Effectively Sponsoring a Key Club
The most important part a Kiwanian and/or Kiwanis club can play in a Key Club is that of a mentor. To keep a club
strong, the club needs plenty of support, interest, and projects. The following material explains what it takes to
maintain a Key Club and help it prosper and grow. It also provides an outline to keep the sponsoring Kiwanis club
involved and keep the Key Club growing.
Building a strong club takes a lot of time, patience and nurturing. Only with the ongoing help of the sponsoring
Kiwanis club can a club survive.
I. Why maintain effective sponsorship?
Maintaining and supporting an existing Key Club is an often overlooked but extremely important task. Key Club is
structured to give high school students the opportunity to learn responsibility through a dynamic process of trail and
error. However, all too often, after a Key Club is built the close ties between the local Kiwanis club and the local Key
Club falter.
1. Because Key Club leaders are learning as they go along, strong Kiwanis support is a must. Guidance is
appreciated when offered in a non-threatening thoughtful manner. If things go wrong, a Kiwanian should be
there ready to pick up the dropped baton and help; the club get back on track.
2. A Kiwanis club and its service potential is increased through close interaction with the members of your Key
Club.
3. Only through a Kiwanis club’s support can the members of the Key Club gain from the knowledge and
guidance of Kiwanians.
4. Only through a Kiwanis club’s continued support of the Key Club in the community can the Kiwanis club
reap the rewards of sponsorship.
5. Through strong support, a Key Club is sure not to falter and will grow and prosper, thus offering more high
school students this great opportunity.
II. How does a Kiwanis club maintain effective sponsorship?
1. Relationship Building. The relationships between the Kiwanis club and the Key Club are called K-Family
Relations. They are vital to the success of the K