KIWANIS CLUB OF DANVILLE

Press release 

The Kiwanis Club of Danville was honored to present its first annual Boyle County High School Key Club Service Scholarship award to Loren Ladd during Senior Awards Night on May 7.

Key Club, a student-led organization that began in 1925 with a single club of 11 members, has grown to 270,000 members worldwide and is the oldest and largest service program for high school students in the world.

Its members make the world a better place through service and in doing so, grow as individuals and as leaders by answering the call to lead, summoning the courage to engage and developing the heart to serve.

In only its second year of charter, the Boyle County High School Key Club is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Danville and now boasts a roster of 45 members that include 18 graduating seniors with a waiting list for in-coming members for the 2018-2019 school year.

Kathy McBee, a past president and current director of the Kiwanis Club, presented the award and said, “Over the last two years we have observed an incredible group of kids that amaze us with their energy and desire to help the community and make change. 

Three hundred accumulated service hours include projects like volunteering at Bluebird Market, baking cookies for first responders, writing letters for the veterans of Honor Flight, helping our Kiwanis Club wrap presents for our Christmas for Kids Program, face painting and even pumpkin decorating at Kiwanis and other events. They sold candy grams at school to raise money for Ronald McDonald House and painted rocks that were placed around school and the community to spread kindness. And they have even performed projects to recognize teachers and school administrators for all their hard work.”

With these observations in mind, the Kiwanis Club of Danville Board of Directors recently voted to create a $500 scholarship to recognize the leadership and passion for service displayed within this outstanding group of graduating seniors.

When asked to describe how the Key Club experience has impacted her life, Ladd’s response was, “Key Club gave me confidence and reassurance — confidence in my ability to lead and reassurance that small acts of kindness make lasting impacts. The club reminded me that service is not just pre-planned activities, but rather service is an attitude that should affect the daily life of a person.”

Ladd performed 45 service hours during her senior year while serving as Key Club President and is also a member of the National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Willisburg Christian Church Youth Group.

Ladd plans to attend Wheaton College with a declared major of Biology and is the daughter of Lance and Gwen Ladd of Danville.

BCHS Key Club Faculty Advisor Katie Tiller describes Ladd as having a servant’s heart with a tremendous ability to lead and motivate others.