CIRCLING THE EMPIRE

New York District of Circle K International

Issue 2 July 2015

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

CONTENTS h e l p f u l h i n t s

e v e n t s

i n t e r n a t i o n a l

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

Letter from the District Editor 4

7 Monthly Report Form Fun Facts 6

A List of Summer Acts of Kindness 7

Queens K-Family Takes on Mulch 8

More Ways to Volunteer 11

District Members Level Up 14

Meet Your Trustee 15

CONTENTS s p o t l i g h t s

a c t i v i t y

c o n t a c t

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

Take a Trip Down the CKIx Lane 16

New York Circle K Wins Big 18

Figure Out Your Spirit Firework 20

Follow Our District Online 22 Contact the District Board Members 23

Interested in writing an article or promoting an event in the

next Circling the Empire? Email District Editor

Alyssa Famolari (alyssa.famolari@nycirclek.org)

for more information!

g e t i n v o l v e d

Happy Belated Fourth of July, New York District! Hopefully, your summer is more eventful than mine. To be fair, I did go to Dorney Park and the beach this month, but those were two isolated incidents. Basically, my summer has consisted of constantly reorganizing my room, Circle K, and watching episodes of Drake and Josh. I wish I were kidding. My family even said to me, “If only we had a dollar for every time Alyssa said ‘Circle K.’” But I love Circle K, so that makes things less boring. Enough about my unsocial life; let us move on to the good stuff. If you are not sitting down while reading this, then you should be because this issue of Circling the Empire is pretty exciting. For the most part, it is firework-themed (not the Katy Perry song, even though that is equally as fantastic) and who does not love some fireworks? Also, you have V.I.P. access to an inside look of New York District’s experience at the 100th Annual Kiwanis International Convention and Circle K International Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana! Do you guys remember the song “We Are Family” by Sister Sledge? Well, the group performed that song at the Kiwanis Convention closing ceremony. Long story short, Kiwanis knows how to party and while Hellogoodbye was epic (the tween in me thanks Circle K), it pales in comparison to that iconic trio. On top of all of this, District Secretary Jerry Cimo gives us a breakdown of the Monthly Report Form (MRF), you have the opportunity to learn about upcoming events, and find out which type of firework you are! Remember, if you would like to promote an event or write about one, let me know! ! Please, enjoy this issue and if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to reach out to me.

Hugs and kisses, Alyssa Famolari 718.974.8230 alyssa.famolari@nycirclek.org

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helpful hints

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

ALMOST 800 MILLION PEOPLE DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO SAFE,

CLEAN DRINKING WATER.

YOU CAN BE THE CHANGE.

New York Circle K presents its District Project

M-R-what? The Monthly Report Form (MRF) is your club’s most official communication with the district. While the district puts out newsletters, email

campaigns, etc., this is the most important way to communicate with the district.

1. Individual service hours count Be sure to email your club secretary if you participate in a service project on your own or during school breaks, that way your hard work is recognized and added to your club’s total service hours.

2. It can get your club recognized Information from MRF submissions is used to decide the NY District member of the month. Also, the compiled information is used in the club awards process for District Convention. Those the most hours can win awards – do not miss out!

3. Lists upcoming events There is a section on the form for your club to list upcoming events. This gives the district a chance to help with promotion or maybe even a governor’s visit.

4. Everyone can see the MRF Check out what it looks like and download it from www.nycirclek.org/mrf.

5. Due every month of the year The MRF is due for all 12 months of the year, even during summer vacation or school breaks. This means service does not end if school is out!

6. Filled out by the club secretary Please, submit the MRF by the 7th of each month. For example, the MRF reporting information for all of July is due on August 7th. Be sure to get your hours in.

7. The MRF helps you! Information from the MRF allows for the district to give your club better support, a chance to provide feedback, and lets us know how we can better serve you.

helpful hints

7 R E A S O N S

e v e r y o n e s h o u l d c a r e a b o u t t h e M R F

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S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

By: Jerry Cimo

! SEND MILITARY PACKAGES " Visit websites, such as Our Military and

Operation Gratitude, to learn how to mail packages to support our troops!

! CLEAN OUT AND GIVE BACK " Go through your overflowing closet and

donate the clothes that you do not wear or do not fit to local shelters!

! SHEETS, BLANKETS, & TOWELS " Have any sheets or blankets your

family does not use? Do some of your towels look like a hot mess? Gather them all up and hand them over to The Humane Society! #AnimalBeds

! DRIVE-THRU PAYMENT " If your wallet is looking nice, pay for

the person behind you in line at the drive-thru? Do not have a car? You can do it inside restaurants too!

! BOOK DONATION " Peruse your home for all of those books

you have not looked at in years. Go down to the nearest library and donate!

! SUMMER’S DAY TREAT " This heat is disgusting. Give a friend an

ice cream to help them cool down. Steer clear of strangers and children to avoid a very awkward situation.

helpful hints

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

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DID YOU KNOW? o We feel happier when

we perform acts of kindness.

o People who are kind and compassionate are usually the most successful.

o We increase children’s feelings of happiness and well-being, reduce bullying, and improve their friendships by teaching them to be givers of kindness.

© The Honey Foundation !

events

MULCH

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

By: Lena Khouri

It was one awkward summer day when you are not quite sure how to dress. Shorts and a tee will leave you a little chilly (unless, you’re Kelly Chan), but if you wear a sweater, you will overheat! Despite the strange, muggy weather, many came out to support environmental efforts in the town many call home – Flushing, Queens. Kiwanians, Circle K members, and Key Clubbers joined forces, ready to get our hands dirty and beautify our slightly filthy, though always charming hometown.

Service began with the awesome park representatives, who instructed us on what we would be doing that day. Due to the rain, painting benches was not an option. As the park representative explained this, in came a truck filled with tools, garbage bags, and a pile of mulch that took up the entire back trunk! Mulching is very important as it allows trees to hold in moisture and serves as a protective cushion or the tree. After hearing this, we were all

pumped to cushion and help the trees grow (woo)! Then, came carrying the mulch… Bags with just a few shovels full of mulch had us toppling over a little, trying to heave it over to the trees, which suddenly seemed way too far. Nonetheless, the challenges brought out the best of us, which led to friendships and future service events. Of course, the fun and games made even stronger bonds. We were picking up tree branches larger than us, making friends with some worms, and wheeling members around in a wheelbarrow. Finally, the moment that we never thought would come arrived! The pile of mulch was distributed to the trees, keeping them safe and healthy. With a blended feeling of exhaustion and accomplishment, everyone took off their dirty gloves, packed away the gardening tools, and headed to a favorite post service activity – dumplings! I pass this park everyday and when I see the mulch around the trees, I feel proud to have been a part of the project that helped a park my friends and I have enjoyed for years. I cannot wait for the next service project! 8

… I feel proud to

have been a part of

the project

that helped…

events

MADNESS

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

By: Kelly Chan

While Kiwanis Family Month is celebrated each year throughout the month of November and Kiwanis One Day is celebrated during the first or second Saturday of April each year, they are by no means the only time Queens strives towards strengthening K-Family relations through service. On June 6th, I, along with St. John's Circle K, hosted “Queens K-Family Day of Service”.

We invited members from a soon-to-be-chartered Aktion Club, the Rosedale-Laurelton Kiwanis Club, other CKI clubs, and various Key Clubs in the NYC area to help paint 90 park

benches green. Unfortunately, the rain prevented the park bench painting from being possible. After contacting the park coordinator, I was able to set up a mulching project in place of the painting project at the same location, Kissena Corridor Park. I was both surprised and not surprised, when nearly 50 members showed up to the event, despite the rain. They were all ready to complete whatever service project was put in front of them. Together, we shoveled and placed mulch around nearly all the trees in the park.

We also cleaned up the area as a whole and picked up branches, which happened to be the 2015 CKI Kiwanis One Day initiative: #BranchesWithBranches. This event was a huge success and reminded me of how dedicated members of the K-Family truly are. It reminded me that everyday is "Kiwanis One Day" and it made me especially proud because we all got to complete a #BranchesWithBranches project. Better late than never right? If you missed out, we hope to plan many more "Queens K-Family Day of Service" events. In fact, a second will be held on July 25th at the O'Connor Park in Bayside and a third will be held at Kissena Corridor Park on August 8th. Feel free to contact me at kelchan.cki@gmail.com for more information!

9 #BranchesWithBranches

!

1 IN EVERY 3

1 IN EVERY 2

The odds of men and women developing cancer are too high.

Let’s strive to Knock Out Cancer!

NYCKI’s

Official

Govern

or’s

Projec

t

events

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

UPCOMING EVENTS

Kiwanis Family Picnic August 8th, 1:00 – 4:00 PM

Flushing Meadow Corona Park, Flushing, NY Do you want to party it up with fellow K-Family members?

From throwing pies at board members to decorating cupcakes, this is going to be the event of the summer!

Join the Facebook Event!

Day of Service August 8th, 10:00 AM Kissina Cooridor Park Fresh Meadows, NY

Join other Queens K-Family members in painting and

cleaning up this park!

Join the Facebook Event!

DLSSP September 25th – September 27th Kamp Kiwanis

Taberg, NY Participate in our district’s

largest service project!

Join the Facebook Event!

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Are you a Minute-To-Win-It Professional? Do you want to pie your favorite district board member?

How do you feel about blowing bubbles?

New York District’s 5th Annual K-Family Picnic Flushing Meadow Corona Park

August 8th, 1:00 PM SLP Admittance: $5.00

Kiwanian Admittance: $10.00 This time YOU choose where the proceeds go!

Food and activities included

!

What if… you could save a baby’s life?

What if… you could keep a family whole?

What if… you could change the world?

international

CONGRATULATIONS

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

New York District congratulates these three fellas on their newly appointed positions on the Circle K International Board. You guys

deserve it and we could not be happier that you are proudly representing our district!

14

Josh Hi ll Secretary Analytics

Jack Curzon K-Kids Ambassador

Kiwanis Family Relations

Brian Kenny Secretary

Governing Documents

international

SUBREGION F TRUSTEE

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

This year’s Circle K International Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana was full of service projects and fellowship opportunities. Also, it was a chance to expand leadership skills by running for an international board position. That is exactly what Vy Tran did! She is not just as cute as a bunny. She is also a very dedicated Circle K member and she is going to more than excel in her newfound position! We are so excited for you to be our trustee and we cannot wait to see all that you accomplish this service year! 15

IP Subregion F Trustee Kelly Chan (left) and Subregion F Trustee Vy Tran (right)

Subregion F Trustee Vy Tran (left) and Hunter College President Corrie Chan (right)

spotlights

CKIx:

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

By: Corrie Chan

As a freshman, I have never been to a Circle K ICON, let alone with FOUR different K-Family members. I have been to ICON as a Key Clubber, so I knew a taste of how crazy the week would be. I took an 18 hour-long bus ride to get to Indianapolis, while mentally preparing myself. I arrived at the hotel, where registration was being held, and that is where I first met the members of the New York District.

To be honest, I was a bit nervous to be around them because even though I started

my term as President of Hunter College Circle K a few months ago, I did not understand many of the conversations they had about Circle K business. However, by the end of CKIx, I had connected with them in different ways and learned a lot about each person (maybe a little too much) over late nights and meals. On Wednesday and Friday, we had a Large Scale Service Project (LSSP), where we helped around the neighborhood and created lasting bonds with people from all over the continent. With over 400 volunteers, we made the local news!

Thursday's caucus and House of Delegates were brutal for most of us. We were struggling to stay awake due to the lack of sleep and the strenuous day before. Thankfully, listening to what the candidates had to offer to further Circle K was an important reason to stay awake! That night was the Kiwanis opening celebration. I learned the 100 years of history of how Kiwanis came to be and heard the inspirational story of Tim Harris. He taught me a quote from Walt Disney, "If you can dream it, you can do it." I attended a workshop called "Pursuing your Passion" during the last day of the convention. I do not know what I want to do for the rest of my life and this workshop taught me that I will eventually find it sooner or later; when I do, go for it, despite what others say. On Saturday night, I left CKIx learning the importance of service, leadership, and fellowship. The memories and friendships I created in Indianapolis were priceless and what I learned at CKIx will forever be ingrained in me!

spotlights

INDY 100 By: Miguel Uy

During the 2014 – 2015 service year, almost everything I did in Circle K

was completely new to me, including every service event, social, and convention. This was because I had just learned about and joined Circle K International and the Kiwanis family. I even had to promote the conventions without ever having been to one! Sadly, I was not able to build up any excitement from any previous experiences. However, by the time I attended New York Speaking and District Convention, I was filled with Circle K Spirit. When it came to CKIx, I still did not have a clue as to what to expect. I was told that it was going to be a grander, more intense District Convention; that CKI clubs from all over the world were invited to attend. It was going to be held in celebration of 100 years of Kiwanis and there would be service projects that were massive in scale. Finally, that it was going to last a whole week in some far off place – Indianapolis, Indiana.

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

But as I’m typing this, now that I have gone and attended it, I can certainly say that CKIx was so much more than that. It was an unforgettable experience surrounded by truly inspiring and passionate people who truly love what they do in Circle K. I was able to create new and lasting friendships with these Circle K members who I would never have met

otherwise, if not for the convention. I was given the amazing opportunity to serve and touch others and truly create an impact in the lives of others. All in all, CKIx was a true testament to the tenets: service, leadership and fellowship. It was a life-changing experience that I will never forget!

I was given the amazing opportunity

to serve and touch others and truly create an impact in the lives

of others…

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spotlights

PROUD DISTRICT

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

FOUR clubs from New York Circle K proudly accepted

prestigious awards at Circle K International

Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana!

Our district is so lucky

to have these dedicated clubs and we want to congratulate you on

your hard work and dedication! 18

!Club Division Award Clarkson University Ruby Growth Enhances

Membership

Elmira College Diamond Growth Enhances Membership

Marist College Sapphire Growth Enhances Membership

University at Buffalo Diamond Growth Enhances Membership

University at Buffalo Platinum Single Service

!

!

BITE BACK little tick…

BIG PR BLEM pediatric lyme disease

Join the fight by becoming a member of the Kiwanis Pediatric Lyme Disease (KPLD) Committee

! !

Check off each question you answer “yes” to. Then, tally up the total and read the box that corresponds to your number on the next page!

Now, go find out what type of firework you are!

Are you a Taylor Swift fan?

Do you throw a 4th of July party?

Do you watch the fireworks?

Do you not mind loud noises?

Do you enjoy the heat?

Are you an outdoors person?

Do you have a bit of a temper?

Are you a caffeine enthusiast?

Are you a thrill-seeker?

Is Katy Perry’s Firework your jam?

Total: ____ !

Consider yourself an extrovert?

Do you love attention?

Are you super talkative?

Are you a confident person?

Do you love amber waves of grain?

Have you ever eaten apple pie?

Do you love all of the colors?

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag?

Would you win in a dance-off?

Do you love NYCKI?

Total: ____ !

activity

WHAT TYPE OF

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

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!

activity

FIREWORK ARE YOU?

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

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0-7: Baby, You’re a Sparkler Even though you are a little on the quiet side, you are still one of the most beautiful parts about this holiday. You are an all-time favorite and everyone loves you!

15-20: Baby, You’re a Firework You command the room. You are the one everyone wants to be. You might be quite the talker, but let us be real, people love to hear to you speak. Continue to shine!

8-14: Baby, You’re a Firecracker You might not be the one demanding all of the attention,

but you certainly are not hiding in a corner. People gravitate towards you because you know how to have fun!

! Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nycirclek ! Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nycirclek ! Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/nycirclek ! Subscribe to us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/nyckitv ! Add NYCK on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nyck.bear ! Follow NYCK on Twitter: www.twitter.com/nyckbear ! Check out our website: www.nycirclek.org

!Capital Division Facebook Group !Empire Division Facebook Group !Hudson Valley Division Facebook Group ! Iroquois Division Facebook Group !Liberty Division Facebook Group !Long Island Division Facebook Group !Northern Division Facebook Group !Seneca Division Facebook Group !Southern Tier Division Facebook Group !Western Division Facebook Group

contact

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

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SOCIAL MEDIA

!

contact

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .

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DISTRICT BOARD

Governor Walaa Ahmed: walaa.ahmed@nycirclek.org District Secretary Jerry Cimo: jerry.cimo@nycirclek.org

District Treasurer Josh Hill: josh.hill@nycirclek.org District Editor Alyssa Famolari: alyssa.famolari@nycirclek.org

Executive Assistant Elizabeth McGuoirk: elizabeth.mcguoirk@nycirclek.org

Capital LTG Aaron Skulsky: aaron.skulsky@nycirclek.org Empire LTG Alisha Morgan: alisha.morgan@nycirclek.org Hudson Valley LTG Sean Coyle: sean.coyle@nycirclek.org

Iroquois LTG Edward Kroll: edward.kroll@nycirclek.org Liberty LTG Kristina Reyes: kristina.reyes@nycirclek.org

Long Island LTG Edgar Hu: edgar.hu@nycirclek.org Northern LTG Annina Quarantello: annina.quarantello@nycirclek.org

Seneca LTG Terrell Merritt: terrell.merritt@nycirclek.org The Southern Tier LTG Tina Lee: tina.lee@nycirclek.org

Western LTG David Wu: david.wu@nycirclek.org

Lieutenant Governors (LTG)

Executive Board

!!

S e r v i c e . L e a d e r s h i p . F e l l o w s h i p .