October 11, 2022
By providing service projects and community service, Shawnee State University’s student organization Circle K International has a main focus to help the community as a whole. A college service branch of Kiwanis International, the group upholds its parent organization’s focus of improving the quality of lives for children. The organization is involved with several organizations throughout Scioto County including the Kiwanis club and Key clubs from local high schools.
Currently the members of SSU’s Circle K are working on their main fall project – a coat drive to help those in need as the fall and winter season is approaching.
“Whether you have a coat you no longer want or maybe it doesn’t fit, there are students here at Shawnee who are in need of one,” said Circle K Club President Makayla Aiken. “We also donate others to our local Salvation Army to help others in the community.”
The group accepts coat donations from SSU and the surrounding community. Through an organization grant, Aiken also noted they will be able to provide gloves and hats, and welcomes additional donations of those as well.
In the spring, Circle K will look towards their next project, Cool Kids Read, where the group buys children’s books and delivers them to local elementary schools.
“We will also have a few students visit the area schools and read to the kids,” Aiken said. “We arrange for Shawn E. Bear to come along too. It makes for a fun time, with the purpose of promoting literacy in the elementary schools and Scioto County as a whole.”
For any SSU students interested in joining Circle K International Aiken encourages them to reach out to her by email at makaylaaiken61@gmail.com or to visit their group’s social media pages on Facebook and Instagram. The group meets monthly in the Morris University Center and invites all students to join them.
To learn more about student organizations at Shawnee State University, visit shawnee.edu/campus-life.