Key Club has become one of Milford’s most active student service organizations, offering its help with everything from school events to community fundraisers. Key Club is a non-profit organization, a branch of the Kiwanis Family, that comprises high school students with a simple mission to serve whenever the community needs them.
Foran’s Key Club provides essential support to Milford’s community, offering benefits through its focus on community service and fundraising, while also giving students a way to grow and do good for the community.
Key Club is made up of 110 members, with around 60 of them being highly active and dedicated. As a club, they fundraise for various organizations, and all donations go towards organizations like The Salvation Army, Camp Sunshine, and The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
For the Salvation Army, members stood outside Boscov’s at the Connecticut Post Mall, bell-ringing for the Salvation Army, successfully raising $385.60. Mrs. Cathy GaNun, Key Club’s Advisor, says, “All of that money stays to help Milford residents who are financially in need—it doesn’t go to the larger Salvation Army branches. It directly supports people right here.”
By volunteering and helping the community, students are also largely impacted by their involvement in Key Club.
Katrina Zukowski, President of Foran’s Key Club, states, “I am so happy I decided to join because it has provided me with new friends, a sense of belonging, a passion to help others, and a leadership role where I can encourage others to do the same.”
Consisting of 50 Milford men and women, the local branch of the Kiwanis Club supports and sponsors high-school Key Clubs, alongside their college and middle school counterparts (Circle K and the Builders Club, respectively). The Kiwanis Club handles the transfer and sending of fundraiser profits to the selected charity.
Irem Gonul, Vice President of Key Club, says, “I have participated in any available events, and specifically ones that stood out to me, like Salvation Army. Bell ringing was a huge event throughout Key Club that I loved doing. Spreading holiday cheer and making people’s day through positive comments and happy holiday music was always enjoyable.”
Key Club doesn’t choose the events they participate in based on preference. They respond to requests from anyone who needs it, whether it be from schools, organizations, or community groups. Their goal is to help anyone in need.
GaNun comments on this, “Whenever there’s an event, they reach out to us. They ask for volunteers, and we’re there. We’re there helping—Little League, the downtown business association, churches, anyone.”
