The Empire Key Midwinter 2010 by New York District of Key Club International

EMPIRE KEY The Official Publication of the New York District Key Club

Midwinter 2010

TABLE OF CONTENTS

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

Governor’s Greetings

Letter from the Editor

Top Ten Ways to Fundraise

YouTube and You

Special: Helping Haiti

Projects in Brief

Club Contests

Leadership Training Conference

Meet the Committee

A Preview of Kutsher’s

Service Spotlight

Real Recipes

Governor’s Greetings Greetings Key Clubbers! Happy Midwinter! Now that midterms, finals, and Regents exams are over, I hope you‘re all off to a good start for a new semester. As you‘ve probably heard on the news recently, Haiti has just experienced one of the world‘s most devastating natural catastrophes – a disastrous 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck just outside the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Right now, thousands of children are lying in hospitals hoping to be treated, while hundreds of thousands more are without a home, with little to eat or drink. Haiti needs our help more than ever, and organizations like UNICEF are working hard in Haiti to rescue, save, and treat earthquake survivors. Visit www.nydkc.org/haiti to find out more and please consider making a small contribution so that much needed resources like food, water, medicine, and sanitation supplies can be delivered to Haiti, which can save thousands of lives. On a lighter note, it may not seem like it, but our 62nd Annual New York District Leadership Training Conference is just around the corner. It will be held from April 16 to 18 in Monticello, NY, and I hope to see all of you there. I guarantee that you will have the best weekend of your year, filled with fun and exciting contests, talent shows, workshops, leadership-building activities, service events, dances, and so much more! By early February, more detailed information and registration materials will be available on our website, www.nydkc.org, so please check it out! Have a smashing midwinter, and if there‘s ever anything I can do to help you, never hesitate to let me know! Yours ever in the spirit of service, Governor Allen Yu

Letter from the Editor Remember the old elementary school rhyme that goes ―first is the worst, second is the best‖? Well, I hope this second issue of the Empire Key is to your liking, in spite of its very bright and thematically appropriate colors. With two months to go until the 62nd Annual New York District Leadership Training Conference, this issue includes information on what your club can do to prepare for the trip and tips on raising money for your members. Check out the different experiences that this year‘s Conference Committee members have had at past conferences and the different contests your club‘s members can participate in. Also in this issue are ways you can help in the recovery effort in Haiti, including different projects and awareness events you can have in your school and a list of organizations your club can donate to. And as always, we give you a look at what clubs across New York State are doing in our ―Service Spotlights.‖ If you would like to be featured in the next Empire Key to come out early March, send your articles to service@nydkc.org by Sunday, February 21. On the cover: Division 11 Lt. Governor Nadyli Nuñez and Lt. Governor-elect Sharif Mahfouz skate to raise money for the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Center.

Love Songs

The New York District Key Club officers give us their favorite music to get in the Valentine’s Day mood.

Gavin Huang (Editor) - “All My Loving” The Beatles

Safanah Siddiqui (Division 10) - “Hands Down” - Dashboard Confessional

Victor Ma (Webmaster) - “Everywhere” Michelle Branch

Alex Farrington (Division 14) - “Goodbye Waves and Driveways” - The Rocket Summer

Devan Farrell (Division 1) - “Two Is Better Than One” - Boys Like Girls ft. Taylor Swift

Billy Fletcher (Division 16) - “Yo (Excuse Me Miss)” - Chris Brown

Jen Kramer (Division 4) - “More Than a Feeling” - Boston

Robert Nyumah (Division 21) - “All My Life” Shayne Ward

Shellee Wong (Division 7) - “Corner with Love” - Alan Luo

Jillian Harmon (Division 22) - “Better Together” - Jack Johnson

Tiffany Kwong (Division 9) - “Love Song” Elton John

Nicholas Coppola (Division 24) - “Sand in Your Shoes” - This Providence

Top Ten Ways to Fundraise Planning service projects for your Key Club can be a tough job. Figuring out where the money is going to come from, choosing which organization the profits will go towards, and making the project both fun and successful are all aspects to consider while planning. Here are some helpful suggestions of the top ten fundraising ideas from around the mighty New York District. 1. Bayside Key Club held a Lemonade Stand and raised $943. 2. Westmoreland Key Club hosted a Spaghetti Dinner and raised $260 3. Car Washes are great! Garden City Key Club raised $380 4. West Hempstead Key Club raised $266 by sponsoring a Karaoke Night. 5. The High School of Telecommunications Arts and Technology raised $800 by hosting a School Carnival. 6. After holding Lollipop Sales, the Garden City High School Key Club raised $815. 7. East Meadow High School Key Club raised over $380 from a Badminton Tournament. 8. Stuyvesant Key Club raised over $1,561 for an AIDS Walk. 9. Hosting a Coalition could raise you $425. Just ask Glens Falls Key Club, which hosted a coalition sleepover at a homeless shelter to raise awareness of homeless youth in the community. 10. Lastly, our never-fail fundraising idea…drum roll…Bake Sales! Bayside Key Club raised over $520 in a single Bake Sale.

As you can see, some Key Clubs around the state have done some serious fundraising. Some of these ideas require some prior planning, but some can be whipped together last minute if at any point you and your Key Club friends get bored. Great job to all the Key Clubs listed! —District Treasurer Teri Bunce

The Short List - Other Cool Ways to Fundraise  Sell food during the school day, lunch periods, club meetings, Kiwanis meetings, etc. You can

sell Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, cans of Orange Crush on Valentine's Day, or Kiwanis Peanuts.  Have water sales, soda sales, and t-shirt sales.  Sell awareness bracelets for the March of Dimes, Children’s Miracle Network, and UNICEF.  Clean snow for your neighbors in exchange for donations to an organization of their choice.

YouTube and You So let‘s say you (or your club) have a good idea for a video, whether it‘s for a contest or a presentation. If you‘re planning on including footage from a service event, it‘s always better to film parts of it rather than staging it later, so plan ahead. It is always a good idea to bring a camera to a service event. Use a camcorder or just the video function on your digital camera to record clips of a volunteer in his or her natural habitat. Record a little of the seemingly mundane tasks and of the ―big event‖ if there is one. It‘s fun to assign an official photographer/camera man and a mascot for you club. Use short snippets of your volunteering experience or long scenes, whatever fits your video style. Just make sure your club documents its activities and that you designate a photographer at every event. Once you‘ve got your content, put it on YouTube, perhaps on a separate account for your school‘s Key Club, and start promoting it everywhere. Share it on Facebook, embed it on MySpace, tweet it, and submit it to social aggregators like Digg and Reddit. Blog about it, post it on forums, get your friends to blog about it and do whatever‘s in the last sentence. Instant message people you know, put it in your profile, and spread the word in newsletters, in emails, and in any way you can. I hope your video‘s a success! Have fun in the process. View some of New York District Key Club TV‘s videos at http://nydkc.org/projects/nydkc-tv. You can see last year‘s winner of the New York District Club Video Contest there too. If your club would like to be considered for Key Club‘s video magazine, visit http://slp.kiwanis.org/ KeyClub/kcvc.aspx for more information. —District Webmaster Victor Ma

Pointers for Holding Club Elections  Members can either nominate candidates and then second them

Key Club of _____________________

or candidates can file an official statement to run for office. President and vice presidential candidates can run jointly or separately.

 If there are a large number of candidates, hold nominating caucuses or interview the candidates to narrow down the pool.

 Have candidates speak for three minutes followed by a five-minute question and answer session. Make sure questions are appropriate.

 Make attendance at elections mandatory.  Use the sample ballot attached.

Officer Elections 2010 Position: ___________________

__________________ __________________ __________________ __________________ 

Helping Haiti Imagine living in a poverty stricken nation. Living conditions are harsh, cities are overpopulated, buildings have horrible infrastructure, and health care is atrocious. And it gets worse. Imagine, in the same area, an unholy alliance of politicians, entrepreneurs, death squads, and drug-traffickers scrabble for power while most of the population endures the consequences of environmental degradation, economic stagnation, and neo-liberalism on a daily basis. These hardships, combined with a lack of justice, inadequate health care and a poor, limited education system, make mere existence nearly impossible. You may be thinking that living in this place can‘t get much worse. Then an earthquake strikes. For the people of Haiti, this is not a dream. For them, this is reality. There are many places accepting donations, and there is no better way to spend a dollar than to give. If you would like to donate or find other ways to help, simply look on the Internet, but make sure they are credible organizations. Some charities helping Haiti include National Nurses United, which has over 10,000 volunteers but needs donations to get them there, Kids In Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.), which is collecting clothing, water, and donations to send to Haiti, and Music For Relief, which is offering a compilation of unreleased music, available for free download on their site, which is collecting donations that will be split amongst deserving charities all trying to help in the Haiti relief. And as always, see what your local Key Club can do to help! Your money and time can help save a life. —Lt. Governor Nicholas Coppola, Division 24

A BRIEF HISTORY OF HAITI

1492

1697

1796

Columbus discovers the island of Hispaniola

Spain cedes “Saint Domingue” to France

Toussaint L’Ouverture leads a slave rebellion

The Relief Effort I woke up at 6:30 am on January 12, 2010 and turned on the news to find the glaring words, “EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI.” It immediately reminded me of the tragic earthquake that occurred in Wenchun, China on May 12 last year. The earthquake hurt not only people who lived in my home country but my family and friends as well. As a Chinese-American, I understand the feelings of the Haitian people. In one moment, they lost their homes, their family, and everything they owned. Two days later, I held my January division meeting and experienced one of the most touching moments of my life. Nearly all of the 16 clubs that attended had the same cause—Haiti Earthquake Relief—on their Club Status Reports. We, as Key Clubbers, give back our homes, schools, and communities through our efforts day-in and day-out. There are a million ways for you to help, for example, making a donation box, having a shoe drive, etc. Most importantly, you can simply text ―HAITI‖ to 90999 and make a $10 donation to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development Fund each time. (You will be charged on your phone bill.) A $10 donation would provide a first aid kit equipped with enough ointment and bandages for a Red Cross responder to treat 15 to 20 injured earthquake survivors. Alternatively, $10 can provide a family with two water cans to store clean drinking water, basic first aid supplies, or a blanket appropriate for the climate. My favorite writer, John Donne, once wrote, ―No man is an island, entire of itself…any man‘s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.‖ Human beings do not thrive when isolated. Now is the time for us Key Clubbers to show our love, to exemplify our motto, ―Caring—Our Way of Life.‖ —Lt. Governor Diana Tian, Division 8

1804

1913

1957

2006

Haiti declares itself an independent republic

The U.S. occupies Haiti for 19 years

François Duvalier becomes dictator

Current president René Prevál is re-elected 7

Where to Donate After being struck by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake, Haiti is in a devastating state of ruin. With the country still experiencing aftershocks, the people of Haiti need help from everyone. For the past few weeks we have heard, seen, and read about the things people in our nation have done to help Haiti. Celebrities have teamed up in fundraisers and telethons in hopes of saving the country. Now it‘s our turn as Key Clubbers of the Mighty New York District to help and contribute our time and effort to change the horrendous conditions in Haiti. The following are some awesome and easy ways to help the people of Haiti get through these tough times. Charities like UNICEF are a great way to make sure your donations are getting to where they are supposed to be. There are many popular charities that do not give at least 95 percent of donations to the designated people. There are fabulous fundraising ideas that your club, division, and community can use to fundraise for Haiti. Hopefully, they can help you and your club show the Key Club spirit in school while having fun and helping others. If there are any questions regarding the following projects, email me at tiffanykwong.ltg@nydkc.org. —Lt. Governor Tiffany Kwong, Division 9

STUDENTS VS. TEACHERS BASKETBALL GAME Basketball season is coming to an end and the school gym should be empty soon enough once the home games, practices, and scrimmages are over. This would be a wonderful time to speak to your athletics director and request a few Fridays for a students vs. teachers game. That’s right, students against teachers. By selling the tickets to the game for $3 to $5, depending on how popular the idea is at your school, you can raise another few hundred dollars for the people of Haiti. Get the word out by telling your classmates and teachers about setting up this competition. Recruit both teachers and students for both sides to form teams and start practice! It is advisable to not allow any members of the basketball team play to be fair to other players and to teachers. Recycle a school trophy so that the winning team can hold it until the next showdown! Assign ticket sellers and advertisers to continue to get the word out and fundraise money! Hope you have fun with this project! You can always use this idea for club fundraising and for the annual Leadership Training Conference too.

Flower Power and Beyond Before the earthquake in Haiti, the officers of Francis Lewis High School Key Club were planning to create several small, attractive, and simple arts and crafts gifts for each person who donated money for the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Center. We were thinking ahead towards Valentine‘s Day and we wanted to give donators flowers or different types of hair bows for supporting our project. However, when Haiti was hit with the 7.0-magnitude earthquake, we decided to put our plans on hold and raise money for Haiti. Many members of the Francis Lewis High School Key Club kindly donated money for Haiti and supplies for the arts and crafts. We are currently raising money for Doctors Without Borders. Other clubs in Francis Lewis High School are also raising money for UNICEF and the Red Cross. After Regents week is over and the spring term begins, we are hoping to hold several bake sales. We are currently looking for exciting ways to raise money for all of our projects, such as raising money for Haiti. Our officers want to keep our club involved with our projects in order to assist those devastated in the recent natural disaster in Haiti. —Tracey Louie, Francis Lewis High School Key Club

HEARTS FOR HAITI Similar to the popular idea of Candy Grams on Valentine’s Day but with origami hearts, cards with hearts, and messages. Here is some advice to help get this project started! At meetings, make sure to provide Key Clubbers with material to help cut outlines of hearts on pink and red construction paper as well as make interesting flyers to display throughout the school. As the week of February 14 approaches, assign Key Clubbers to sit in a popular area in the school for their specific periods to take requests. Get the word out that this fundraiser is for the victims of the Haiti earthquake. Have those interested pay $1 for a message on a card to be delivered throughout the week before Valentine’s Day weekend. If possible, speak with your local florist to make a deal for some pink carnations, or even pink roses and offer them for $2 each! (Red roses are very costly during Valentine’s Day.) Not only is the message of love sent from one to another for the season of love, it is an easy way to help those in need!

Projects in Brief The Major Emphasis Project, Live 2 Learn, includes three points: Improving Grades, Giving Back, and Growing Together. These three categories can include virtually everything you do. Something unique to Live 2 Learn is that service is not measured in dollars but in time and hours. This program focuses on helping children ages five to nine overcome learning obstacles so they can be successful in their lives and give back to their communities. Improving Grades This category includes tutoring, volunteering as a teacher‘s aid, helping with study skills, developing reading improvement programs, and anything else that involves students and their academic courses. Giving Back The second category involves giving back to the community, whether it‘s by volunteering at a local youth center or making bracelets for children with life-threatening conditions. Key Clubbers are teaching young kids to be lifelong leaders through mentoring and role modeling. Growing Together This third part of Live 2 Learn is the broadest section. Large amounts of charity work that Key Clubbers do include the growth and learning of children. Growth can be included in anything from tutoring to playing basketball with kids. Some ideas for this section include a three-on-three basketball or sports tournament at your school or a story time night at an elementary school with milk and cookies. Members are sparking growth and personal development in children. —Lt. Governor Alex Farrington, International Projects and Programs Committee Chair PEDIATRIC LYMEDISKIWANIS PEDIATRIC KAMP KIWANIS LOCAL CAUSES TRAUMA CENTER Gives life-changing Different projects EASE FOUNDATION

THE NEW YORK DISTRICT PROJECTS 10

experiences for Supports treatment youth, adults, and and reduction of pediatric injuries those with disabilities

ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S SAVE THE MUSIC RESEARCH HOSPITAL FOUNDATION

that benefit your local community and local issues

RONALD Mc DONALD HOUSE

Provides care to Advocates music Provides homes for children with cancer education programs pediatric cancer and other conditions in public schools patients and families

Helps pay for treatment of this growing disease

JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUND. Raises money to help find a cure for type I diabetes

Club Contests This year‘s Leadership Training Conference includes five different contests that Key Clubs can enter. These contests include the Club Poster Contest, Club Video Contest, Talent Show Contest, Scrapbook Contest, and Oratorical Contest. Partner up with members in your club and see if you can win and be recognized at this year‘s Leadership Training Conference. If you‘re one of the winners, you and your club will move on to represent the New York District at the 2010 International Convention! The Club Poster Contest and Scrapbook Contest are for all of you creative and artsy Key Clubbers out there! It‘s time to put your artistic abilities to work. For the Club Poster Contest, the Key Club should create a poster that can be used to recruit members for Key Club as an organization. Therefore, the poster should not have the name of the school, community, or district on it. The Scrapbook Contest is broken down into two categories. You and your club may enter the Non-Traditional Scrapbook Contest or the Traditional Scrapbook Contest. The Traditional Scrapbook is a little more rigid when it comes to the dimensions of the book and labeling of the tabs and pages according to the set criteria. The Non-Traditional Scrapbook can be set up however you like, so let your imagination be your guide! For the Oratorical Contest, if you are someone who is well-versed in speech-making and not afraid of large crowds, this is the perfect contest for you! You must prepare a five-minute speech on the given 2010 Oratorical Contest topic and be ready to speak in front a panel of judges. The judges are looking for you to be yourself when you speak passionately about the topic, ―What is the biggest challenge facing servant leaders today and what is the key to overcoming it?‖ And lastly, the Talent Show Contest, which is offered annually at the Leadership Training Conference, is an opportunity for you and your club to show off your talents. In the past, we‘ve had Key Club pianists, violinists, rappers, magicians, and dancers perform and compete to represent the New York District at International Convention. This year, it could be you! So definitely try out because it will be lots of fun. Please do not forget to take a look at the criteria for each of these contests in the Awards Booklet, which can be found on our homepage at www.nydkc.org. If you have any questions regarding any of these contests, you may feel free to contact me at any time at shelleewong.ltg@nydkc.org. —Lt. Governor Shellee Wong, Distinguished Key Clubber Committee Chair 11

Mighty New York District, It is my honor to serve as the 62nd New York District Leadership Training Conference Chair. I can assure you that this year‘s conference will be one you don‘t want to miss. The Conference Committee and the New York District Board have been busy planning dances, meet-and-greets, and other activities for everyone to enjoy while bonding over the shared interest of service. The nine members of the Conference Committee are all responsible for this conference‘s success and we will not disappoint! The theme of ―Around the World‖ is one of the most exciting themes I have seen in my four years of Key Club and I hope you are all looking forward to seeing how we incorporate it into the conference weekend. This year, we will have more workshops than ever before, which means more opportunities for both you and your club to grow. The Leadership Training Conference is a great chance for everyone from around New York to get together and share service projects and ideas. There is always a spike in enthusiasm in clubs that attend the Leadership Training Conference, so don‘t let your club miss out! The clubs that attend have become some of the strongest in our district, so it‘s important for as many clubs as possible to attend, weak or strong. It‘s an inspiring event that you will not regret. Please mark down you calendars now for April 16 to 18 and spread the word! Only by working together can we make this Leadership Training Conference the best we‘ve seen in years. I hope to be seeing all of you in a few months! In friendship and service, Tommy Monks, Conference Chair HOUSE CHAIR

CONTEST CHAIR

Katie Toomey

Morgan Murray

ASSISTANT TECHNOLOGY

Sarah Mead

2009-2010 Conference Committee

HOSPITALITY CHAIR CONFERENCE CHAIR

Justin Wang

Tommy Monks

TECHNOLOGY CHAIR

PROGRAM CHAIR

Victor Ma

Gavin Huang

SERGEANT-AT-ARMS CO-CHAIR

Jensen Cheong

Regina Zick

Some of you might be thinking, ―How much does it cost to attend the conference and how will I pay for it?‖ or ―How will I get to the conference?‖ Never fear, here is where most, if not all, of your questions about the upcoming Leadership Training Conference will be answered! First off, this year‘s Leadership Training Conference will be held at the newly renovated Kutsher‘s Country Club in Monticello, NY. The cost of admission will be $225.00 per Key Clubber and $250.00 per adult chaperone. While it may seem like a lot, it‘s not really expensive since this will cover all of your meals and room and board. Please note that one chaperone must be provided for every ten students. In order to chip away at the $225.00 price tag some fundraising might be in order. Before we get to that, Key Clubbers wishing to go to conference should start with asking their Key Club and sponsoring Kiwanis Club. Whether or not you get any donations from them, fundraising is always a good choice. When fundraising, try to brainstorm something creative that will draw in the crowds. For those of you who aren‘t as imaginative (like myself) or just pressed for time, there‘s always the traditional route: bake sales, car washes, and candy sales. Be sure to inform local businesses about your cause. If your community hears that you‘re attending a leadership conference, they might be so impressed that they will sponsor you! For many of you, Monticello, NY may seem like quite a distance. If this is the case, you may need to add a few dollars to the cost of your trip depending on your situation. For those of you with many club members attending the conference, it might be a good idea to speak with your school about providing a bus or possibly renting one. Unless you‘re having thirty kids from your club attending, it‘s always a good idea to share the bus (and the cost) with other Key Clubs in your division that will be attending the conference. For those with smaller groups, car pooling is an excellent idea (and it supports this year‘s Governor‘s Project!) Start fundraising and thinking about how you‘re getting to the Leadership Training Conference now and it won‘t be a hassle when the conference is right around the corner! Good luck! —Justin Wang, Hospitality and Public Relations Chair 13

I have attended the Leadership Training Conference for the past two years and have learned so much at the conferences, such as how to be a better Key Clubber and club officer. It is a great experience to be able to vote for the upcoming District Board and attend caucus. I recommend everyone try to attend the conference this year. It allows you to obtain important information that will come in handy throughout the rest of the service year. I have made new friends that I will never forget and had some of the most fun in my entire life. I hope you are all enjoying your school year and I hope to see you all this coming April! —Katie Toomey, House Chair This will be my second year attending the Leadership Training Conference. I am beyond excited for this year because I know it will be tons of fun! Last year, I gained all kinds of Key Club spirit between arriving to our lieutenant governors singing the Beaver Song and saying goodbye to all of the New Yorkers met. I‘m sure I became very annoying raving about those ―awesome people with the cool hats and badges‖ and this year I was able to become one of those ―awesome people‖ as Sergeant-At-Arms Co-Chair! Not only did I gain great experiences, but I gained knowledge that I never knew about Key Club and our causes. Attending the conference was truly one of my best Key Club memories that I will never forget, and I hope to see you all this April! —Regina Zick, Sergeant-At-Arms Co-Chair VISIT CONFERENCE.NYDKC.ORG FOR MORE INFO

This will be my third year attending the Leadership Training Conference and the closer we get to the date, the more excited I get! Last year, as assistant technology chair, I had the great opportunity of meeting many of this years lieutenant governors and other Key Clubbers from the New York District. On top of learning new things at the workshops, we also get to hear a keynote speaker, have the opportunity to try out for the talent show, attend dances, and meet new people. It's all really fun and I can't wait to see you all there! —Sarah Mead, Assistant Technology Wake up in the morning feeling like a Key Clubber. I get off the bus, I‘m in LTC, I‘m gonna hit this place. When I go in, I hear a really loud welcome to LTC ‗Cause once you‘ve arrived, you‘re gonna have a blast. I‘m talking workshops in the day, day Dancing in the night, night Rocking that key club spirit, spirit Whoa wait! Up! Did I mention it‘s three days? Three days to meet Key Clubbers Trying to get an increase in Facebook friends. Don‘t stop, make it here! DJ, the place really rocks, Right here, I‘m gonna bid On my favorite LTG Key Club ‗Round the Clock. But the spirit don‘t stop, no. Don‘t stop, make it here! DJ, I think it‘s time to vote! For my new district board It‘s a weekend not to miss Tick tock on the clock, You‘re really gonna love this place. —Jensen Cheong, Sergeant-At-Arms Co-Chair

One of the greatest things about the Leadership Training Conference is the variety of workshops and activities you can participate in. Here are just a few.  

Board Auction—Enter a raffle for a chance to win a dance with your favorite district and international officer! Penny Wars—Compete with other divisions to see who can donate the most pennies! But beware of quarters!  60 Service Ideas in 50 Minutes

 Public Speaking

 Balancing High School, Key Club and Life

 Running for Higher Office

 Life After Key Club / K-Family Relations

 Writing a Winning College Essay

Service Spotlight Animal Shelter: How Do You Feel? Woof Woof!

Interclubbing: Food from Angels

The people at the facility were incredibly polite and gave us a tour. They let us interact with the animals. Part of the hospital was for pets who were staying there while their owners went on trips, and the other was for stray dogs and cats. The Key Clubbers took turns in fours playing with the dogs and cats. Along with generous hearts, the members brought in donations, such as blankets, leashes, toys, and treats for the animals. We all at one point complained about the journey, but once we saw what some of these animals had been through, we realized that we had no reason to complain. After leaving the facility, we reminisced about our lovely stay and promised to come back another day.

members from the Bronx High School of Science Key Club, we were assigned to be runners.

As we left, I saw the Rottweiller one last time. They had warned us not to put our hands in the cage, but I knew in my heart he wouldn't hurt me. I put my hand closely to the cage, and he licked it.

Gloria, our team leader, said, ―People will get to eat dinner tonight because of you guys.‖ What she said made me feel accomplished and happy, and it‘s wonderful when other Key Clubbers feel this way too.

On January 23, a few members from my club, StuyveTwo hours and thirty minutes. sant High School Key That's how long it took the Key Club, and I went to the Clubbers of Bayside High Middle Collegiate Church, School to get to their final loca- where the Angel Food tion. We missed our stop, took Ministries was holding a the wrong bus, got completely food distribution event. lost in JFK Airport, and got caught in the rain, but that I got to the church at 10 am and straight away, all the did not stop us! We finally arrive to our destination, VetPort Animal Hospital of JFK, which happened to be volunteers formed a line from the truck outside to the partners with Bobbi & The Strays, an organization that tables where the food would be. Passing from one person to the other, we quickly got all the food spread out takes in stray animals and gives them better homes. When we arrived, the first thing we saw was a bunch of onto the tables while also organizing it all by category. dogs outside. One dog, a Rottweiler, had sadness and I had never seen so much food at one time in my life. It suffering in his eyes. His physical appearance was a bit was amazing to know that all this food would be filling scary but his eyes told another story. many people‘s empty stomachs. Together with some

—Facia Class, Bayside High School Key Club President

Basically, people would order the groceries beforehand and at the actual event, we would go around the tables and collect what they ordered. It was like grocery shopping and everyone had loads of fun. There wasn‘t a moment when a runner was not going around the tables to gather food for someone else. At the end of the event, all the food was gone, which meant many families would have food to eat for the next week or more. That was absolutely wonderful. Angel Food Ministries has host sites all over the nation. Its goal is to make grocery shopping more affordable to others, and it was great that I got to be a part of that.

—Victoria Tsang, Division 11 Executive Assistant

Real Recipes Last issue, we presented a series of recipes for various service project ideas. In this issue, we present to you real recipes. Try out these baked goods for your next bake sale, meeting, or for that special someone this winter.

Classic New York Cheesecake

“KEY CLUB” LIME PIE

Ingredients

Ingredients  3 1/4 8-ounce packages of softened cream cheese

 1 14-ounce can of sweet condensed milk

 1/4 cup key lime juice

 1 9-inch graham cracker pie crust

 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

 Whipped cream

 2 eggs

 3 egg yolks

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. 2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually, add sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth. 3. Add the vanilla extract and eggs and mix well. Gently pour the mixture into the pie crust and bake for 1 hour. 4. After 1 hour, turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake inside with door propped slightly open for an additional hour.

2. In a mixer on low-medium speed, blend the milk and egg yolks at low speed until smooth. Add the key lime juice and finish blending. 3. Gently pour the mixture into the pie crust and bake for 15 minutes. 4. Remove the pie from the oven and let cool for another 15 minutes before refrigerating. 5. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before serving. Serve cold and top with whipped cream.

5. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours until firm.

ThumbprinT cookies

Ingredients  1 cup soft shortening-half butter  1/2 cup brown sugar  2 egg yolks  1 teaspoon of vanilla extract  2 cups sifted flour  1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions 1. Mix thoroughly the shortening, brown sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. Sift together the flour and salt. Add to the creamed mixture. 2. Roll into 1-inch balls. Dip into slightly beaten egg whites. Roll in 1 1/2 cups finely chopped nuts. Place about 1 inch apart on baking sheet and press thumb into center of each. 3. Bake until set. Cool. Place a bit of chopped candied fruit, sparkling jelly, or sugar icing in thumbprints. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Makes about four dozen cookies.

New York District Board Allen Yu

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Contact Information Nadyli Nu単ez

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