Sometimes the road to giving back to the community is an uphill battle. When Deerfield’s new Key Club service organization wanted to bring their charter into the high school they faced some resistance due to budgetary resources and the lack of a local Deerfield Kiwanis Club as a sponsor. That did not detour the group of dedicated students from reaching out to Key Club International and close by Highland Park/Highwood Kiwanis to form a community based Key Club. With charter in hand, the Deerfield Key Club set a path of growth and community involvement never before seen in Chicago’s North Shore.
Not being a school-based club made it difficult to recruit members, benefit the school, and schedule meetings accessible to all. Through the passion and commitment of its members and President, the Deerfield Key Club came to be a community-based organization with over 100 active members. This provides more leniency's with organizations to work with and meeting times and allows the group to also work on service projects with a greater reach both inside and outside of the community.
“When I first heard of Key Club, I was astonished that such a well-regarded school did not have its own charter,” said Sari Schwartz, Deerfield Key Club’s Founder and President. “After doing more research I decided that starting the Deerfield Key Club would grant extraordinary opportunities to DHS students to make an impact on their community.”
New to the community, the Deerfield Key club has already made their mark. Members have given their time and help to the Willow House, Orphans of the Storm, and Faith in Action organizations.
The Deerfield Key club meets every Sunday from 1-2 at the Deerfield Park District. They are very focused on connecting each individual member with volunteer opportunities that appeal to their interests. The group is also planning a concert and pet adoption event in late spring to benefit Orphans of the Storm.
“I am so proud of all of the hard work these young leaders have put it to make all of this happen. Key Club had such a tremendous impact on my life and I can honestly say I would never be who I am today without that experience,” commented Chris Foltz, one of Deerfield Key Club’s Community Advisor. “Deerfield is a wonderful community to raise a family and has one of the best education systems in the country. It is amazing to see young minds eager to give back to not only their own community, but throughout the Chicago area,” continue Foltz, who is also the Chairman of the Community Relations Commission in the Village of Deerfield.
With approximately 260,000 members in 5,000 clubs, Key Club is the oldest and largest service program for high school students. Clubs span the globe being represented in 30 countries. Key Club’s vision is to develop competent, capable and caring leaders through the vehicle of service. The club participates and partners with international organizations such as: The Eliminate Project, Children’s Miracle Network, March of Dimes, and UNICEF.
Deerfield Key Club will be launching a new website the first week of 2012 complete with volunteer opportunities, membership information, and social media interaction amongst members. The clubs page will be www.DeerfieldKeyClub.org. For more information please contact Chris Foltz at 312-772-4865 or by email at chris@christopherfoltz.com.
