Circle K International at USF Sarasota-Manatee Named "Club of the Year" for the Suncoast Region

 

SARASOTA, FL (April 3, 2009) – Valerie Connors is on a mission to save the world, starting with the Sarasota-Manatee region.

 

Besides being a stay at home mom to 4 year old daughter Kaitlin, going to school for her bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, and being the student affiliate for the American Association of University Women, Connors has dedicated her time to building the Circle K service club at the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee.

 

Her hard work has paid off since she revived the club at USF Sarasota-Manatee in January of 2008.  The club was named “Circle K Club of the Year” at the Circle K District Council meeting during the Annual Florida District Large-Scale Service Project, and Connors was named “President of the Year” for the Suncoast region.

 

The annual event, which incorporates a large-scale service project—this year a free children’s literacy forum—was held at the University of Tampa on Sunday, March 29.  Seven college and university Circle K clubs were represented from the Suncoast district, which extends from St Petersburg to Naples and includes Edison College, St Petersburg College, USF St Petersburg, Ringling College of Art and Design, Manatee Community College, and Florida Gulf Coast University.

 

“Representatives from all over the state attended the event, it was really exciting to be honored with this award,” said Connors.  “Our club has worked so hard in the past year not just to be successful, but to provide service to people in need.  Success has just been the outcome of our dedication.”

 

Circle K is the collegiate division of Kiwanis, which has over 13,000 members internationally.  More than 600 colleges and universities have a Circle K club on campus.  The purpose of the club is to develop college and university students into a global network of responsible students and leaders with a lifelong commitment to service.

 

USF Sarasota-Manatee’s Circle K club now has 23 student members, and membership has tripled in the past year.  In between classes and being a full time mom, Connors has worked tirelessly to build membership and gain interest from students, serving as president for the 2008-2009 year.

 

Projects undertaken by the club include service initiatives such as children’s health and safety, hunger, and illiteracy.  Student members have recently volunteered at food banks and children’s literacy events, held a bake sale to raise money, collected maternity items to hold a baby shower at SOLVE maternity home in Bradenton, and worked with nonprofit organizations in the community to build partnerships in order to make the biggest impact.

 

They have also received other recent honors for their service.  In February the club was awarded the “Kenneth P. Burke Club Improvement Award” at the District Convention for their increase in service hours and membership, as well as the “Best Monthly Reports” award for having all of their reports done correctly and on time.

 

“It doesn’t seem like a big job,” Connors said, “but there is so much work that goes into it.”

 

Connors worked in corporate America for more than 10 years in Executive Assistance and Marketing before she left to take on her hardest job yet-being a full time mom.  She decided to go back to school and pursue her bachelor’s degree in 2007 in order to follow her passion to help people in need.

 

“My heart belongs to helping the community,” she said.  “I’d love to work for a non-profit organization like Girls, Inc. when I graduate.  If I get paid to do it, that’s great, but right now I’m just really enjoying volunteering and networking in the community.  I want to have a job doing something I love.”