Key Clubbers Mark Organization’s Centennial

(Barnesville Schools photo)

Many of the current members of the Barnesville Key Club gathered with Kiwanis members Thursday, March 27 at the high school to mark the 100^th anniversary of the establishment of Key Club. After the photo cookies were enjoyed.     

The Barnesville Key Club with 183 active members is the 5^th largest club in all of Ohio. In District 18E where there are 14 clubs, Barnesville is the largest.

The Barnesville Key Club launched in 1953, five years after the sponsoring Barnesville Kiwanis Club was founded. The club’s first advisor was junior high instructor Don Noland, a charter member of Barnesville Kiwanis.      

Noland served as advisor until the new high school opened on Shamrock Drive. Since that time nine others have served in the advisor role including current advisort Corey Powell who is marking his 10^th year of service during this centennial year.  

• Barnesville Key Club Advisors
• 1953-1970,  Don Noland
• 1971, John Vogelmeier
• 1972, Robert Griffen
• 1973, John Vogelmeier
• 1974-1994, Frances Obusek
• 1995-1997, Michelle Parker McGee
• 1998, Mary Samuels
• 1999-2004, Darrell Davis
• 2005-2014, Mary Jane Woods
• 2015-present, Corey Powell   

The first year the Key Club appeared in the Senrab yearbook was in 1957. The yearbook reveals “the Key Club, is the youngest organization in Barnesville High School. It was started on December 16, 1953 and is sponored by the Barnesivlle Kiwanis Club.

“Membership is selective and members are chosen on the basis of leadership and scholarship.

“The club is dedicated to the school. This year the Key Club donated to a juke box at BHS and bought shrubbery for the west lawn of the Junior High School.”

(Barnesville Schools photo)

Current officers of the Barnesville Key Club are, l-r, Evan Boulet, editor; Payton Dudzik, secretary; Aydan Andrews, president and Blake Kirk, vice president. Not pictured, Chaela Smolira, treasurer.   

Currently, the two largest club projects, according to Powell, are volunteering at the BAMA’s (Barnesville Area Ministerial Association) Kids Night during the annual pumpkin festival and the school Community Cleanup Day. On May 5 when the next cleanup day is scheduled, members will do yard work, trash cleanup, mulching and other miscellaneous jobs for WVU Medicine Barnesville Hospital.

Each year, club members volunteer an average of 15 hours for the community. That means that even using Ohio’s minimum wage as a calculator, local Key Club members’ labor benefits the Barnesville community to the tune of almost $30,000 each year!

Each May the Key Club sponsors a student scholarship for a high school senior who submits a winning essay focusing on what community project had the greatest impact on the writer.     

While Key Clubbers pay local dues themselves, the Barnesville Kiwanis Club, with strong support from the business and nonprofit community, covers Key Club International dues for all members.    

_________

Founded in 1925, Key Club International is the oldest and largest student led organization in the world.

With 225,000 members across 47 nations, Key Club demonstrates a global commitment to service and leadership.

Each year, members collectively contribute millions of volunteer hours to their schools and communities.

The first Key Club chapter was formed at the Sacramento, California High School. The organization was open to male students only until 1977 when females were accepted as members.

Other schools with Key Clubs in District 18E are Beallsville, Bishop Rosecrans, Cambridge, Coshocton, John Glenn, Marietta,  Maysville, Monroe Central, Morgan, River, Waterford, West Muskingum and Zanesville.