As a service oriented honorary, Silver Key participates in numerous philanthropy events throughout the year. Silver Key members select a specific activity each month, as well as miscellaneous service projects and highway clean-ups during the semester. Below is more information regarding the philanthropies that Silver Key will be participating in for the 2008-2009 school year.
September: Sleep Out for the Homeless
Sleep Out for the Homeless is an annual Silver Key philanthropy project that will take place on September 18th. In the months prior to the event, members raise money and awareness throughout their hometowns, the Manhattan community, and the K-State Campus for the Manhattan Emergency Shelter. On the 18th, Silver Key will be sleeping outside in Bosco Plaza, in front of the K-State Student Union, as a final way of educating the community about homelessness. Each year, the members of Silver Key raise thousands of dollars in their efforts to support the Manhattan Emergency Shelter, while putting their own unique spin on the project itself.
October: Trick-or-Treating for Pennies for Peace
This year Silver Key is joining up with the K-State Honors Program as well as other organizations around Manhattan to help with Pennie for Peace. This organization collects donations in order to help build schools in the Middle East. For more information you can visit www.penniesforpeace.org.
This year Silver Key raised $577.06 after trick-or-treating for donations on Halloween. Thanks to all who contributed to this great cause!
November/December: It's a Kids Christmas
With the holiday’s right around the corner, Silver Key will be helping host the first annual It's A Kid's Christmas. This is a holiday shopping opportunity for children in foster care to share the spirit of the season through gift giving to those they love. Foster children will be able to pick out gifts from a varitey of items Silver Key will be collecting through donations. It's a Kids Christmas will be held on December 7th from 1 to 5pm at University Christian Church.
January: K-State Academic Decathlon
Silver Key will once again be teaming up with Mortar Board Senior Honorary to host K-State’s Annual Academic Decathlon. This event is exclusively for Kansas High School students, as they compete in a wide variety of events: ranging from essay writing to a super-quiz! The Decathlon will be Januarry 30th and 31st.
February: Senior Citizen Prom
In conjunction with Valentine’s Day, members of Silver Key will be visiting one of the local Manhattan Nursing Homes to host a prom for the senior residents.
Adopt-A-Highway:
Three times throughout the course of the year, Silver Key members help the community in a very visible way, by participating in the Adopt-A-Highway program. On select weekends, members clean up a 2-mile stretch of Highway 24 between Manhattan and Wamego.