December, 2020 Newsletter by Matthew Friedman

New York District Division 7 w ishes you…

Newsletter December 2020 1

Table of Contents 1

Cover

Table of Contents

Lieutenant Governor's Greeting

Service Spotlight

Member of the Month

Dues

Divisional Events

Strategic Plan

Fall Rally Recap

Service and Fundraising Goals

New Service Ideas

New Fundraising Ideas

NYDKC Projects

New York Kiwanis

International Partners

Social Media

Paperwork Tracker

18-19

Contacts

Lieutenant Governor’s Greeting:

Hey Division 7, Happy holidays to all who celebrate! I hope you are all staying safe and healthy as we enter the holiday season. It’s looking like there is some good news on the vaccine front, so I’m optimistic about the COVID-19 situation. Hopefully, we will even be able to return to some in-person activities by the end of the year, but time will tell. I was happy to see so many of you at our District Fall Conference last month (more on that to come in the rest of the newsletter), and all the clubs I visited throughout November seemed strong and active. Let’s build off of that energy and have a strong end of the service year! Keep hosting those service projects and fundraisers (stay tuned for more ideas). Additionally, let’s continue our high attendance at district events when LTC occurs in late March. The approach of LTC and the end of the service year means it's almost time for elections! These will be held in late January or early February. All interested candidates should reach out to me so I can go over elections procedures. More information on elections will be released throughout the month. As always, please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions. Afterall, that’s what I’m here for. Stay safe and healthy! Best, Matt Friedman

Service Spotlight:

Oceanside Key Club

The Oceanside Key Club was able to successfully organize a fundraiser called operation Santa. Due to the pandemic and its economic implications, many parents would be unable to afford gifts for their children. This fundraiser helped grant underprivileged children gifts during the holiday season. Boxes were distributed to students that were interested in participating in the fundraiser. These students were then asked to fill the boxes with toys and other gifts that were suitable for children. The operation worked well within the confines of covid. The event was advertised on our weekly key club meeting which averages between fifty and seventy-five participants. Those interested were given a box by the club’s advisor which was done with minimal contact between the individuals. We were successfully able to put together twelve boxes which will then be delivered to twelve underprivileged children before the holidays.

- Luke Strianese, Oceanside VP

Member of the Month:

------New!------

Know someone that has been going above and beyond with their Key Club duties? Nominate them by filling out the form! Selected nominees will be featured in The Empire Key and/or NYDKC social media. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScWYtBOBUZxzWbKhlV8 mphht_zpvX6NlDi0rotnDqwD-k08Vw/viewform

Dues: The Early Bird deadline for dues has passed. Let’s try to get all of our dues in soon though, so we can meet the regular deadline. If your club is facing difficulties with paying dues this year, please reach out to me individually. With that said, here are some important facts about dues: ＄ Minimum dues cost (KCI and NYDKC dues) is $13 but clubs can charge up to $ 20 to raise money for their own purposes ＄ Dues can be collected however works best for you and your club (cash, online transactions, checks, etc.) ＄ Update your club roster through the Membership Update Center before paying dues to the Key Club organization ＄ Both club advisors and secretaries have access to the MUC ＄ The regular deadline for dues is February 1

Paying dues is extremely important because they facilitate District and International level Key Club events. For example, revenue from dues enabled a free Fall District Conference with amazing Keynote Speakers to be held. Additionally, only dues-paying members in your club are officially members in the Key Club organization. This means that only members who pay dues can put Key Club on their resume/college apps, run for higher offices, or apply for Kiwanis scholarships.

Divisional Events:

Recap: Division 7 recently held a D ivisional meeting on Wednesday, December 2nd at 5:30 PM. Almost 40 people from eight schools in the Division attended the event, and we discussed our division’s feelings about the Fall District Conference and the potential for future virtual conferences. Elections for the 2021-2022 Lieutenant Governor were also reviewed (see upcoming events for more info). Following this, everyone was split into breakout rooms to meet other members from across the Division. Overall, the structured discussion lasted about 20 minutes while Key Clubbers spoke in breakout rooms for another 15 minutes or more (40+ minutes for the room with 4 members from Valley Stream Central!).

Upcoming: There will be a PCM in the coming weeks to discuss plans for Lieutenant Governor elections. The date and time will be set in collaboration with all Presidents, so make sure to stay on the lookout for an email about the event. A representative from each school MUST attend. Elections will be held in late January or early February, but expect more scheduling information following the PCM. As each club receives 2 votes, it's important that multiple members from each school attend. All candidates will have the opportunity to deliver a speech, and there will be a 5 minute questioning period afterwards. While candidates can run off the floor, I would prefer for all interested members to email me by December break.

Strategic Plan Committee: Are you ready to help the New York District create a strategic plan for navigating the next 3 to 5 years? In order to help the District adopt long-term changes and ensure its growth, the Strategic Plan Committee was formed, and it’s chaired by our former Lieutenant Governor, Max! However, he needs your help to develop this plan. Make sure your opinions are heard by filling out the Google Form linked below. The views of all members, regardless of their position in Key Club (district board, club officers, or general members) or grade, are valued. Once you complete the survey for yourself, share it with your members so they can voice their thoughts as well. Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdmYY8jrn1A6chcsSTta-cmj9v NXw_oxtP2Q14EwS3fVn2d8w/viewform

Fall Rally Recap: About 100 members from Division 7 signed up for the Fall District Conference, and I saw many of you throughout the event. This year’s event was a massive success and incorporated clubs from across New York State, instead of just Long Island. Close to 800 members signed up for the event in total, and approximately 500 attended each day. Here’s a recap on what happened: ✯ Welcome addresses and opening statements by members of the NYDKC executive board, Key Club International board, and the Kiwanis International President Elect ✯ Workshops session on navigating the virtual world ✯ Socialization period to meet other Key Clubbers during K-Fair ✯ Workshop session on miscellaneous topics (including Kahoot!, Online Public Speaking, and How to be a Better You) ✯ Highly energetic and motivating speech by Keynote Sergio Argueta ✯ Officer training workshop session ✯ Informative speech by Keynote Kristin Hartness representing Canine’s for Disabled Kids ✯ Workshop session on miscellaneous topics (including Virtual Fundraisers & Service Projects and Running for Higher Office) ✯ Closing statements by Governor Mariam Missed the event and want more details? You can check out the New York District’s website to find out more! There are recordings of the Keynote Speakers’ presentations on Saturday and Sunday, pictures from the Color-A-Smile service project, and PDF copies of each slideshow used for workshops (very useful if you were interested in two workshops that were held during the same session). Link: h ttps://nydkc.org/virtual-fall-district-conference-2020/ 9

Service and Fundraising Goals: This is our progress as of December 7, 2020. Let’s keep working on those goals by filling out MRFs and FRFs!

Service Ideas: Rather than going into detail on a small number of projects, this edition of our Division 7 Newsletter will list a large number of ideas with few descriptions. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the ideas! ● It’s getting colder and we’re entering the snow season. Try shoveling driveways and sidewalks in your community ● Help out doctors and medical practitioners across the world by volunteering for T ranslators Without Borders to share healthcare texts

● Volunteer for B ookshare to scan and edit books for those with disabilities

● Host a Color-A-Smile e vent

● Write cards thanking healthcare professionals for their efforts ● Help out local children through t utoring or publishing instructional videos ● Work with a local c risis hotline t o help members of your community 11

Fundraising Ideas: As with service projects, this newsletter edition will contain many ideas, but there will not be deep elaboration. ● Use the s earchscene or e cosia search engines to fundraise for environmental projects

● Go for a run with C harity Miles a ctivated to support a charity

● Show off your knowledge through the F ree Rice and beanbeanbean platforms to donate food to malnourished individuals

● Host a Movie Night o r Video Game Tournament fundraiser event to collect money for a charity of your choice ● Sell some popcorn on the D ouble Good Popcorn f undraiser platform

NYDKC Projects:

District Project: We selected Project Hope to be our District Project this year. This organization “addresses the world’s greatest public health challenges, transform[s] lives and uplift[s] communities.” In the recent months, Project Hope has worked to help combat the Covid-19 pandemic. It also provides general medical aid to resolve health challenges around the world caused by a lack of access to care. By partnering with local healthcare practices and local officials, Project Hope ensures that adequate care is provided, and it also respects national sovereignty along with local customs and culture. If you are thinking of an organization to support with a service project, consider Project Hope. It’s a great organization that helps people both in the US and around the world. You can help by holding fundraisers or holding a service event with a member of the Project Hope Speakers Bureau to raise awareness. You can find more info here: https://www.projecthope.org/ways-to-help/get-involved/

Governor’s Project: C anines for Disabled Kids (CDK) is this service year’s Governor’s Project, meaning it is endorsed by the New York District. This organization’s mission is to increase “independence for children with disabilities and their families by promoting service dog partnerships, understanding and awareness throughout the community.” It provides service dogs to disabled children- at no cost to families- in order to boost their quality of life Supporting CDK through fundraisers or service projects will help provide a priceless gift to a disabled child: his or her own service dog. Find out more here: h ttps://caninesforkids.org/

New York Kiwanis:

In addition to the Governor’s Project and District Project, numerous other groups are endorsed for Key Clubs in New York by Kiwanis. The New York District of Kiwanis runs three main charities: P ediatric Lyme Disease Foundation, Kamp Kiwanis, and P ediatric Trauma Center. ● While Kamp Kiwanis did not hold sessions this summer due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, it is hoping to restart activity for the 2020-2021 summer. You can still help the organization prepare for this and make it extra special for those who missed out on camp this year by fundraising or hosting a service project to lend a hand. ● Insurance does not generally cover Lyme Disease, so the Pediatric Lyme Disease Foundation was created to help families pay for the treatment of children with it. The prevalence of ticks in New York leads to elevated Lyme Disease rates, so this program is especially important in our state. ● Kiwanis also sponsors multiple trauma centers to help provide medical care for children throughout New York State. These help provide low cost, high quality care to families across the state. You can help a local center out through a joint service project raising awareness or a fundraiser.

International Partners:

Nickelodeon is one Key Club’s international partners. Key Club partnered with Nickelodeon because of its major campaigns regarding children’s health. Its Worldwide Day of Play program reinforces the idea that the world should be more active, and the company hosts numerous events across the world to get kids active on this day. Nickelodeon also initiated the Get Dirty Campaign to educate kids, families, and teachers about ways to protect the planet. Facilitating these projects with Key Club service projects will help many people become more active and teach people the importance of caring for the Earth. Another one of Key Club International’s Cause Partners is UNICEF. This is the only branch of the United Nations dedicated exclusively to helping children. It cooperates with other UN branches, governments, and NGOs to provide for children’s needs in more than 150 developing countries. This is accomplished through community-based services in primary health care, basic education and safe water and sanitation. You can help raise awareness for the organization through service projects and host fundraisers to support its events.

Social Media:

District: @NYDKC Division: @NYDivision7 International: @kci2021

District: @NYDKC Division: @NYDivision7 International: @KeyClub

Paperwork Tracker:

Contact Information: Division 7 Lieutenant Governor Matthew Friedman, division7@nydkc.org

Division 7 Internal Executive Assistant Alex Eckstein, alexeckstein5100@gmail.com

Division 7 External Executive Assistant Katrina Tronco, katrinatroncooo@gmail.com

Division 7 Secretary

Chloe Moskowitz, chloe.moskowitz@lynbrookschools.org

Division 7 Editor Wren Allegra, wren.allegra123@gmail.com

Circle-K Lieutenant Governor

Omar Gabr, omar.gabr@nycirclek.org Kiwanis Lieutenant Governor Ralph DeSena, rdesena@aol.com

Kiwanis Committee Representative Rebecca Ovadia, woodsidekiwanis@gmail.com

District Governor

Mariam Makar, governor@nydkc.org

District Secretary Jason Xiong, secretary.nydkc@gmail.com

District Treasurer Winnie Huang, nydkctreasurer@gmail.com

District Editor Rachel Joh, editor@nydkc.org

District Webmaster Kristen Lew, webmaster@nydkc.org

District External Executive Assistant Anthony Lim, anthonylim.ea@nydkc.org

District Internal Executive Assistant Tatiana Solodova, tatianasolodova.ea@nydkc.org

District Administrator Mr. Goldstein, nydkca@frontier.com

Assistant Administrators Michael Berthel, mjberthel@gmail.com Jason Stenier, ianjs@aol.com