For the first home football game at Kaneland High School, which will take place on Friday, Sept. 17, it will be Military Appreciation Night, and Key Club will be hosting a fundraiser with the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans. Key Club members will be collecting money and clothing donations a week before and during the week of the football game.

     The Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans is an organization that provides housing for individual veterans and their families. They provide assistance through a store where veterans and their families who need help can receive basic necessities for free. 

     Senior Aidan Pawlak, vice-president of Key Club, said that he is looking forward to the fundraiser and is hopeful that money from the donations will have a positive impact on veterans in need.

     “I hope that the donations will make a positive impact on all the veterans that they go to, whether it be through financial support or through physical items,” Pawlak said.

     Key Club had their first meeting on Wednesday, August 18, where members discussed how the fundraiser is going to work. They are going to have the fundraiser operate by selling t-shirts at a table during STEP/lunch periods on Monday, September 13, and then on the days leading up to the home game. There, they will be accepting money to donate to the Midwest Shelter. They are also going to be selling t-shirts on the night of the football game and taking the profits to the same organization. Spectators can wear the shirts on the night of the football game to show appreciation towards the veterans and their service. 

     Key Club’s goal is to have as many donations as possible by the end of Military Appreciation Night for the Shelter’s funds. Raising money for the Shelter isn’t the only goal for the Key Club, as they also hope Kaneland students will understand the reason for their donations. 

     Senior Abbie Cormier, president of Key Club, thinks students outside of Key Club should understand the importance of donating.

     “As students, we can always be donating [money and items]. However, I think one of the most important aspects of helping with issues, such as homeless veterans, is to help students understand why it is important to volunteer and give back. If students donate with the understanding of the ‘why,’ it will have a greater impact on everyone’s life,” Cormier said. 

     Key Club members got their idea for the fundraiser from social studies teacher Javier Martinez. Martinez trusted Key Club to bring honor to the veterans who have come home by allowing them to host the fundraiser and showing the veterans how much we appreciate everything they do. With the idea in mind, Martinez went right to Cormier and Pawlak. 

     Pawlak and Cormier were grateful for the opportunity and immediately agreed to do the fundraiser for the football game. 

     “Mr. Martinez approached Key Club about helping with this fundraiser, and we were thankful that he thought to come to us, and we accepted the project because we believe we will be able to help it become as successful as possible,” Pawlak said. 

     Martinez is very passionate about the cause and explained why he wants Key Club to take on the fundraiser to honor and assist the veterans who need our help. 

     “I served in the military for 10 years, and I was fortunate enough to have a stable job and family life after I left the service. I feel it is my duty to help those veterans who are not as fortunate,” Martinez said.