A CKI EVENT A DAY

Sorry for all the delayed posts! I actually have a few in queue...

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 19:03:51 -0400

Sorry for all the delayed posts! I actually have a few in queue now… However, I am just getting back to school and am also balancing my International President’s Blog (http://josielcki.wordpress.com/) with International Vice President Daniel Tsang.

I’m still trying to maintain this tumblr, but with the plethora of things to do, I apologize for all the slight delays.

In lieu of that, I have attached a promo for our CKI September Competition - Free Rice! :) I’ll add more information in the (very) near future.

Project #17 - Back to School Part 2 (Stuff a Bus)

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 21:50:00 -0400

Continuing on this school supplies trend of service projects! We’ve already talked about one way to donate school supplies (through backpack kits or donations). This next one focuses more on the collection aspect than on the donating aspect (how to get the supplies, as opposed to where to donate them).

Part 2 - Stuff a Bus

For those who have never experienced a stuff a bus program, the concept is simple: stuff a bus full of goodies and materials, and then drive to the donation center to drop off all your donated goods!

Simple, right? Although the planning may take some time, the concept is cute and especially relevant to school supplies (especially if you find a school bus)!

Stuff a bus programs are especially effective for large scale donations (and this applies to any kind of “collection” type service project, from school supplies to blankets to canned food). It’s a really effective way to garner some publicity while encouraging others to do their part.

The best thing about school supplies is that, during this time, they are (1) cheap and (2) easily bought in bulk. And remember, in stuffing a bus, every bit counts. Even if every member in your class can only buy one pack of crayons, that # more crayons than you would have had.

Below are some of the planning steps you will need:
1) Look for a school that will take supplies
A bus-load of supplies is a butt-ton of supplies. Definitely make sure you have a school that can take all your supplies. Schools that always need materials are (1) inner city schools or (2) very large schools, like schools that are joint middle and high schools. Not only will they need a large variety of things, but they will need a TON of them. Schools that have an overflow of students (and don’t get much funding from their city/county/state) are also ideal locations.

2) Renting or using a donated (like borrowed-donated) bus
Obviously, if you have a stuff-a-bus event, you will need a bus to stuff. Many schools may be up for donating a bus for you to use. Alternatively, you can also use a truck or some sort of car (although I suppose it doesn’t have the same effect).

3) Finding a drop-off location (or multiple locations)
Parking lots are a great place, especially in front of a Staples, Walmart or other store. That way, the bus causes publicity AND people are encouraged to buy things as they pass by your bus. However, if you do use a parking lot, make sure you have permission from the store. Some parking lots require Certificate of insurance (CKI clubs… you can receive proof of insurance via Kiwanis/CKI. If you’re unsure of how to receive that, don’t hesitate to email me at lukito.cki@gmail.com for ANY event requiring that roof).

4) Set a date (of course) and create a list of donations
Don’t forget to put together a list of things you are looking for. The best way to collect those is to work off of school supply lists (any office supply store can supply you with a “back to school” list of things to buy). Don’t forget to print out multiple copies to pass out to friends, family members, people you meet along the street, professors, Kiwanians, anyone you come across…

5) Promote, promote, promote!
Promotion plays a heavy role in the success of a Stuff a Bus event. To stuff a bus, you need people to bring A LOT of things. And a lot of DIFFERENT things (not just a million sharpies). To make sure you get ALL the things on your list, promote for a long time (plan ahead) and promote often! Most people will be able to at least donate a dollar to buy a few folders.

Stuff a Bus events are really popular for television and radio shows to cover as well. If you’re running a particularly large event, definitely reach out to your local news. Below are some example:
- http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=resources/lifestyle_community/community&id=8469479
- http://www.1035kissfm.com/pages/StuffABus2011/
- http://www.marylandmotorcoach.org/meetings_stuffABus.php

Not all stuff a bus projects need to have a school materials focus.

6) Make sure you have enough volunteers day-of
Obviously, you will need a legal volunteer driver. However, you will need as many volunteers as possible to organize the donated goods, itemize the goods, coordinate with the school you are donating to, and make sure everything gets to the school in one piece! There are a lot of jobs for a lot of people, so try and get your whole club involved!

7) Get to the site ahead of time
This should go unsaid for any service project. However, it’s a good reminder for you to arrive early. That way, you have enough time to prep, set up shop and get everything ready for the “big open”

8) Run the event, then analyze
After the event, evaluate the project to see if it was a success. Were there any donations you needed (but didn’t get)? Did people get lost trying to give you donations? Was the bus too expensive? Was the list of materials logical and sensible? There are the types of questions that you need to ask as you are evaluating the event. Is this event something worth organizing again next year, or with different materials (maybe this is more effective with a food drive or a stuffed animal drive)?

Ultimately, one of the biggest pulls of a Stuff-A-Bus project is that it looks awesome and is fun to participate in. While it does take a TON of behind the scenes work, many clubs have found that, in the end, it brings a lot of attention and donates an incredible amount of goods to a wonderful cause.

Project #16 - Back to School Part 1 (Backpack Kits)

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 15:52:00 -0400

I went to Staples yesterday to buy some refills for my planner when I noticed, finally, that everything is going on sale for Back to School season! That means folders for 10 cents, dollar packs of paper and tons of other super low sale costs.

This is not only the ideal time for you to buy your materials for school (and arts and craft materials for CKI), but also the perfect opportunity to collect donations for schools! Now, there are several ways to do it, which is why I split it into two main “parts.” The first part (this post) will be talking about putting backpacks together and donating them. The second part (my next post) will be talking about stuff-a-bus programs and other ways to collect school supplies.

Part 1 - Backpack Kits

With costs so dirt cheap during Back 2 School season, this is the ideal time to collect and donate school supplies. When we organized this project in the past, we would collect materials in bulk (ex: 100 folders, 100 stacks of paper, 30 binders, etc). This collection would include backpacks. Similar to other projects (Hygiene Kits), this requires a bit of preemptive planning.

There are a lot of locations that accept backpacks and school supplies. If you’re looking for a local area, schools (especially inner-city schools), halfway houses and orphanages often look for these materials. Some after school programs also need these materials, so it’s important to keep an eye out for kid-friendly locations.

Another option is to “set up shop” near a library (with permission) or a kid-friendly area and sell these backpacks (subsequently donating the money to a school or library). You could leave table near the selling site with dimensional paint so that kids could decorate their own backpacks and bring it home, and it would be an effective way for parents to make a “one stop shop” for school materials. (I’m a particular fan of this because I like showing kids how to put binders together). If you plan on using this option, make sure you are allowed to do so.

If you’re still looking for organizations to donate materials, Operation Backpack and Develop Africa are solid locations to donate your materials. However, in all honesty, it is easiest if you find a local donation center (it’s zero cost on shipping and you are directly contributing to your community)!

Secondly, and this is important for backpack/material collecting, make sure you know what grade(s) you are donating towards. Kindergarteners and middle school students will not need the same things. Most office supplies stores (Office Max, Staples, Walmart) supply lists that different grades will need. If you’re still looking for a list though, this is a good resource: http://www.greatschools.org/back-to-school/supplies/109-supply-list-to-get-you-started.gs?page=all.

You’ll notice very similar things, such as:
- Pens / Pencils
- Erasers
- Calculators (for older kids)
- Arts & Craft Supplies (for younger kids)
- Lined paper (make sure you double check if it needs to be wide or college ruled)
- Binders / Notebooks
- Folders (lots of folders)

Some things (folders and paper) will be significantly cheaper than others (crayons), so make sure you budget out how many backpacks you plan to “put together.”

After that, it’s a matter of putting the backpacks together. Have members of your club put each backpack together (as individuals or as a group). One nice way to leave a “positive” mark on the kids you donate these to is to add a positive card or message in the backpack. Messages like “good luck in school!” or “study hard, we’re cheering for you!” are examples of positive notes you can send along.

Apologies for Delayed Messages!

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 01:15:56 -0400

Hello ladies and gents!

Sorry for the lack of posting in the past few days/weeks! I participated in the 2012-2013 CKI Board Trainer this past week, where the International Board was trained in all things CKI! I was able to bring back some great ideas, some inspired by our very own districts, and so I can’t wait to continue sharing these with you via this tumblr!

To find more CKI-specific information, don’t forget to check out our 2012-2013 International President and Vice President Blog (developed by IP Jo and IVP Daniel): http://josielcki.wordpress.com/. :)

Project #15 - No Sew Blankets

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:10:58 -0400

No Sew Blankets, for anyone who has never seen them, are blankets that are made without any sewing (thus avoiding the use of needles and other prickly things). They’re relatively simple to make and a lot of organizations take them, so this post will include some ways to “spruce up” your no sew blankets :)

As you can see here, no sew blankets are traditionally made out of fleece (because if you cut fleece, the edges won’t fray). Fleece is incredibly warm and, if found on sale, can be surprisingly cheap. I would strongly suggest going to a Joanne’s or similar store to find your fabric. Joanne’s has a tendency to have a lot of coupons and sales, so definitely look out for that!

The unique feature about no sew blankets is that they are double-sided, with usually a different color on each side. This adds variety to your blanket and allows you to use both a solid and printed pattern. For example, one side can be yellow and while polka dots, and the other side can be a solid green color. Combined, it would look really great!

Each side of a no sew blanket must be cut evenly (they both must be the same size). I always suggest adding about 6 to 9 inches to however big you actually want the blanket to be.

Then, you cut squares off each corner. An example can be found below:

As you can see, the sides have also been cut about 6 inches into the blanket. This creates many little… “fingers” or strips. The strips are going to be what you use to tie the blanket.

Starting from one corner, start tying (a basic knot will do) the top piece of fleece to the bottom piece of fleece. I double knot to keep it strong (which is the easiest way to do it), but I have seen plenty of other popular knots.

As you can see in the picture above, the individual is double knotting his knots to make sure each one is strong. Go across a side of the blanket. When you are done, make your way to the next side and keep going until the entire blanket is tied around.

Voila! You’ve made yourself a no-sew fleece blanket.

As you can see, fleece blankets have this cute little fray (created by the knots that you’ve tied over and over). Plus, these blankets are very comfortable.

But here’s the most important part: Where do these blankets go? Where can I send them?

Never fear, there are plenty of ideas for you to donate your blankets. First, approach your local libraries and hospitals. Even things such as after school centers and day care centers are looking for no sew blankets to take care of their kids and such. Personally, I would look into your local options first because you don’t need to ship anything, and you’re helping your immediate location!

But if you’re looking for something a little more “national,” here are some ideas:

http://soldiersangels.org/blankets-of-hope.html - Soldier’s Angels
This organization sends blankets to wounded soldiers or soldiers overseas to remind them that we at home are thinking of them.

http://www.projectlinus.org/links.html - Project Linus
Project Linus provides security blankets to local children or hospitalized kids. Inspired by Linus of the Peanut Gang (who was known for his signature security blanket), Project Linus takes blankets of all kinds, including no sew blankets, to donate to kids (particularly in the Illinois area).

http://www.ywca.org/site/pp.asp?c=8nKFITNvEoG&b=2280423 - YMCA
This is a YMCA that donates no sew blankets. :) You can also look into your local YMCA to see if they’d take your donation!

Happy knotting! :D

("Organization #4") Project - The Eliminate Project

Sun, 10 Jun 2012 22:13:00 -0400

Website: http://sites.kiwanis.org/kiwanis/en/theeliminateproject/home.aspx

So for those who do not know, the Eliminate Project focuses one Eliminating Maternal/Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) from the world through the use of vaccines. Three vaccines, enough to immunize a mother for up to ten years, costs only $1.80.

Maternal/Neonatal Tetanus is a disease that ravages the poorest of the poor. Most notably, these are third-world locations with little to no medical support. For women who live in these areas, sanitary birthing isn’t always a possibility. When the umbilical cord is cut with a rusty knife or a dirty tool, the tetanus virus has a high possibility of reaching both the mother and child.

When a child is infected with MNT, the child has little more than a week to live, experiencing pain, sensitivity to touch and light with little to no chance to live. Mothers, too, have a strong risk of dying.

The Eliminate Project is the Kiwanis Worldwide Initiative, worked on by Key Clubbers, CKI members and, truly, all branches of the Kiwanis Family. We hope to complete it by 2015 (the 100th anniversary of Kiwanis), but that means each and every member will have to participate in this endeavor.

One big reason why I focus on this project in particular is because it is (1) a partnership with Kiwanis and UNICEF and (2) a chance to change the world. The Eliminate Project is not the only project combating Maternal/Neonatal Tetanus, but it is the largest and the most financially supported portion of the fight against MNT.

Recently, Kiwanis Family members have discovered that you must donate your money in a specific way if you want to make sure it is going to the Eliminate Project. Because this is a joint Kiwanis and UNICEF project, there have been many clubs that have donated money to UNICEF (possibly under the memo “Eliminate”) thinking it would go to the Eliminate Project.

However, and this is very important to point out: if you are donating to the Eliminate Project, you MUST donate through Kiwanis. When you donate through UNICEF, it goes into the general pool of funds. The “general funds” can go to just about anything, from other projects (like Malaria Nets) to administrative funds.

To make sure you donate to the Eliminate Project, make sure you use one of these methods: http://sites.kiwanis.org/Kiwanis/en/theELIMINATEproject/Give.aspx.

1) Credit Card, using an online donation form.

2) Via a check to The Kiwanis Foundation with the memo “The Eliminate Project” (not to UNICEF). The memo should also include the name of the District or club (example: “The Eliminate Project - Duke University”)

I emphasize this a lot because there are many clubs donating to the Eliminate Project that are not being credited. Even within New York, I found many clubs donating to UNICEF for Eliminate and not to the proper location.

For those giving to the Eliminate Project, please make sure you are donating to the Kiwanis Foundation (with the memo “Eliminate Project”).

:) If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask me or check out the Eliminate Project website. It has a lot of great information AND a lot of awesome videos that you can use to promote the Eliminate Project in YOUR club. :)

Project #14 - Hygine Kits

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 07:48:22 -0400

Hygiene kits are always needed in Battered Women’s Shelters and Homeless Shelters. Therefore, a great way to help these local shelters out is to create hygine kits for individuals who live there!

Like any other collection-based service project, you are going to first want to see if there are places that will take them. Some battered women’s shelters and homeless shelters only take full, large bottles of hygine products. However if, for example, a battered women’s shelter is organizing a spa night for the women that live there, they may be interested in hygine kits as “gift baskets” for the women who participate.

After that it’s a matter of figuring out what to put in each basket (and how to put it all together). Personally, I like cheap packets of colored paper bags (or plastic gift bags) because they’re cheap and easy to buy in bulk. To spruce them up, I add a bit of tissue paper (don’t worry about listing the materials needed, they’re all on the bottom of this post).

To figure out what to put in each basket, I like to see what people or hotels can donate first. If you ask nearby hotels, they may be willing to give you bags and bags of their small hygine bottles.

At the very least, I like to put in a bottle of shampoo, one of conditioner and a bar of soap to get things going. Some nicer hygine kit that I’ve seen have also put in small bottles of body mist (which certain hotels also give away), toothbrush/tooth paste and whatever else they can get donated. Which brings me to my next point…

Collecting these materials (the hygine materials) is really important! Whether you decide to buy the little trial bottles in bulk, or you get them donated, you need to make sure you HAVE those materials. Need some ideas as to where to collect them? As I mentioned before, many hotels are willing to give a bag or two of these materials away. If not, wholesale stores have been known to sell boxes and boxes of soap or toothbrushes, so that might be somewhere else to consider. And, many people in general steal travel sized shampoos/conditioner without ever actually using it, so you might want to just ask around to see if anyone hoards these little gifts.

And finally, once you have all the necessary materials, you need to PACK them! Get your club to pack these hygine kits during a club meeting and you’ll be good to go!

I like to add an index card with a positive message (or a card) to attach to the hygine kits, so that the person receiving it knows the hygiene kit is filled with love :)

As promised, here are some of the materials needed:

Materials Needed
Paper Bags / Plastic Bags
Tissue Paper (decorational)
Shampoo
Conditioner
Soap
Toothbrush/Toothpaste (usually for homeless shelters)
Body Mist
A hand made card :)

Social #3 - Large Scale Scavenger Hunt

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 03:49:37 -0400

A large scale scavenger hunt is a scavenger hunt which lasts for longer than a few days (traditionally about a week or two). With so much time, you’re going to need a butt ton of clues, so plan early!

We like to split our clues into multiple categories:
- Activities (do something and take a picture)
- Findings (find something and take a picture)
- Time Constricted (clues that only last for a specific amount of time)

That way, it gives your scavenger hunt a lot of variety and ideas!

We did our scavenger hunt in groups because, with a “large scale scavenger hunt,” we wanted to encourage cooperation as much as we wanted to facilitate competition!

Need ideas for scavenger hunt clues? Never fear, cause Jo is here!

Activities
- Drawing something with chalk (like the CKI logo on a floor)
- Decorating a tree in the summer with christmas ornaments
- Bake a cake
- Dress up as something (pirates are a good idea)
- Doing community service (we are a community service organization)

Finding Things
- Find a specific building
- Take a picture of your CKI club (or of a specific officer)
- Find a dog walker
- Find a CKI poster
- Find three pairs of sneakers without shoelaces

Time Constricted
These are a little different and add an interesting twist to your events. Because people might get bored of the clues after a few days or so, the time constricted clues are interesting because they only apply for a short amount of time (like only at 3 to 5 PM every day, or only on Thursdays).

Really time constricted clues can be just about anything, but you need to make sure judges are keeping track of the time constricted clues. What we like to do is assign a judge per “time constricted” clue so that judge can give the a-ok in which teams achieved which events.

Other tips: you will most definitely need judges who are not participating in the event but are running it! As you can see, judges are needed to finalize the score (and help announce the winner), but are also needed to handle certain clues and to validate the fact that groups completed the scavenger hunt.

Beware, however! Some people get really, really, really into it! :) Happy hunting!

Fundraiser #6 - Picnic/Spirit Day

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 03:36:48 -0400

Sorry for the lack of posting recently… my computer went haywire a few days ago and I haven’t been online to post but I am back with more CKI ideas than ever before!

So, finally, the weather is getting nicer, which means there are more and more opportunities to go outside and have a bit of fun :) Which means its also the perfect time to go out and raise that money!

Like all other fundraiser picnic/spirit days can take a bit of planning work, particularly if you are organizing one with a large crowd. But it can be a lot of fun, and you can always invite other branches of the Kiwanis family (like K-Kids and Builder’s Club) to join in on the fun (for any non-CKI’ers, that’s the Elementary School and Middle School branch of the Kiwanis Family).

Charging admission for the picnic is a great way to raise money for any of your causes, or for your club budget. During our picnics, we also like to sell raffle tickets for various donated goods (or for actions like throwing a water balloon on someone). It’s a lot of fun and another great way to raise money, so it’s something you’ll definitely want to consider.

For the competitive edge in all of us, I am also including a list of “racing activities.” These are really popular if you scatter them throughout the picnic as ways to keep people entertained. Not only are they great to partake in, but they are equally entertaining to watch! Give away ribbons (like the ones we used to get back in the day) or raffle tickets to create an incentive (beyond “bragging rights”).

Need ideas on races? Here are some!

Potato Sack Races - we used garbage bags because they were cheaper, but this is the traditional “jump in a potato sack and cross the finish line” race.
Wheelbarrow Races - don’t forget this requires 2 people!
Relay Races - to give it an extra twist, make the second relay racer do something (like solve a puzzle) before running the extra relay lap!
3 Legged Races - This also requires 2 people!
Egg On Spoon Races (I don’t even know what this is actually called)
Power Walk Racing - Only walked allowed!
Bouncing Ball Race - Race to the finnish… but you have to bounce the ball at the same time (great for basketball players)
Grab Bag/Surprise Relay - It’s easier to just link you: http://familyfun.go.com/playtime/sports-athletic-games/relays-races/grab-bag-1022815/
Mummy Race - wrap someone in toilet paper and then have them run the relay!

And, if you’re still looking for ideas to spruce up your picnic, consider organizing a human scavenger hunt or picture scavenger hunt. A human scavenger hunt is a scavenger hunt where the list of all the clues pertains to activities or traits that other people have (ex: Find a person born in January or Find someone who plays an instrument). Human scavenger hunts encourage people to meet each other and still brings out the friendly competition in all of us!

Project #13 - Helping out at a Playground

Wed, 23 May 2012 16:01:43 -0400

As I found this weekend, playgrounds are always places that are in need of help and upkeeping. Because many playgrounds are used day in and day out by families, baby sitters and schools, playgrounds must be built sturdy and kept well so that kids can play in them safely and for years to come.

This past weekend, I had the joy of working in a playground in NYC to help paint a wall and a few parts of a swing. This got me going, as I was talking with the coordinator, because she mentioned that playgrounds were always in need of help.

Here are some of the things that parks always need help with:

Painting
Painting is obviously one of those things that playgrounds always need help with. Paint chip, kids play rough, and it seems like volunteers are always needed to paint handball courts, fences, and, yes, playground equipment.

Planting
Planting is another one of those things. Like parks, playgrounds tends to need help annually with nearby flowers, perhaps planting new trees, and making sure they are kept up well.

Trash Collection

Sweeping
I was surprised when I heard about this, but it makes a lot of sense, particularly in an area where perhaps there are a lot of falling leaves, or perhaps if it’s the summer and it’s constantly busy.

Misc. Activities
Some parks like to hold various activities throughout the weekend for kids or parents who come by. For example, the playground I volunteered at liked to practice yoga in the summer. Some parks hold a craft fair, while others play movies by projecting it on a wall.

Whatever the case may be, you may be able to work with your local playground to organize a kid-friendly activity that will keep kids occupied (perhaps helping the parents out). This may involve teaching kids safety, perhaps organizing some sort of spirit relay, or simply doing activities like face painting and crafts.

And, if your playground is conveniently placed within a park, read back to my earlier post about park clean ups (Project #5 - Highway / Park Clean Up).

Project #12 - Couponing Donation

Mon, 21 May 2012 08:05:00 -0400

This is a relatively new project I learned about from the Queens College Circle K (President: Daniel, LtG: Kelly) from the New York District. Since couponing has become recently very popular, service project volunteers have looked into ways that couponing could be turned into great in house service project ideas.

For those who do not understand what “extreme couponing” is, couponing is a term used to describe when individuals use coupons to save money in a rather extreme form. This means buying obscene amounts of goods at supremely low prices, even when buying those goods were not necessary (ex: buying dog food when you don’t have dogs).

Couponing has become relatively popular recently, and so what better way to celebrate this new fad than by using it to do some good works!

The easiest way to use your couponing tricks is to, obviously, buy goods and then donate it to a local charity. There are several sites online (http://www.livingrichwithcoupons.com/couponing-for-a-cause) that will help you find a place to donate it, but local shelters and food pantries are almost always looking for donations from your clubs and members.

There are also some shelters that are looking for actual coupons, so you may want to look into those! Call your local food pantry or shelter to see if they are interested in taking your excess coupons… perhaps they need something you don’t!

And, to make sure your excess newspapers don’t go to waste, look into donating your cut up newspapers to a local animal shelter.

And, if you have expired coupons, there are still places to donate them! “Bitches with Binders” (a site for extreme couponing) has a fantastic list of places to donate your expired coupons so that military families can use them:

http://www.bwbec.com/DONATING.html

:) Since this is a relatively new idea, definitely let me know if you find other locations or sites that take coupons! Apparently in NYC, there are plenty, but I’m sure that local charities in your area would find uses for them!

Project #11 - Donate Bears to Hospitals

Sat, 19 May 2012 08:03:00 -0400

Hospitals are always in need of toys, particularly hospitals with a large pediatric center. This is especially true in big cities (I live in NYC and, during the summer, I notice this is an issue when I volunteer at hospitals and such). When they do have toys, these toys are often so overused that it’s difficult to keep up with these toys.

Because of this, donating toys and bears are a great way to support your local pediatric center. Bears can be donated in troves to hospitals to give to kids who are ill. Teddy bears are relatively inexpensive and can be even found in local 99 cent stores.

If your local hospital won’t take them, here are some other areas that are interested in your donated toys:

http://www.stuffedanimalsforemergencies.org/ - they take stuffed animals (including bears)

http://www.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org/about/how_to_donate/

There are, however, definitely things to keep in mind:

1)Always try to donate new toys. While older toys are not necessarily impossible, there are sanitation issues, and new toys will have a longer lasting time (particularly in a hospital where multiple kids will likely play with that toy over a very long time).

2)Ask your hospital first if they are interested in receiving your toys at all. Some hospitals do not have large pediatric centers and many not need your donations.

3)Be aware of thing like sanitation and cleanliness. Toys have to be particularly clean in order to be used in hospitals. Even though we are giving toys so that kids are able to have a relatively normal time in the hospital, keep in mind that hospitals are there to take care of the children, not just to make sure they have a good time :)

Need ideas on how to collect toys and teddy bears?

Do a teddy bear toss. Work with your local campus to organize a teddy bear toss where attendees of a game can bring a teddy bear to “toss” onto the field or area. Then, athletes can collect them and you can donate them!

Toy Drive. Like a book drive, look into organizing a toy drive with your club :)

Project #10 - No Sew Blankets

Fri, 11 May 2012 23:24:00 -0400

No Sew Blankets are a somewhat expensive but very cute service project that encourages members to work with each other to make blankets for hospitals, kids or shelters.

Here’s a quick online guide to making No Sew Blankets: http://www.instructables.com/id/No-Sew-Fleece-Blanket/

As you can see, the point is to take 2 seperate fleece pieces, cut vertical lines into the sides and then tie them together to connect the two cloths. This allows for a little variation, since you can use two different types of fleece.

For an added twist, you can also consider making no sew pillows. This uses a little less fleece, but fills the inside of the fleece with cotton to make a blanket. In order to make one, these knots need to be double knotted to keep the cotton in.However, they make great additions or pairings if you decide to do no sew blankets as well :)

Need some ideas as to where to donate them?

http://soldiersangels.org/blankets-of-hope.html

http://www.shinebrighter.org/No-Sew_Blanket.html

http://mvob.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&Itemid=18

Also, many local hospitals and shelters are interested in these donations, so definitely reach out to local areas!

Project #9 - Advocacy Letters

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 21:20:36 -0400

This was a very popular project back in the day and, while it doesn’t receive the same amount of attention from clubs today, this project can actually be surprisingly fun. Plus, it really doesn’t take that much work!

Advocacy letters or petitions were popular “way back when,” as a means to bring awareness to a specific cause or to encourage congressmen to vote a specific way. The concept is this: if enough people raise a big stink about something, the “big wigs” would likely do something because so much awareness has been brought around it.

However, with the recent development of Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other social media networks, advocacy letters and petitions have kind of gone to the wayside in efforts to promote social media networking viral tricks (such as videos and groups that gain a lot of popularity and, in some cases, notoriety). However, advocacy letters (in print) are still a good way to bring awareness. Because, let’s be honest, a stack of 50 pages with 20 signatures each will still be more striking than a spreadsheet of names and emails.

(Note: I am not one to go green in the “print less stuff” aspect. It’s not that I like killing trees, but there are many things I feel that are simply more effective in print).

Even if you decide to use a social media network or online petition, you can still promote advocacy letters and campaigns. Here are some easy steps to starting up an advocacy campaign:

1) Find an issue you can advocate for (trust me, this is not very difficult).

2) Write a “draft letter” you can print out, explaining your cause and urging action.

3) Promote your advocacy, either in real life or online (or both). Encourage members to gather signatures (electronic or otherwise) throughout the course of the week.

4) Reconvene the week after to see how many signatures you have collected!

5) Send it in! If you’re sending it by snail mail, it’s a good idea to send them all in bulk. While this doesn’t have the same effect as, say, 100 letters, it will save you a significant amount in postage.

Need more suggestions? Here are some tips and tricks to having a successful advocacy campaign in the “modern era.”

1) Promote both online and offline! Promoting on facebook through the use of FB Events or statuses is not illegal. Bring awareness by taking advantage of people’s news feeds and flooding them with information!

2) Table at your Student Union or in a populated area. This is great for offline promotion, especially since there will be a lot of people passing by.

3) Sell stuff also to raise awareness. For example, if you are raising awareness about keeping arts programs in schools, sell wristbands or cookies to raise money for a non-profit organization that focuses on education through the arts. That way, your table can have more than just paper, paper, paper.

4) Promote this during club meetings and encourage each member to take a petition sheet home (or a few advocacy letters home) so that they can fill it up in their residence hall or community. Plus, by bringing advocacy letters to your club meetings, you are already ensuring that your club will, at the very least, sign these letters.

Project #8 - Help Set Up at a Walk

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 08:05:36 -0400

Walks are becoming very popular as fundraisers to bring money in for large organizations, such as the American Cancer Society and Autism Speaks. During the months of April to September, these walks are especially popular because the weather is nice, people are itching to go outside, and interest in exercising is in full swing (you know, before bikini weather).

However, walks do not run themselves (pun intended); they need the work of many coordinators and even more volunteers. Often times, organizing a walk means finding volunteers to set up the area, take down the area, register walkers, collect donations, pass out water, cheer and much more. Therefore, always be on the lookout for awesome walks that may need volunteers.

If you are itching for some ideas, here are some things to keep in mind:

Plan ahead. Volunteering for walks has become very popular, and so you will need to express interest well before the date of the walk.
Larger walks will require more volunteers, so look out for walks that are especially big (those will be in large cities such as NYC, Boston, San Fran, Chicago and the likes).
Volunteers will likely be needed for both the day of the walk and the day before the walk. In volunteer opportunities during the day before the walk, you will be mostly looking at putting together the venue, setting up tents, blowing balloons and anything else that the walk coordinators may need to do to set up.
If you’re interested in a particular part of volunteering (such as registration, cheering or handing out food), say so! Most walks can accommodate for these things if at all possible. They won’t know what you want to do unless you express it!
Wear appropriate clothing (layers are optimal). This goes for both if you are walking in a walk or if you are volunteering for a walk. Often times, you will not know what the weather is like until the day of, so dress accordingly. If you are helping with registration, you will likely need to be their earlier (like 8AM), so wear an extra coat. Layers are optimal because, as the weather gets nicer, your body will want to accommodate by shedding those jackets.
Always ask what time you need to be there and what time you can leave. This is very critical to volunteering at a walk. Often times, even though a walk can start at 9 and end at 2, volunteers will be needed from as early as 6AM till as late as 5PM. Therefore, ask when you will be needed and when you can take breaks.
Bring coffee! This goes especially for volunteers in the morning. You most definitely want to come with a cheery attitude and an optimistic smile, so bring coffee to wake you up!

Fundraiser #5 - Painted Bra Auction

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 21:07:31 -0400

This one is specifically for Breast Cancer awareness, although an overall art auction would also work for any general fundraiser.

The premise,specifically, for a Painted Bra Auction is this: Encourage local artists (or art majors on your campus) to paint a bra. These bras are not actually to be used as bras themselves, but are in fact used as a form of decorated art. By auctioning them off, you can raise proceeds that will go towards Breast Cancer Awareness (or the American Cancer Association, or any variation that donates to Breast Cancer).

This particular fundraiser is intended as an extra “twist” to make a typical art auction more unique. Similar fundraisers can be done with painted vases (which I have seen to be very popular), painted panties/boxers and painted book bags.

Auctions, as a whole, are a lot of fun to participate in, but also requires a significant amount of organization, and this type of auction is no different.

First, you need to ask art majors and local artists to donate their type in painting a bra (or whatever article of clothing you would like). You need to have time for the artist to agree and work on it, so make sure you start this a year in advanced (8 months at the very least), in order to give your artists a lot of time to work. Harassing them two months before an event will make you more stressed, and will rush their work (thus not looking as good).

Getting a range of different artists is also a good idea. Find artist that work in different mediums (fabric, charcoal, paint, sharpie… there are many mediums that result in many different styles of art).

Secondly, you will want to determine a date and location for the auction. Like any good fundraiser, this should be donewell in advanced (around the same time you are seeking artists). That way, you have a lot of time to promote the event and fine tune the details. For an auction, you’ll want a large space, ideally with a stage. Ballrooms in colleges or auditoriums tend to be good options. I always prefer indoor auctions, just because I will not have to worry about weather, but outdoor auctions are not out of the question either.

Next, you will want to consider how you want to present these works of art. Do you want to auction them off without a frame (“naked”)? Or are you going to actively seek to frame each bra to present more professionally. If you are seeking ideas to “frame” the bras, consider using shadow boxes (Shadow Box Link). A shadow box is a type of scrapbooking box which has depth, so (ideally) the bra would fit).

And, finally, one of the largest (and most important part, besides the event itself) portions of the behind-the-scenes work is in the promotion. Promotion is critical to an event, as you will most definitely need people there to buy the bras. Here are several good ways to encourage an audience into your auction (whether it be a bra auction or otherwise):
1) Have free raffles for attendees that you can pick out from randomly throughout the day.
2) Offer free snacks and drinks
3) Perhaps have a “paint your bra” (or tie dye station or paint your panties or whatnot) station in which people can bring in their own articles of clothing to decorate and paint.
4) Showcase painted bras that will be auctioned around your community. Take pictures and encourage adults (those with money) to attend!
5) Encourage artists to attend. Artists love to talk about their work, and (usually) people who buy art like to listen and meet the artist. Art auctions with local artists are a great way to connect the buyer to the artist, thus utilizing the auction as a networking tool as well!

Need some bra-tastic artsy inspirations? Well, here is a link to a video entitled “Painted Bra Art Project,” which auctioned off or sold bras for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKcmjtXLFyg

Soft Release of CKI Prezi Presentation

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 20:35:50 -0400

Soft Release of CKI Prezi Presentation

Social #2 - Youtube Overnight (Sleepover)

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:03:34 -0400

This works significantly better if your club is smaller or if it’s a board retreat, but a movie overnight (aka: a sleepover) is a great way for your members to get cozy with each other.

Some schools allow their members or clubs to stay overnight in academic buildings. If this is the case, you might want to consider this option as it can be a central location (for those living on or off campus) and because (let’s be honest) it would be kinda fun to stay in an academic building overnight with sleeping bags and bunches of other goodies.

To make your night interesting, and because the social is calledYoutube Overnight, bring a laptop and hook it up to a projector, screen or television. That way, your club can watch various youtube videos through the night (or as they are falling asleep). Bring popcorn and other movie theater snacks to spice it up.

If you want a particularly interesting twist, perhaps consider having a theme to each of your youtube nights. For example, spend one night playing trailers for movies, and another night playing silly clips of cute animals.

Keeping in mind that your attendees will likely not come just to watch youtube videos, it is also smart to keep various games and activities on hand, whether it be hands on service projects or board games galore.

As I previously mentioned, this also works very well for a board retreat, as it will allow your club board to bond more and grow closer. :) Plus, with a smaller group, you are likely to find more activities to do with each other (and are forced to interact with each other).

And, if you need suggestions for youtube videos, you can always open it up to suggestions from your club or executive board! Here are some of my personal favorites:

Bo Burnham - http://www.youtube.com/user/boburnham
Wong Fu Productions - http://www.youtube.com/user/WongFuProductions
Kittens Riding Roomba - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTxW3GWZ5hI (honestly, I think anything to do with cute animals is entertaining… I guess that goes to show how many brain cells I have :P )
Yugioh Abridged Series - http://www.youtube.com/user/CardGamesFTW

Plus, there are a plethora of CKI videos that you can likely find on youtube:
UNLV CKI - http://www.youtube.com/user/unlvcki
NYCKI TV - http://www.youtube.com/user/NYCKITV
UCSD CKI - http://www.youtube.com/user/ucsdcirclek
CKI TV - http://www.youtube.com/user/ckitv
The Eliminate Project - http://www.youtube.com/user/TheEliminateProject (ok these are a bit sad and should be used to raise awareness, but they’re wonderful videos nonetheless).

Fundraiser #4 - Oxfam Hunger Banquet

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 08:05:11 -0400

As mentioned in a previous post (Organization #3 - Oxfam America), Oxfam America has many ways to facilitate advocacy and awareness, while still raising money for a good cause (World Hunger).

For those who are simply too lazy to read my previous posts, Oxfam International is a global organization dedicated to combating world hunger and global poverty through various campaigns. The Oxfam America Branch, in particular, focuses on advocacy and awareness as much as they focus on fundraising, making them a unique branch of Oxfam. Through these advocacy programs, students are able to bring light to poverty that can be seen throughout the world. One of these ways is through a program called the Oxfam Hunger Banquet.

An Oxfam Hunger Banquet is a unique sort of dinner which raises awareness and discussion about world hunger and the discrepancies that can be seen between the very rich upper class and the very large majority of “low-class” individuals. The Oxfam Hunger Banquet is a way to visualize these issues and make them more understandable for those who cannot see or comprehend these issues.

A banquet starts by splitting up the dinner party randomly into three distinct groups: The Upper Class, the Middle Class and the Lower Class. Individuals are served food and are asked to sit amongst those who are in their class. The upper class is served a three course meal. The middle class eats rice and beans and may have the option to drink juice. The lower class, almost 1/2 the attendees (and, sometimes, more than 1/2), sits on the floor eating rice and drinking water.

Throughout the course of the dinner, facilitators will develop scenarios that show how people may pass between each class. For example, people can loose their jobs, or perhaps find new prosperous homes. Facilitators will also, ideally, encourage discussion about world hunger and may raise suggestions on how to combat these issues (despite living so far away).

This fundraiser is not only good as a way to raise money for Oxfam, but also works as a social, as many people will be spending their time eating and talking (the reason why I place it as a fundraiser is because it is intended to be a fundraiser). It’s a great activity, particularly for a large group, because it helps facilitate discussion and provides a hearty meal for all attendees (surprisingly, even the ones sitting on the floor).

Plus, most (if not all) of the materials can be found on the Oxfam America website or can be ordered from that site: http://actfast.oxfamamerica.org/index.php/events/banquet. This includes invitations, a planned script, ideas for facilitators, name cards (to randomly assign people to classes) and much more. Plus there are videos, ideas for guests and other suggestions to make your Oxfam Hunger Banquet unique.

Of course, with any fundraiser (or social), this would require a significant amount of planning, and so I hope you are prepared! However, this is definitely a fun activity that your members and clubs can truly benefit from.

Organization #3 - Oxfam (America)

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 02:46:49 -0400

Website(s):www.oxfam.org (Oxfam International) // http://www.oxfamamerica.org/ (Oxfam America)

Oxfam International is an international organization that focuses on world hunger, global poverty and social injustices. It’s site calls it “an international confederation of 15 organizations working together in over 90 countries and with partners and allies around the world to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice” (http://www.oxfam.org/en/about).

Through various campaigns and programs, Oxfam hopes to not only bring awareness about social injustices and international activities, but also hopes to raise money to build facilities and fund programs that will benefit those living in poor or inadequate conditions. Currently, their most heavily promoted campaign is GROW, which is a campaign to grow fair and sustainable food to better utilize the scarce resources of this world.

Oxfam America is one particular branch in the Oxfam International community. Like Oxfam International, it focuses largely on global poverty and world hunger, but also has unique campaigns, such as the US Gulf Coast Recovery Campaign (http://www.oxfamamerica.org/campaigns/us-gulf-coast-recovery). What makes Oxfam America especially unique, however, is its “Take Action,” programs, which facilitate more upon education than actual donation. This essentially focuses more on publicity and awareness, rather than raising dollars.

This comes in many forms, including the ability to create “Oxfam Clubs,” their CHANGE Initiative Program, and the Oxfam Banquet.

Overall, Oxfam is particularly good at advocacy, particularly if your club is looking towards those kind of global projects (as opposed to strictly fundraising ones).