CKI KICKS OFF FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE

When Alec Macaulay campaigned to become the 2006-07 Circle K International President about a year ago, he set into motion a very big idea: To create a fundraising initiative.

Hard work and determination by Alec and the International Board led to the unveiling of “Saving Lives: The Six Cents Initiative” during the 2007 International Convention in Portland, Oregon, in August.

Circle K partners with UNICEF for this project, which will raise funds to help save children at risk of dehydration. For each US$.06 collected, one mixture of sugar and salt—called oral rehydration salts (ORS)—can be purchased. The ORS packet offers the most effective and inexpensive way to save lives during episodes of dehydration.

The amount of positive impact this fundraising initiative can have is staggering. If CKI raises US$500,000 for this project over the next few years, UNICEF can purchase all of the following:

• 100,000 sachets of Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS)
• 65,000 collapsible 10-liter water containers for transporting and storing
• 10,000 small-scale micro-filters intended to provide safe drinking water in schools
• 1,000 basic water kits for families to use during emergencies

We caught up with Alec after convention to ask him what it was like to see his dream become reality. Here’s what he had to say:

Tell us about your goal to create a fundraising initiative and why it was so important to you.

I had been pondering the possibility of creating a charitable fundraising initiative for CKI for more than a year before I was elected CKI President.I had bounced the idea off many other CKI leaders and used it as a major part of my platform; so when I was elected, I made it a major personal goal to make it a reality.It was important to me because I saw untapped potential in CKI.Circle K as a whole has tremendous fundraising power, and since reaching endowment on the Tomorrow Fund two years earlier, I felt it was time to give CKI members another something to unite behind—this time in a way that would make a measurable impact on the lives of children around the world.

Why do you think the Six Cents Initiative will be so successful?

I think we will have tremendous success for years to come because of the measurable impact that every contribution makes. Clubs have felt daunted in the past at having to raise a lot of money in order to call a fundraiser “successful.”Now, even making only $6, you have potentially impacted or saved the lives of 100 children!We have an incredible opportunity as an organization to make a significant difference in the world, and I know we will rise to that challenge!

Of everything you accomplished during the past year, is this at the top?

It definitely is.It’s been a long year, and all the CKI leadership has worked tremendously hard on a plethora of different projects; but this was my passion from day one.I told everyone who would listen that this is something that I wanted to be a reality, and thanks to the efforts of some incredibly diligent people, we were able to do exactly that.

Give us a wrap-up of how you kicked off the fundraising initiative during ICON. We hear there were Penny Wars and that you threw in a bit of your own money?