful term!
Hello, CNH! The District Service Committee has been working really hard over the past few months, and we hope that you’ve been enjoying everything that we’ve had in store for you! In October, we hosted the second annual Service Unity Day/Week in support of our DSI, Be the Change: Personal Health. In November, we hosted the on site service project at FTC, where members constructed health kits to be donated to a Boys and Girls Club in the Buena Park Area. More recently, we have just released all of the registration and project information for District Large Scale Service Project (DLSSP) North, South, and Hawai’i onto Facebook and the CNH website. DLSSP North and Hawai’i will take place on February 17,2018, and DLSSP South will be taking place on February 25,2018. We have some really impactful service opportunities in store for all of you, so we hope to see you there! In addition, we’ve also been working on projects behind the scenes that haven’t been released quite yet. Some of these projects include a new and improved Service Resource Database and the first ever Regional Service Database. The District Service Committee and I are super excited to finish the term off strong, and we hope you all will join us along this journey over the next couple of months.
Hi CNH! The Member Recognition Committee has recently released the District Convention awards on the district website. The committee will also be hosting office hours where you can work on your award applications and get your questions answered. Lastly, we will also be hosting a technical skills webinar at the end of January, so come learn about Excel and ask questions about awards. We look forward to seeing many you at District Convention and can't wait to celebrate all of your accomplishments!
Lately the Laws and Regulations Committee has been focusing on gathering material to make a guide for club elections. It'll be a small guide in order to ensure that every club knows what to do for their club elections because there may or may not be some clubs that have missed some things in regards to their own club bylaws or even from the District documents. Other than that, we're in the process of getting manuals about the District documents done and it'll be sent in for approval fairly soon! With District Convention coming up as well, if you are a club delegate, there will also be a guide on what to do during House of Delegates or leading up to it. The Kiwanis Family & Foundation Committee is preparing to table at Kiwanis Midyear North and South. We will be representing CKI and helping with a social media assistance booth. Additionally, the committee is updating the CNH Kiwanis Family Map, of which labels all campuses and meeting locations with their respective Kiwanis Family club. Our goal is to update it with all new clubs and pass it down so it can be maintained as a useful resource for years to come
Hello CNH! First off, the Finance and Fundraising Committee would like to thank you for all your fundraising efforts regardless if directed towards the DFI's or independent charities. Keep up the energy and let's break one hundred thousand from charitable fundraising! We are working an making sure that there are new resources as the year goes to make sure to keep everything up to speed. We will also be voting on the future of one of the DFI's at this upcoming district board meeting. Make sure to read the proposal and let your LTG know where you stand! Lastly make sure to work with your club and division and participate in the DCON on site fundraiser, and lead your division to victory!
The District MD&E Committee has been working on different resources varying from CKI education to professional development. We’ve also been working on planning Spring Training Conference South. On January 24th we have our January Member Hosted Webinar and will also be releasing the February Member Hosted Webinar application. Be on the lookout for more information coming soon!
On Sunday, November 19th, the Hornblower Inspiration Yacht sailed through the San Diego Harbor with hundreds of CNH Circle K members aboard to celebrate Masquerade Ball's 20th Anniversary. Masquerade Ball is UCSD Circle K's annual dance and fundraiser, and it's incredible that it has become party of CNH Circle K's culture. This is an event where Circle K friends - new and old, far and close - to reunite and dress to the nines. Everyone looked amazing and beautiful as they posed for San Diego skyline photos on the top deck, slow-danced and played casino-themed games on the middle deck, and tore up the dance floor on the bottom deck. Masquerade Ball was widely successful and we're so grateful for the hundreds of Circle K members who traveled from all over California and Nevada to join us, just as we're grateful for our own Paradise Division members who worked hard together to make it happen.
On a personal note, Masquerade Ball was the first time I've ever met and worked with so many people in CNH, outside of my own club - and I'm completely blown away by our district. It was such a humbling experience, because during Masquerade Ball sales and promotions, I've never experienced such a supportive community. It made me realize how unique Circle K is - and how there are very few organizations that can do it like we do - we work hard, play hard, and always have each others' backs. Masquerade Ball was my most impactful Circle K experience, and I'm thankful that I was able to share it with so many others.#wenttomball
-Michelle Cang (UC San Diego)
On the 8th of November, UCLA Circle K members gathered to go ice skating in Santa Monica. Meeting Calvin at the Bruin Bear, we waited in the brisk night air for members to arrive. Enjoying each other’s company while we waited, we introduced ourselves and talked amongst each other. At around 6 our little group headed to the bus stop. Entering the crowded bus filled with tired city residents and students, some members began singing Christmas carols and other songs– helping lift the mood and bringing a lightheartedness to the otherwise tiring bus ride. The entire 30+ minute ride was accompanied by the sweet voices of the talented CKI members. Arriving at the rink, we were greeted with an exciting sight– a host of people gathered around for the night’s revelry. Friends and families were gathered for the free skate night. Booths hosting resident stores were handing out free samples, there was a photobooth and a DJ blasting music throughout the area. We
waited in line for entry and joined the chaotic mess of individuals seeking skates at the skate rental booth. By the time we had arrived most of the skates had already been rented out. We spent the first half an hour on a quest to find skates for every member. Once that challenge was completed, the fun began. Skating around the rink, it was clear that amongst the members our skating levels ranged from newborn deer to absolute pro. It was a magical night, skating around the rink with music blasting and snow falling around us. Snow in California? Yes! (Fake) Snow was falling down from the sky, adding a magical winter ambiance to the whole occasion. We ended the night with multiple group photos, smiling from ear to ear, not bothered by the biting cold air around us, having been warmed up by the activities of the night.
-Jenny Phan (UC Los Angeles)
The Halloween Social was not only spooky but also exquisite. The amazing and unique activities really made it memorable and worthwhile. My favorite activity was the photo booth because it allowed myself to snap pictures that I can look back on in the future. The food was a great selection, from vegetarian options to regular nutritional options. In addition to the photo booth, I also liked the auction because it helped our division and clubs raise money while also getting to know the Division Leadership Team and Presidents more. The Halloween Social was also the event where I met my counterpart, Justé, and really saw the Foothill division together. It was a great Social that allowed myself to meet new people and to rekindle past friendships. Great food, great company and a great environment that really kept my fire lit to stay active within a Circle K. I would definitely go again and also recommend any person who is interested in joining Circle K to attend. Not only to meet people but also observe if Circle K is the club for them!
-Ryan Tan (Pasadena City College)
On October 28th, 2017 the University of the Pacific Circle K International held their annual Key to College. During this event Circle K students host workshops for Key Clubbers in Divisions 27 North and South and for the KIWIN’S Sapphire Division, in an effort to better equip high school students on their journey through college. This event was expected to host a turnout of at least 20 - 30 Key Clubbers. After months of hard work, planning and organizing we were nearly ready to host the local key clubbers on our campus. We had all of our workshops setup, rooms booked, food purchased and over $100 worth of raffle prizes that included college prep gear such as USB drives, notepads, planners, backpacks and much more. As the event approached we had no sign-ups to the event. We began to grow concerned and made a final effort to encourage Key Clubbers to sign up. We emailed the LTGs to promote the event and some of our members reached out personally to the students. Despite this, we only had one individual sign up. The day of the event came and we scrambled to get everything prepped for the students. At approximately 8:30am we had our first guest show up. She was the sole student who had signed up for the event. After the closing of registration no other Key Clubber had arrived so we decided to wait a few more minutes to see if anyone else would show. However, no one did. As disappointed and frustrated as my Kiwanis Family Chair, Club Members and myself may have been, we decided not to let this day be a bust. We had one Key Clubber, and that meant we had a Key to College. We decided to make this event the most unique and memorable event
for our guest of honor. As the day went on we held workshops of all kinds, that covered topics relating to college applications, personal statement writing, financial aid and scholarships and many other vital topics. We were able to provide the space for our Key Clubber to ask any inquiry she may have had regarding these workshop topics. Given that it was only one Key Clubber we were able to delve deeper into the questions she asked and provide as much clarity as was needed. Following the workshops we held a panel in which Circle K members from various colleges and universities in Capital Division were able to discuss their college experience thus far. This allowed the CKI members an opportunity to share their major specific experience, college does and don’ts, and time management tips. The panel guests were even able to give our Key Clubber some words of wisdom, as Jennifer Sandoval from Sac State puts it “Know Your Limits.” Which is something that resonated with all of us, as college will present many great opportunities, but knowing when to say no is equally as valuable. Upon departure we were able to give our Key Clubber a $60 college starter pack as we did not have to do a raffle. We were able to give this Key Clubber the best experience possible, leave her with the most valuable words of wisdom and we were able to get her set up with the material that would be essential for attending college.
-Omar Sanchez (University of Pacific)
Attending morning Kiwanis meetings at 7AM has never been Circle K’s fortitude, unless it’s for the Kiwanis Club of Reno Sunrisers! On the chilly morning of October 27th, I had the surreal chance to visit UN Reno for their annual Kiwanis Takeover. The meeting was led in partnership by the Kiwanis Club President and Circle K’s Kiwanis Family Chair, Daniel Theerasin. As the regular agenda of committee updates, upcoming events, and other fun things was being addressed, the anticipation for the Circle K auction fundraiser grew. Thus, when it started, it really got going! UN Reno Circle K members brought in some amazing looking desserts that Kiwanians went wild for. An interesting item that definitely had everyone whispering was an Avengers popcorn movie bucket. But then, when Daniel announced one single item, it silenced the room for only mere seconds until almost everyone started badgering for it! It was the infamous rum cake that set off everyone into a frenzy. Bidding alliances were being made as the price and tension increased. In the end, it went to a very dedicated group of Circle K members and concluded UNR’s very successful Kiwanis Takeover. Takeovers are a great way for any club to get to know their sponsoring Kiwanians, involve new members, and fundraise for the club!
-Ana Chavez (UC Berkeley)
Find all of the Divisions in CNH CKI!
SPECIAL THANKS Vivian Wong University of California Los Angeles Jenny Phan University of California Los Angeles Ana Chavez University of California Berkeley Joey Zhuang University of California Berkeley Omar Sanchez University of Pacific Aaron Lee Pasadena City College Ryan Tan Pasadena City College Annie Zhou University of California Riverside Fion Chen University of California Riverside Jonathan Amaral San Joaquin Delta College Josephine Molina Folsom Lake College Michelle Cang University of California San Diego Erica Apostolos University of California Riverside Serena Zhang University of California Los Angeles