Circle K provides students with community service outlet

For anyone who enjoys community service, Circle K might be just the thing that he or she is looking for.

Circle K is a service and leadership development organization for college students. They have over 500 chapters in 12 countries; more than 12,000 students serve their campuses and communities every day. Circle K is the level between the high school Key Club and the Kiwanis Club.

Circle K is in its second year at GC&SU and has doubled its membership since last year. Members desire to keep the organization growing.

“We welcome new members throughout the year who strive to build their leadership and make new friends in a service environment,” President Libbly Ellis said.

The on-campus chapter of Circle K is involved in numerous activities. They are working with Blandy Hills Elementary School in a program reading to children, Relay for Life in April and the Dance Marathon in February. The chapter is also attempting to get an internship at Oconee Regional Medical Center. Circle K also does Habitat for Humanity on the first Saturday of every month. Even though they are already involved in numerous things around the city, new ideas are always welcomed.

Vice President Jamie Grant said the group is designed to help others in the community.

“Circle K is a leadership community service organization that strives to strengthen campus involvement in the community,” Grant said.

Meetings for Circle K are held every other Monday in Atkinson 106. According to The Circle K Web site in 1936, Jay N. Emerson, a member of the Pullman Washington Kiwanis Club, presented a plan to his club proposing that the Pullman Kiwanis Club purchase a house that could be rented to young men in need of assistance to attend the local college.

The plan became a reality as the Kiwanians established the “Circle K House” at Washington State College. For ten years the “Circle K House” became affiliated with a Greek letter organization, although it continued to be sponsored by the Pullman Kiwanis Club.

Eleven years later in 1947, Donald T. Forsythe, Trustee of Kiwanis International, aided in transitioning Circle K from a fraternity to a service-oriented organization. That year, during September the first Circle K club similar to the present day organization, was chartered at Carthage College in Carthage, Illinois. It spread quickly across North America and became Circle K International on October 23, 1955 when the Emory University chapter received Charter #1. The Georgia District was founded on October 13, 1959 with 23 clubs.

Treasurer Richard Kerr said the organization serves many purposes.

“Circle K is our small but great nook for service on campus,” Kerr said. “What better way to meet new people, put your time to great use and have a lot of fun.”

For more information, contact Libby Ellis at elizabeth_ellis@bobcat.gcsu.edu.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 21 2005. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry