Script Draft: Circle K International Community Service Club

                In today’s world people cannot help but get wrapped up in their own problems and it is understandable because it is easy to get overwhelmed. However, while it is okay to be a tad bit self-centered sometimes it is also important to remember that there are so many people that have it worse. In Phoenix alone the poverty level hovers around 20 percent (it fluctuates every year) and the national poverty line is at about 14.3 percent. These statistics prove that there are so many people in need right now and that there is so much left to be done.

                Arizona State University prides itself on graduating not only successful students ready to take on the business world, but also people who are globally aware of what is going in our society. People who represent Arizona State always talk about getting students ready to make an impact on the community at large. As freshman we are told that not only are we here to obtain a degree, but that we are here to learn how to make a difference.

                Fortunately there are many clubs and organizations all over the world dedicated to helping those in need and ASU has its very own club dedicated to this purpose. This club is called Circle K International or CKI for short. Circle K international is similar to Key Club which is the high school version of the organization. Both clubs strive to serve the less fortunate by interacting with local communities and organizations. For example, members of Circle K International here at ASU can sign up for specific events that are going on during the week. People can sign up for various community service events with organizations such as Feed My Starving Children, St. Mary’s Food Bank, Andre House, and other organizations.

Circle K International’s mission statement (which is recited at weekly meetings) is as follows: I pledge to uphold the objects of Circle K International, to foster compassion and goodwill towards others through service and leadership to develop my abilities and the abilities of all people, and to dedicate myself to the realization of mankind’s potential. This statement basically encompasses everything this organization is about and it shows that the students involved with this club are truly dedicated to serving those who need the most help.

Personally, I think that Circle K International is a great organization and is very important to ASU because it gives people the opportunity to connect with organizations that serve the community as a whole. Students not only get to help people who are in less than comfortable living situations, but they also get to interact with fellow ASU students. The club not only teaches people how to serve, but it also creates an environment where people can get to know one another and create friendships that would not have come about if it were not for the community service club.

Some organizations that CKI works with include: Feed My Starving Children, Andre House, and Saint Mary’s Food Bank. Feed My Starving Children is a non-profit organization that recruits children and adults from the community to hand pack meals that the organization later sends off to malnourished children in countries all over the world.  Andre House is a soup kitchen in the Phoenix area that is open to everyone. CKI members usually go here on Saturdays and from what I have heard it is a great experience. Lastly, CKI also signs up to work with the Saint Mary’s Food Bank. Saint Mary’s is the first food bank in the world and it also serves the 15 counties of Arizona. CKI members also frequent this place because it really impacts the community and you can see just how generous people are when you collect the cans of food.

I joined Circle K International because I did a lot of community service in high school and whenever I would finish a service project I would feel extremely fulfilled. CKI has given me the opportunity to continue my service and has also given me the opportunity to meet some great people here at ASU.

I spoke with some Circle K International club members and this is what they had to say:

Anni Poetzl: “Community service is important because it gives us a chance to help someone’s day be better, from cleaning the environment to working with people less fortunate than us. We, as ASU students, should be aware of the problems around us so we can use our talents to alleviate the effects, or altogether get rid of them. Not only do we need to help those in need when volunteering, but they help us realize that we should be thankful for what we have and not take those things for granted. Through community service, we see our hard work come into fruition. The organization I helped most consistently is Saint Vincent De Paul Dining Hall. Saint Vincent De Paul is a nonprofit organization based in St. Louis, Missouri and it has branches all over the world. While volunteering there, I was in charge of serving food, preparing food, assembling Christmas boxes, and playing with the children. I wish all ASU students could take part in some type of community service to see that one person can truly make a difference. If helping people alone does not seem appealing, they could invite friends and be more productive by enjoying the work being done together. I recommend volunteering at organizations like St. Vincent De Paul because it can be a very enriching experience.”

                Doing community service really can open your eyes to what the world is like and it also helps you mature as a person to realize that it is not good to always be self-centered.