Written by Junior Freelance Writer Jiyu Gaxiola.
If you’re home on the afternoon of Halloween, you might recognize some high schoolers knocking on your door, a little early for candy. These are members of Bonney Lake High School’s Key Club, gearing up with excitement for their annual service event, We Scare Hunger.
This tradition, which began in 2015, has become a highlight of the year for Key Club members. Dressed in costumes and equipped with trash bags, they go trick-or-treating in neighborhoods around Bonney Lake, not for candy, but for canned and non-perishable foods. JoAnne Brown, a Kiwanian, shares her excitement for the event, as it's one of the few opportunities for the Kiwanis—a service organization for adults that partners with Key Club—and the students to work together.
"We Scare Hunger allows Key Clubbers and Kiwanians to collaborate on a project, which is really important to us," says Brown. "We learn a lot during the event. It's the biggest exercise we do together." The Kiwanis help drive the Key Clubbers to their assigned neighborhoods and assist with collecting the food, storing it in their car trunks.
This year, the Key Club plans to visit four neighborhoods: Sky Island, Brookside, Falling Water, and Tehaleh. With a team of nearly 50 members and only three hours to work with, they try to reach as many houses as possible, though some homes may be missed.
We Scare Hunger has also gained recognition as an award-winning event. For two years in a row, it has earned the Outstanding Single Service Award at both the Pacific Northwest Key Club District Convention and the Key Club International Convention.
Preparing for the event has been no small task. The planning has included organizing neighborhood routes, coordinating with the Kiwanis for driving arrangements, and notifying the GoodRoots Northwest Food Bank about the incoming donations. Leading this effort are seniors Jeremy Estep and Jiyu Gaxiola.
Estep, who has eagerly taken on this project, believes the event is incredibly important. "We Scare Hunger gives the Bonney Lake Key Club a chance to come together and prioritize those who may need an extra helping hand," he says. Both Estep and Gaxiola have participated in the event for several years, and it remains one of their favorite Key Club activities.
New members of Key Club are just as enthusiastic about joining in. "I’m excited to spread kindness and dress festively," says McKenzie Khamleu, a freshman at Bonney Lake High School.
"Choose love and get your cans ready because you’re donating to an amazing cause," says Estep, sending a message to the community. The Key Clubbers may just be knocking on your door this Halloween.
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