Grizzly Territory: July Edition

GRIZZLY TERRITORY

D27N

Welcome to the bear cave

Volume I Issue I, July Edition

A Division 27 North Publication Member of Region 16, Cali-Nev-Ha District, Key Club International Proudly sponsored by Kiwanis International

Welcome to Division 27 North’s first newsletter issue! Are you wondering what a newsletter is? The newsletter functions like a division-wide magazine and is used for communication, promotion, and informative reading. For the month of July, we’re going to recap on all things Key Club since this past April. A lot of exciting things have been going on with the division and there are even bigger things coming our way shortly!

Stay tuned for future issues of our “Grizzly Territory” newsletter. A newsletter will be released on the twentieth of each month. Have a nice summer, Grizzlies!

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Happy reading!

Leadership Team Introductions Lieutenant Governor Justine Chang Division Technology Editor Carmen Chen Executive Assistants Demaree Ramos and Annie Nguyen Task Coordinators Teresa Meuangkhoth and Anthony Tran

Division-wide Events May Division Council Meeting by Isabelle Tham June Division Council Meeting and Nubi Fundraiser by Layla Vu

Grizzlies in Service Middle College’s Service by Huy Banh Kiwanis Crab Feed by David Ngo Summer Reading at Troke Library by Amber Buhagiar Bike or Hike by Priya Pateluh

The more you know, the more places you’ll go!

CNH District Convention Re-Cap by Justine Do-Huynh The Life of a Secretary by Valerie Kong

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LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR’S

REMARKS

D27 D27, WHAT?!

It seems like just last week that I heard those cheers, and it brings a lot of reminiscent moments. Grizzlies, we have now emerged as a new division and the pages ahead of us are blank.

At first, realignment may have elicited mixed feelings, but look at us now! In such a short time, we have already come so far. Our first Division Council Meeting in May had an attendance of nearly 70 people, and nearly all 7 clubs have managed to remain active over the summer. Your accomplishments are numerous, and I applaud you! We are in the process of building our own identity, and if we work together as one ohana, we can become one of the most successful divisions in the district! Let’s make our community proud and bring our division-wide family to a while new level this year.

Your Officers have been working diligently throughout their summer to ensure that you can benefit as much as possible. Your Secretaries have turned in their MRF’s on-time or early for every submission so far, so give them a pat on the back!

The Presidents and Vice-Presidents have been coordinating division-wide events, service events, and relaying information to each and every one of you. The Treasurers have been doing miscellaneous tasks when asked and made sure that your money went where it belongs. I feel tremendously privileged to be working with these excellent, hard-working individuals!

So, what exactly are we looking at for this year? 2012 has a lot to bring us; from Officer Training Conference to region Training Conference, from exciting and informative DCM’s to Fall Rally North, our schedule is pretty packed! The Division Leadership Team has a lot in store for you and we hope that you can join us in all Key Club events. There’s a lot of new changes for this year and a lot of new things to learn, so be ready for it! As we get prepared for the new school year, we want to encourage all of you to get your service on! We live by the phrase, “Service never sleeps.” Never forget that YOU are the leader in your community and YOU have what it takes to change someone’s life.

After all, that’s what we’re all about: Caring — our way of life.

I’m so glad to have you as a part of the Key Club family! We have a plethora of new memories to create this year, so strap on your ears and paws and get ready for the roller coaster of good times.

Paws up in spirit and service, Justine Chang

READ MORE >>

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EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT DEMAREE RAMOS

INTRODUCING YOUR 2O12Greetings, my fellow Key Clubbers! My name is Demaree Ramos, pronounced (deh-muh-ree rah-mos). I’m an incoming junior at Middle College High School and currently serve as one of the Executive Assistants to D27N Lieutenant Governor Justine Chang. This will be my third year of membership but first in holding any leadership position. Since joining, Key Club has grown in my heart to become one of my life’s most inspiring and driving aspects, though I do enjoy many hobbies outside of events and meetings.

Some things that occupy my free time are reading, shopping, travelling, and watching Naruto, but my true passion is in writing. Though I seek a career in trauma surgery, I hope to be distinguished for poetry and short story writing. While I look forward to these hurdles later to be jumped, I like to focus on the here and now-- which includes making the year 2012-2013 in Key Club the best any of us has ever had. I believe that with the effort of members, officers, and advisers alike, the rest of Cali-Nev-Ha can be sure the Grizzlies are destined for GRRRRREATNESS!

DIVISION TECHNOLOGY EDITOR CARMEN CHEN

Hello all!

As Division Tech Editor, you guys already know that our newsletters will be graaaaamazing! You know, grizzly+amazing? Okay not really, but we will be pumping that grizzly spirit! Apart from this wonderful job I have, I’m just an average teenager. Texting, facebooking, procrastinating, and the list goes on and on! I have a crazy passion for coffee, so if any of you would like to start coffee fundraisers, it definitely won’t be a bad idea. School is certainly my first priority, including key club, of course. Enough about main focus is all of you little grizzlies! This year, I plan to advertise, advertise, advertise! With this, I hope we can continually raise more and more money for PTP even after fall rally. Not just this, I hope to see and have many clubs promote, as i will do so myself, their events openly for others to join. At DCON, we unfortunately had a small population of us attend and that’s not enough! My goal is to bring many more and show off some of our spirit and service, so if officers will please help me make this happen, we will sure be buzzing in miracles! If any of you have questions, comments, or even fabulous ideas, feel free to contact me via phone or email. Let’s hear the Grizzlies roar!

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2-2013 LEADERSHIP TEAM EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT ANNIE NGUYEN Dear Reader, If you read my introductory letter, you know that I am one of the executive assistants for the year of 2012-2013. Just so you know even more of whom I am, I’ll start off by saying I love Key Club! If it wasn’t for Key club, I wouldn’t have met some of the great people I know today. I still plan on meeting more members throughout my high school years. I’m not the type of person who would be shy to introduce herself and start a conversation. I love meeting people!

I bring my skills that Key Club have taught me everywhere I go, but when I’m not doing things Key Club related, I will probably be doing homework or relaxing someplace on this world. I care about my grades a lot. I never let myself get anything lower than a 4.0 GPA. I do procrastinate sometimes though! It’s a bad habit of mines and I need to stop getting distracted so easily. I’m not just a bookworm. Other days I’ll be bonding with my family or out with my friends. I don’t have such a close relationship with everyone in my family; it’s a complicated past. For my friends, I’m sure I’ve grew a little distant to quite a few, but I try to hold that friendship. I wouldn’t want people to walk into my life and then just leave, so I like to catch up with them every now and then. I’ll usually try to plan to hang out as well. I’m an outgoing type of person. I hate staying at home. It makes me feel lazy and usually I’ll be laying down doing nothing. Staying home doesn’t do me any justice. I love going out to the bay area. I plan on living there someday. Everything about it makes me love it even more. The city lights are one of the major things that made me fall in love with it. I love traveling with my family, but it has been a while since they’ve taken me anywhere.

Dad says he doesn’t want to drive all the way there again. I’m just waiting for the day I get licensed. Just so you know more small details about me, I like the color blue! It’s been my favorite color since I was in elementary school. I don’t have a favorite animal, but if I had to choose it’d be a penguin. My birthday is April 6. My favorite food is sushi, but I don’t eat it that often. I love going to amusement parks for funnel cakes and photo booth pictures, but the rides are fun too..Oh! I started collecting photo booth pictures of me and whoever. They all go up on the wall in my room.

Okay, well this was just for you to get to know me.

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FRN PUBLICITY TERESA MEUANGKHOTH

TASK >> COOR DINA Hello everyone! My name is Teresa Meuangkhoth and I am a junior at Stockton Early College Academy. My family and friends would describe me as an outgoing, enthusiastic, friendly person, but also someone who can be a bit weird at times. I am very excited and honored to be serving as Task Coordinator of Division 27 North.

I joined Key Club during my freshman year and I can honestly say I do not regret it at all. Since my school had just recently opened, there were very few clubs that you could join. However, the club that stood out for me the most was Key Club. Key Club at my school was somewhat still new, so many of the members and officers weren’t exactly sure how things worked in the club.

However, that didn’t stop the officers from being great Hello my fellow Key Clubbers! leaders and definitely didn’t stop us from volunteering at My name is Anthony Tran and I’m currently 16. My numerous service events. They are the ones that inspired birthday is on Feb 29 and i’m a leap year me to apply for this position today. baby. I’m Vietnamese and I’m a very fun and weird person to talk to . I love sushi and Jamba Words cannot describe how exciting and fun Key Club Juice and love going out and meeting new peois. Earning service hours, socializing with friends, meetple. I’m an average student at Bear Creek ing new people, and attending fun events are all just a High School and as Key Club Task Coordinator, I bonus. However, it’s that feeling that you get when you promise to fulfill my job. Sadly, I know my come back from a Key Club event that only Key clubterm is not long but I will make the most out of the bers can understand. Key clubbers are definitely one of time I have as task coordinator. As of the most friendliest,caring, and loving people out there. right now I am researching and studying about One thing that I absolutely love about Key Club is that everything that involves with PTP (Pediatric no matter how big the division is or what division you’re Trauma Programs) and I will closely work with our from, Key clubbers will treat everyone as if they were LTG and provide needed information. My family. goals for this program are to spread awareness and fundraise. Although I am not a long term I am proud to be an active member of Key Club and task coordinator I plan to assist and to be as inhelp serve Division 27 North. I am extremely looking forvolved as much as I can. I look forward to ward to meeting all you grizzlies at future DCMs, RTC, Fall being your Key Club task coordinator, I hope I have Rally, or at DCON. a chance to meet every single one of you and formally introduce myself face to face.

PTP FUNDRAISING/CTF TOURNEY ANTHONY TRAN

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EVENTS

D27N

DIVISION-WIDE

Submitted by Isabelle Tham, President SECA

MAY DCM May DCM was held at Baxter Park on May 19th - our first DCM as a new division! We were settled in a shady area and divided into different color coded groups. Before we went separate ways for our groups, we played a few icebreakers. Our groups were reflectors on what worked well and what didn’t in the last year, as well as our favorite events and memories. We came back to the entire DCM and continued the meeting. Justine talked about applying for divisional leadership (congratulations to the new team!) and we voted on our new mascot. After the meeting was adjourned, we hung out and some people brought out ice chests filled with water balloons and played dodgeball with them. It was overall a nice way to get to know more of our division and made me excited to start our new year!

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Submitted by Huy Banh, Vice-President Middle College

MIDDLE COLLEGE’S SERVICE HELLO KEY CLUBBERS! I want to tell you about my club. This month, Middle College High School was involved in the making of the June 16th DCM in which my Key Club board and I helped organize. We were given a task from our Lieutenant Governor to plan the DCM at a Nubi’s, local yogurt shop in Stockton. “Yo, it’s yogurt!” Everyone had an amazing time at this event. We were able to successfully create a social able DCM where everyone got together to fundraise for PTP and also have a “chill” time away from the blazing summer heat. Luckily there was an outstanding turnout of Key Clubbers everyone was introduced to the new leadership board which included the new EA’s, Task Coordinators, and also our Tech Editor. This was a very successful event and my board and I are proud to say that we’ve accomplished a small task for our large division. Another event that Middle College High School Key Club became involved in was our May car wash. There were many members who helped contribute to this event to make it a success. This car was a free car wash to help out ever, but there were many considerate divers who donated money for our labor. In the end, my board and I were awestruck when we counted over $400 worth of donations. This event really helped us and will go towards our funds for next year’s FRN as well as towards other new and creative events/fundraisers. In the end it’s all about serving your community and creating new positive memories. That’s what our Middle College Key Club is all about. MIDDLE COLLEGE! Woot woot.

BIKE OR HIKE

On Saturday, June 16, 13 SECA Key Club membersarrived at 7:30 in the morning to volunteer for the 4th Annual Bike or Hike Feed the Hungry for the Emergency Food Bank at the University of Pacific. Volunteers, decked out in yellow, were registering into their assigned stations. Each member was assigned a different station ahead of time ranging from food servers to flaggers who would guide the hikers and bikers through the traffic of the busy streets of Stockton. It was a hot day, but the members stuck it out, helping bikers and hikers check in, guiding them away from cars, and much more. Food service assisted with running the smoothie bike, which was a bike that provided power to a blender that would create nutritional smoothies. Then, volunteers would inform the runners and bikers about nutrition and the importance of staying healthy. Flaggers were taken to different destinations and were dispersed throughout the route, guiding runners and bikers which direction they needed to go. Some volunteers would register the bikers and hikers, and then helped pass out food tickets. These volunteers also aided with setting up the condiments area for the food, and afterwards passed out maps for the different routes the bikers and hikers needed to follow. By the time the event was over, volunteers were picked up from there scattered locations and returned back to the University of Pacific, where they all gathered to have lunch. After having lunch and a long day’s work, the volunteers were rewarded for their hard work with balloon animals, flowers, and even crowns.

Submitted by Priya Patel, Vice-President SECA

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Submitted by David Ngo, Member Cesar Chavez

KIWANIS CRAB FEED

Ah, the sweet smell of fresh crab…

There are two parts to the annual crab feed. There’s the morning shift in which the volunteers come to the Greek Orthodox Church behind Target to set up tables and chairs in the room and make the place all pretty. Then…night falls…and the real fun happens…

The annual crab feed at the Orthodox Church is like a tradition for Key Clubs in every school in Stockton to take part in. It is also the event that many Key Clubbers, especially me, look forward to at the beginning of each year. But what is it about the Crab Feed that makes some of us dance with excitement as the day draws near? It’s the great, festive fun that happens that night. There’s music, dancing, raffles, and lots and lots of delicious gourmet pasta and crab (dry or marinated) taking part in that night. But more importantly, it’s the satisfaction that we give to the families coming in for some fresh crab and some good, jolly service from us.

Our job in this event is to serve these families a good crab/pasta dinner for their night. Each table in the room is assigned to two Key Clubbers to wait on. We get ready about half an hour before the event begins so we just sit and chill with our friends a bit, eat a little pizza and take some pictures. Then the hour clocks in and our Diner Dash mode clicks on. The “waiters/waitresses” stand by their assigned tables waiting for the families to arrive. In the meantime, some of us practice our smiles, tidy up our table, and even choreograph our introductions when our families sit down. Then, the first wave begins….

Some of the tables will have families sitting there after the first wave. The “waiters/waitresses” there give their introductions and walk to the kitchen to bring in bread and salad to their tables. The food lineup is this: Bread/Salad for appetizer, pasta, and the main entrée is the fresh and delicious crab (marinated or non-marinated depending on our family’s tastes). During this time, more families walk in to fill up the whole room and then the party starts. Music plays as the families eat their dinner and we give our service whenever they need it (refills, trash, etc.). After the crazy first hour getting all of the entrées for our table, the adrenaline dies down and we just stand or walk around as the families happily eat their dinner. After the raffles and the dancing (in which we can take part after a certain time), the families tip their waiters/waitresses (if you’re lucky or make them happy, you’d get a big one) and they’re on their way out to spend the rest of their night. The best part after the crab feed is not the tips, or the FREE LEFTOVERS (bread and pasta), but it’s the after party when the music keeps on rolling.

During the crab feed, we always meet someone new and make new friends from other schools. Last year, I have met so many great people from the crab feed and made so many good memories with them. For example, after the event, we headed outside with our leftover bread and pasta and had a picnic in front of the church. We also fed the security guards around and made them happy too. It’s the memories and new friends that you will take along when you walk out the building that night.

So when the crab feed is around the corner, do not hesitate to sign up for it. On that day, remember to be there with a huge smile on your face and be ready to give your assigned family the good ol’ Key Club treatment! HOW DO YOU FEEL??

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Featured [service article] VOLUNTEERING AT TROKE LIBRARY Submitted by Amber Buhagiar, Member Bear Creek Before summer vacation began, I made the decision to spend my summer volunteering at Margaret Troke library. I wasn’t sure what my duties entailed, but I expected to mostly shelve books. However, I learned on my first day that I would be assisting in signing children up for Summer Reading. The goal behind this program is to encourage children, teens, and even adults to cultivate a love for reading over the summer to ensure year long success. Each person receives a different guide based on age group that explains what he or she must complete. Once finished, each person will receive a special prize.

Reading is the foundation of all education. Children transition from learning how to read, to reading to learn which allows them to explore science, history, literature, mathematics, and the wealth of information presented in print. It is not surprising to find idle children spending their summer with no books to read. The Summer Reading Program is the solution to this problem, getting books into the hands of children during summer breaks. Reading throughout the summer helps children build on the skills they have acquired at school helping them to create more advanced vocabulary and bigger imaginations. Also impressive, Summer Reading is open to everyone of all ages. This is incredibly valuable for younger children, who cannot yet read, to start learning with the support of their parents.

Margaret Troke also provides literary-enhancing programs such as music, creative arts, and performances. This past week I had the privilege of participating at one of these events. The staff provided a craft program in which children could make dream catchers, stars, etc. I worked at the station for stars, a pseudonym for God’s Eyes. A craft from the Huichol tribe of Mexico, kids can easily create many of these colorful God’s Eyes by weaving yarn on a simple frame of popsicle sticks.

It was at this event that I learned that the service we key clubbers provide is really truly appreciated. I was helping a girl in special education named Claudette make one of these God’s Eyes.

Claudette looked so happy as she weaved the yarn back and forth between the popsicle sticks.

Her mother, who was watching approvingly at her daughter, looked to me and the other key club volunteer next to me and said, “Its beautiful that you guys volunteer here. It’s truly beautiful what you guys do.” A certain warmth developed in my heart as I smiled back at her, fully understanding how grateful she was that I could offer my help.

Later, I helped another family make God’s Eyes. Anna, another girl in special education, watched as her sister created a God’s Eye. Anna too desired to make one, but her disabilities kept her from achieving this. I asked her if she wanted me to make her one and she nodded her head. I worked meticulously to make sure that the God’s Eye was perfect. After I completed it, I handed it to her and for the first time that evening she smiled. Her mother too was gratified, exclaiming endless thank yous.

Volunteering at Margaret Troke Library thus far has certainly been a rewarding experience and I definitely plan on volunteering there for the rest of Summer. Helping children gain successful early reading experiences to jumpstart academic learning has been worthwhile. I have been able to put smiles on the faces of Anna, Claudette, and so many others because of my service. The contribution of Summer Reading has transformed the lives of many this summer. Whether you want to join Summer Reading, volunteer your time, or simply want to enjoy reading a book, stop by at Margaret Troke this summer and see the BEE-auty that we key clubbers have created with our service.

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LIVING LIKE A SEC. “And our new Middle College Key Club secretary for the 2012-2013 year is…” – Wow, I can’t believe that it was about 3 months ago when I became the Key Club secretary for my home club. I remember wanting to hold this position since my sophomore year and now I have finally achieved it. But anyways fellow Key Clubbers, enough about how honored I feel about gaining this position, but instead let me give you a deeper understanding about what I’ve learned as secretary.

My first time running as secretary, I had the same mindsetas everyone else about this position. I thought that as secretary all you had to do was take notes, make sign-up sheets, and call people to remind them of upcoming events. In fact I didn’t even know what MRF’s were—for those of you who don’t know, it stands for Monthly Report Forms. It wasn’t until my second time running and asking previous secretaries and attending DCON did I gain the full knowledge and skills for this position. Being secretary is more than having a pen and paper by your side at all times. It’s about being the backbone to your club.

You are as a secretary, the one person that the president depends on the most.

My job is not only about taking notes, creating sign-in sheets and etc., but it is also about contributing in new ideas during board meetings, logging in hours, texting and calling people late at night and early in the morning in order to remind them of the events they signed up for or to wake them up on time, and submitting MRFs super early. As secretary I must stay very organized, so I keep a separate binder with all of the board and club meeting agenda in order from the newest to oldest. I also have tabs that separate the agenda, signin sheets, attendance, hours, and contact information. Sounds horrible? It actually isn’t, I love my job as Key Club secretary.

Life like a secretary has got to be one of my favorite things about these soon to be 4 years as an active Key Club member.

Submitted by Valerie Kong, Secretary Middle College

DCON recap Hello, Key Clubbers! Honestly, one of the most memorable trips that I have had the honor of experiencing was DCON. From meeting new people, to taking hundreds of photos, spirit battles, hearing the “How Do You Feel” cheer everywhere we went, to the late nights staying up and eating, everything was simply amazing. There were many different workshops that we were able to attend which gave us the opportunity to learn more about Key Club, service, and leadership. The workshops really inspired me because it gave me the chance to see how enthusiastic people are to help their community and how it is okay to break out of one’s shell. I think one of the reasons why I loved DCON so much was the bond that was created between myself and other members of the club who went. We were able to make any moment fun whether it be creating a wave while waiting in line and getting other people to join in or playing silly games when there was extra time. Whether it be seniors preparing to say their final goodbyes, or new members embarking on an incredible journey through this organization, DCON is an emotional experience that must be seen and felt in order to be truly understood. DCON really opened my eyes to how many people dedicate themselves to helping others. The willingness that I see from every person made me feel as if being a member really did make a difference.

When I first got there, all I could see was the sea of people moving about laughing and smiling. It made me thing about how small a person can be, but how connected we are on a higher level to create an even bigger creation. It really warmed and humbled my heart as I saw all of these people because they each had a story to tell. Every single person there had a different purpose, goal, and outlook on life that was unique in their own way, but they were all united through Key Club in order to do good and to help others in every and any way possible. Every moment spent with all of these great key c lubbers made me so happy. Dale Carnegie once said, “Remember, happiness doesn’t depend upon who you are or what you have, it depends solely upon what you think,” and I think that DCON has been an unBEElievable experience in my life that has created countless happy and unforgettable memories that I will always hold in my heart. I am truly glad to have spent it with all of you key clubbers, especially those from Bear Creek High School.

I hope that everyone will attempt to go this upcoming year!

Submitted by Justine Do-Huynh, Treasurer

Bear Creek

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Stay tuned for news on our: July Division Council Meeting Officer Training Conference August Division Council Meeting For more information, contact your LTG at d27n.cnhkc.ltg@gmail.com http://www.facebook.com/d27north

A Division 27 North Publication Member of Region 16, Cali-Nev-Ha District, Key Club International Proudly sponsored by Kiwanis International

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