Free the Children

The Tabb Middle School Builders Club in the Capital District does a very unique project that goes alongside their Kiwanis club's request to work for the ELIMINATE Project. A couple of years ago, they decided that if the ELIMINATE Project will be saving babies's lives, then there needs to be a way to education them.

Their faculty adviser was aware of a non-profit organization in Canada, called Free the Children, that could help build a school in a third world country where the ELIMINATE Project would be helping to save lives of children. They decided to raise $10,000 to build a school in Sierra Leone where many schools have been destroyed by civil war. Right now, the Builders Club has raised around $6,000 and hopes to finish this awesome project this year so children who have already been saved by the ELIMINATE Project can go to school.

If you would like more information about how to get more involved with Free the Children, please visit their website at freethechildren.com. According to the faculty adviser, they have provided wonderful assistance, leadership and tools to help with the project.

Helping the Homeless

Here is a very inspiring story about a Builders Club in the New York District that I wanted to share with all of you. I'm very touched by their passion for this cause and hope it inspires you to see what your local Builders Club has to offer!

At Thanksgiving time, a local Radio Disk Jockey would take a paper box, a sleeping bag and some food up onto a flat roof of a restaurant and stay there for the weekend, asking people to contribute money for the homeless.  My Builders Club (at a City School that had the highest poverty level in the city) Kids wanted to raise money to contribute to the DJ's efforts for the homeless.  They decided on a "Walk for the Homeless".  Our school was exactly a mile from Lake Ontario.  They planned a two mile (pre-paid) walk, from the school, down to the Beach and back.  They picked the Monday before Thanksgiving to do it.  The kids were all bussed into this school so they would have to start the walk the last period of the school day and then take a late bus home (one usually set aside for those doing sports, or having detention or needing extra help). The school agreed to this but said in order for a student to get out of 8th period to do the walk, he/she had to have brought in at least $5.00 (these kids were all poor, so that meant really getting a lot of small donations) and get written permission from their 8th period teachers.   The day of the walk, 22 of my 35 Builders Club members had turned in at least $5.00 and had written permission from their teacher.  Earlier that day,the temperature had plummeted to 20 degrees with a wind-chill index of about 5 degrees, it was snowing and we had about 5 inches of snow on the ground.  The 22 kids still wanted to do the walk, so off we went.  When we got to the beach, we stopped for a minute to get a picture to give to the DJ with the money raised.  I was so proud of the kids for insisting they do the walk, not just turn in the money, that I told them I would buy them all a cup of hot chocolate at a local burger place about a block away from the beach, but on the way back to the school.  The kids started off walking faster, knowing this, while I followed up the rear with the slower students.  When I got to the restaurant, all the kids were outside waiting, and very upset.  They had gone in, to use the bathrooms and wait for me.  The management had told them the restrooms were for "Paying Customers Only."  They explained they walk and that I was bringing up the rear with the slower walkers, but were still told, to use the bathroom or even be in the restaurant they had to buy something first!  When I arrived, they indignantly explained the situation.  I went in, placed and paid for 23 cups of Hot Chocolate and the kids were allowed in. On the way back to school, they ALL talked about how hard it must be really to be homeless, if people wouldn't even let you come in to go to the restroom!  It was not only a wonderful project for them to do (they turned in almost $500.00, much of it being brought in after the walk was over, when they told everyone how cold they had been, and their experience being turned away by the restaurant) but my Builders Club Members had a real passion to collect even more because of their experience. The experience had made the project very personal!

Making Tie-Blankets with Builders Club

A few months ago, my home club (University of Wisconsin-Madison Circle K) visited a local Builders Club that we've never met before at one of their meetings. This club was extremely energetic with an equally passionate faculty member for all things service and Kiwanis! 

Four members from my club (including myself) brought huge sheets of fleece to their meeting and was able to bond together over cutting and tying the fleece into blankets to be donated. We were able to learn a lot about them; we watched a video advertisement they filmed themselves to promote the huge food drive they hosted at their middle school and played a ton of fun games with them. We also taught them a lot about Circle K during a Q&A session where they asked us seemingly endless questions about what college was like, how we joined Circle K, what it was like and so much more.

These kids were incredible and I cannot wait to see them join Key Club, Circle K and Kiwanis when they grow older. I hope the rest of you can do something similar with the Builders Clubs nearest you as well!

Get Ready for Builders Club Month!

Hello Builders Club Month!

Who’s ready for month TWO of our Circle K International Kiwanis Family Relations Committee’s promotion for all the branches of the Kiwanis Family? Well you better get ready because here’s some fast facts about Builders Club coming right at you!

What is Builders Club?

Builders Club is the largest service organization for middle school and junior high students in the world! They have over 45,000 members… What? That’s even bigger than Circle K! The very first Builders Club was chartered in 1975 and today, there’s more than 1,600 clubs in countries all over the world, including Aruba, Australia, Barbados, Canada, Italy, Korea, the Netherlands, Philippines, the United States and so much more!

How Can I get more involved with Builders Club?

Volunteering and helping out at your local Builders Club is super easy! They do projects just like us and I’m sure they would love to have some older K-Family role models to serve with them. If you need help finding Builders Clubs in your area, please e-mail me at monica.wang23@gmail.com and I can help put you in touch with your district’s Builders Club Administrator.

You can also help co-sponsor a local Builders Club alongside a Kiwanis club! The Kiwanis club can help the Builders Club financially while Circle Kers can act more as the faculty advisers by attending meetings, going to their events and being any support they need.

Learn the Builders Club Pledge!

“I pledge on my honor to uphold the objects of Builders club. To better my school, my community, my nation, and myself. To aid those in need while enhancing leadership capabilities, and to encourage the fellowship of all mankind.”

Need more information? Check out their website at www.buildersclub.org! Builders Club is just like us so let’s show some love for this amazing branch of our family! If you have any specific questions about Builders Club, please don't hesitate to contact me at monica.wang23@gmail.com.

Forever Yours in Service,

Monica Wang

Builders Club Ambassador

BUG- Bring Up Grades!

A great program to get involved with through K-Kids or even without K-Kids, is the BUG or Bring Up Grades Program!

What is BUG?

BUG is a recognition program for elementary students who raise their grades and maintain them from one grading period to the next.

How can YOU get involved?

Your Kiwanis Family group can provide financial assistance, youth/adult mentors, or even start a program! You can provide tutoring at a local elementary school or community center and provide incentives such as the "BUG Honor Roll!"


For more information check out the BUG website at: http://kiwaniskids.org/en/BUG/Home.aspx

Announcing K-Kids Month!

To further promote the Kiwanis Family within Circle K International, the Kiwanis Family Relations Committee has decided that January will be K-Kids promotional month!

What is K-Kids?

K-Kids is an international elementary school service organization sponsored through Kiwanis International. Their motto is "We Build" and they focus on working together to serve their schools/communities, developing leadership skills, moral character, and encouraging loyalty to school, community and nation.

My favorite K-Kids Memory:

During my term as a Key Club Lieutenant Governor, I had the privilege of a personal connection with a local K-Kids member. One could say, a Kiwanis "family" connection. My little brother was a member of the Hillside K-Kids Club in Ashburn, Virginia. My favorite memory of K-Kids was the Liver Life Walk that encouraged my brother to join K-Kids! We got to work together in a Kiwanis Family "two-fold" with our parents and our local Kiwanis Family members to raise money for the American Liver Foundation! 

Our Kiwanis Family members and my biological family members at the Liver Life Walk! 

Learn their pledge!

As A K-Kid, I promise to serve my neighborhood and my school

I will show respect toward my environment 

And I will try to make the world a better place in which to live 

How does my club get involved?

-Your club can co-sponsor a club with your local Kiwanis Club 

-You can start a BUG program at a local elementary school (BUG information coming later this month)

-Start a Terrific Kids program at a local elementary school (Terrific Kids also coming later this month!)

Look out for more info on the youngest branch of the Kiwanis Family throughout the rest of the month of January! Questions? Contact K-Kids Ambassador Nicole Tardif at nltardif@gmail.com OR check out the website at kiwaniskids.org.