Lobster Tales: The Official Publication of New England CKI 

Interested in writing an article? Contact District Editor Anne at editornedcki@gmail.com! We’re always looking for more people to contribute and share their experiences with Circle K International.

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Spring Lobster Tales

June 2023

Winter Lobster Tales

February 2023

Fall Lobster Tales

November 2022

Summer Lobster Tales

August 2022

SPRING LOBSTER TALES

MARCH 2022

Farewell Note from the Governor

Hello New England District of Circle K International,

This will be the last Lobster Tales article I write as Governor! On April 1st, Jordanna Bell-Isle will officially take over as your next NED Governor.

Thank you all for such a great service year - being your Circle K governor has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life; it has been incredible to interact with each club from across the district and get to know so many of our incredible members. This term as Governor has been incredibly rewarding; we have made a ton of progress in bringing Circle K back to its roots by providing in-person community service again. I have enjoyed the experience, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to expand my role in Circle K by running for an International position.

This successful year would not have been possible without the countless number of people supporting me and supporting the district board. It’s crazy that this year has already passed; it feels like just yesterday that I was standing here getting passed the Governor torch. I would like to thank all of you in the District that made my term as Governor possible. The whole reason we have a District is to promote more of the service, leadership, and fellowship that you all work on every day. Thank you for being committed to this organization, and thank you for continuing to show up for Circle K. No matter how long you have been with our organization, thank you for your service and dedication.

During this unexpectedly crazy year of renewed COVID-19 restrictions, I am proud of the work we did as a district. I am proud that we were able to see great engagement, and that we have been able to host successful events throughout the year. You all made our successes possible with the effort you bring every day to Circle K.

Thank you all for making my term as Governor gratifying and fun; I am glad I got to interact with and meet so many new people, and I am glad I got to build upon existing friendships. Whether I have developed a personal relationship with you or not, thank you for being a part of our organization, and thank you for making our district great.

I have plenty of fond memories from this year in service that I will carry with me for a long time. I owe that to you all, the members of the district.

Thank you all so much, and I wish you all the best. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out; I’ll be around if any of you need anything. :)

Yours in Service,

Zachary Kahn

New England District Governor (for a couple more weeks)

Notes from the Newly Elected Governor

Hello New England District of Circle K International, 

My name is Jordanna Belle-Isle and I am excited to serve as your District Governor for the upcoming 2022-2023 service year! I am finishing up my Junior year at Wentworth Institute of Technology studying Biological Engineering. Currently, I am on Co-Op at Wave Life Sciences where I am working on the downstream processes of oligonucleotide synthesis. Additionally, I am a member of the Women’s Cross Country running team.

Originally, I am from New Hampshire where I spend my time in the mountains, skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer. This will be my tenth year in the Kiwanis family. I was an inaugural member of my school's K-Kids, a member of Key Club in high school, and founded the Circle K at Wentworth. I served on the club board for my Key Club, ending my high school career as President and have served on the District Board for Circle K as the Kiwanis Family Relations Chair and currently as District Secretary-Treasurer.  

With two stressful and unpredictable years behind us I am excited for the possibilities we have that come with returning to regular club activities. Hopefully we will all be able to meet in person at District Events this year, and reconnect in our communities at a more personal level. As a district, we plan to host more widespread in-person events; so keep an eye out for those! As we start the year, we encourage anyone that is interested to apply for committee positions — we are looking for members to develop into future leadership positions and join us on the district board!
I am very excited for this upcoming service year, and I look forward to working with you all!  I will be a resource for you in anything related to Circle K and will always be here for any questions you have throughout the year. Please don’t hesitate when you feel the need to reach out with any questions or concerns as the service year progresses. As a district board, we are here to serve you, so we welcome and encourage any and all interactions. Thank you all for taking the time to read this introduction and our NED Lobster Tales. I wish you all luck with the end of the semester and finals. For graduating seniors, I wish you the best in the future, and for underclassmen, I look forward to serving with you in the future.

Yours in Service,

Jordanna Belle-Isle (she/her)

New England District Governor 2022-2023

govnedcki@gmail.com

Attend Club Officer Training April 3rd!

Are you a club officer? Have you been newly elected to your club’s executive board? Are you looking for a chance to meet other officers in your position from clubs across the district? If the answer was yes to any of those questions then come to COTC! COTC is the our club officer training conference where members from across the district can come together to learn about their position, teach others and connect with people from other clubs. It is a one day conference that we be held virtually on Sunday, April 3rd from 10:15 am - 1:00 pm. It will be a fun day of workshops, learning and socialzing with fellow CKI members. Registration is FREE, follow this link to sign up.

We encourage all club officers to attend, if you have any questions feel free to reach out!

Yours in Service,

Gwyn smith

membership development & education chair 2021-2022

membershipnedcki@gmail.com

The Service Opportunity Masterlist is officially up and running!

This semester, our district started collecting responses for our Service Opportunity Masterlist. Going forward, the Masterlist will be a resource for district members to spread the word about interclub events, get inspiration from other clubs, and keep track of their club’s service events for future years. All members from clubs in the district can use this form as frequently as they like to add previous and upcoming service opportunities to the Masterlist.

The Masterlist can be seen here and will be frequently updated as we receive more responses. Some of the great work our Northeastern University and University of Connecticut clubs are doing is already on the Masterlist, so check it out!

Anne Merritt

District Service & Fundraising Chair

Creating Anti-Racism and Inclusivity Plans and Doing Community Analyses

Want to make your club more inclusive and justice-orientated? Curious how to get started on truly learning the needs of the communities you serve? At DCON, the DEI Committee Chair along with the Service and Fundraising Committee Chair led a discussion on how to create anti-racism and inclusivity plans and do community analyses.

Anti-Racism and inclusivity plans are specific steps a group/organization can take toward confronting racism within and outside their group/organization. These plans are not meant to be the end-all, be-all, but rather help groups/organizations make concrete steps in bringing their ideals to life. These plans often change over time as new concerns arise and more action is needed.

The district shared its own rough draft anti-racism and inclusivity plan (link below) and received feedback from attendees. Actions the district would like to take include making events more financially accessible, including DEI training at the Club Officer Training Convention (COTC), being more culturally sensitive during events, focusing more on mental health, raising attendance to DEI discussions, and giving more space for people to share their pronouns if they feel comfortable. After the discussion, the district added two additional action plans: advertising Zoom events through email and not just on social media and doing more to support people who are new to the K Family. If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions about these action plans, do not hesitate to reach out to the DEI committee!

Besides anti-racism and inclusivity plans, community analyses are another way that groups/organizations can ensure they are truly supporting their local communities. To do a community analysis, you need to talk to people within the communities you serve. These can be local activists, politicians, shop owners, students, anyone who can help you understand more about the specific needs of the location. After you talk to all these different people and hear their viewpoints on what is currently being done and what needs to be done, discuss as a club your own resources and abilities and see where you can get involved. Community analyses are great for ensuring that you truly are supporting your local area.

Now that you know what anti-racism and inclusivity plans and community analyses are, you can make your own! You can find links to templates below. As always, remember that templates are just a suggestion for how you can think about these topics. As long as you are thinking deeply and concretely about what you want to do, feel free to use another method. We can’t wait to hear about all the ways your club is taking action to be anti-racist and inclusive!

DCON Presentation Slides

Templates:
Anti-Racism and Inclusivity Plan
Community Analysis
NED CKI’s 2022-2023 Anti-Racism and Inclusivity Plan

DEI Committee Resources:
Social Justice/Mental Health Resources List
Resources Suggestions
Anonymous Feedback

Darcy Coleman

dei.nedcki@gmail.com

FALL LOBSTER TALES

November 2021

Notes from the Governor

Hello New England District of CKI!

We are about halfway through the Fall Semester! I hope classes are going well for you all, and I hope you’re enjoying the last of the warm weather for a while. I am going to give you some quick updates on events that are coming up in our District for the end of the semester and the Spring!

For those of you that were not able to attend, FallCon took place from October 15-17!  Here is a link to the pictures drive with some pictures from the weekend. It was amazing to see so many CKI members in person, and now we are looking forward to DCON!

Looking ahead to the rest of the year, we would love to see you all in-person at District Convention (DCON)! DCON will take place February 18-20 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire! DCON will include some similar leadership and fellowship activities, as well as the election of new district officers! We are hoping for a great in-person attendance for a fun weekend up in NH! Please be sure to talk to your clubs about DCON and reach out to your sponsoring Kiwanis to see if they will help cover the cost of attending!

 We would like to introduce a program that was brought back this year: KICK (Kiwanis Investing in Circle K). For clubs that are struggling to pay dues or would like some funding for service projects, please reach out - this program is designed to help incentivize growth and ensure that clubs don’t have to struggle for dues or other administrative costs. If your club is struggling, feel free to reach out and we will see what funding we can assist with.

A reminder that the Tomorrow Fund Grant applications are currently open from now until December 1st! The Tomorrow Fund Grant is used to fund service projects at the club or district levels for $200-$2000 from Circle K International! You can use this opportunity to secure funding for a service project you might be interested in. For more information, I’ve included the link to the Tomorrow Fund Grant page. We would love to see you take advantage of this great opportunity to secure money for your club projects.

Throughout the semester, our Trustee, Katelyn Van Buren is  challenging ALL of the clubs in our Sister Districts (Pennsylvania, Capital, and Montana Districts) to hold a food drive! She made the process as easy as possible for you and has already created flyer templates and written out detailed instructions for an option on how to hold a food drive in a Covid-cautious way! There are links below with these resources. Holding food drives is a great way for us to all work together towards a cause and make an impact in our communities and on our campuses. As you/your club work on the food drive, make sure to log how many items you collect, and we'll see which District collects the most at the end of the challenge. We hope to see New England at the top of that list. Please let me know if you have any questions or need help setting up a food drive.

-     Treasure Sistrict Fall Food Drive  

-     Log Items Collected

Lastly, I would like to touch on some upcoming events:

-        Our District Trivia Series will continue on Saturday, November 13th virtually, with the same ability to win prizes and raise money for WASH! The proceeds from this event will be donated to WASH; I have included the flyer for the event with more information about WASH as well. A portion of the funds from the pizza sold will also go toward WASH!

-        On, Wednesday, November 17th 8-9pm EST  the District will be hosting another District DEI Discussion on "Taking Action to Support Indigenous Communities". The discussion will be hosted by our DEI chair Darcy Coleman as well as DEI committee member Sophia Erivbieta.

-        There will also be the third Anti-Racism and Inclusivity Plan meeting on Thursday, November 18th, 8:30pm-9pm EST.

-        KPTI (Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute) Day will be taking place December 11th, from 11am - 3pm. KPTI is one of our district partners that works with the Division of Trauma Surgery at Tufts Children's Hospital dedicated for the specialized care of pediatric trauma patients and works for the health and safety of all children.

-        Here is the agenda for KPTI Day

-        Here is the link to register for KPTI Day

Yours in Service,

Zachary Kahn

District Governor 2021-2022

Note from CKI President

Hello, New England District!

I hope you’re enjoying the fall and have settled into the semester! My name is Kyle Lank, and I’m a senior at Rutgers University-New Brunswick in the New Jersey District. I’m a Finance major with a Real Estate concentration. I am honored to be serving as the Circle K International President this year! I’m excited to share with you some of the things the Circle K International Board has been working on.

One of our main priorities has been creating a better connection amongst all aspects of CKI and the Kiwanis Family. This includes our club advisors, alumni, and sponsoring Kiwanians.

We’ve been connecting with club advisors in ways that we’ve never done before. We hosted our first ever CKI Advisor Roundtable to hear from club and Kiwanis advisors from across the organization. We started a Facebook group to allow advisors to connect and learn from each other. Additionally, we started a database of advisors so we can connect you and your club to advisors at other clubs.

We’ve also continued the work of previous years to connect with CKI Alumni. We will be launching an alumni network in early 2022 to allow alumni and members to reconnect or network. More information on this initiative will be out soon!

And finally, we’ve been working on planning Circle K International Convention in Austin, Texas from July 24th through July 27th. Governor Zak has told me great things about the New England district, so I expect a great turnout from you all. This will be our first in-person convention since 2019!

If there are any ways I can support you during this time, please let me know. I love hearing from you, so please don’t hesitate to reach out any time. Thank you for your support, and I look forward to talking to you all soon!

Yours in Service,

Kyle Lank

International President 2021-2022

Come to DCON 2022!

Attention all Circle K’ers! Want to attend the largest New England CKI Conference, celebrate the service Year, and participate in a “Mask”-erade? Come to DCON 2022 at the Hotel in Portsmouth, New Hampshire!

DCON is the annual District Convention where members from CKI clubs all over New England gather to celebrate a wonderful year of service and elect the new District Board. After spending many months through online classes and zoom meetings, we are excited to offer this in-person event to allow members to build relationships and develop as we have in the past. During DCON weekend, we have training workshops, speeches from guest speakers (such as individuals from other Kiwanis-family clubs and individuals focused on leadership development), a service project, fellowship time, and an awards dinner. These opportunities are focused on helping members build leadership skills, receive tips for CKI clubs, and meet other CKI members. We will be sending out information to apply for awards, and we encourage you all to apply! This year’s theme is a Mask-arade. We are excited for you all to have a ball while attending and unveil your best masks.

Past stories from members who have attended DCON in person remember it being a great and helpful opportunity filled with times for laughter, reflection, and development. We have both structured time to attend workshops and speeche, but also time for us to develop a stronger CKI community through our common passions. These connections are extremely helpful in learning new ideas to build our CKI clubs.

Overall, this weekend is focused on leadership and fellowship to co-create a community of servant leaders. We encourage all club members and leaders to attend to develop relevant skills and help continue our legacies of service, elect the 2022-23 District Board to ensure the continuation of NED CKI, and most importantly, eat some delicious pie! Register on our website. If you have any questions, reach out to the Events Committee at events.nedcki@gmail.com.

Yours in Service,

Dave Patel
Events Committee Co-Chair

FallCon Workshop: CKI and the Environment

Thank you to everyone who attended FallCon either in-person or virtually! At this year’s FallCon, we participated in fun fellowship activities, a service project, and interactive workshops. For one of the workshops, our District Editor, Liz, and I presented about “CKI and the Environment.” We started off by discussing decomposition and composting (Did you know it can take up to 450 years for a plastic bottle to decompose?). We then challenged our members to brainstorm creative ways to upcycle common items that otherwise end up in the garbage. Members showcased their ingenuity, proposing and crafting gardening pots, tote bags, and more! Finally, we were able to share ways in which CKI clubs can promote sustainability, such as increasing composting awareness and accessibility, participating in clean-up events, and assisting food recovery organizations.

If you or your club is interested in sustainable service and would like more information about how to get involved, please feel free to contact me!

Anne Merritt

District Service & Fundraising Chair

What is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?

In September, the district hosted its first DEI discussion where we went over the basics of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We often hear these terms, but do we know what they mean?

~Diversity is the ways in which people are different from one another.
~Equity is how we work towards justice by understanding the root causes of disparities.
~Inclusion is not only how we ensure everyone feels welcomed and able to participate, but also how we guarantee that everyone has opportunities to go where they desire.

During the discussion, we emphasized how an organization has to practice all three of these approaches in order to create a truly welcoming place. Besides valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion, it is also important to be anti-racist, where you are taking specific action in order to combat racism while acknowledging how racism intersects with other forms of oppression such as classism and gender/sexuality discrimination. Steps toward being anti-racist for both white people and people of color include educating oneself, reflecting on how your identities influence your worldview, remembering how you have consciously or unconsciously upheld racist structures, being willing to take risks in terms of how you challenge racism, using mistakes as opportunities to learn, and building relationships with other people dedicated to anti-racism.

After the discussion, the district also started meeting to discuss its own Anti-Racism and Inclusivity Plan. During the first planning session, board members and district advisors remarked on how the district could improve on making events and membership payments more accessible, how to make the leadership less intimidating, and how to offer more space for mental health check-ins during events.

If you are interested in joining the DEI discussions and the Anti-Racism and Inclusivity Plan meetings, keep an eye on our social media for the dates of these events. In the meantime, check out the folder here (https://drive.google.com/drive/u/9/folders/1adzJWDG-8tFbbMBcUKVsxnJhMqGP2Mzl) for social justice/mental health resources, a place to suggest media with good representation (in the FallCon 2021 folder), and all the presentations for the monthly DEI discussions. Our Anti-Racism and Inclusivity Plan, which we will be working on throughout the next year, can be viewed here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xtpnA_QCQOghfMk1VTEipxP-qpXMQALHB384MHs46Go/edit?usp=sharing.

We hope to see you taking part in these vital discussions!

Darcy Coleman

District Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Chair

DEI Committee Resources:
dei.nedcki@gmail.com
Social Justice/Mental Health Resources List
Resources Suggestions
Anonymous Feedback

Sources:
https://dei.extension.org/
https://nmaahc.si.edu/learn/talking-about-race/topics/being-antiracist
https://nmaahc.si.edu/sites/default/files/downloads/resources/racialhealinghandbook_p87to94.pdf
https://www.law.columbia.edu/news/archive/kimberle-crenshaw-intersectionality-more-two-decades-later

Sandwich Making with Boston University

Last month in October, we had our first collaboration since 2018! It is a tradition in our club to host a sandwich making event for each semester. Unfortunately, because of COVID, we had to stop that tradition. Since being in person, we are so happy to host this event again- this time as a collaboration! We partnered with Boston University Circle K to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, as well as package them with other food items and toiletries. These packages were to be handed out to the homeless people in the Boston area.

Boston University Circle K was so nice to host us in the making and packaging process of these items. From there we, both BC and BU Circle K clubs, took a train to Boston Common and made our walk to Boston Public Library, making stops around the Arlington Church and Trinity Church areas. In each stop, we all broke into groups to pass out these packages to the homeless people in the area. We appreciate being able to help them by providing them food and other necessities, and they as well were very grateful for our help.

The leftover items were donated to the New England Center and Home for Veterans. They too were very appreciative of our donations of toiletries. It was an amazing day to help others and collaborate with such an amazing club. We hope to do more collaborations with other Circle K clubs in the future!

Sophia Hoang

Of Boston College Circle K

SUMMER LOBSTER TALES

AUGUSt 2021

Meet Your New Trustee!

Hi, everyone! My name is Katelyn Van Buren, and I am your new International Trustee! I am so excited for the opportunity to work with the New England District this year, and I cannot wait to get to know you all better!

If you don’t know what an International Trustee is, no worries (I didn’t know either when I first joined CKI), I can tell you! Basically, my job is to work with the New England, Capital, Pennsylvania, and Montana Districts throughout my term helping where I can and making sure everyone is up to date on what is happening at the International level. I am a resource that you all have access to, and I am happy to answer questions, attend meetings/events, make and/or find you resources, brainstorm with you, be your friend, whatever! I have served in positions at the club, District, and International levels, so I have lots of experiences to share if you’re ever interested. I am here to serve your District and all of its members, so reach out to me any time for help!

Now that you know what I do, I can tell you a little bit about myself! As I said, my name is Katelyn Van Buren. I am a senior from the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District studying Communication Sciences and Disorders with a Disability Rights and Services certificate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (go Badgers!!). I am currently applying for graduate school in order to become a Speech and Language Pathologist and hope to work with kiddos with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I’ve been in the Kiwanis Family for six years now, stretching back to re-chartering my high school’s Key Club as a junior. I just finished serving as the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District Governor, and I have also been a District Convention Chair, International Kiwanis Family Relations Committee member, club secretary, and club communications chair. Outside of Circle K, I love hiking, puns, and watching 20-minute episodes of shows on Netflix (biggg New Girl fan).

This year, I really want to make sure that the New England District and the organization as a whole successfully transition out of the pandemic. I am ready for in-person events and fellowship and the opportunity to grow our membership. Kiwanis Family Relations are one of my very favorite topics, and I’d love to see the clubs in your District connecting more with our branches of the Kiwanis Family. I am so excited to see the District reach new heights and achieve big goals, and I hope to help make these happen. Throughout the year, I’ll be holding office hours and hosting events, so make sure to keep an eye out for those!

I am only an email or text away if you need anything-don’t hesitate to reach out! Have a great rest of your summer!

Yours in Service,

Katelyn Van Buren
trusteekatelyn@circlek.org

Free the Ocean Challenge Recap

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Free the Ocean Challenge and/or attended the World Oceans Day presentation!

Throughout the first week of June, members removed plastic from our oceans by answering daily trivia questions at the Free the Ocean website (freetheocean.com). Clubs throughout the district competed for bragging rights as the club with the greatest participation, and Northeastern University was announced as the winner at the World Oceans Day presentation. During the presentation, we also discussed sustainability and why it is so important. Towards the end, we brainstormed several great ways to incorporate environmental justice into our NEDCKI projects and events:
• Members can participate in beach cleanups. Meanwhile, members can use the Marine Debris Tracker app to photograph and label pollution they encounter to increase their impact.
• Members can organize donation drives at their schools and send the donations to an organization like Goodwill. Donation drives would be especially successful at the end of the school year, when many students have twin-sized sheets and other items they can no longer use.
• Members can raise awareness about local recycling rules and good recycling practices within their clubs or throughout their school’s campus.
• Members can engage in fellowship through upcycling events.
• Clubs can partner with organizations such as The Ocean Foundation, Partners for World Health, Save the Bay, Friends of Casco Bay, and Boston Building Resources Reuse Center.

I hope to see you at our upcoming district-wide service and fundraising events in the fall!

Anne Merritt

District Service & Fundraising Chair

Updates From ELC In-Person

After a year of countless zoom meetings, virtual volunteering, and lack of human contact, I had the pleasure to attend the Circle K International (CKI) Education and Leadership Conference in Salt Lake City in June. After virtually interacting with CKI members from across the world, we were finally able to meet in person and celebrate the resilience of CKI during the pandemic. From the scenic drive in, to the late nights walking the city, or even axe throwing, it was a happy, exciting, and heartwarming weekend that introduced me to service leaders from all different states and countries.

The conference included leadership building opportunities, amazing guest speakers, a meeting of the International Council to change CKI’s bylaws, a presentation of awards, and the election of the new International Executive board. There were a number of presentations put on by Circle K international committee members and general members of CKI. The presentations ranged from understanding healthy relationship building to CKI’s award applications, and there was even a professional photo booth available! I had the opportunity to present with the Kiwanis Family Relations Committee on engaging with the Kiwanis Family branches. Each workshop was tailored to a different part of the organization and helped to better equip all attendees to serve you all as district leaders. 

The conference included a number of fantastic guest speakers, including a guest appearance from Kiwanis World Service Medal recipient Steve Young (the famous quarterback)! Some of the featured speakers included Captain “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot from the movie Sully that was able to save 155 lives with an emergency landing in the Hudson River. There was a preschool teacher (Rachel Giannini) that told her heartwarming story highlighting the importance of play in developing children and how we can serve kids as a part of Kiwanis and CKI. Included also was Kevin Carroll, an idea man and published author who worked to bring ideas to reality for Nike, the NBA, Disney, and countless others. Lastly, there was a speech by Ethan Zohn, the cancer survivor and three time competitor of the show Survivor (and one time winner). These amazing inspirational speakers brought a level of enthusiasm to the conference that energized the conference and really made the power of service through Kiwanis and CKI so apparent.

One of the main purposes of the conference is to elect a new International Executive board (President, Vice President, and Trustees). With voting participation from all of the CKI governors and the past executive board, we were able to elect a new board. I would like to congratulate our new International Executive board that will be guiding our organization for the year. Congratulations to International President Kyle Lank, International Vice President Leah Reiser, and Trustees Madeleine Eichorn, Chelsea Jordan, Tyler Kearns, Alissa McIntyre, Liz Sevigny, Katelyn Van Buren, Johnathan Varano, and Isabelle Wang. A special shoutout to Trustee Liz Sevigny from the New England district for their hard work and accomplishments - Liz served as the charter president this past year at Mount Holyoke, and is now a Trustee after only a year! Another shoutout to our Trustee for the district Katelyn Van Buren! Katelyn will serve this year as the Trustee for our group of sister districts or “Sistrict,” consisting of the Capital, Montana, and Pennsylvania districts. The name of our Sistrict for the year is the Treasure Sistrict. Katelyn has an introduction in this edition of Lobster Tales, so go check it out!

To end the weekend in Salt Lake City, the conference concluded with the presentation of awards for the hard work of our organization during the pandemic. As a district, we did amazing work; we were able to increase our membership numbers and serve over 1,000 hours when most schools were limiting service to virtual opportunities! For our hard work, the New England district was recognized with the Distinguished District award; I would like to congratulate each and every one of you on your hard work over the last year. I would also like to give a huge shoutout to our former district Governor Alison Lunny for winning Distinguished Governor and our District Administrator Maryann Belason for winning Distinguished District Administrator! Their hard work was at the core of our district’s success over the past year and I am grateful to both of them for their leadership and mentorship. Another congrats to Mount Holyoke for winning New Charter of the year, and their charter president Liz Sevigny (now Trustee Liz Sevigny) for winning the Outstanding New Member award! Congrats to Alison Lunny and Liz Sevigny again for both receiving the Outstanding International Committee member award!

Thank you for taking the time to read my article and Lobster Tales in general; I hope you all have a great rest of your summer and I look forward to working with you for recruitment and serving with you in the Fall!

Zachary Kahn

District Governor 2021-2022

Experiencing ELC Virtually

I attended ELC in June from the comfort of my own home and it was awesome! I got to listen to the great guest speakers that they had which all gave me something to think about or look into as we begin to set up for the fall semester of in-person service. My favorite speaker was Ethan Zhon, who was the winner of "Survivor:Africa", who talked about the power of play and the non-profit organization that he started with his winnings. I got to listen to speeches from all of the wonderful international board candidates and even had the opportunity to meet them each individual and talk to them about their visions for the upcoming service year. It was great being online live to witness our districts very own Liz Sevingy to be elected as an international trustee.

I also had the opportunity to attend some workshops where I learned more about CKI as an organization and recruitment techniques and materials that I plan to utilize to get CKI back to normal after the pandemic. Additionally, I was able to witness our own governor, Zak, present about Kiwanis Family relations. It was so unique to experience these things in a virtual manner, in real time, so I could cheer on our district and their amazing accomplishments from home. ELC got me so excited for the upcoming year, which I can't wait to experience with all of you!

Jordanna Belle-Isle

District Secretary-Treasurer

SPRING LOBSTER TALES

APRIL 2021

Governor Farewell

Hello New England! For the last time, it’s Alison, your now Immediate-Past Governor. Thank you to everyone who came to DCON, and you all heard me gush about what an amazing group of members you all are and what great successes we’ve had in the past year. You all had a hand in keeping your clubs, this district, and Circle K International a strong organization and I hope that you all take the end of this year to appreciate all of the service you’ve done, friends you’ve made, and virtual events you’ve attended. (Believe me, attending those events made the organizer really happy!).

I came into this role really unsure of where I stood, and what we as a district could be. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of this district board, club leadership, and international support, we were able to forge a place in this virtual sphere and put on events and send out resources that helped all of you grow in size and community. I want to take a minute to shout out all of the board members from this past year, and mention what’s next in store for these amazing people:

• Ella Lubbers is graduating this year from Northeastern University with a BS in Behavioral Neuroscience.

• Victoria Cameron is also graduating from Northeastern University with a BS in Health Science. 

• Jordanna Belle-Isle will be returning to the district board as your Secretary-Treasurer.

• Aislinn Keady will be reprising her role of President’s Council Chair on the District Board.

• Manav Mehta will also be reprising his role of Events Chair on the District Board.

• Emily Shen will be retiring from the District Board, after serving as our District Editor for two years.

• Zachary Kahn will be returning to the District Board as your District Governor.

So much of the work this board has done goes on behind the scenes, and I admire each of them for their grit and commitment despite a pandemic, despite only interacting virtually this entire term, and despite sometimes feeling like the resources created are just sent off into an abyss. I am very excited to follow each of these amazing people’s paths in the future, and also to follow the powerhouse that is our incoming board!

CKI is one of those communities where everyone is incredibly kind, understanding, and inspiring. The work done at the district level has been done to help you all, and you are what made all of the late nights, last minute emails, and zoom burnout worth it. I hope you all return to your clubs in the fall and try to get involved with leadership on some level. If you don’t know where to start, join one of our committees! 

This year has laid the groundwork for a more accessible district environment and all of the skills we have gained are a key element to the success of Circle K International in the future. It has been my honor to have been your virtual governor and leader of your virtual district board. Thank you everyone for the past five years of service, leadership, and fellowship. I’ve found a sense of purpose like many others through serving, forming a network of friends and colleagues that I will value for years to come, and the many, MANY skills I’ve picked up along the way.

alison lunny
2020-2021 district governor

Key Club Update

Greetings New England District of Circle K!

It’s beginning to get a little warmer outside and the grass is getting greener! Meanwhile, I am closing in on a year of service as Key Club Governor, and most of you have just started a new Circle K year or term.

Many New England Key Clubbers will soon be graduating high school and moving on to college. Of course, you know what that means! As a District, we are working to promote joining Circle K. Immediate-Past Governor Alison Lunny and Governor Zachary Kahn presented a workshop to our Key Club seniors at our DECON about, “Life after Key Club.” They showed members which colleges have clubs, how to get involved if their college doesn’t have a club, and tips for them as freshmen in college! We are so thankful to have hosted them and hope to see our Key Club seniors move on to be involved in Circle K. 

On another note, I am also a senior in high school and am about to finish my term as Governor! Thank you for a fantastic year of service together, for inspiring so many young leaders, and for the work you do in your homes, schools, and communities. This isn’t a good-bye, but rather a, “See you later!”

Yours in service and friendship,

Lydia Tucker
District Governor | New England and Bermuda District
Key Club International
govlydia@gmail.com 

DCON Recap

Thank you everyone for attending DCON 2021. This year, we were able to celebrate the New England District's accomplishments for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 years. We were able to donate various items, such as a leaf blower, crayons, and construction paper, to Camp Sunshine through everyone's wonderful donations. We created many alphabets for Letters for Literacy. We celebrated with multiple awards going to universities around the New England District.

Over the weekend, we had a fun time with our various socials and the safari costume contest. Also, every member was able to attend multiple workshops throughout the weekend, including resume building, membership retention, and time management. The weekend was filled with laughter, service, and leadership. Finally, we were able to elect the New England District's new Editor, Secretary-Treasurer, and Governor. 

Again, thank you for everyone's participation, and I hope to see you next year!

manav mehta
2020-2021 events chair

"Starting college amidst a pandemic brought much uncertainty, but what was always certain was my love for the Kiwanis Family. It is incredible that even in these times, Kiwanis and Circle K were able to gather (even though it was virtual!) for DCON. Seeing all the passion and excitement through the computer screen, I so look forward to the future years I will spend in Circle K."

Willliam An
Yale University

Outdoor, Socially-Distanced Service Ideas 

Now that it’s warming up outside, it’s a great time to start planning outdoor, socially-distanced service projects! Take some inspiration from these project ideas below:

• Garbage Clean Up

  • Materials: gloves, garbage bags

  • Go around a nearby park, your campus, etc. to pick up trash! Make it a competition by splitting into teams and seeing who can fill the most bags or challenge another club!

• Motivational Chalking

  • Materials: chalk

  • Grab some chalk and write motivational reminders around campus or your neighborhood. Some ideas include: You’ve got this!, Stay Positive!, Social Distance Doesn’t Mean We Aren’t in this Together, etc.

• Sanitation Station

  • Materials: hand sanitizer, masks, alcohol wipes, etc.

  • Donate or purchase sanitation materials, and provide them to students going to class! If you have time, include branding on the hand sanitizers (i.e. a paper that says when your next meeting is) to recruit!

• Yardwork

  • Materials: rakes, gardening gloves, lawnmower, shovels, etc.

  • See if your campus or neighborhood has any yard work that needs to be done. Rake leaves, pull weeds, shovel driveways, or mow lawns of those in need! 

• Community or Campus Garden Box

  • Materials: garden trowels, shovels, mallets, garden wire, soil, seeds, landscape fabric, garden-box kit or scrap wood, screwdriver, drill, etc.

  • Create a sustainable food source for your campus or community using instructions like these or instructions that come with your garden. 

• Little Library

  • Materials: plywood, lumber, screws/nails, drill, saw, level, etc.

  • Follow plans like these to build a Little Free Library in your community!

• Wash 6K or Virtual 5K

  • Materials: none

  • Register for a virtual 5K that helps a charitable cause or raise money for WASH by completing a WASH 6K with your club!

• Food Drive

  • Materials: paper bags, flyers

  • Drop off a flyer a week in advance with a pick-up time, ask participants to leave a bag of cans at their door, and pick it up from their doorstep for a no-contact food-drive!

Have fun completing your socially-distanced service projects, and be sure to send pictures to editornedcki@gmail.com or tag @nedcki on Instagram!

Hannah Spargur
International Trustee

Welcoming the 2021-2022 District Governor

Hello New England District of Circle K International,

My name is Zachary Kahn. I will be your New England District Governor of Circle K International for the upcoming 2021-2022 service year. A little bit about me: I am finishing up my second year at Northeastern University; I am a health science major on a pre-med track. I am originally from New Hampshire, where I golf during the summers and ski during the winters. I have also recently taken up running and hiking. I have been a part of the Kiwanis family for a while; I was a member of my middle school’s builders club, and I founded a key club for my high school.

I have been an active member of Northeastern’s Circle K club for the duration of my time in college, and last year I served as your New England District Secretary-Treasurer. I am looking forward to working with you for this upcoming year. I will be a resource for you in anything related to Circle K. I am always here for any questions you have throughout the year.

I know this past year has been very stressful for many of us, but I look forward to transitioning back into regular club activities and hopefully some in-person events! As a district we will be looking to host some more in-person and virtual events this year, so be on the lookout. We have also added two new committees this year: a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee and a Public Relations committee. As we start the year, we encourage anyone that is interested to apply for committee positions — we are looking for members to develop into future leadership positions.

I am very excited for this upcoming service year, and I look forward to working with you all. Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns as the services year progresses. As a district board, we are here to serve you, so we welcome any and all interactions. Thank you all for taking the time to read this introduction and our NED Lobster Tales. I wish you all luck with the end of the semester and finals. For graduating seniors, I wish you the best in the future, and for underclassmen, I look forward to serving with you in the future.

Yours in Service,

Zachary Kahn
2021-2022 New England District Governor
govnedcki@gmail.com

FALL LOBSTER TALES

DECEMBER 2020

FallCon 2020 Recap

Hello CKI Family!

Thank you to everyone who came to FallCon 2020. This year’s theme was travel, and we were able to virtually travel to different countries and learn about some landmarks and current events affecting the country. We had an exciting time with many guest speakers worldwide talking about their initiatives during the pandemic and how we can all help. From Outreach 360’s work in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua and the WASH program in Haiti, members learned how to get involved and donate virtually. We worked on leadership skills through some fantastic activities and got to meet members all around the New England area. We were able to raise over $400 to donate to WASH this year! Overall, FallCon 2020 was a success, and I hope you will join us for DCON 2021!

Manav Mehta
events chair

My name is Eli, and I attended FallCon 2020. During the weekend, I learned a lot about global issues involving sanitation and climate change. I participated in an amazing service project, in which I transcribed letters to inmates and learn about their stories. I met many new people from different universities during our socials and breakout room activities. I also got a really cool shirt! Overall, I had an amazing time and will be back next year!

Eli Avraamides
Northeastern university

Reviewing Your Mid-Year Goals

I hope that everyone has been enjoying the late Fall/early Winter holidays and are close to the end of this ~unprecedented~ semester (okay, I’m done, I just had to throw that word in once). It’s been a semester where we have seen growth in areas that a year ago we never would have been able to anticipate growing in, and have been challenged in ways a year ago we wouldn’t have known how to prepare for. I want to say that I’m proud of the time you all have put into CKI and I’m excited to see what the rest of the year has in store! Whether you’re volunteering when you can, volunteering your time to work behind the scenes, and/or participating in meeting or fellowship events, you are contributing to a better community and I just want to thank you.

And now is the time to take a minute to pause, clear your head for a minute, and reflect on where you are in terms of your expectations for this year and what you need to do to make the rest of your service year meet your hopes and ambitions. Do you want to serve once a week next semester? Do you need to shift goal priorities so that you can focus on the goals that will benefit your club the most? Do you want to start taking active steps towards ensuring club leadership is left in good hands next year? Whatever your goals may be, right now is a great time to reflect and plan, and if need be set up a few tasks to do over winter break so that when classes kick back up you’re prepared to follow through the motions.

If you need help forming or evaluating your goals, here are some resources:

• A TED talk about choosing the right objectives,

• One of our guides to help direct conversations about your club,

• A time management method if you feel like you’re running in place,

• A list of breathing techniques that may help keep you going as you push towards the stressful finals season, 

• A sample mid-year evaluation worksheet, and

• (of course) us!

If you want someone to have a conversation with about these things, don’t be a stranger to the District Board! We are here to help you and I would love to listen and act as a sounding board for any of you, even if you don’t have a position and just want to find a way to spend more time using your skills to make your community better. 

I’ll leave you all with a quote from the Circle K International Mission and Values that I find meaningful when thinking about what we’ve done so far and where we will go in the next few months and years: “Circle K's potential lies in its ability to positively influence those in society who are facing ultimate personal decisions, and those who will one day create the vision of humanity for generations to come.”

alison lunny
district governor

A Letter from Key Club

Hello Circle K, 

This year has certainly looked quite different than expected but I hope that the Kiwanis family will still be able to create a lasting impact. Every year the Key Clubbers of Scarborough Maine go around the town and rake leaves for disabled or elderly families who are unable to rake them themselves and unable to take on the financial burden of having to pay for someone to come rake them. Earlier this fall we masked up and were able to rake a few yards. It was not as many as in years past but the fact that we could get out and do a normal activity even if we had to be six feet away with a mask on was an amazing feat. The families whose yards we raked were incredibly grateful. 

As we move our service to be virtual we are having to find creative new ways to serve. One of my favorite activities that we are able to do remotely has been Free Rice, this is an online trivia game which donates 5 grains of rice with every correct answer. There are different categories: English Vocabulary, World Capitals, Chemical symbols, and several different languages. During the southern Maine Divisional Council Meeting they held a 5 minute Free Rice competition where we played for exactly 5 minutes to see how much rice each person could donate the person with the most correct answers and thus for the most rice donated won. The website is able to donate the rice through funds raised by the advertisements that appear on their page as you answer the questions. 

Thank you for continually being great role models especially during this time. I wish you all the best year possible! 

Yours in service and friendship, 

Kristina Jutras
District Editor
New England and Bermuda District
Key Club International

SUMMER LOBSTER TALES

August 2020

CKI in the Age of Covid-19: How to Recruit Virtually

Whether your school has decided to go fully remote, return to campus, or somewhere in between, it is clear that recruitment for CKI will look a little different this year. Most schools will not have the opportunity to host an activities fair, or other tabling events that are traditionally the primary source of new members. Meetings and events are likely to take place online as well, and in-person service opportunities may not be available. It will be important to get creative about your recruitment strategy. However, CKI is here to help! 

The district board has put out several resources that will hopefully help as you form a plan for recruitment. One of the primary challenges will be discovering ways to put on virtual events that are enticing to potential new members. For this purpose, a document has been created with many different ideas. It is broken up into 3 event categories, with one focused on each of the 3 tenets of CKI: Service, Leadership, and Fellowship. In addition, a virtual service guide with more ideas for online service will be available. All of the events can be hosted through Zoom or another video conferencing service, so they are possible regardless of your ability to meet in person. 

Even more than before, icebreakers will be helpful to make everyone feel included and connected to each other. A document has been created with a list of icebreakers that can be performed virtually. These can be used at the start of meetings, or as fun games to help everyone get to know each other better. There are a few different categories on the guide that can be used for different purposes. “Active breaks” can be used in the middle of long events or meetings to allow everyone to move and stretch a little bit. If you want to start off an event by getting to know the group, there are “get to know you games” to help form connections between attendees. Finally, there are “mind games” if the group is somewhat familiar with each other, and you just need a game to make everyone more relaxed and engaged. 

Since everyone is understandably busy at the start of a semester, the district has also provided a few flyer templates in Canva so you can quickly create advertisements for your events! All you need to do copy and paste the design into a blank flyer, and then fill in the details for your event as shown on the template. There are templates for a traditional flyer, Instagram story, and Facebook post depending on your needs. Reach out to the District Editor, Emily at editornedcki@gmail.com or District Event Chair, Manav at events.nedcki@gmail.com for access.

In addition to the district resources, Circle K International has also provided tips and ideas about recruiting members virtually. These can be found at circlek.org under Resources > Recruitment & Retention > Recruitment Materials > Virtual CKI Club Recruitment. One area of emphasis from CKI is that you should be inviting potential members to fun events, and not the club itself. While you can spend time introducing the club at the event, it will likely be more beneficial to initially focus on allowing people to create connections with each other. Especially now, this is one of the best ways to keep people coming back to a club. Consider creating personal connections with attendees of events, and then asking for their contact information and reaching out again later. Similarly, ask those that are comfortable to put their social media handles and/or phone numbers in the chat, so people can stay in touch. 

As you adjust to an online semester, it may be helpful to shift your focus towards fellowship and leadership, as these could be easier to perform online. Incoming freshmen and transfer students will be looking for a home as they begin school, and more than ever CKI can provide that for them. Without the same social opportunities to meet people, your club can act as a safe space for people to befriend students with a similar passion for service. Consider emphasizing this opportunity by starting the semester with a variety of fellowship activities focused on getting to know each other in a relaxed format. 

While CKI recruitment this fall will definitely not be the same as previous years, there are many unique opportunities to keep your club strong and growing. By providing interesting events, people will have the opportunity to be introduced to CKI, while also making connections and having fun during this difficult time. Show potential new members how you found your college home at CKI, and how they can do the same!  

Members of club e-boards should have received links to the resources described above in Governor Alison’s August E-board Update. If you would like to request access to the above resources, please email me at membership.nedcki@gmail.com. Additionally, if you have questions, feedback, or other resources you would like to see, please reach out to me at the same email! 

Ella Lubbers
Membership Development and education Chair
membership.nedcki@gmail.com

Governor’s Project

Hey everyone, and happy beginning of the school year! This year more than ever, we need to come together as a district and lean on each other for support. Every year, the governor chooses a project or cause they want to band the district together with. In the past, Governor Angela last year partnered with the KyleCares Foundation and Minding Your Mind, focusing on normalizing conversations about mental health and making sure that you and those around you are getting the help that you need.

When looking at our District Goals this year, I knew I wanted to focus on district engagement among our clubs. As cheesy as it sounds, you, your members, and your skills are our greatest resource. I also want to make sure that all of you are getting the most out of the district board, and that we are providing you with aid and resources that you need.

To do this, as a district board we have already started by creating a district & club leadership slack workspace, have had two district fellowship nights, and are at the end of our second club contest! I hope these opportunities along with other programming we will be providing throughout the year will be fun and engaging ways for you to network, exchange ideas, and get any support that you need. 

If you have any ideas or questions about my Governor’s Project (or anything!), my door is always open! This project is all about helping YOU, and I will need your help throughout the year to tell me what you and your peers need.

Alison Lunny 2020-2021 New England District Governor govnedcki@gmail.com

Facilitating Virtual Discussions on Black Lives Matter, Racial Justice, and the Role of Circle K

A few weeks ago, Northeastern Circle K held its very first virtual event, “Better Neighbors: A Reflection of Our Roles in Our Communities - Roxbury”. As the title suggests, the event was centered around a discussion on how we as members and an organization can improve our knowledge and impact within the communities we serve, specifically in this discussion focussed on Roxbury. 

In the first half of the event, three short films about Roxbury from the perspective of residents and community members of Roxbury were shown. These films highlighted the importance of Roxbury’s history and locality as a “Mecca of the Black Community” with its active role in Civil Rights activism, growing religious and cultural diversity, and a place of residence for many influential Black figures throughout history including Malcolm X and Louis Farrakhan. The films also highlighted the difficulties of negative stereotypes, racist public policies, and the rapid change of the economic and geographical landscape. 

In the second half of the event, members of Northeastern Circle K discussed the purpose of our service within our communities, ways in which we can be better informed about the people we serve, and how we can increase our involvement with civic engagement. Some points of action that were provided by members included educating friends and other members about the history of Roxbury and encouraging students to explore the neighboring communities of Northeastern. 

Hosting a virtual event helped many of our members connect with each other and provided them with a platform to talk about important topics. Northeastern Circle K plans to continue to hold these events throughout the year virtually to be able to connect with more of our members and the broader community of Circle K clubs throughout our district. We hope to have more clubs join us throughout the year and join them in their virtual events as well. 

Victoria Cameron
VP of Outreach, Northeastern Circle K 

Links to short films:

“My Roxbury” produced by Tessil Collins and “Entering Roxbury” produced by Tessil Collins in collaboration with Lolita Parker, Jr., Darius Morant, videographers Maureen McNamara, René Dongo and music designer Rollins Ross.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WABIXZujLRA 

“History of Roxbury” produced by Roxbury Legacy Project https://aboutblackboston.org/roxbury-history-video/ 

Welcome to the Family!

Wentworth Circle K is proud to join the International and New England District Family. We are made up of a small group of enthusiastic service goers led by a fantastic and welcoming E-Board who are so excited to get up and running. I am Jordanna Belle-Isle, the President, a sophomore majoring in biological engineering and a minor in business management. A quick fun fact about me is that I currently have a collection of over 170 PEZ dispensers. My hometown is Conway, New Hampshire where I have been a member of many Kiwanis Family clubs growing up. Additionally, I am also the Kiwanis Family Chair of the New England District and am excited to start a new chapter of service in my college community.

Our Vice President, Miranda Klope, is a sophomore majoring in architecture and minoring in business and hopes to own her own residential architecture firm after college. Miranda is from San Juan, Puerto Rico and is fluent in Spanish. Our Treasurer, Virgina Partlow, is also a sophomore majoring in architecture and a member of the Wentworth crew team. Virginia's fun fact is that she has had 8 separate concussions. Our Secretary, Jenah Arsenault, is a sophomore majoring in civil engineering. Jenah starts her day off by eating oatmeal for breakfast every morning. Our Social Media/Outreach Chairs, Mai Lihn Van and Madison Goldfarb, are both sophomores majoring in architecture. Main Linh says that if she had a super power, she would want to fly; Madison has an obsession with boats that started before she even started walking. Wentworth Circle K cannot wait to serve the Boston Community with our Sponsoring Kiwanis Club, Greater Boston Young Professionals!

Jordanna Belle-Isle
Wentworth CKI President
District Kiwanis Family Chair

Meet Our Trustee

Hello everyone! I hope you’ve been enjoying your summer so far and are staying healthy and safe! My name is Hannah Spargur, and I’ll be serving as your International Trustee this year. I’m studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities (go Gophers!), and I hope to go into medical devices! Other than Circle K, I run and volunteer for our medical devices center.

As trustee, I’ll be working with your district as well as Capital, Nebraska-Iowa and Wisconsin- Upper Michigan. My role is to bring your voices to the International level and support your members, clubs and districts. As you already know, this year is going to be different, but it’s full of the potential for growth if we take advantage of it!

That being said, my priority this year is to assist you in any way possible in taking advantage of your club and district’s growth potential. If you ever have any questions, suggestions or concerns, I would love to talk with you – it’s exactly what I’m here for!

This year, I’m also focusing on reversing our membership decline. I want to do this by building relationships with our K-family. Specifically, holding virtual events for Key Clubbers to help them prepare and choose a college. I also want to utilize the professional development our organization already offers by connecting CKI-ers with Kiwanians who have similar interests and career aspirations. Be sure to keep an eye out for more information as we get these plans off the ground :).

I can’t wait to get to know you all this year! If you have any questions or suggestions throughout the year, please don’t be afraid to reach out!

Yours in service,

Hannah Spargur
920.530.2670 | trusteehannah@circlek.org

Letter From Key Club

Hello New England District of Circle K, 

Can you believe we are already getting ready to go back to school (in person or virtually)? It seems like summer just started. 

Obviously, this service year will look different both in the Key Club and Circle K worlds. There will be few or no in person service projects, meetings, or conferences. We have to learn how to adapt to these crazy times, and our District Boards are working hard to ensure we still have opportunities to serve others and be leaders! New England Key Clubs are holding online officer trainings and service projects. Now, Key Clubs can attend these without having to drive and pay for gas! We also encourage our Circle K counterparts to attend these gatherings. If you’d like to participate, please get in touch with myself or one of our Lieutenant Governors to get some dates and times. You can find all of our email addresses on our new District website. We’d love to see you! 

Recently, I was lucky enough to attend a Circle K District Board Meeting. As young adults, you are so selfless and are leaders for not only us Key Clubbers, but for your schools, communities, and world. Thank you for all that you do! 

Yours in service and friendship, 

Governor Lydia Tucker
New England and Bermuda District 
Key Club International 

*Our District Board doesn’t have any pictures together, but the Executive Board’s photos can be found on this page. 

SPRING LOBSTER TALES

May 2020

Governor Introduction

Hello New England District, it’s your 2020-2021 Governor, Alison!

This year and term has been off to a unique beginning, and I want to first wish all of you, your families, and your friends well. It is a time that will shape our young adult lives, whether we are graduating in less than a year, or beginning our undergraduate career. I hope that we continue to serve our communities, be it through virtual service, supporting local businesses (if you can!), or being there for your friends during this stressful time.

I am very excited to spend this year connecting with each of your clubs and helping our district sustainably grow. Circle K International is a place where I have made good friends and have helped serve the community in which I live, and I am continually inspired by CKI’s and each of our clubs’ dedication to service.

A bit more about me — I am a rising fifth year Civil Engineering student. I’ve been a member of CKI at Northeastern University since my freshman year, and ever since I’ve committed to serving regularly at events we have with our service partners. Last year, I served on the New England District Board as the Membership Development and Education Chair, so I hope I am a familiar face to a lot of you. I love photography, learning a little about a lot, and (of course) service!

I look forward to seeing all of your faces in the fall, and I am really excited to see what we accomplish this year! If you ever have questions or want to talk about something, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Yours in Service,

Alison Lunny 2020-2021 New England District Governor govnedcki@gmail.com

2019-2020 Farewell

Hello New England Circle K members,

As the academic year comes to an end, my term as governor does as well. I am so grateful for this experience and I have so many wonderful memories with our district. I was able to meet members at our district events, visit new colleges, and achieve many goals with all of you! Being able to work with our district board was so rewarding to help our clubs and members be successful this year.

Some of my favorite memories this year were the camp fire at FallCon, welcoming Emerson College and Mount Holyoke, singing holiday carols with Kiwanis, and working with Key Club members. My favorite part of being Governor was seeing how all our clubs participated in the Governors project to spread awareness about Mental Health in our college communities.

We achieved so many district goals this year with recruiting members, fundraising, events, chattering, and maintaining monthly reports. I want to thank each and every one of you for the effort and passion you put into Circle K. It is amazing to see what we do as a group and I think of us as a family.

As my term as Governor comes to an end, I am so excited to see what the new district board accomplishes. I wish you all the best of luck, and I am always here for you. As we all push through this challenging time with COVID-19, remember to take care of your mental health and stay positive. I wish you all a healthy, happy, and successful year going forward.

With love,

Angela Haglund 2019-2020 New England District Governor

New England District of Key Club

Hello New England District of Circle K, 

I hope you are all having an amazing year thus far despite these unique circumstances! We are learning there are opportunities to serve no matter what is happening in the world.

New England and Bermuda Key Clubs are finding alternative ways to serve and lead during these times. Although our District Educational Conference was cancelled, we were able to present all our workshops on Zoom while livestreaming them on our YouTube and Facebook pages. Key Clubbers even had the opportunity to learn about Circle K and college through workshops hosted by Governor Alison Lunny and Immediate-Past Governor Angela Haglund! We have also held our Board Trainer online and formulated District goals for the upcoming year. 

During our 2020-2021 terms, we will keep in touch with our Kiwanis Family, which includes you Circle K members! We recently welcomed a Kiwanis Family and Events Chair, Kameryn Dockham, to our Board. She will be in charge of communicating with you all and strengthening the bond between Key Club and Circle K! If you’d ever like to reach out to her, feel free to do so at dockham.nebd2021@gmail.com. 

Circle K, thank you for all you do to improve your communities and world. The work you do does not go unnoticed, and your examples inspire us Key Clubbers to continue to serve as we approach adulthood. You are truly amazing role models for not only us, but also the rest of New England! 

Yours in service and friendship, 

Lydia Tucker 2020-2021 District Governor  New England and Bermuda District of Key Club International

WELCOME TO 2020

February 2020

One of the best parts of the District Convention is celebrating and honoring all the work completed by the clubs and individual members over the last year! Three different awards packets can be found on the District website and cover all facets of Circle K life, from the club publications to the Kiwanis advisors to, of course, service. 

The first packet is the Society of Distinguished Collegians packet. The Society of Distinguished Collegians was established to recognize those members of Circle K International who strive for excellence in academics, service to campus and community and commitment to the local club. Nomination must be completed by a member of the Kiwanis family or a Circle K club faculty advisor, and they may nominate up to two percent of their total membership. All applications must be postmarked by March 1, 2020. 

The second packet is the 2020 Distinguished Club Officer packet. These awards are given to the club officers in each position who have truly distinguished themselves in terms of the Circle K tenets of service, leadership, and fellowship. Awards will be given to the top three presidents, vice presidents, secretaries, treasurers, chairpeople, and general club officers.

The final packet is the general awards packet, which covers all other awards! The general awards fall into three main categories – Kiwanis Family Achievement, Club Achievement, and Individual Achievement. The Kiwanis Family Achievement awards honor those Kiwanians who have helped your club achieve its goals this year, and include Distinguished Faculty Advisor and Outstanding Sponsoring Kiwanis Club awards. The Club Achievement awards celebrate the achievements of your club as a whole. I would like to particularly highlight the Club Scrapbook and Club T-Shirt Design awards, which really let you get your creative juices flowing. The Individual Achievement awards highlight those individual club members who stood out over the course of the year. These include the Outstanding New Member award for new members and the Senior Recognition award for all graduating seniors.

NORTHEASTERN CIRCLE K UPDATE

This year we have been making an extra effort to rework our biweekly meetings to make them more informative, engaging, and worthwhile for our members to attend. With this end in mine, we’ve hosted quite a few guest speakers, including a representative from KyleCares, who spoke candidly about her adversities in mental health. We’ve also featured a speaker from Women’s Lunch Place, a women’s shelter in Boston, representatives from a few of the service partners with which we work, a speaker from Teach for America, and others. 

At our February 25th meeting, we welcomed guest speaker Professor Deborah Milbauer from Northeastern’s Department of Public Health. As a former student of Prof. Milbauer’s, I was extremely excited for her to give a talk at one of our meetings about a tremendously important issue: the opioid crisis in the Unites States. She shared a great deal of knowledge with us, including details like why we should care about the issue, the rate of opioid deaths (which have been on the rise in the past decade), and public health interventions which are being employed in order to deal with the issue. Being that some of our service partners do environmental work and have been experiencing an increase in needles found during cleanup events, we thought that it would be important to touch upon the issue with our members. We hope that through these guest speaker engagements, our members can be more knowledgeable in relevant current topics and may use this knowledge to contribute positively to our community.

GABBY RAO

WELCOME TO 2020!

Hello New England District!

I can’t believe it is already halfway through the school year and I hope you are all looking forward to the next few months as much as I am! With a new semester starting this is a great opportunity to recruit new members to your club, so make sure to take advantage of your tabeling packages and welcome other students to CKI. Being at college often means being away from home and what better way to get involved in your community by growing your club and being part of a family on your campus. 

Every single day I am so impressed with our district members and the passion, time, and efforts you put into Circle K. This being said, we are already looking into our next service year and you could serve on the next district board. Serving on the board is such a great experience and it will build your knowledge, leadership skills, and experiences. If you are interested in being a district leader you can run for a position on the board and work with all our active clubs in the 6 states of New England. When is the election for these positions……? Keep reading!!

District Convention is SO soon!!!!!! We are very excited to “Spring into Service” from March 27-29 at the Best Western Hotel in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. This year’s DECON you will meet new members from different clubs, attend useful workshops, participate in large-scale service projects, and get motivated by all things Circle K. We will also have guests from our New England and Bermuda Kiwanis Family and Circle K International. There will also be a fun game night that is Vegas themed to get us excited for the International Convention in Vegas this summer. So if you haven’t registered yet, make sure to sign your club up for this awesome weekend and be on the lookout for the Awards Packet and District Candidates applications!  

As we head into the New Year, I want to wish all our members a happy, healthy, and successful semester in your academics, Circle K, and social life. I am here for you as your friend and Governor, so never hesitate to reach out!

Yours in service,

Angela Haglund govnedcki@gmail.com

WHY DCON?

Greetings Circle K’ers!

We are less than two weeks away from the DCON registration deadline. So, why should YOU care? Aside from the fact that DCON is a great opportunity to visit New Hampshire and eat delicious pie, it is also a weekend filled with leadership development, club training, and the opportunity to build your network by connecting with other New England Circle Ks. 

This will be my fourth year attending DCON, and each year I leave this event feeling proud of my club’s achievements from the previous service year and excited about the opportunities that the new service year holds! The weekend is always filled with lots of laughter, reflection, convincing people to run for District Board (everyone should do it!) and pie of course. It is also a lot of fun to participate in service in a community outside of your own and to learn about the work different organizations are doing throughout the community. 

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend DCON, whether you are a club officer or a general member. This year’s program is going to focus a lot on club development and making sure each board member feels prepared to take on their role. If you think you will be holding a club leadership position starting next school year, you should definitely be registering to attend! 

For a number of us, DCON 2020 is going to feel a little different. It will be our closing ceremony, our final farewell, marking the end of our Circle K careers and our transition into Kiwanis. We’ll leave the weekend thinking about all of the friendships we’ve made, the service we’ve completed, and about the leaders we’ve become. We also want to leave DCON feeling confident about the future of NED CKI which is why we need the next generation of Circle K leaders to invest in our district, invest in your clubs, and invest in the opportunity to attend DCON! 

Please feel free to email me at kfamily.nedcki@gmail.com with additional questions or concerns about DCON. I am happy to collaborate with you on how to approach your sponsoring Kiwanis club to request a donation to subsidize registration costs. 

Jamie McGloin District Kiwanis-Family Chair

Westfield State Circle K

This past Thanksgiving season, Westfield State Circle K took part in an event called Thanksgivaway, an event held on campus in which 3 different clubs were in-charge of running tables. Each tables’ earnings would be donated out into the community. Circle K had the honor of working the canned good table. Students and faculty were able to donate a canned good or nonperishable food item and in-turn would receive a coupon for a free Dunkin’ Donuts coffee. Following the event each of the items collected were donated to the local food pantry. The items that we collected included canned goods, hard candies, toiletries, and much more. At this event, our members also took part in creating no-sew blankets that would be donated along with the canned goods. 

KPTI Day 2019 

‘Tis the season to be jolly and celebrate all of the hard work of the Kiwanis family! On Saturday, December 7th nearly 300 Key Clubbers had the opportunity to visit the Kiwanis Pediatric Trauma Institute in the Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center. The morning began with students registering and dropping off donations of toys and blankets, which will be handed out to KPTI patients. Everyone then took their seats in the auditorium to hear from a number of important guest speakers, including an actual KPTI patient! Brandon was hit by a car while riding his bike earlier this year in August. He was airlifted from his hometown in New Hampshire to KPTI in Boston. Brandon sustained a number of injuries from the accident, but now just a few months later he looks like a perfectly normal kid, bouncing around in his seat and joking about how much he loves his PS4. He even brought his helmet to show the group which had cracked in three places during the accident. A large portion of the work of KPTI is injury prevention, so this really dove home the point that everyone should wear helmets while riding their bikes! 

After the speakers, volunteer tour guides from the Greater Boston Young Professionals, Northeastern Circle K, and Keene State Circle K led the Key Clubbers throughout the hospital. Some highlights of the tour include visiting the playroom in the Emergency Department, wandering through the Floating Hospital history hallway, and hanging out on the playground outside, which is 8 stories in the air and has a big ship playscape! Key Clubbers also had the chance to out together holiday felt mice as this year’s service project (thank you, Liz Woodwell!). The mice will be given out to patients and staff to help spread holiday cheer. Thank you to all of our Circle K volunteers for helping make this day a success and for hopefully recruiting some Key Clubbers to Circle K!

Jamie McGloin District K-Family Relations Chair

Recruiting New Members through Tabling

Membership and development

1. Make sure you have a tabling space reserved at the fair. Some schools require student organizations to sign up to table and organize them in groups based on the genre of the organization. If you have to do this, make sure you sign up and communicate your table location to your tablers!

2. Make a cute poster. Having a poster can help people easily identify who you are and what you do. Short phrases in a readable font/handwriting are the most effective here, as your tablers should be talking about all of the details with potential members. Some ideas of what to include on the poster: “Circle K”, “Community Service”, “Leadership”, “Live to Serve, Love to Serve”, photos of your members at service events or in meetings, quick stats about your club (ie. “Over 2,000 service hours served in the past year!”, or “The largest community service organization on campus”).

3. Decorate your table with some fun ~extras~ . Make a scrapbook of the past year, lay out some t-shirts you’ve sold in the past, put a tablecloth on the table, put up a little stuffed animal lobster, or put up a video or slideshow of what you’ve done. Showcase the personality of your club and really make your table a reflection of you.

4. Set up our tabling packet materials and some of your own materials. Potential members love free stuff. Candy is a big hit, but avoid chocolates or other meltable or messy candies if you’re tabling outside. Beyond the materials that were in our packets this semester, some ideas on things to include while tabling are plastic cups with the Circle K logo (think kid’s cups at restaurants), business cards with your social media, set up a raffle for a bigger prize, and of course, more candy!

5. Have your members sign up to table! If people are around, try to get a variety of members to table at the same time. Newer members, eboard members, people who are involved with other community service orgs, people who need service hours for a scholarship or class, etc. Having differing views of the organization can help attract a variety of new members.

6. Communicate with your tablers. Email them before letting them know when and where they have to be. Give them a few talking points, tell them to wear merch if they have it, and tell them to stand up when they talk to potential members!

7. Collect emails. Make sure you get new members’ emails via a google form set up on a laptop or iPad, a clipboard, or by tricking them into it with something like a giveaway of something like a t-shirt or phone wallets or something a little bigger than what you were handing out.

8. Have fun! Meet new people, tell them how much Circle K means to you and why you chose to be in it out of all the other organizations on campus.

Enjoy all of your tabling activities, this is a really exciting time for your club and such a great way to get it to expand! If you would like some further guidance on how you can really bring your table to the next level, don’t hesitate to reach out!

Alison Lunny

2019-2020 Membership Development & Education Chair

membership.nedcki@gmail.com

CKIx 2019

Darian Guthrie

This past June, Ariabel Adames, Stephanie Pasquine, Emma Houston, and myself with the accompaniment of our amazing advisor Matt Dellea from Westfield State University, and District Administrator Maryann had the most incredible experience of going to CKIx in Orlando. 

We meet Circle K and Kiwanis members from all over the world, had a day of service where we volunteered in the Orlando Community, partook in the International House of Delegates and voted on International bylaws, and attended workshops. On our day of service, half of us spent our day at United Against Poverty and the other half spent their day at Mustard Seed Furniture.  

I was a part of the group that went to United Against Poverty. It was truly a humbling experience to be able to be a part of their everyday work and see what they do for the Orlando community. Some of their resources they provide are a free clinic, phone and computers for the public, a grocery store and market, and so much more. I was in the market where we put prices on items and put them in their spots throughout the building but also organized things as well. Ariabel was apart of the group that went to Mustard Seed Furniture where her group cut open mattresses to help dispose of them properly. When asked about her experience, she said, “Who knew cutting up mattresses would be so fun!”. 

For our workshops, we all attended a workshop about the 7 Habits of a Successful CKI group where we learned different ways to improve our club as a whole, including how to remain consistent, recruitment strategies, Kiwanis relations, communication strategies, ways to impact the community through service, how to be more involved and how to make our club more memorable. Our next workshop was with guest speaker James Robilotta where we learned about the difference between introverts/extroverts and how to work with either type of personality. 

Overall, our experience at CKI was one to remember. We are all extremely grateful for the opportunity to have attended and meet the various CKI and Kiwanis members that we did.

Testimonials from DCON 2018

February 2019

Christian Murchison - University of New Hampshire

Joining Circle K after having been a part of key club for four years, district conventions weren’t unfamiliar to me. Caucusing, elections, workshops, awards, and food. Minus the “E” from high school DECONs, I was expecting the weekend of convention to be just as tiring, yet inspirational as my previous experiences were. However, settling into the hotel on day one of DCON 2018, I knew this was no Key Club Convention. The crowded common rooms and long registration lines I was picturing turned out to be rooms comfortably filled with groups of passionate and hardworking individuals I’d soon meet and get to know. The potential for growth in our organization and home clubs was always present in the many workshops that were presented. Skills on leadership, marketing, recruitment and more were passed from people who have lead successful clubs to those that were there to listen, and bring back to their own clubs.

Though there are many things to learn at DCON, what I remember most are the nights of service projects, competing against groups during different games, or getting slices of pie from the diner next door. There was never a dull moment. This made for an exhausting weekend, but one filled with opportunistic networking and blossoming friendships, one that made me appreciate the absence of the thousands of members that I was used to back in high school. The sense of community was blatantly apparent throughout the weekend, everyone was there for the good of Circle K, so it was easy to talk to other people and connect with members from schools all around New England. Being close with and learning from people that share similar goals is what makes DCON such an important place to be, especially if you’re looking to join any executive board.

District convention wrangles in some very dedicated club members and officers to award their hard work over the past service year, elect the next students to lead on the district board, and bring together ideas that foster inspiration for the upcoming year. I’m looking forward to attending again this year, to see familiar faces once again and absorb everything there is to learn and use it to help my club throughout the next service year!

Madison Babula - University of Massachusetts Amherst

My favorite part about DCON is being able to bond more with my home club. It’s a great opportunity to get to know your club members, and to meet new people and make friends in Circle K clubs across the New England District! It’s also great to be able to share ideas on new community service projects, and hear about the events that other clubs host for their school and surrounding community!

Alison Smith - University of New Hampshire

Attending D-CON was such a great experience for me. I got to meet so many circle k members who I still keep in touch with today from many different schools. It also was cool to learn about circle k on a different more formal level and learn all about the district board and how it works! I recommend this event to all circle k members new and old!

Fall Retreat Recap

November 2018

By Marlies Amberger

Going into Fall Retreat this past weekend, I had no idea what to expect. I was nervous that I wouldn’t make new connections with people outside of college; I was anxious that I was only a freshman and just barely became Vice President. I could not have had a better experience at the NED Fall Retreat. It was an experience that, as someone new to Circle K, was invaluable in showing me what a great service leader looks like.

Throughout the weekend, the twenty of us were holed up in a quaint cabin playing leadership games, working on service projects, and encouraging fellowship with one another. I met people all across the New England District: Northeastern, Johnson And Wales, and Simmons University all sent their kindest, most compassionate Circle K members to this weekend. In just one short weekend, these people became my confidants and my friends. I learned so much from these Circle Kers about the true meaning of service and fellowship. Coming from a relatively small club, it was so great to get advice from others on how to grow our club and foster new programs at UNH. Through activities throughout the weekend, I learned what kind of leader I am. I learned how to debate a topic even if I don’t agree with the side I’m on. I learned how to communicate through telling my teammates how to paint an outrageous picture without being able to see it. (No matter the final scores, the Jugglers were the best team out there for sure). These activities were not only building leadership in me, but connecting me to my teammates and creating a long lasting friendship.

The theme of this year’s Fall Retreat was “Carnival,” and the Events Committee did a fantastic job of decorating the cabin and keeping us in the carnival spirit. We played carnival games and I really felt like I was at the county fair the whole time! The weekend was so fun and engaging, and there was never a moment where I was bored. I am ecstatic that I got the opportunity to go on this retreat as a first year so I can bring back these experiences and share them with my club for the next four years. Fall Retreat brought me great new friends, new leadership tactics, and an even deeper love for service. I cannot wait to go back next year!

Prematurity Awareness Month: March of Dimes

November 2018

By karl uzcategui

March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We believe that every baby deserves the best possible start. Unfortunately, not all babies get one. We are changing that.

For 80 years, March of Dimes has helped millions of babies survive and thrive. Now we’re building on that legacy to level the playing field for all moms and babies, no matter their age, socio-economic background or demographics. We support moms throughout their pregnancy, even when everything doesn’t go according to plan. We advocate for policies that prioritize their health. We support radical improvements to the care they receive. And we pioneer research to find solutions to the biggest health threats to moms and babies. 

What began with President Franklin D. Roosevelt's personal struggle with polio led to the creation of the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, better known as March of Dimes, and ultimately a cure for the disease. With that success behind us, we began to focus on fighting birth defects, premature birth and infant death with innovations like newborn screenings and surfactant therapy; education for medical professionals and the public about best practices; and lifesaving research. We provided comfort and support to families in NICUs and advocated for those who needed us most, moms and babies.

Today we are stronger and more committed than ever to guiding moms through every stage of the pregnancy journey. We are fighting for the smallest among us and advocating for their health each and every day.  And we do so with the tools, technology and knowledge needed to build a brighter future for us all.

- March of Dimes, Greater Boston Market

How Can You Help?

• Share a Story! – Invite someone with a connection to March of Dimes to share their story with you. Or, share one of the many stories available at youtube.com/marchofdimes

• Light Your School in Purple – Work with your administration to help spread the color purple.

• Make ribbons, wear purple, and decorate your campus purple.

• Get involved at your local hospital! – Visit your local Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and see how you and your club can help.

• Service Projects Ideas – No-Sew Blankets for your local NICU Babies, Puzzles/Coloring Books for NICU Siblings, Cards of Appreciation for our NICU Nurses!

• March for Babies! - This is a great opportunity for your chapter or your division to participate together!

Learn more: http://www.marchofdimes.org/contact-us.aspx

2018-2019 Lobster Tales:

Editor Iris Zhao

2017-2018 Lobster Tales:

Editor Mia James

2016-2017 Lobster Tales:

Editor Caroline Curtis

2015-2016 Lobster Tales:

Editor Emily Mui