2023-2024 Fall/Winter Newsletter by CSULB Circle K International

CSULB CIRCLE K INTERNATIONAL

NEWSLETTER

FALL/WINTER ISSUE 2023

Table of Contents SERVICE...............09 LEADERSHIP.........21 FELLOWSHIP........35

2023-2024

Club Totals

SERVICE: 865 HOURS LEADERSHIP: 2749 HOURS FELLOWSHIP: 5497 HOURS

CKI PLEDGE “I pledge to uphold the Object of Circle K International, to foster compassion and goodwill toward others through service and leadership, to develop my abilities and the abilities of all people and to dedicate myself to the realization of humanity’s potential.”

EDITOR letter from the

Hi everyone! Welcome to the Fall/Winter newsletter of the 2023-2024 term! Thank you for taking your time to read and explore what we’ve done in the second half of the 2023-2024 term. We have put in a lot of time and effort in making this newsletter and we would like to thank everyone who helped us put this together, including those who submitted an article or two! We hope you can use this newsletter as a reflection on the last few months of the previous term and look forward to the beginnings of a bright new term. The theme for this term is “Medieval” with the tagline “Serving with Hnor.” We hope you are excited as we are and we cannot wait to see you at our upcoming general meetings and events!

~Newsletter crew <3

Steven Ly

Graphics Chair

Cory Bulman Historian

Edward Garcia Newsletter Chair

SERV SERV

VICE VICE

OC CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL The Orange County Children’s Book Festival at Orange Coast College is a fun event that we have volunteered at twice as a club. I have joined both times, and I really enjoyed my experience. The whole point of the event is to promote children’s authors and books, and as volunteers we usually help run information booths and hand out materials. My favorite part is getting to see all of the new books that are available for kids at all the different booths. I loved reading growing up and it is great to see kids getting inspired in the same way I was. -Taylor Girard

KIDS AND COPS

Kids and Cops is a heartwarming event crafted by the dedicated members of the Long Beach Kiwanis Club, in collaboration with the Long Beach Police Department, aimed at fostering a stronger bond between our community and law enforcement. Held at Franklin Middle School, it provided an extraordinary opportunity for us to work with the Kiwanians while they supported our Krispy Kreme Fundraiser. I had the honor of distributing hundreds of delicious glazed donuts to the eager children attending the event. Witnessing their faces light up with excitement as they approached our booth filled me with immense joy. Despite the rule of one donut per person, many kids couldn’t resist returning for more, playfully teasing me as we engaged in conversations. It was heartwarming to see their enthusiasm, especially considering that many of these children come from lower-income families and I saw a lot of myself in these young kids. For them, school serves as more than just a place of education; it’s a place where they can thrive in a positive environment. The presence of friendly police officers further enriched the experience, as they interacted warmly with the children, forging meaningful connections. Additionally, the Kiwanians hosted fun games and engaging activities, like the prize wheel offering gift cards to various food establishments. Overall, the event proved to show the power of community and helped draw the community closer together, one donut at a time!! -Nin Muny

CAREKITS TABLETOP SERVICE In November, we finally assembled the care kits with items made throughout the Fall semester. We hoped to create items that inspire feelings of joy and kindness to the recipient. Friendship bracelets, encouraging notes, and decorated rocks were some items that were added. Members were also able to decorate the care kit bag itself. It’s neat seeing how people decorated their notes or any of the other items. With time, you can even tell who created what! Besides the rocks, bracelets, notes, tea bags and candy were also added. Tea for relaxation and candy for a boost of energy! Members also wrote down information about the services our school provides. To give an example, we wrote down the contact information of CAPS, BMAC, and the Basic Needs office. With the little information sheet, we wanted to remind other students that they’re not alone and that CSULB has many services that are useful. By the end of the session, many care kits were made. For the next session, I look forward to getting more goodies to add to the kits. Thank you to those who attended November’s care kit making and I hope to see you at the next session!! -Shayla Coutino

online

SERVICE Members played a game on Freerice and for every right answer, rice was donated to people in need through the World Food Programme. As we learn and use our brains, we can also help fight hunger around the world. Members have the opportunity to quiz themselves on various topics such as vocabulary, numbers, languages, and history. Participating in Freerice allows members to contribute rice to those who are in need and raise awareness about global hunger. We aim to empower people to increase their understanding and take meaningful steps to create a great influence in the world and motivate others to do so as well. -Marilyn Nguyen

LEADER LEADER

RSHIP RSHIP

KEY TO COLLEGE: THE QUEST FOR COLLEGE

T“On Saturday, September 23rd, 2023, California State University of Long Beach (CSULB) Circle K International (CKI) hosted Key to College: The Quest for College, an event filled with activities aimed to educate high schoolers on how to prepare and what to expect for the next step in their academic careers. The entire event was led by current students in CSULB CKI sharing their first-hand college experience and the event provided them the opportunity to develop their leadership skills through public speaking and event planning. Six local Key Clubs were in attendance at this event, divisions 30 South, 30 North, 4 West, 13 North, 13 South, and 19 North. We also had Kiwanis guests and chaperones from the clubs of Long Beach, Bellflower, Carson, and Santa Ana. We offered three sessions of workshops with topics ranging from how to be financially responsible and the college application process to self care and a fun guide to your first year. Our members also led the Key Clubs and Kiwanis around the CSULB campus where they visited the library, student center, different colleges, and even met our statue of Po the panda. We offered two styles of Q&A. Our first Q&A session was Major Specific Interviews where our breakout rooms were filled with representatives from the different colleges offered at CSULB. The high schools were able to explore the different rooms and ask about their course load, previous work experiences, and potential work post grad. Our second session was a general Q&A Panel where high school students ask broad questions to our college students. Throughout the event, students were asked to fill out a bingo for a raffle at the end of the event. Overall, this event provided great insight for the Key Clubbers who are beginning their “Quest for College” and was a wonderful bonding experience in the Kiwanis Family!” -Maxime Segui

Fall General Meetings The Fall general meetings serve as a crucial avenue for keeping members updated and engaged within the club. During these sessions, various upcoming events and initiatives are highlighted to ensure all members are well-informed. The Fall general meetings also serve as a platform to showcase volunteering opportunities that are available right on campus. Members are presented with a diverse array of ways to get involved and make a positive impact within their immediate surroundings. Additionally, these meetings provide a space for discussing fellowship events, fostering connections among members and their respective families. Whether it’s organizing social gatherings, participating in team-building activities, or simply spending quality time together, these fellowship events play a vital role in strengthening bonds within the club. By highlighting both on-campus volunteering opportunities and fellowship events, our Fall general meetings aim to inspire and empower members to actively engage with their community and fellow club members alike. -Jason Marquez

FELLOW FELLOW

WSHIP WSHIP

WEEK OF AWESOMENESS

During the beginning of the Fall Semester, we initiated new members and got to better know returning members during our Week of Awesomeness events. Throughout the week, we held an event each day for members to attend. We started the week with the first general meeting on Tuesday, where we saw new faces and discussed upcoming events. On Wednesday, we engaged in deeper conversations during Speed Friending and painted tote bags together. Thursday brought us together in the library basement to create birthday cards for hospitalized children. On Friday, we attended Smorgasport, the school carnival, together. This was an amazing opportunity to connect with people interested in the club and to make new friends. -Sarah Maver

Fall Picnic

To celebrate the new Fall semester, Jason and I hosted a fall picnic for the old and new members alike to get together, eat good food, and bond over fun activities. There were plenty of good food that members made such as pumpkin cupcakes, lumpias, spaghetti and so much more. And to also make it fun, we hosted a friendly competition of “Cup Grab” game and Koby Wu was able to come home as the victor with a cute raccoon plushie. All in all, Fall picnic was a huge success amongst getting new members to come out! -Steven Ly

NEW MEMBER INDUCTION

On October 23rd, New Member Induction (NMI) was held. This event is to help formally introduce new members to the club and is also where family members are announced along with mentors and mentees. Our Recognition and Programs Chair, Norma Chu, planned the event with all the details including talent performances, icebreakers, and more. As well, our Historian, Kyla Anderson and club Videographer, Kari Nguyen, put together videos to introduce the family heads for this term. During NMI, there were great singing and dancing performances done by members and the videos were really fun to watch. The family finding game and meteor-mentee game was very fun to play and we were able to learn a bit more about our family heads, mentors, and mentees. If members did not have a mentor or mentee, they played CKI taboo with Nathan, which was also fun. The night ended with some closing words and also the first family social. -Edward Garcia

KBBQ KBBQ NIGHT NIGHT SOCIAL SOCIAL Korean BBQ is the perfect occasion for hanging out and getting to know each other better while we cook some delicious meat. So many members showed up that we filled up a whole section of the restaurant to ourselves and everyone was having a great time. It was fun trying to see people cook and seeing who can eat the most meat out of everyone. And of course, in CKI tradition, we had to get boba afterwards. The night ended as we all took a group picture in the parking lot and I am glad to have hosted such a fun event that brought people closer together. -Patrick Ambulo

ICE SKATING FUNDRAISER

We held an ice skating 11/10 at The Rinks in Lakewood with proceeds going towards the Youth Education Support Initiative also known as YES. Everyone had fun trying to skate, hugging the boards as they tried not to fall, and eventually falling once they let go. Plus we all got some good Be Real pictures from the benches. I even got to push members around the rink on one of the training aids, I was told later that it was like a roller coaster and that one member may have gotten motion sick. After the fundraiser was over we all went out for some food at the nearby In-N-Out and even ended up getting boba. -Kade Wu

FRIENDSGIVING Friendsgiving was a fun time to gather with friends over the break. This is always one of my favorite times of the year because I get to gather with the people I love and of course eat lots of good food. This year, we went to Signal Hilltop Park which gives a really pretty view of the city and we got to watch the sunset. We did a potluck so everyone brought a bunch of different foods from chicken to pizza, chips, desserts, and so much more. After eating we moved onto some fun activities where we painted but with a twist. We sat in a circle and painted on a canvas, then every five minutes we would switch canvases around the cirlce so a new person would continue that painting. Despite the wind and cold, it was a fun afternoon getting to see and talk to everyone. -Leah Johnson

ULTIMATE LAST MAN STANDING

Ultimate Last Man Standing is a traditional event that our club hosts every semester for finals week. The event is simple. We take over a room on campus for twelve hours. Board members and general members come together over the course of the week to study, cry, and release the stress of finals. I have always had fun at this event. I am able to sit by myself and study. Focus on my own academics. Or I am able to ask for help from others or even help others. I help them either academically or help them by helping destress from finals. I will be around CSULB for ULMS for two more semesters and I know that I will be at them even if I do not need to be on campus for my own academic needs. -Cory Bulman

NAPLES NIGHT The Naples event was an event featuring the beautiful Christmas lights of Naples, Long Beach. CKI assembled to have a wonderful time not only seeing the lights, but with each other. Through the walks along the beautiful roads of Naples, members were able to take photos and take in the spectacle that is that area. It is renowned as one of the prettiest sights in Long Beach and CKI members were able to see for themselves how true that was. Memories were made as everyone walked the jolly streets, frolicking in Christmas spirit. The joy of being able to see the decorations on these million dollar houses uplifted the air. Not a single person was able to leave Naples without feeling the jolly feeling of Christmas in their hearts while having the best times in the holiday season with each other. -Bin Pham

WINTER PHOTO CHALLENGE

The Winter Break Photo Challenge stands as a fun CKI family tradition, serving as a way for people to connect over Winter Break. Each day of this challenge is marked by a daily themed prompt including themes like “Fit Check,” “Fortnite Moves,” and “Photocard Friday.” Every prompt unleashes a flood of unique interpretations captured through the lens of our members’ creativity and sometimes absolutely funny photos that made my day. This year’s challenge was particularly memorable, with Windsor Society as our winning fam. As someone who played a role in selecting the prompts, I found fun in seeing all the photos. Here’s to many more years of capturing memories through the Winter Break Photo Challenge! -Nin Muny

WINTER RETREAT This year marked the triumphant revival of our annual winter retreat after four years of dormancy. Thirty-one club members embarked on a journey from coastal California to the serene landscapes of San Jacinto Mountain, where the historic Lawler Lodge awaited our arrival. Over the course of three unforgettable days, we immersed ourselves in the beauty of the outdoors, forging bonds and creating memories to last a lifetime. Against the backdrop of majestic peaks, we hiked through winding trails, prepared hearty meals together, and shared moments of laughter and camaraderie. During the evenings as the day settled down, we appreciated the beautiful view of the stars that are often hidden back home. These tranquil evenings provided a perfect opportunity for reflection and appreciation of the natural world and people around us. For me, personally involved in organizing this event, the experience was nothing short of magical. I will forever cherish the memories created and am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to bring our community together in such a remarkable setting. Here’s to the bonds strengthened, the laughter shared, and the profound connections made amidst the beauty of nature. -Sarah Maver

January

CALENDAR S M T W T 1

15 13 19

20 22

Winter Break Photo Challenge Start

Free Rice Online Service

Winter Retreat

21 Winter Break Photo Challenge End

Long Beach Kiwanis General Meeting

New Year New Me Service Marathon

Winter Retreat

Board Meeting @ 7 p.m.

BeanBeanBean Online Service Board Meeting 7 p.m.

29 27 Board Meeting @ 7 p.m.

Bingo Fundraiser

General Meeting @ 5 p.m.

Credits Bin Pham, Cory Bulman, Edward Garcia, Jason Marquez, Kade Wu, Leah Johnson, LeAnh Ly, Marilyn Nguyen, Maxime Segui, Nin Muny, Patrick Ambulo, Sarah Maver, Shayla Coutino, Steven Ly, Taylor Girard

Thank you to everyone who sent in a submisssion. If you would like to send in a submission for the next newsletter, please let us know. We encourage anyone to send in a submission.

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CSULB Circle K @csulbcki CSULB Circle K International

Contact Information GRAPHICS CHAIR: STEVEN LY csulbckigraphics@gmail.com

HISTORIAN: CORY BULMAN

csulbcki.historiancinema@gmail.com

NEWSLETTER CHAIR: EDWARD GARCIA eygarcia11@gmail.com