Originally founded in May 1925 by a small group in Sacramento, California, Key ( Kiwanis educating youth) Club International has become a nationally recognized organization.
Key Club, although primarily volunteer work does have an occasional fundraiser that helps to support the school it’s run in. The local fundraisers run for the Key Club is the annual corn maze ( Amazing Fun Farm), change collecting for UNICEF and selling chocolate for March of Dimes in the spring.
“Fundraising gives our members an opportunity to enjoy the benefits of participating in Key Club without any additional costs,” Key Club sponsor Cassi Wells said. “Once a member pays his or her dues, there is no other cost during the year.”
Key Club charges a fee of $30 that includes things like a T-shirt that’s designed by fellow Key Club members. Key Club currently has a total of 123 members a new record for the club. When Members volunteer, they do not gain any money, but instead gain community service hours that can be used for credits later. For example, the National Honors Society requires a certain number of service hours that can be obtained by volunteering with Key Club.
“My favorite event so far has been making meals monthly at The Ronald McDonald House for the families that have to stay in the House,” Wells said. “Being able to have a hot, healthy meal is just one less worry for them. Key Club is committed to community service projects. Our student board members decide as a group what projects we take on.”
Along with The Ronald McDonald House, Key Club does projects with March of Dimes, UNICEF, Children’s Miracle Network, Northwest Texas Hospital, High Plains Food Bank, NICU, JDRF, Panhandle Plains Historical Museum, as well as helping with all the surrounding elementary school carnivals.
“We are so incredibly involved that it’s hard for members to choose which projects to help with,” Wells said. “Sometimes we have three events going on at the same time and members have to decide where to go.”
As this is Wells’ first year of being sponsor, she is new to the many projects of Key Club and all the responsibility that comes with it.
“I wanted to get more involved in my community and show Amarillo what awesome young adults we have at Randall High School,” Wells said. “My favorite part of Key Club is seeing our young people wanting to make a change in our community. Their level of commitment and dedication to our service projects is very impressive.”
