By David Rozul
2010-11 San Diego State University CKI club president

As I walked out the double doors of the St. Louis airport the 105-degree heat rushed towards me, clung to my skin and my breath shortened. I remember thinking, “This sure isn’t California.”  And although I didn’t know it at the time, the split second thought that I had just traveled half way across the country to be emerged among the hundreds of others who like me were ecstatic and dedicated to the tenants of Circle K , was unbelievable.

When I think of Circle K my brain usually just stops at the District level, good ol’ California-Nevada-Hawaii, because that’s all I’ve experienced. Those are the people I’ve worked with, cheered with, and first hand have seen make a difference in their communities.  I don’t immediately think of the other 47 states or 17 countries that were represented in St. Louis Missouri at this year’s Circle K International Convention (ICON).

I didn’t know what to expect; I didn’t expect to make a friend from Arkansas, I didn’t expect to perform in the talent show at ICON, I didn’t expect to be so intrigued and interested with the International house of delegates, or be caught in a debate with someone from Arizona. I didn’t expect to take home the spirit stick, and I sure didn’t expect to as district take home 33 awards.

But it happened, and from it all I have grown. ICON was about sharing your experiences with others and learning from each other. From the different projects you did, to how you conducted your meetings; from your relationship you had with your sponsoring Kwanis to the different ways your individual club has fun, you learn from it all. How often do you have a chance to talk to someone from the Caribbean about your school and what you have planned for the year?

 Being so far away from what I was used to was a change, and when you get too comfortable with where you live you tend to forget about the millions of other people who don’t live in your state.

But ICON was about unity. It was about people coming from all across the planet for a common cause. To give back to the world we all share. With presentations and workshops, about the new ELIMINATE project to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus, to the revealing of the new international service and fundraising initiatives. They all bring to light that there is still so much to do in the world. The presence of the hundreds of college students in one dark room in St. Louis Missouri proved to me that there are people who still want to help, and are willing to help, all across the globe.  The youth still care, and will continue to care no matter what.

Being at ICON and seeing that students just like me are making a difference in their hometowns gives me hope.  In one portion of the convention everyone was given glow sticks and told by Kiwanis International president-designate, Sylvester Neal,  “Let your fire burn”,  “light a fire in this organization … pass it on.”

As I arrived right back  in the San Diego airport I planned on doing just that, passing on my fire.  This year I will make a change, and I will influence others to change the world with me. I enjoyed my time in St. Louis at ICON but now its behind me, because “I’m in California now”, and the impact I plan on making is just beginning!

The 55^th Annual Circle K International Convention is in the books. We survived our stays in the dorm rooms at Washington University in St. Louis. And those who participated in the 10^th Annual Large Scale Service Project withstood heat indexes of 113.

We watched 2009-10 CKI board counselor Jim Jennings sell hotdogs and popcorn and lay a square egg while under Crimson’s hypnosis. We elected Amanda Marfisi 2010-11 Circle K International president. We debated proposed amendment 13, a.k.a. the alcohol policy during the house of delegates.

We laughed out loud as edutainer Kevin Wanzer taught us to embrace the ALOHA spirit. We attend Recruitment Boot Camp and learned how to sell our CKI club to other college students. We visited UNICEF, Students Team Up to Fight Hunger, March of Dimes and Better World Books representatives during the Service Fair. We spent Thursday night out on the town getting to know members of our districts better.

For those of you who want to remember some of the best moments of the 2010 CKI Convention, please check out the ICON memories slideshow: http://slp.kiwanis.org/CircleK/Libraries/Convention_materials/2010_CKI_ICON_m...

Hope to see you all next year in Virginia Beach!

During the Circle K International Large Scale Service Project, 130 CKI members have spent the past three days cleaning the riverbed near the Gateway Arch, painting murals in a children’s hospital, cleaning pools, picking up trash and working with kids at the Boys and Girls Club.

Thanks to all of you for sweating buckets in the 100+ degree St. Louis heat to make the community a better place. You are awesome!

Yes, I know we haven’t even started the 2010 Circle K International Convention at Washington University in St. Louis, but I’m already looking forward to the 2011 Circle K International Convention, which is in Virginia Beach, Virginia!

The other big news is that the 2011 convention takes place at the end of June instead of the first week in August. Only 11 months from now. Better start saving my pennies to make sure I reach the beach! Who’s with me?

We want to see your club or district videos. Send a link to ckimagazine@kiwanis.org.

We’ve been talking a lot about college students. Are your ears burning?

Here at Kiwanis International, we’ve been throwing around ideas about the best ways to communicate with you. We’ve been asking each other questions like: Do CKI members still like print magazines? How much time do they spend on Facebook? What about Twitter? Do they like to receive e-mail newsletters? How do they feel about text updates? How often is too often? How much is not enough?

So instead of doing a lot of guessing and generalizing, I’ve decided to go straight to the source: you.

I have one question for you. How can Circle K International make your membership experience better through communication?

What does your district have planned for this year’s district dinner at the Circle K International Convention? Where should we send the convention photographer to take pics?

The LSSP Committee has really been working hard to pull off this annual event. The projects seem really neat!! I can't figure out what I am most excited for :-)

Is anyone out there as excited about residence hall living as I am? Well, I better get ready for it, because the 2010 Circle K International Convention is just a couple of weeks away and that's where I'll be staying August 4-8. Living on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis for four nights in August is going to be an event to talk about, that's for sure. The twin beds, the shower shoes, the cafeteria food. At least I hear it's air conditioned, so we have that to look forward to. 

Luckily, I already know who my suitemates are and I like them all. Good thing, because I'm going to have to share a bathroom and some close quarters with them. But with all the exciting events planned for the 55th Annual Circle K International Convention, it's unlikely we'll spend much time in our suite.

I'm really looking forward to seeing and hearing Survivor Africa winner and Grassroot Soccer founder Ethan Zohn. Edu-tainer Kevin Wanzer seems like a hilarious man, having read his workshop description. Plus, we'll sure get some laughs out of Crimson, the hypnotist. Last year at the 2009 Key Club International Convention, the hypnotist was a runaway hit. What are you most looking forward to at the 2010 CKI convention?

Circle K International Convention is just around the corner!  Join us in St. Louis this August and fuel your passion for service and fellowship with hundreds of other university students from around the united states!  For more just go to http://www.circlek.org