Habitat for Humanity: Taking a Stand or Changing the Channel

     On Saturday May 14, 2011, I participated in a Habitat for Humanity Project in Annapolis, MD with three other NCHS Key Club members, and several Severna Park Key Club members.  I have long had a desire to volunteer with Habitat and help make a difference in the lives of a needy and deserving family.  Just like most things I find in my life, my initial expectations were vastly different than the actual outcome.  Even though I was entirely unprepared for the work I was going to do that day, and I do mean work, I had a lot of fun, and am richer for the experience.
     Three North County Key Club members and I arrived at the site bright and early that Saturday morning, excited and ready to volunteer.  We were broken up into groups and were assigned tasks for the day.  This is when I learned that when Habitat for Humanity says they build houses, they build houses.  I was not expecting to do actual construction work that day, but I did.  They put me right to work, and it was not easy either.

Me using a jackhammer to
break up the concrete.

     Another Key Club member and I were directed to a basement of a house where concrete rocks needed to be cleared.  After hauling the rocks up the street to a dumpster, we then had to clear all the gravel and concrete out of this trench so that we could begin to dig deeper into the trench, which began to quickly fill with water.  So for the record, Habitat for Humanity while fun, puts people to work.
     I would highly recommend Habitat for Humanity to anyone who really wants to get their hands dirty and volunteer.  Make no mistake, it was hard work.  But it was really fun, and we truly did make a difference.
     One of the things that made the biggest impact on me while at the project was the amount of poverty where I live.  The project was in Annapolis, within walking distance of the Capitol, and yet there were so many people that lived in less than sustainable conditions.  People often watch those T.V. shows, such as Feed the Children, that ask you to donate to people in need, and they often think "This happens in other countries, it could never happen where I live."  I know I am guilty of this as well.  Well people, it doesn't just happen in other countries, in places far from home.  It's here right in our own backyard. What are we going to do about it?  Are we gonna get up, take a stand, and do something about it?  Or are we just going to change the channel?

Passing the Torch

     Dear North County High School Key Club,
     It's hard for me to believe what has happened in my life with you is real.  It's so surreal, it kind of feels like a dream sometimes.  I can still remember the very moment that you were born, that very first meeting way back in October of 2010.  Now, here I am, stepping down as your President, and I can't help but feel mixed emotions.
     I am going to be honest: there were times when I wasn't sure you were going to survive.  I mean seriously, who would have thought that North County High School students would ever be interested in volunteering?  Sometimes, it seemed pointless to even try, but was I ever proven wrong.
     The past year has been incredible for me.  I have learned so much about myself by raising you and helping you to grow and expand into an official chartered Key Club.  No doubt I made mistakes along the way, which is why I am thankful for my amazing officer team.  I could not have asked for a more qualified, more altruistic, more perfect officer team than the one that helped to raise you this year. Even though I had no idea what I was doing, they helped raise you from literally nothing into something the entire school can be proud of.   Without them, you would have died young, and would never have survived to see your first Convention, your first Chartering Ceremony, or your first Recognition Ceremony.  You owe them your life.
     Part of me is very distraught at the reality of not being your President.  It took me a long time to decide to step down as your President. I agonized over the decision for weeks, and I consulted practically everyone I knew for advice.  In retrospect, I am glad I have made this decision.
     I realized that you had to be bigger than me.  If I served as President for another year, you might become synonymous with me, and that is the last thing I want to happen.  You are not about me, you are about high school students serving their communities and making a difference.  In order to ensure your survival, I needed to give people the chance to step up and take charge.  You were never made to benefit me; I created you for the students, so that you could provide the, with a warm, friendly environment where they could volunteer and make a difference.  The time had come for me to move and pass you on to the next generation of leaders, and I have the utmost confidence that they will do a great job.
     My term as your President has officially ended.  It has been the best year of my life, and I consider it a great honor and privilege to have been fortunate enough to serve as your first ever President.  I know that the new officer team will be very efficient in leading you, and will help ensure that you live a long life after I am gone.  Thanks so much for inspiring me to be the best leader that I could be, and to go out of my comfort zone to make sure that the club was running smoothly.  You have given me more than I have ever given you, and I am so thankful that I was able to be a part of your life, even if it was brief.  I know that you will have an outstanding next year, and live a long life, and will continue to teach students the value of volunteering and making a difference.  Thank you so much for the best year of my life, I have loved every minute of it.
Your Loving Past President,
Christopher Frye

NCHS Key Club Executive Board 2010-2011

Old Mill High School Key Club Induction Ceremony

     This past Wednesday, May 11 2011, I was lucky enough to be invited to attend Old Mill High School Key Club's Induction Ceremony.  I was both very excited and quite nervous, ironically for the same reason: I had never visited another club before.  What if the other officers didn't like me?  Would they be willing to work with me?  What if they didn't have an active Key Club and didn't care about service?  As far as I am concerned, those concerns were over-blown and unnecessary.  Old Mill Key Club is awesome.

The inducted members on stage.

     It was an important night for Old Mill Key Club.  37 members who had volunteered at least 50 hours were being recognized, as well as officially inducting their members for the year.  They were also recognizing and awarding their officers for their hard work and service, and saying goodbye to their Key Club Advisor, who is leaving Old Mill to teach at South River after years of teaching there and 6 years as their Key Club advisor.  It was great to see so many people so giving back to their communities.  I was so happy and so impressed with Old Mill Key Club, I can't wait to work on projects with them in the future.

Old Mill Key Club Executive Board 2011-2012

     What impressed me the most about Old Mill Key Club was the extent of their service.  They volunteer A LOT.  Between organizing some of the largest participation in Relay for Life in the district, spending Thanksgiving day serving a free meal to needy families, tutoring at the Ruth Parker Eason School, or raising 3000 pounds of food for Harvest for the Hungry, Old Mill Key Club puts their money where their mouth is when it comes to service.    Of the 103 members in Old Mill Key Club, 37 have volunteered at least 50 hours in the past year.  I haven't even done that many hours with my Key Club!  That's almost 2,000 hours of service among 1/3 of their club.  Amazing.  That's all I can say.

The plaque that Old Mill Key Club advisor received
for his dedication to Key Club.

     Overall, I would say that my first visit to a Key Club went great.  I am very impressed with the Old Mill officers; they seem very passionate about Key Club and I can tell they have a love of service. Their hard work and dedication to service is reflected in their community impact.  I am so honored to have such a great Key Club in Division 14.  Congratulations Old Mill Key Club for such a great year of service, and I can't wait to see what you accomplish this year!
"There is no better exercise for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up"
Complete List of Old Mill Volunteer Projects:

• Relay for Life: sold bracelets and baked goods to raise awareness and recruit members
• Sarah's House: held an Easter Egg hunt, organized a Christmas party
• Ruth Parker Eason School: tutored students
• Thanksgiving Dinner: served dinner to needy families in Baltimore
• Operation Welcome Home: welcomed home U.S. soldiers at BWI Airport
• Maryland Food Bank
• Harvest for the Hungry: raised 3,000 dollars and 3,000 pounds of food

Fall Rally: Save the Date!

Attention Division 14 Key Club members!
The Capital District Fall Rally will be held on Saturday October 22, 2011 at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia.  Key Club members from all over the District will descend on the theme park for a fun day of networking, fellowship, service, and fun!
We will be participating in a group service project, and then spending the rest of the day in the park.
Stay tuned for upcoming information related to the "theme", as well as permission forms and travel information.
Be sure to mark this day in your calendar!
P.S. If anybody has any ideas for a group service project that could be done at Kings Dominion, please email me or contact me and let me know.  Thanks!

Food Drive at Park Elementary

     On Saturday May 7, 2011, I had the good fortune to be able to participate in a food drive at Park Elementary, a school that feeds into my high school.  80% of the student population at this school lives in poverty, and around 60% receive free lunch.  The families in this community are in desperate need of any assistance that can be provided, and many are struggling to make ends meet.  The North Arundel Rotary Club partnered with Priority Partners to provide a free food drive to the members of this community.  The North County Key Club was asked to help, and we are all very glad we did.
     7 North County Key Club members, including myself, showed up bright and early at 9:00 am to begin working at the food drive.  We helped load the bags of food, carry bags of food to the people's cars, and greeted them as they came in the door of the school.  Over the 4 hour period, around 67 people signed up with Priority Partners for health insurance, and over 150 people were feed by the food that was donated.
      Most of the families were incredibly grateful for the food that they received.  I saw a mother of 10 children came in for food.  As I carried the food to her car, I couldn't imagine the prospect of raising 10 children by myself on a limited income.  This woman has a lot of character and a strong spirit.  I hope she does well.
    Not everyone was grateful for the assistance they received however.  One lady came in and took a look at the soup selection that we offered her and she said, "I don't want any of these.  They are disgusting."  I can not believe the nerve of some people.  If I was in her position, I would take anything I was offered, whether I liked it or not.  What possesses some of these people to be so ungrateful is beyond me.  Most however were very appreciative of the food drive.  I could tell by the looks on their faces that their spirits had been lifted by our actions.
     I was surprisingly affected by the food drive.  I don't live in a rich ritzy neighborhood, but my family is not hurting for money.  It was hard for me to believe that there were people who lived within 10 minutes of me who were, to be blunt, dirt poor.  I couldn't imagine living in the conditions these kids live in and finding the strength and integrity to attend school each day.  Some of the people that live in that community go to my high school.  I will be sure to think twice before I ever judge some of these people again.
     It was a very personal experience for me.  I am going to make every effort to host a food drive at North County at some point in the future.  Not only will it benefit the recipients of the food, but it will hopefully have as big an impact on the volunteers as it did on me.
      A Saturday filled with volunteering and community impact, I can't imagine a  better day!

Lt. Governor Training Meeting: April 29-May 1

Representing Div. 14 at DCON 2011

     So I'm still pretty new to this Key Club thing.  Who am I kidding?  I have no idea what I am doing in Key Club.  I have just been lucky enough to meet great people who DID know what they were doing who were willing to help me run a Key Club.  Now that I'm a Lt. Governor, there is no faking it anymore.  I can't just pretend that I know what I am doing like I have for the last year as President of my school's Key Club.  There are a far greater number of responsibilities in the Lt. Governor position than there are as President.  I wanted to take not only my club, but my entire Division's participation in Key Club to the next level, so I thought that being a Lt. Governor would be a great way for me to do that.  So naturally, I was very excited for my first official Capital District Board meeting.  I was going to be officially trained so that I can be the best Lt. Governor that I could possibly be, and help all the clubs in my Division reach their fullest potential.  I was absolutely unprepared for all that I would learn about being a Lt. Governor, Key Club, and even myself.

     Thanks to my always punctual zone administrator, I arrived in Leesburg, Virginia about 10 minutes before the meeting was to begin.  I was quickly reunited with many of the people I had met at DCON (District Convention) and it was nice to see everyone again.  The evening consisted of a series of "ice-breaker activities", the purpose of which was for us to get to know each other, and learn a valuable aspect of leadership.

District Board doing the stupid jump rope icebreaker.

     The first one was a classic: the name circle.  We all stood in a circle and introduced ourselves with an adjective that starts with the same letter as our first name.  For example, I introduced myself as "Cute Chris".  I know what you're thinking, it describes me perfectly.  They all felt so too.  This was a fun way to get to know everyone a little better, and it was amusing to see the adjectives that people thought of.  We also did an activity where we used a tablecloth to get ping pong balls into a cup on the ground, an activity where we had to run through a jump rope as a group (that we never figured out how to do), and an activity where we had to get inside a rope circle when we couldn't let go of the circle.

     So why am I telling you these things?  I want to show the people that read that Key Club isn't all business, meetings, and "saving the world".  We can have fun too.  Spending that evening, just hanging out with everybody, figuring out these ice-breakers, was a really stress-free way to begin the weekend.  In order for us to work together, we all have to like each other.  The more we love and respect each other as friends and family, the greater work we will be able to accomplish as colleagues and workers.

Getting down to business.

     Then the real work got started.  An entire day filled with meetings and training.  I was both excited and extremely nervous.   On one hand, I was finally going to learn about the inner workings of Key Club, and get all the information I needed to be an effective Lt. Governor.  On the other hand, what if it turned out to be too much for a new kid like me?  What if I had no business being on the District Board, and was in over my head?  Well, I still don't know the answer to this question, but I promise that I will do the best I can do, and I can only hope that that is enough.

     Did I mention being in over my head?  It's one thing to be told about your responsibilities, it's quite another to be shown them.  Workshops and presentations on newsletters, monthly reports, club evaluations and the like filled the day, and I can honestly say that I felt overwhelmed.  Not that the presentations weren't informative and clear, they were done very well.  I just had no idea how much responsibility was entrusted to me as a Lt. Governor.  The Lt. Governor position isn't just something to put on my college resume; it's an important component of the Key Club International power structure.  It's my job to gather information on all the clubs in my division and encourage cooperation among them.  When this doesn't happen, the clubs suffer, and the impact is weakened.  I have to make sure I do my job so that all the clubs can do as much as they can for their community.  Here's hoping I get it done.

Div. 14 Zone Admin. Yeah, he's like that.

     We went bowling later that night, and had a blast.  Whoever thought to combine club music and a bowling alley was a genius.  That was the first time that weekend where none of the activities had an ulterior motive; the sole purpose was having fun.  We all began to bond as a family, and I have a feeling that I will be friends with many of my fellow Board members for a long time.

    So what happened at that meeting that applies to regular Key Club members?  Here are the important things to know:

1. The Capital District Key Club has been changed.  It used to be the Capital Building with the words "Capital District" over it.  It has now been changed to a crab holding up the Key Club logo over top the words "Capital District".  This was done to reflect a similar change among Capital District Kiwanis and Circle K.  They both have already changed their logos to crabs, and we want to be consistent with our Kiwanis family.  For the record, it took us close to 20 minutes to decide to capitalize all the letters in Capital District.  There was a lot of heated debate on this topic/
2. The Governor's Project will be the Red Cross.  We can contribute to this cause by organizing blood drives at your school, raising money for the organization, or raising awareness on a certain health issue.
3. The District Project will be the ELIMINATE project.  This took about 5 minutes of deliberation, since everyone was inspired by the presentations on ELIMINATE at DCON, and want to contribute to this worthy cause.  To learn more about ELIMINATE, visit http://sites.kiwanis.org/Kiwanis/en/theELIMINATEproject/home.aspx
4. The Capital District Fall Rally will be held on October 22 at Kings Dominion.  Stay tuned for more information.

   I would like to end this blog with a quote by one of my fellow Lt. Governors.  In another one of our ice-breaker activities, we were each given a pack of index cards.  On each index card a certain trait was written, such as "PASSION", "FAMILY", or "FITNESS".  We had to narrow down the 30 or so cards down to our top 10, then our top 5, then our top 3, and then finally the number 1 trait.  While it was really hard for me to narrow down the choices, my number one choice was a no-brainer.  "VOLUNTEERING/SERVICE".  This attribute defines my life, and it's the trait I hold most dear.  One of the other Lt. Governors chose "FAMILY" as her most important characteristic.  When she told us why she chose it, she said something that really made an impression on me: 

     "I used to think of family as the people that I live with, but now I think of it as the people that I live for."

     I am very glad that she said this, because I feel the exact same way.  People often ask me why HOBY and Key Club are so important to me.  It is hard to describe the loving and caring atmosphere I feel at HOBY and within Key Club.  While I am not related to any of these people, they are more my family than any one I am related to.  I am very grateful for all the people that I have met in HOBY and Key Club this far, and I am really excited to get to know everyone on the Capital District Board and make a real difference this year.

     I'm really excited to be Lt. Governor this year.  I really hope I do a good job, and make a difference in the lives of someone this year.

Key Club Capital District Convention: Day 3

    After what seemed like simultaneously five seconds and a life time, Capital District Convention had come to an end.  I was so sad for it to end, but also excited to go back home and re-energize my Key Club about everything that I had learned.  I didn't think Convention could get anymore emotional than it had the past two days.  I was wrong.
     The only real event of the day was the closing ceremony, and I couldn't have imagined a better one if I tried.  Though I was really excited, I was also really nervous.  The past few days had been amazing, as I had great workshops and events, and made a ton of great friends.  But the reality slowly dawned on me that I would have to do all this next year.  I was going to be representing my Division on the Key Club District Board.  I would have to help plan Convention, present workshops, and speak on stage before hundreds of Key Clubbers.  I honestly thought to myself, "What am I doing here?  I've only been in Key Club one year, how am I supposed to do any of this?"  I still don't think I have any idea what I'm doing, but I'm ready to face the challenges the Board brings me, and face them head on.  Bring it Key Club Board
     Watching the Key Club closing ceremony was one of the most emotional experiences of my life, and I didn't even know any of the people in the presentation.  As I watched the District Governor give a speech about what Key Club means to her, and all that she has accomplished in the last year, I couldn't help but think of my own experience with Key Club.
     It's hard to believe that it's been less than a year since I started Key Club, but it has.  During the speech, I flashbacked to my very first meeting, which a whopping SIX people attended.  Now the club is hovering around 60 people, and the members are beginning to take initiative and design and lead their own service projects.  I never thought Key Club would take off so fast and grow so rapidly in such a short time, but it has been the highlight of my life.  People are beginning to discover all the joy that can be found in service, and I couldn't be happier.  While it is true Key Club wouldn't be at my school if I hadn't started it, it wouldn't be around without all the wonderful people who have helped it to grow this past year.  Teachers, officers, and just regular students who wanted to give this crazy thing called "Key Club" a try, you have all helped make Key Club what it is.  Thank you.
     After she finished her speech, it was time for the new Board members to be inducted.  I walked up on stage with my fellow Lt. Governors and the newly elected Board Officers, I realized something: I was even more nervous than I was before.  These people looked like they had it all together.  What the heck was I doing up there?  Then I realized, that at least some of these kids were just as overwhelmed as I was.  Most of us were first time Board members as well, and didn't have a clue about what we were supposed to do.  But I could tell that they were all as excited as I was.  We had already begun to bond as a family, and we all loved Key Club and wanted to make it better.  These were the kind of people I was glad to surround myself with.  I can't wait to begin working with the Board, and I can tell it's going to be a great year!
     So the final verdict: was Key Club Convention any good?  Simply put, it was amazing.  I got like 30 Facebook friends, learned a lot about Key Club, and got fired up for Convention 2012.  But something happened that I didn't entirely expect, something more important than me getting excited about being LTG and Key Club and what not.  I noticed something different in my fellow Key Club members, the ones that came with me from my school.  They had a new excitement about Key Club that they didn't have before.  I knew that I was going to love Convention and have a great time, but I wasn't sure if the other members I took with me would.  Unsurprisingly, they had a great time, and were really inspired to make our Key Club better. One of the people that went, a non-officer, was inspired to run for Office next year and begin her own projects.  This is what I wanted all along, and I am so very proud of her.
     So was Key Club Convention worth it?  Very.  I fell in love with Key Club all over again, and I'm ready to take our relationship to the next level.  Capital District Convention 2012 is going to be the best it's ever been, and I hope to use my position as Lt. Governor to inspire people to serve their communities and make lasting impact, whether they are in Key Club or not.  Thanks Key Club for a great year, here's hoping knowing that the next year is going to be even better!

Key Club Capital District Convention: Day 2

  I do not even know where to begin.  Capital District Key Club Convention Day 2 reminded me of why I love Key Club, and why I consider myself fortunate to be a part of it.  Workshops, sessions, awards, and dances re-energized my fellow Key Clubbers and I, and filled us with a new passion for service.
     The morning began with an introduction from a member of every section of the Kiwanis Family: from K-Kids all the way to Kiwanis.  The cute little 5th grade President of his K-Kid Club, and the 8th grade President of her school's Builders Club, touched my heart in ways I did not expect.  These kids had such a passion for service that I did not possess at their age.  I am thankful to know that there will be citizens like these kids to lead Key Club into a greater and brighter future, after most of us have graduated.
      My fellow Key Clubbers and I attended 3 workshops yesterday.  The first was about Kiwanis' ELIMINATE Project, and it was as informative as it was inspiring.  Kiwanis International is taking on a new international challenge: to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus from the face of the earth. Tetanus is a completely curable disease that affects mothers in lesser-developed nations.  Toxic spores from the Earth infect the mother at birth, and it causes a slow and painful death of her child.  This can all be prevented by 3 vaccinations of the mother during her reproductive years, which costs 60 cents per vaccination.  Kiwanis is seeking to raise 110 million dollars to save the lives of over 129 million people by 2015.  Seeing Kiwanis International taking on such a massive endeavour was very inspiring, and makes me want to help with this project in anyway I can.  I will be sure to use my Lt. Governor position to promote ELIMINATE in any way possible.
     I attended a workshop about Club Excellence, where I learned about to grow my Key Club and make it more effective in service.  Excellently presented by two Lt. Governors, it really provided me with several tips to make my club better. 
     Later in the evening, we attended a banquet with a delicious meal and amazing entertainment (Tony Choi FTW), that further showed me how diverse Key Clubbers are.  Though all of us love community service and love Key Club, we are also a multi-faceted, diverse group of people, united by our desire to change the world through service.
     The entire evening was just perfect.  As all the clubs were presented with awards for excellence in service, I couldn't help but think to my very first Key Club meeting, which six people attended.  All these clubs had once been brand new, and they were now doing great things for their communities and even the world.  Showing that size didn't matter, the Key Club of year only had fourteen members.  That might have been the most profound revelation, at least for me, of the entire weekend.  I have poured so much energy and time into increasing membership, which is important, that I have lost sight of the actual point of Key Club: service.  It's not quantity that matters, but quality.  If clubs spend too much time focusing on membership, then the most important aspect of Key Club, our entire reason for existence, service, is lost.
     The second day of Key Club Convention was the perfect continuation of an already amazing weekend.  I met amazing new people, pissed people off by pushing all the buttons on the elevator, and felt closer to my Key Club family than ever before.  Great day.
   

Key Club Capital District Convention: Day 1

 "I pledge on my honor to uphold the objects of Key Club International; to build my home school and community; to serve my nation and God and to combat all forces which tend to undermine these institutions." - Key Club Pledge

      With these timeless words, The 62nd Annual Capital District Convention commenced, to a crowd of 800 Key Club members from all over Delaware,Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.  Groups screaming, cheering, and literally running around the room, the enthusiasm was very contagious.  As a first year Key Clubber and a first time attendee of DCON, I already feel energized with a new passion for Key Club.
     I was very fortunate to be able to attend Key Club Convention with seven other people from my school; an impressive feat for a Key Club that has been official for less than two weeks.  The first thing I noticed upon arrival was just how expansive Key Club really is.  Being in a brand new Key Club governed by a less-than-active Lt. Governor, I used to have a very isolated view of Key Club.  Key Club was only something that North County did.  Other schools had it, but all their activities were separate of ours.  But there are just so many people here.  My fellow Key Clubbers and I have already made several new friends today, and the number of new friends will only continue to grow as the weekend goes on.
     The first evening's festivities were eventful but short, highlighted by a dance and the keynote speaker, Craig Melvin.  Craig Melvin is a former Key Club International President, and currently works in D.C. as a broadcast news reporter.  His articulate and inspiring speech energized the crowd, and challenged the audience to make an impact in the world.
     I can feel the energy of the Convention infecting my Key Club members.  After only one day they are already determined to increase their service and increase the impact of North County High School Key Club.   The group is beginning to bond as a family unit, and I know they will carry that with them to Key Club back home.
     Our club has certainly been challenged.  Even though having nine members attend for a brand new Key Club is certainly impressive, our club has quite a long way to go.  Several Divisions have over 100 members in attendance, while Division 14 (Anne Arundel County) had 21.  As the Lt. Governor for Division 14, I vow to do everything I can to improve the communication and cooperation within our clubs, and make Division 14 a recognized and accredited Key Club.
     The Zone Administrator for Division 14 has two other districts in his zone.  One of these Divisions has 107 people in attendance.  Division 14 has been challenged with having 108 people attend DCON next year.  That is about 11 members per club.  I believe we can do it, and I am am going to work hard to ensure that this goal is met.
Day 2 is fast approaching, and I have realized that I am getting next to no sleep this weekend.  Stop by tomorrow for my recap of Day 2's events.

Introduction

Hello everyone.  My name is Chris Frye, and I am the Lt. Governor for Division 14 of the Capital District of Key Club International.

I am making this blog for two reasons.

1. I want to share what is going on in the District Board with the Key Club members of Division 14.  You all elected me to represent you, so I view it as my responsibility to share what I am doing on your behalf.  

2. I am also writing this blog in the hopes that it will inspire those that read it to serve their communities and make an impact.  If this blog can inspire one person to make a difference, then it will have been worth it.
Thanks everyone, hope you will read this blog.

Chris Frye