“General Key Club meeting during activity period today in room 1306.”

Members take a seat in Mr. Culbert’s room and await the bang of the gavel to call the meeting to order.

The Canyon High School Key Club is the high school counterpart of the Kiwanis Club, an organization which serves the community. Key Club gives students a chance to help others.

“We focus on community service, volunteerism and leadership development,” adviser Lance Culbert said. “There are things you learn through volunteerism that you can’t learn in a classroom. Helping people is its own reward.”

To be a member of Key Club, students must fill out a membership form found here, pay $30 in dues and attend weekly meetings during activity period.

“The good thing about Key Club is we don’t have a Key Club season–we have stuff almost every week,” Culbert said. “For example, if you’re really busy with band during marching season, you can not be so busy with Key Club, then pick up once marching season is over. It’s really adaptable to individual student schedules.”

Those involved are expected to sign up to volunteer at different events.

“Our main purpose is to promote volunteerism,” Culbert said. “We provide opportunities for students to do in the high school, the local community, the national community and even national projects we’re a part of.”

Culbert said October is a busy month for Key Club.

“At Canyon High School, we do the weekly paper recycling,” Culbert said. “We are coordinating a two-day blood drive towards the end of the month. We are going to be involved in Halloween Happening and with an international project called Trick or Treat for UNICEF.”

Trick or Treat for UNICEF is a fundraiser for the tetanus vaccinations of women in developing countries.

“We have little coin boxes for people to donate change,” Culbert said. “For women in the developing world who have to give birth in unsanitary conditions, if the baby contracts tetanus, they will die very quickly and very horribly. Sixty cents will purchase one dose of the vaccine, and a woman needs three doses to have immunity and pass it on to her children.”

Junior Ally McBroom is Key Club president.

“I have to make sure everyone who says they’ll be there will be there,” McBroom said. “If someone, for example, forgets to bring chips to Ronald McDonald House for the dinner we provide, I have to go out and buy chips. I provide. If no one’s there, I take over that spot.”

McBroom is in her first year as president.

“I want and hope to be president next year,” McBroom said. “Last year, none of the spots were contested, so I took over. I wouldn’t have been president if I hadn’t been secretary last year. Mr. Culbert called me like, ‘Hey, we don’t have anyone for president. Please help us out.’ So, here I am, and I don’t regret it. I really enjoy it.”

The other members of the board include vice president Rody Swift, secretary Kathryn Culbert, editor Grayson Prather, webmaster Lane Miller and historian Evely Ludington.

“You can actually get scholarships for college which is huge,” McBroom said. “Mainly, it looks really good on your resume and applications, and you learn how to work with others. Everyone has to do their part, and you learn how to do your part. It becomes really fun.”