Waking up at 4am? Relentlessly boxing food for charity for over six hours? This can only be the work of Blake’s most compassionate students- the Key Club members. 

Long before the sun had risen on October 25th, Blake’s Key Clubbers marched into Raymond James with one purpose: to construct over 9,000 boxes of food for many of Tampa’s most notable charities such as Metropolitan Ministries and Trinity Café. Or for short, The Kiwanis Barbecue. Our Key Club teamed up with fellow local key clubs like Jesuit High School and Cambridge Christian School to complete the momentous task.

The entire event was organized by Tampa’s Kiwanis Club, a service organization dedicated to service in its community, which explains the name “Kiwanis Barbecue.” Key Clubbers and Kiwanians worked by barbecuing chicken and placing sides like chips or cookies in a conveyor like fashion.

            The experience was remarkable for all participants.

 Emily Lewis, Blake’s own Key Clubber, also happens to be Key Club’s Lieutenant Governor. This means that she presides over every key club in our division. Lewis volunteered alongside her clubs at this inspiring event. She stated, “having the opportunity to see my members from different clubs bonding through volunteering with each other was great.” Lewis was also extremely impressed with Blake’s performance, saying “even when Jesuit left with their 120 members, Blake continued with the same pace turning out meals.” The event was so remarkable that even new members enjoyed the experience. Freshman and new Key Club member, Rebeca Braukman, loved the Key Club spirit. “It was really good… it felt like a family,” she said

            Although volunteering for almost six hours straight isn’t a task for most typical students, Blake’s Key Club was able to do so effortlessly. Our school’s Key Club is a family of students dedicated to service- and that’s a truly remarkable thing.