Circle K rocks the house

Desiree Bartoe

Community service organization gets to know each other

“What celebrity couple is going to break it off next?”

“What march on Washington would you have liked to participate in?”

“If you could take one person’s vocal cords for one year, who would it be?”

The Circle K ball, which was completely covered with random questions such as these, was passed around to participants of “Rockin’ the House with Service,” Circle K’s open house event last night. Contestants took turns catching the ball and answering the question under their right thumb in hopes of learning a little bit more about each other.

Kent State students and community members joined Circle K for the event, which took place at 8:30 p.m. in the Student Center.

Circle K International Governor Dan Leming from Columbus attended the event.

“Open houses are a crucial time for recruiting, not only at Kent State, but throughout the entire organization,” Leming said. “It is good for Kent State Circle K to get its name out and show students exactly what Circle K is, what we do and what we stand for.”

Many people learn about Circle K through its parent organization, Kiwanis International. Kiwanis is a group of service- and community-minded individuals who support children and young adults, according to the Kiwanis International Web site.

“I was in Key Club in high school, and I wanted a way to be involved in college,” said freshman pre-medicine major Alex Hill . “It is a way to get out and give back to your community. I am not from Ohio, so it is also a good way for me to get in touch with a new community and learn more about it.”

Kiwanis organizations include K-Kids clubs at the elementary school level, Builders Clubs at the middle school and junior high level, Key Clubs at the high school level and Circle K clubs at the collegiate level. They all teach community service and leadership skills to young people.

“Circle K is a community organization that helps local and international communities,” Circle K President Amy Basista said. “We are the largest collegiate volunteer organization. We are diverse from other organizations in that we are involved internationally, not just locally.”

According to the Ohio District of Circle K International Web site, Circle K concentrates on areas of leadership and personal development. Circle K volunteers, or “Circle K-ers,” help serve their campuses and communities; however, much of their attention is focused on children.

“Circle K focuses on the future,” Leming said. “We do a lot of work with children because we are committed to giving to the future of our world.”

Several opportunities are available for Circle K members within Kent State and beyond.

“As a member, you are becoming someone who is giving back to the community,” Leming said. “By giving to others, you are giving back to yourself. Also, it is a great place for networking, getting to know people and getting involved with your school.”

Circle K meets every Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. in Room 304 of the Student Center.

Contact social services reporter Desiree Bartoe at [email protected].