By Elena Rowe//
The Circle Kiwanis International Service Club (CKI) at Hood is still attempting to make a difference in the world despite the ongoing pandemic.
CKI is the collegiate level to the Kiwanis service organization. CKI’s three pillars are service, leadership and fellowship, which are guiding factors in the club’s vision and mission.
Caroline Jeranek, senior and president of CKI has been a part of the organization since her first year at Hood. Her junior year she became the president.
She said being a part of the club has taught her leadership skills and the importance of serving others.
“I have gained a lot of skills by being a part of Circle K and serving on the executive board,” Jeranek said. “It is bittersweet knowing this is my last semester, but it is nice to know there is the potential of joining Kiwanis in Frederick. It is not the end of the road, it’s just the end of a chapter.”
Katelyn Klukosky, the club’s vice president, says she likes doing service projects with her friends. “I also get to develop my interest in fields I would like to help with such as the animal shelter and reaching out to members in the Kiwanis family,” Klukosky she said.
Five executive members are serving with CKI. In addition to Jeranek and Klukosky, the members are Margaret (Maggie) George, the social media editor Amanda Seabolt, the secretary; and Julie Karlsson, the treasurer.
Previously, members have gone to the Frederick Community Action Agency where they served food to the homeless, the Frederick Animal Control and Adoption Center, and Days End Farm Horse Rescue. However, the club members can’t physically go to those sites right now so they are trying to find other ways to serve.
In the fall, the club sponsored a Krispy Kreme donut fundraiser to raise funds for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) which supported ACLU’S mission to end oppression and racism in the Black community. This semester, club members also created cat shelters for TipMe Frederick, a nonprofit organization which cares for the feral cat community. Members also wrote letters for Love Letters for Literacy, a nonprofit organization which helps at-risk children learn to read in 29 countries.
“Towards the end of March, we are planning another Krispy Kreme fundraiser for UNICEF’S wash project,” Jeranek said. “We are also planning a CKI recruitment week where all of the activities raise awareness for the Wash project with UNICEF. Keep a lookout for emails about that.”
The club is thinking of ways to include students who are not on campus as well.
“The executive board has been coming up with a list of suggestions for service projects that students from home can do,” Jeranek said. “We are trying to initiate a pen pal program with a local elderly home where students can write letters to the elderly community from home and not have to come to campus.”
For more information about the CKI club, contact circlek@hood.edu or look on Hood’s Campus Labs page for their mission, contact information and service projects they have accomplished.
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