October Kapers | Page 8

We all play a different roles in this great organization, one not being more important than another, but rather each of us contributing to changing the world in our own unique way. Take a moment to read through these CKI-ers stories: find what you may have in common with them, implement their favorite CKI activities as a way to get new members, and get to know some fellow peers from across Florida. Through August and September I went on a quest to find some dedicated CKI members and ask them some typical and some not so typical questions., here is what I found: MEET ERICA RIANO Years in CKI: 3 years K-Family: 6 years College: University of Florida Major: Animal Science Minor: Disabilities in Society Current Position: Service Co-Chair Previous Position(s): Mentorship, Development, and Education Chair (not too sure why we call the M in MD&E Mentorship while the District calls the M Membership) Likes: Animals and Disney (especially Stitch) Hometown: Miami, FL When someone wonders what my favorite CKI tenant is, I am constantly torn between service and fellowship. My love for helping my community began fifteen years ago when I joined Girl Scouts. To this day, I recall a simple beach cleanup being the place where I met my childhood friend. My closest friendships descend from service organizations because we share a similar goal towards bettering society. I have come to the conclusion that spreading fellowship within the club is what drives me to increase service involvement. Individuals who partake in a service organization past high school truly wish to build happy endings for those less fortunate. The University of Florida has a tradition of passing “The Book” to a member who truly embraces the three tenants of CKI. This tradition began back in 2008 and continues today to the point that “The Book” has become three large binders full of history. While I had “The Book,” I bumped into a CKI graduate as he taught me how to juggle three balls. This comes to show how members may come and go as they complete their college degrees, but our CKI traditions continue to stay the same. Ever since my first CKI meeting, I knew that I wanted to apply to be one of the Service Chairs. I decided to run for the Service Committee at the end of my freshman year, but ended up becoming the MD&E Chair. Instead of letting this rejection discourage me, I kept my head up and made the best of my committee. This position gave me the opportunity to explore unique ideas, such as the incorporation of service projects into our club’s Big K/Little K program. At the end of my sophomore year, I gained enough confidence to rerun