In this issue...

Meet your new District Board

Our International Trustee!

Friends of Key Club

District Convention Summation

International Convention

Hello, I’m Tyler Lawson Jones, the Georgia District

Governor for the 2015-2016 year. I want to thank you all for both attending District Conven-tion and for choosing me to serve in the position of District Gov-ernor for the upcoming year. I am pleased to serve the Georgia District at a new capacity. I want to encourage you to start the Key Club year out by communicating with the district board, fundrais-ing for both the Georgia Sheriff Youth Homes and the Eliminate Project, and preparing to stay in-volved as the year comes to an end and preparing to prepare for next year with the election of new of-

ficers and making plans to attend the district’s upcoming Georgia Leadership Training Conference at Six Flags Over Georgia and our upcoming District Convention in Norcross, Georgia. Feel free to contact any member of the Geor-gia District Board, because we are all happy to help at any time and we are happy to hear from you, and I hope that in the upcom-ing month, you will remember to make caring your way of life.

Thank You,Tyler L. Jones

Governor’s Address

Dues are a very important aspect to the Georgia District. I have

set a goal of increasing dues paid clubs and early bird dues by 10%, however I would like to accomplish 100% dues paid clubs. Early bird dues need to be in by November 1, 2015 and ALL dues need to be in by December 1, 2015. Do not for get dues will be $15 this year. Please help accomplish this years goals with me and yet your clubs dues in!

Katylin Green

Treasurer

Top Tips for Club Secretaries

• Always be prepared and on time. Being prepared and on time is a crucial element for any secretary. As a secretary it is your job to take attendance on who shows up to

meetings as well as take minutes over the meetings about what your club discussed and accomplished during that specific meeting. Coming in on time ensures that no informa-tion is missed that should be included in your minutes.

• Ensure your minutes are detailed and accurate. When taking you minutes it is im-portant to be accurate with the information discussed. One good way to ensure your

minutes are accurate is by creating an outline of the minutes during the meeting. This will help you ensure that the main topics of your meeting are properly documented and in order. Another way to ensure accurate minutes would be by recording the meeting on a voice recorder so you can listen to them later when typing up your final minutes.

• Be prepared to recall information from past meetings. Always be prepared to an-swer questions that may arise regarding what was discussed at past meeting.

• Make sure your club has submitted club dues and officer information. As a secre-tary it is your responsibility to make sure your club submits officer information and

turns in their dues on time.

• Don’t Procrastinate! As a secretary you have many responsibilities and tasks you must accomplish throughout the year. In order to not fall behind it is crucial that you

don’t procrastinate on getting your minutes done. On all tasks your club assigns you, complete them in a timely manor. This prevents getting stacked up with a bunch of work that is due all at the same time.a

• Have fun!!! Always remember that you are an important part of Key Club, which is all about service and leadership. Your main goal as a Key Clubber is to strive to make a

difference in your home, schools, and community. Always remember: Caring, Our Way of Life!

SecretaryAnnalise Barron

In January, my home club visited Books for Africa and sorted out thousands of books that were going to be shipped to African countries for children to read. It was a giant warehouse with a plethora of books of all shapes and sizes; we would sort them into piles on our cart with a partner then distribute them into big stacks to be packaged and later shipped. Before plac-ing the books in their appropriate section, we would check the copyright date and the status of its well keeping. There were books for everyone--college textbooks, high school novels, and even children

workbooks. It was eye-opening to see that the books I touched would soon be on the way to children on another continent and be read and enjoyed by them. The leaders of the cooperation who showed us what to do were so friendly, it was altogether an open and fun environment. I would defi-nitely go back and volunteer at Books for Africa again. For our first visit, we even got to take home some souvenirs! I brought home an awesome psychology textbook and photography technique guide.

DIVISION1Paige Overmyer Emily Clement

Because I come from an extremely small town with only one high school, almost every service project turns into a commu-nity wide event. Harris County’s Relay for Life is no exception. Relay for Life hap-pens every year in the spring and is my community’s largest events every year. Any local business, church, school, or or-ganization is encouraged to participate. My home Key Club, Harris County High School, in division 2, has participated by selling pretzels to raise money, helped out selling concessions for other vendors, and contributed to the set up and clean up.

The event recognizes the lives affected by cancer within my community, and while the event is very sentimental and serious, it is also meant to be a lot of fun. There is food, music, bounce houses, and even “jail” from six in the evening until mid-night. Overall, the event raises thousands of dollars that benefit the American Can-cer Society, and my Key Club alone raises at least two hundred dollars from pretzels. Relay for Life is definitely an event every-one within my community looks forward to every year.

DIVISION2Emily Clement

Southwest Georgia Homeschool Associa-tion (SWGHA) Key Club partnered with our sponsoring Kiwanis club for a fantas-tic joint service project on Kiwanis One Day. Along with other members of the community, the clubs worked together to build a pollinator garden that is the be-ginning of a process to beautify the local Riverwalk Trail. Through teamwork, the volunteers completed the garden in just three hours. The project would have taken days to complete if our community had not come together to serve for the ulti-mate enjoyment of everyone in the city.

Kiwanis One Day was a great experience for our club; it was hard work that turned into something beautiful. This was a won-derful, enriching way for our school’s club to interact with and collaborate with our sponsors at the Kiwanis Club of Dough-tery County.

DIVISION3Haley Davidson

DIVISION4Sarah Neal

Leslie Hodnett

I’m a member of the Tift County High School’s Key Club, located in division four. Our Key Club often partners up with our local YMCA for service opportunities during the year. This year a few other members and I volunteered to help the YMCA with their annual Father Daughter Dance. They had us doing many different things like: decorating the ball room before the dance, handing the girls tiaras and bracelets when they came in, cleaning up plates, helping out with raffle drawings, face painting, and more! It was different from any other volunteer project I had ever done, because they asked all the vol-unteers and workers to dress up really nice,

which I wasn’t used to because you typically wear your Key Club T-shirt, but not to this one they had us wear dresses and heels. Over-all it was a very enjoyable evening. Serving at the Father Daughter Dance was my favorite thing our Key Club has participated in all year, because when I saw the smiles on those little girls faces when they were out there with their father’s, I knew that those smiles wouldn’t have been accomplished without the help of Key Club and it made me feel good to be a part of an organization that brought people joy like we did that night.

DIVISION5Leslie Hodnett

This year in Tallulah Falls School, students in KeyClub International including myself had a lot of fun doing different projects throughout the year. One of the most fun events we participated was 5K Zombie Run at Old Clarksville mill in Clarksville, GA. The Zombie Run is a Clarksville Kiwanis Club sponsored event, and it was our second year to be there—and of course, we had a lot of fun disguising as gross-looking zombies and scaring the runners, trying to steal the flags tied on their waist. By putting zombie-makeups on each other and by play-ing as zombies there, our KeyClubbers had an opportu-nity to have a great bonding time as well. Another big thing we had this year was Project Linus, which we had been doing since 2012. It is basically hand-making cute, awesome blankets (by putting two different ones togeth-er) after school for critically ill children. The good thing about this project was that everybody could participate whenever, including right after school. KeyClubbers who

were not able to devote their time donated new blankets or fleece, or even money that we could buy some more blankets with to make this project successful. Last thing that I would like to talk about is the United Way Fun-fest. Each year, our KeyClub have been volunteered to run booths at the Funfest. A lot of students volunteered again this year to be there to run booths such as dying children’s hair with hair-tint or running small games. Likewise, TFS KeyClub had such an enthusiastic year with many motivated students. Spots for volunteering events or trips filled up very fast, and students who got to participate as a part of KeyClub were very pleased with it. We are looking forward to having another amazing year with more fun events with more volunteers!

DIVISION 6Grace Chung Yazan Bouchi

Peachtree Ridge from Division 7 loves to be involved and supportive of its local Ki-wanis Family on a regular basis, whenever it can get to. On Saturday, April 18, 2015, Peachtree Ridge High school went out and gave Kiwanis family a hand with their newly adopted roads by removing litter along the roads, and maintaining the best shape pos-sible for them. At Peachtree Ridge, we hold this event every month for our members to participate in so we can not only clean and support the community we inhabit, but to bond with, and join with our local Kiwan-is family, let them know we mean to sup-

port them, and put out the biggest helping hand we can afford to offer. The project we take part in is very similar to the Gwinnett Clean and beautiful incentive projects that nonprofit organizations to take part in, but still separate, and works hand in hand with Kiwanis Family. Adopt-a-road is one of many projects we do at our Key Club in Peachtree Ridge High school, and we en-courage you to go out and show your local Kiwanis family some love in a way where you can positively impact your community at the same time, just like we did.

DIVISION7Yazan Bouchi

The mission for March of Dimes is to support families that have either lost a child due to prematurity, or for the families who currently have a child struggling with prematurity, either before birth or after. Companies and families came together on Saturday, April 18th 2015, to show support towards those struggling. As well as participating, many of the walkers do-nated a minimum of $250 to receive a t-shirt. Many people assembled Saturday morning to participate in the activities that were run by several volunteers from Piedmont Hospital Fayette, Division 8 Key Club chapters, Publix, Kiwanis Inter-national Club, as well as several other small organizations. This years main contributor to March for Babies was Panasonic, but other sponsors include Piedmont Hospital Fayette, Children’s Hospital of Atlanta, Southern Crescent Women’s Healthcare, The Bank of Georgia, PTC Combat Fitness, Baby’s First Ex-pression 3D4D Ultrasound, and Publix. Not only did these companies just sponsor the march, but they also had activities for the walkers. Publix brought cookies, hot dogs, and waters for the walkers to eat after the walk. Piedmont had a very sen-timental activity called the Memorial Garden where people either made flowers or butterflies with a name tag hanging off

of them, then planted into the “memorial garden” in remem-brance of a child who was lost. As my home club, Sandy Creek High School Key Club, each participating individual raised $5.00 to go towards the foun-dation. Before the walk began, participants from Sandy Creek volunteered giving out cookies with Publix, or helping with the “Memorial Garden.” As a club we decided that some of our volunteers should stay back and help during the walk. So in result of that, two others, including myself, went on the 3 mile walk along with the many families in support of March for Babies. Although it was a long day participating in the March for Babies walk, my chapter was able to not only bond with each other and grow closer as a club, but we were also able to communicate and unite as one with the other people and companies that gather with us.

DIVISION8Hannah Briones Jin Jeon

This past October, the Atlanta Action Center of CRY America (Child Rights and You) hosted their first annual 3K walk. The national organization is driven by its view of child equality in which all children, especially those in third-world develop-ing countries, have opportunities to develop to their full potential without disturbances such as lack of nutrition, shelter, and education. In the Fall of 2014, Peachtree Ridge High School Key Club proudly partnered up with the Atlanta Action Center of CRY America to ensure that the basic rights of education, health care, and protec-tion from child abuse are restored to underprivi-leged, all throughout the world. In mid-October, the organization hosted their first 3K to raise awareness for child rights where

several schools all throughout the county showed support by attending the walk. With the help of Key Club members and their enthusiasm for cre-ating a change, Peachtree Ridge Key Club was awarded as the high school with the highest at-tendance with over 30 Key Clubbers. The turnout was truly tremendous, with over $3,250 raised towards supporting children’s rights. Peachtree Ridge Key Clubbers are indeed representing what Key Club stands for: leadership, character building, caring, and inclusiveness.

DIVISION9Jin Jeon

The Induction Ceremony at Chestatee High School in March was unique. First, snow had kept our club from meeting for about a month, and when we final-ly met, we didn’t know how many students would be able to attend. For the first time, we shared our Induction Ceremo-ny with National Honors Society, because it built a great connection between the two clubs and we shared a speaker who had been in both Key Club and National Honors Society during his time at Chesta-tee High School. The food that is provided by Key Club members at our Induction Ceremony is usually sold in a Key Club bake sale, however this year, time constraints kept us from planning a bake sale. We will definitely do this next year. At the ceremony, our Key Club advisor introduced the first time members and they all received a Key Club International pin and personalized certificate.

Our officers also ran for next year’s positions of Presi-dent, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Editor. The officers gave speeches, and to conclude the cer-emony each member had the chance to vote on the positions of office. Our club now has three seniors in office and two freshman, which I think is a great balance for the club’s future, because each of us has different ex-periences and will bring fresh and creative ideas to the table! All of us are excited to work with our club members and those of clubs around us in this com-ing year.

Yours in Service,Rebecca Braun

DIVISION10Rebecca Braun Morgan Patterson

Key Clubbers at Harrison High School often enjoy volunteering with the Horizon League at the local special needs park in Acworth. The Horizon League creates an environment of inclusion that provides the opportunity to participate in athletic events to children and young adults with developmental and phys-ical disabilities such as Autism, Down’s syn-drome, and Cerebral Palsy. When Harrison Key Clubbers sign up to volunteer at a game, they are assigned to a player and assist them with batting, pitching, and running the bases. The program not only helps the kids develop better social skills, but it also aids in improv-ing their basic motor skills through simple

activities like learning how to maneuver the baseball bat and running the bases. “Volun-teering here at the special needs park is ex-tremely rewarding,” says Morgan Patterson, a member of Harrison’s Key Club for two years. “It makes my day to see the players smiling and having the time of their lives out on the field.” Harrison’s Key Club has decided to challenge clubs across the state to join in on the fun by volunteering at their local special needs park or creating a special needs baseball team if there is not already one in their area.

DIVISION11Morgan Patterson

Relay for Life Every year in small town Calhoun our county fair host the Relay for Life of Gordon County. This is an event that really brings our community to support and remem-ber those who have battled or are currently battling can-cer. Relay for Life is an event full of remembrance, food, fun, music, love, and hope.My home Key Club at Sonoraville High School partici-pate in setting up and bringing together this event. Our Key Club travels to our county’s fair ground, and begin working as soon as we arrive. We set up banners, set out the tribune bags, organize meal, and help sponsors set up their booths. We stay throughout the whole event.The tribune bags are bags put together for remembrance on family and friends lost in their fight against cancer. These bags really show the love and respect these families have for their lost ones. The bags are set out around the campground in a large area for everyone to view.There is a Survivors Lap and Caregiver’s Lap every year.

During the Survivors Lap upbeat music plays while all the cancer survivors at the event take a lap around the fairgrounds. Next is the Caregiver’s Lap, this lap is for everyone who has cared for someone with cancer. The Survivors and Caregivers are cheered for, celebrated, and honored throughout their entire walk.Key Club members distribute food to survivors, caregiv-ers, and their families during the dinner sponsored by Gordon Hospital. This dinner is the time is for the sur-vivors and caregivers to sit back and enjoy a nice dinner while enjoying the company of other survivors and care-givers.Relay for Life is full of laughs, tears, cheers, and a loving community coming together. This event is a fun celebra-tion of those who have battled cancer. Not only does this event celebrate those who have battled with cancer, Relay for Life brings a loving community together, and inspires hope for those currently battling with cancer.

DIVISION12Hailey Swilley Emmie Landford

While the school year is coming to a close, Di-vision 13 of the Georgia District of Key Club International is still as productive as ever with a special spotlight on the Key Club of Glynn Academy. The Glynn Academy Key Club has begun three major fundraisers for the Geor-gia District Project: Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes. The district’s goal is to raise $27,000 by March of 2016, and the Glynn Academy Key Club has kicked off the fundraising year with a great start! The club’s largest fundraiser for this organization is the first annual Glynn Academy Teacher Talent Show. This event will be hosted in late April with all proceeds going to Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes. The idea

is to showcase the school’s talented teachers in an event that is fun for both faculty and students while raising both money and aware-ness for the district project. Several teachers have shown an immense amount of interest with even the school’s principal wanting to get involved! Silly MCs will take the stage and explain the cause to kick off the show, and the teachers will be judged and ranked on their performance with prizes awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners. The first annual Glynn Academy Teacher Talent Show is expected to be an enormous hit on both the entertain-ment and fundraising sides of the scale.

DIVISION13Emmie Landford

Every year, Lambert High School organizes a special service project called, “Kiss A Senior Goodbye”. The goal of the project is to simultaneously wish the best of luck for a bright future to graduating seniors and raise funds and awareness for other important service projects. With the necessary materials, candy roses consisting of two Hershey kisses are handmade by our own Key clubbers and sold in dozens for $10. Friends and families of students going off to college excitedly buy these fun, delectable roses to express their sin-cere farewells and best wishes. The resulting sum of money is then divided into thirds to support 3 great causes. One third of the proceeds goes towards sup-porting the Eliminate Project, a Key club-sponsored fundraiser aimed to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus. The other third is used to provide funds for the most recent project initiated by Georgia District Key Club, Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes, where the

money will be raised to go towards building a new Education Center at the Mountainview campus in Chatsworth, Georgia. Last but not least, the remain-ing funds go to Lambert Key Club to support Key clubbers wanting to attend District Convention, an event that will nurture and develop Lambert’s Key Clubbers into impressive servant leaders. Annual-ly, the project is a huge success. The fundraiser sold 1917 roses and brought in $1,614 last year alone; the proceeds made a tremendous contribution to other service projects as mentioned. The service project not only has an impact on the local community through the sentimental meaning of the roses for graduating seniors, but it also brings about positive changes on a larger scale through funding of other service projects aimed to assist the public at large

DIVISION14Minyoung Kim Alex Martinez

For decades, there has been a tradition in my small town, Griffin, GA, that has become a local holiday for all of us who have grown up here. It’s not a parade or a fair or a party, it’s pancakes.Pancake Day has existed in Griffin since our grandpar-ents were young. It’s simple; come to the Kiwanis Club in Griffin to get unlimited free pancakes from six in the morning until two in the afternoon. Citizens of all ages from Griffin come to get their free heaping pile of pan-cakes and sausage early on a February Saturday morning.But Pancake day does more than just fill you up for free, it creates the perfect opportunity for our city to come to-gether as a community. Every Kiwanis member takes part in it somehow; whether it be flipping pancakes, cleaning tables, refilling syrup, or brewing coffee. Although it’s fun to eat pancakes until you can’t anymore, my favorite part of Pancake Day is volunteering to do my part as well.As a member of Key Club at Spalding High School, I have the opportunity to work alongside Kiwanians of Griffin

to serve free pancakes to our community. I usually arrive as early as possible to help set up (which is harder than it sounds). But the best part by far is to talk to people from Griffin as I refill their coffee, get them another serving, or just when I come to tell them thanks for coming.It may not be one of those service projects that helps the poor or the needy, but it is a service project that draws the community together. Even my parents and grandpar-ents have always participated in Pancake Day, and I have come to see it as a tradition as well.It is an event that has become a holiday for most in my town, and it has something that has made Griffin more into a community, one pancake at a time.

DIVISION15Alex Martinez

Pancakes on Pancakes

Major Emphasis Committee Chair

Amanda Lang

District Events Committee Chair

Andrew McGraw

Hello! I am Andrew McGraw, the District Events Chair for the 2015-2016 Term! As the name implies, the District Events Committee is

responsible for planning, creating, and debating (mostly the last one, espe-cially what color dresses to wear at GADCON) to put on all of the events our Key Clubbers attend! The committee got straight to work and quickly decided on our top-secret convention theme for GADCON 2016! This year, we have big goals and plans; all of which point to giving Key Clubbers the best experience they’ve ever had, and to show everyone that there is no better Key Club than the Georgia District! After ICON in Indianapolis, our com-mittee will be in full swing, working to create the best Georgia Leadership Training Conference possible. This year, the GLTC will be held at Six Flags over Georgia on August 22nd, 2015. I look forward to meeting you all there, and seeing you again at the Georgia District Convention in Norcross!

See the Eliminate Project Page for more info

I was extremely honored to be appointed as the public relations chair this year. Hope-fully, the public relations committee will help the Georgia Key Club District touch more lives not only through social media, but also through many other outlets. This year we have several goals as a committee. One of our main goals is to help promote the #my375 campaign online. Georgia Sheriffs Youth Homes is such a great or-ganization that affects so many different communities throughout Georgia. The best ways to raise funds for a great organi-zation is to raise awareness. Another goal for this year is to put Key Club in the news

more. I know that there are many clubs in Georgia doing amazing service projects for their communities. It is important to rec-ognize the hard work of key clubbers. One of the best ways to do this is to contact local newspapers and stations with infor-mation about important projects in their communities. Make sure to email us if your club does something really neat, and we can help you get publicity for it. There are many other projects and goals for the public relations committee, and I am so ex-cited about this upcoming year and all the Georgia district will accomplish.

Public Relationships Committee Chair

Abigail Smith

Hello! My name is Jennifer Bruce and I am the Kiwanis Family Committee Chair of 2015-2016. My committee is striving to increase communication be-tween Key Club and the other branches of the Kiwanis Family. Each Lieutenant Governor has been paired up with the respected Kiwanis Lieutenant Governors to help better acquaint the clubs in each Key Club division with their responding Kiwanis clubs. It is extremely important for you, as members and clubs, to build relation-ships with your local Kiwanis clubs be-

cause they can offer you many resources that you might not have access to with-out them. If you help your Kiwanians, they are more apt to help you in return. One way to increase Key Club-Kiwanis relations, besides communication, is to do a joint service project. After all, the Kiwanis Family is all about service! A great service project for Key Club and Kiwanis is to do a Park Cleanup Day. Your club and Kiwanis club can pick a day to clean up a local park and do a cookout to celebrate a great day of serv-ing others!

Kiwanis Family Committee Chair

Jennifer Bruce

Hello Everyone, my name is Mina Jeong, and I am the Policies and Contests com-mittee chair for the new year. In my com-mittee, we work to change the Bylaws as well as the Policies and Procedures of the Georgia District. Many of you probably do not know much, if anything at all, about the documents that bring struc-ture to our district. This year, we will edit them to make them more relevant to our district and your club. Along with this, the committee will work to make the House of Delegates procedure easi-er for the general members to take part in. With more education about the Pol-icies and Procedures, we will be able to hold productive meetings and discus-sions. The Bylaws and Policies and Pro-cedures are available on the Georgia Key Club website in the Resources tab under Governing Documents for your conve-nience.

Another part of the job of the commit-tee is to finalize as well as change or add new contests and awards. Last year, the Policies and Contests committee added the very successful Quiz Bowl. This year, we will continue to improve the existing contests as well as brainstorm to create an exciting new category for you and your school to compete in. So far, we have fi-nalized the due date for the awards and contests next year as February 1st. Also, every school is required to submit an an-nual achievement award by the due date. Our goal this year is to have every active Key Club enter a contest and/or award. Another reminder will be sent out in the beginning of the new school year to help you start your process of gathering in-formation for the awards and contests. Check out the Contests tab under Re-sources on our website to see which con-tests and awards you may apply for!

Policies and Contests Committee Chair

Mina Jeong

Greetings Georgia Key Clubbers! It’s Emma Johnson, your Dis-trict Project chair, and I have some AWESOME information to share with you about our district’s fundraising efforts for our district project, Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes. This year, the Georgia District is taking on something bold and new. In the past, we have had a club fundraising goal for the District Proj-ect for each Key Club in Georgia. This year, we are asking that instead of each club raising a certain amount of money, that each Key Club member raises a minimum of $3.75. This can be done easily. By skipping a cup of coffee, not buying those extra fries, and simply putting out donation jars can help you reach your club member goal of $3.75. When you skip out on that coffee, tweet/post about it with the hashtags #my375 and #foundation4education.

District Project Committee Chair

Emma Johnson

Remember the big picture for our district project, we are raising $120,000 dollars by 2020 in order to build a new Educa-

tion Center on the Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes Mountainview campus. We need your help, Geor-gia Key Clubbers. All it takes is $3.75 per mem-ber, and we will meet our district project goal of $27,000. With that being said, how will you raise your $3.75? It’s time for us to take charge, and start fundraising for the #foundation4education center. I look forward to soaring past our district project goal of $27,000 this year, so get out there and fundraise! Serve on, Georgia Key Clubbers!

Welcome Tashrima, your International Trustee!

Hello, Georgia District Key Clubbers!

I know you all are likely still feeling the effects of post-DCON syndrome, but nonetheless, I’d like to welcome you all to a new year of service. For those of you who didn’t meet me at convention, my name is Tashrima Hossain, and I will be serving as your International Trustee until my re-tirement at the International Convention this June. As you delve into your term, I’d love to receive an introductory email from you—just a simple

hello, so we can get to know each other before we are reunited in Indianapolis this summer.

As a little background, as a Trustee to the Georgia District (as well as Pacific Northwest and California-Nevada-Ha-waii KIWIN’S, your sister districts), I am here as a resource for you. My job is to hear your opinions and voice your ideas before the International Board. Simply put, I am a liaison between your district and Key Club International. As a result, communication is essential; please don’t hesitate to ask me a question, offer a suggestion, or schedule a call to discuss something going on at the international level.

Additionally, on a regular basis, I send email updates out to all of my districts to provide a snapshot of what is occur-ring at the international level. I also set up videoconferences with my governors, the other executive officers, and the lieutenant governors.

As always, I am a resource, voice, and friend for you all. Let me know what I can do for you, and I will be there to address your needs.

In addition, I hope to see you all at the 2015 International Convention from June 24 to 28 in Indianapolis, Indiana! With the 100th centennial of Kiwanis International, we will be having a joint convention with all of Kiwanis Family, and there will be lots of interesting events—from a HelloGoodbye concert, to a pancake breakfast, to a baseball game. Contact District Administrator Brad Malone or District Governor Tyler Jones to learn more.

Congratulations, once again, Georgia Key Clubbers! I am already impressed by your passion, work ethic, and motiva-tion to improve the district, and I can’t wait to see all that you do during the upcoming year of service.

Yours in service,Tashrima HossainInternational TrusteeGeorgia, KIWIN’S, & Pacific Northwest7135052252keyclub.org

This year during our first district board training, the Major Empha-sis committee agreed that the district goal for the Eliminate Project

would be $20,000, which, although $2,000 more than we had achieved last year, is completely feasible. Over the course of five years, Key Club In-ternational has been promoting the Eliminate Project to eradicate mater-nal and neonatal tetanus (MNT) from undeserved countries. So far, un-der all Kiwanis-Family branches, we have raised over $76.8 million of our $110 million goal. This money goes into the remaining 24 countries where MNT has not been eradicated, and only $1.80 can save a mother and her babies from contracting the disease. The Georgia district has been working productively to raise awareness and funds for these efficient vaccinations.

This year, Key Clubbers have had the opportunity to request that Rustic Path-ways staff members visit their local meetings, an initiative that has helped to inspire Key Clubbers from Georgia to South Korea to become more involved with global issues and take the next step to broadening their perspectives.

Founded over 30 years ago, today, Rustic Pathways offers students the opportunity to join over 90 service programs in 18 countries. In the words of Chris Stakich, Chief Executive Officer of Rustic Pathways, “Our programs provide students with the opportunity to develop leadership skills while working with communities around the world and gaining a better global perspective.”

The Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) is an endowed fund for Key Club International held within the Kiwanis International Foundation.

This fund uses earned interest to help Key Clubs and Key Club mem-bers serve the world by providing grants for service opportunities. The Youth Opportunities Fund is established through gifts to the G. Harold Martin Fellowships.

Clubs may request funding assistance ranging anywhere from US$100 to US$2,000. The committee typically funds those clubs who are asking for a portion of the total cost of the project, and clubs who are working with other organiza-tions to fund and complete the project.

For more information visit http://keyclub.org/service/fund/yof.aspx

YouthOpportunities Fund

Nickelodeon joined the Ki-wanis family as a 2013 Vision Partner of Kiwanis Interna-tional with a focus on its Big Help initiative, which ad-dresses issues in service, edu-cation, the environment and health. Learn more about Nickelodeon’s Big Help ef-forts at pro-social.nick.com or nick.com/thebighelp.

In 1997, Key Club made Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals a preferred charity for its members to support.

The mission of the March of Dimes is to im-prove the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

Since 1994, Key Club has been Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF and over the years has raised nearly US$5 million for iodine deficiency programs worldwide and HIV and AIDS programs in Kenya and Swaziland.

Missed District Convention ?

On Friday, March 20, nearly 250 Key Club members, Kiwanians, Facul-

ty Advisors and guests arrived at the Georgia Center’s UGA Hotel and Con-ference Center for the 70th Annual Georgia District Key Club Convention.

Each year, the Georgia District cele-brates the culmination of a year of

service to members’ homes, schools and communities by joining together at a District Convention.

From award presentations to scav-enger hunts, 3k fundraiser walks,

dances, educational workshops and exciting general sessions, District Convention has become an event that Key Clubbers look forward to each and every year.

The 2014-2015 Georgia District Board began planning for this

year’s convention back in April of 2014 when they first met together as a group. From deciding on the theme, designing the convention pin to set-ting the rules and regulations for the year’s contests and awards, there is a ton of work that goes on behind-the-scenes. What sets Key Club apart from many high school organizations is that Key Club is truly student-led – and a district convention is no excep-tion.

The convention started off with registration in the main lobby of the conference center, with district board

members signing up students for the Talent and Orato-ry contests, collecting donations for the Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes and the Eliminate Project, and ensuring that club’s register their official voting delegates for the con-vention.

Once checked in to their rooms, Key Clubbers were able to peruse the Service Fair that was expanded this year

to incorporate some unique and amazing organizations, such as YUDA Bands, Beads of Hope Africa and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Of course, the Kiwanis family organizations were also on-hand to share their stories, in-cluding Builders Club, Circle K, Key Leader and more.

After registration and the service fair, it was time for the Pizza Party where members could meet and greet with

other clubs.

Later that evening, educational workshops were held that provided members and club officers with training

and information on Key Club as an international organiza-tion. Service organizations were also on-hand to provide ideas and spark enthusiasm for members to take back to their home clubs to share with members.

Missed District Convention ?

At 9:15 that evening, the Opening Session was held to officially kick off the convention.

Exciting music welcomed the members as they entered the general session hall, making for a fun environment complete with “thunder sticks” so Key Club members could show their spirit!

2014-2015 Key Club District Governor Steve Shin called the convention and opening ses-sion to order. Service partners YUDA Bands and Beads of Hope Africa shared their story and how Key Club members could get involved with helping students in third-world countries have access to an education.

The annual presentation of the Eliminate Proj-ect Awards were held with Jason Kim, 2014-2015 Major Emphasis Chair recognizing clubs for their hard work to raise funds and aware-ness to eliminate Maternal and Neonatal Teta-nus through the partnership with Kiwanis and UNICEF.

After the end of the club awards, a check was presented that shattered the district’s goal for this year in the amount of $18,497.91 – enough funds to save more than 10,297 mother and their future babies!

Remington Youngblood, a Builders Club member, presented a speech that won him

a Builders Club International Oratorical Award to the entire convention.

After the business of the opening session was attended to, it was time for the week-

end’s entertainment with Ronn Winter – a re-nowned mentalist/magician. Key Club mem-bers and adults alike were blown away with the “mind-reading” stunts that had many scratch-ing their heads after the session.

As the clock struck midnight, Key Clubbers were in their rooms for curfew, getting

ready for another exciting day of convention!

Bright and early on Saturday morning, mem-bers that registered for the annual Georgia

Sheriffs’ Youth Homes 3k Walk headed down to the main atrium for pre-walk stretches! More than 100 walkers took to the streets in Athens to raise awareness for the Georgia District Proj-ect.

After the walk, it was times for the Celebration Breakfast to re-ener-

gize for the day’s activities.

Divisional caucuses were up next on the agenda, where candidates

seeking Executive Office and Inter-national endorsement presented a speech and answered questions from Key Club members. Lieutenant Gov-ernor elections were held at the con-clusion of caucuses for those divisions that did not elect at a divisional rally.

Following the conclusion of caucus-ing, a Nominating Conference was

held to reduce the number of candi-dates for executive office to two per office that will go on the ballot at the House of Delegates later that evening.

Next up was the third and final round of educational workshops,

including a service project where members made “Boo Boo Bunnies” for a local children’s hospital. Members trying out for the talent and oratori-cal contests had their preliminaries and the first-ever Key Club Quiz Bowl were also held during this time.

During the afternoon, members were free to explore the beautiful

city of Athens, grab lunch and hang out with their new Key Club friends. A “Run to Eliminate” scavenger hunt was held to raise money for the Elimi-nate Project during the afternoon.

On Saturday evening, the Talent and Awards Ban-quet was held – where members put on their best

dress for this formal affair.

After the session was called to order and dinner was served, numerous awards and scholarships were

presented, talented Key Club members showed off during the talent show and an oratorical winner was announced. A complete list of award winners can be found at the bottom of this page.

2014-2015 District Project Chair Mina Jeong recog-nized clubs that participated in fundraising and aware-ness projects with the Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Homes and the grand total donation of $14,557.89 to the or-ganization.

After the conclusion of the Talent and Awards Banquet, it was time for the

House of Delegates where two delegates from each club came together to debate proposed amendments and to elect the ex-ecutive officers for the 2015-2016 year.

The night ended with the annual Gover-nors Ball dance – where members were

able to dance the night away with their new friends from across the state.

Sunday morning brought the Farewell Breakfast – where the 2014-2015 Geor-

gia District Board was retired and the new board was installed. To view the 2015-2016 Georiga District Board, visit XX.

2015-2016 Georgia District Governor Tyler Jones provide the last announcements and officially adjourned the 70th Annual Geor-gia District Key Club Convention!

MAJOR EMPHASIS AWARD1st Place – Chestatee High School 2nd Place– Habersham Central High School

SINGLE SERVICE AWARD SILVER DIVISION 1st Place - Chapel Hill High School 2nd Place - Chestatee High School GOLD DIVISION 1st Place - Habersham Central High School Key Club PLATINUM DIVISION 1st Place - Sandy Creek High School

ANNUAL ACHIEVEMENT REPORT AWARD1st Place - Habersham Central High School (also receiving Distinguished Club – Diamond Level)Receiving Distinguished Club – Diamond Level - Tallulah Falls School Receiving Distinguished Club - Peachtree Ridge High School Receiving Distinguished Club - Sandy Creek High School

GEORGIA SHERIFFS’ YOUTH HOMES AWARENESS AWARD1st Place: Habersham Central High School2nd Place: Chestatee High School

GEORGIA SHERIFFS’ YOUTH HOMES FUNDRAISING1st Place: Habersham Central High School2nd Place: Chestatee High School

GEORGIA SHERIFFS’ YOUTH HOMES HIGHEST CONTRIBUTOR AWARD1st Place: Habersham Central High School

2014-2015 GEORGIA DISTRICT

KEY CLUB AWARD WINNERS

SERVICE INITIATIVE AWARD – THE ELIM-INATE PROJECT - UNICEF1st Place: Habersham Central High School 2nd Place: Chestatee High School3rd Place: Glynn Academy

ENDORSED PROJECTS: MARCH OF DIMES OR CHILDREN’S MIRACLE NET-WORK1st Place: Habersham Central High School

TALENT CONTEST PARTICIPATION AWARDAmari Marable – Valdosta High School Alexis Cohen – North Atlanta Key Club Haqq Tertuliano – Tift County Key ClubJoowon King – Lambert High SchoolLindsay Brooks – SW Georgia Homes-chool Association

ORATORY CONTEST1st Place: Ameya Chandler - Peachtree Ridge High School2nd Place: Roopa Patel - Valdosta High School

NON-TRADITIONAL SCRAPBOOK AWARD1st Place: SW Georgia Home School As-sociation2nd Place: Tallulah Falls School

TRADITIONAL SCRAPBOOK AWARD1st Place - Habersham Central High School 2nd Place – SW Georgia Homeschool

Association3rd Place: Sandy Creek High School

NON-DIGITAL CLUB POSTER AWARD1st Place: Flowery Branch High School 2nd Place: Habersham Central High School

DIGITAL CLUB POSTER1st Place: Chapel Hill High School Key Club

GEORGIA DISTRICT KEY CLUB T-SHIRT CONTEST1st Place: Lambert High School Key Club2nd Place: Alcovy High School Key Club3rd Place: Chapel Hill High School

GEORGIA DISTRICT KEY CLUB QUIZ BOWL1st Place: Jonathon Swann & Sarah Cato of Alcovy High School 2nd Place: Macy Scruggs & Carly Triana of McIntosh High School 3rd Place: Eileen Chen & Yatri Thaker of Valdosta High School

PROMOTIONAL VIDEO AWARD1st Place: Southwest Georgia Homeschool Association2nd Place: McIntosh High SchoolS. Michael Goss Outstanding Faculty Advi-sorAngela Nunnally, Habersham Central High School

JOHN C. THOMPSON OUTSTANDING KI-WANIS ADVISORRex Stalvey, Brunswick Kiwanis Club

J. MARION BRANTLEY OUTSTANDING KEY CLUBBERAndrea Guillen, Habersham Central High School

WALTER DAVEN STAPLETON OUT-STANDING CLUB OFFICER AWARDClub Presidents:Bella Kim - Lambert High SchoolAndrea Guillen - Habersham Central High School

CLUB VICE PRESIDENTS:Emma Matthews - Habersham Central High SchoolLeslie Tran - Peachtree Ridge High SchoolEmma Johnson - Glynn Academy

WALTER DAVEN STAPLETON OUT-STANDING CLUB OFFICER SCHOLAR-SHIPAndrea Guillen, President, Habersham Central High School

DR. ROBERT BARRON OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDEmma Johnson of Glynn Academy Key Club – Trash Pick-Up on St. Simons BeachRebecca Brown of Chestatee High School Key Club – Operation Christmas ChildTallulah Falls Key Club – Zombie Run with Kiwanis for EliminateSouthwest Ga Home School Association Key Club – Christmas Anchorage BoxesHabersham Central Key Club – helping a local elementary school PTO raise funds for school supplies

FRANK J. POWERS AWARDKatrina Baranko, Past-District Governor, Georgia District of Kiwanis International

OUTSTANDING DISTRICT BOARD MEM-BERMina Jeong, District Projects Chair, Lam-bert High School

GOVERNOR’S AWARDBrad MaloneBrian J. Shin

KEY CLUB INTERNATIONAL - ROB-ERT F. LUCAS OUTSTANDING LT. GOVERNOR AWARDRaiven Harris, Lt. Governor Division 11Bella Kim, Lt. Governor Division 14Katlyn Greene, Lt. Governor Divi-sions 2 & 15

GEORGIA DISTRICT OUTSTANDING COMMITTEE CHAIR AWARDEmma Matthews, Policies & Contest ChairAnnalise Barron, Kiwanis Family Chair

GEORGIA DISTRICT LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP$1000.00 RECIPIENTS:Leslie Tran, Peachtree Ridge High SchoolRachel Garland, Armuchee High SchoolEmma Matthews, Habersham Cen-tral High SchoolHallie Smith, Spalding High School

$500.00 RECIPIENT: Rushir Parikh, Chestatee High School See

you

there!

The 2015 Key Club International Convention will be held in Indi-anapolis, Indiana in conjunction with Kiwanis International’s 100th Anniversary Celebration and Con-vention. The Georgia District will attend as a delegation, departing Saturday, June 20 and will return on Sunday, June 28. The Tour will be visiting both Cincinnati, Ohio and Indianapolis, Indiana.