Two Golden Key members from the University of Winnipeg, Jason Yang and Patricia Joven, recently returned from the Golden Future South Africa project in May. The project aimed at improving the lives of the youth and community members in one of South Africa’s most vulnerable […]
We are excited to introduce you to a new University Relations Officer that recently joined the Golden Key team! Christian Nabung is now overseeing the Eastern Australia & New Zealand chapters from our Asia-Pacific office. Get to know him better with this Q&A. Where did […]
As of 1 August, chapters have dedicated 39,848 hours, touched the lives of 37,849 people and raised $8,690.43 towards SPARK a Change since its launch in July 2014. These collective actions are impacting the lives of youth around the globe! (Chapter leaders, please remember to record your events on the Golden Key website promptly after the event so we can include your accomplishments in our monthly statistics.)
Follow SPARK a Change on social media. Each month, Headquarters will be posting a challenge and a contest for SPARK a Change. Be sure to follow Golden Key on Facebook and Twitter as well as SPARK on Instagram for articles on the benefits of volunteering and posts featuring great SPARK events. If you think your chapter has a great event, please email your event details and pictures to: khiatt@goldenkey.org.
August Featured Service Project:
This month’s featured service project is the SPARK a Change project at International Summit 2015. Golden Key teamed up with FSG Australia, a for-purpose community organization and center for social enterprise whose mission and vision is to have a community that connects with all people and is free of social injustice.
Attendees were randomly split up into groups for the three different projects. The projects were: (1) soy candle making where the proceeds go towards underfunded children’s programs, (2) learning how to paint from indigenous artist and then painting boxes for children in foster care, and (3) a Brains Trust activity where participants were given a problem or project that affected the local community that they were asked to solve or assist with. Through the hard work and dedication of the GK members present, 645 hours of service were completed and 3,260 lives were touched in only two and a half hours of service!
Pursue Your Path in Paradise. This was the theme of our 2015 International Summit on the Gold Coast and what a paradise it is! With its world-famous beaches, the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia was an incredible setting for our very first International Summit outside […]
This is the third post in our SPARK Abroad blog series in which Associate Director of Corporate Relations, Alex Quinn, attended the trip. So far in this blog series, I’ve discussed the wonderful experience and the sites we visited. Today I’d like to talk about […]
This is the second post in our SPARK Abroad blog series in which Associate Director of Corporate Relations, Alex Quinn, attended the trip.
In my last blog post, I briefly mentioned some of the sites that we visited while on our SPARK Abroad trip to Peru, but I’d like to delve into them further. Although these trips are service-oriented, plenty of time was reserved for us to see all of the historical sites that Cusco has to offer.
Basílica Catedral
In Peru a large majority of the residents are Catholic, and they recognize the Catholic Church as an important element of the nation. In light of this, there are numerous statues and historical sites that are dedicated to religion, including the first site that we went to in Cusco– Basílica Catedral. This cathedral was built on top of an Incan temple by the Spanish in an attempt to assert religious dominance over the Incans. Today the cathedral sits in the Plaza de Armas in the heart of Cusco.
Side note: Photography is forbidden in the cathedral, but the inside is gorgeous and full of history!
Saqsaywaman
Once the capital of the Incan Empire, this ruin sits high in hills of Cusco, overlooking the city. This site is composed of giant boulders that have been methodically cut to fit together without mortar. Even more of a testament to Incan architecture, though, is that the architects constructed Saqsaywaman to be earthquake resistant, as well.
The Spanish once thought that this site was fortress to protect the city due to the zig-zag shape of the walls and multiple levels. Saqsaywaman is still relevant to the Peruvians as this site is a part of the Inti Raymi celebration.
Machu Picchu
Our Peruvian trip wouldn’t be complete without visiting the most popular tourist attraction in South America and part of the recently voted New Seven Wonders of the World. Located about 50 miles outside of Cusco city, Machu Picchu sits high in the mountains above the Sacred Valley. In order to reach the estate, we took a two hour train ride to the town of Aguas Calientes then a short bus ride up the mountain side. Just as with Saqsaywaman, Machu Picchu is an architectural marvel. The site encompasses classic qualities of Incan architecture– many of the stones possess perfect joints, thus nullifying the need for mortar and trapezoidal-shaped walls and doorways. After our tour guide was finished, we had time to explore freely, so some of us trekked up to the Sun Gate, which provides a view of the entirety of Machu Picchu.
I wish there were words to explain how incredible this experience was. I don’t think I’ll ever forget when we walked up to the spot where you can first see the city– you have an image in your head of what it looks like, then your perception is completely shattered by the absolute beauty of it all! We were able to watch the sun rise over the mountain tops as we stood on a ledge overlooking the perfectly constructed stone walls and captivating backdrop of the Andes Mountains.
Some other notable sites that we visited include:
Tune back in tomorrow for the final post in this blog series. If you are interested in attending a SPARK Abroad tour this upcoming December or next June, you can visit the SPARK Abroad page on Golden Key’s website to learn more about the trips.
As a part of Golden Key’s SPARK a Change initiative, Golden Key has partnered with EF Tours to offer SPARK Abroad–international service-learning tours to serve at-risk youth through literacy, education and real-world preparedness. SPARK Abroad trips allow attendees to experience engaging site explorations while working […]
On June 12, 2015 the American Military University and American Public University Golden Key chapter co-sponsored a Stop Hunger Now service event at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in Maryland with the AMU and APU Student Veterans of America. Over 200 members, officers, […]
Considered to be one of Golden Key’s most prestigious honors, the Key Chapter Award is presented annually to select Golden Key chapters that have achieved a Gold chapter standard and then gone above and beyond that. The Key Chapter Award recognizes chapters who exemplify outstanding achievement and/or contributions in the areas of Golden Key’s three pillars. The Key Chapter Award goes to 22 chapters for the 2014-2015 academic year.
The recipients are:
Congratulations to these dedicated, hardworking chapters!
As of 1 July, chapters have dedicated 38,144 hours, touched the lives of 34,516 people and raised $8,489 towards SPARK a Change since its launch in July 2014. These collective actions are impacting the lives of youth around the globe! (Chapter leaders, please remember to […]
GK SCHOLARSHIPS: Ather Sharif
GK Scholarships: Logan Thornton