St. Mary's Prep Key Club this past school year, outgoing president, Allan Bruford, shakes his head in disbelief.
"I'm surprised at how much we've done," he says, adding that it's all a tribute to the "great cooperation" he experienced from the 31 members of the club.
Julie Owens, theology instructor and club moderator for the past nine years (of the club's 15-year existence on campus), is equally in awe. "It seems that as we're wrapping up one activity, another one is starting. It just keeps on going."
The spirit of cooperation appears to be carrying over to Bruford's successor, junior Zach Hines. At a recent meeting (the club meets every Tuesday at 7:20 IN THE MORNING!), Hines announced he needed five drivers and five helpers to deliver food to Lighthouse, a Pontiac social service agency.
In a few moments, he had more than enough volunteers, even though the delivery date comes during final exam week.
Bruford, who is headed for Michigan State University in the fall to begin studies for a computer engineering degree, says his satisfaction comes in knowing "I'm helping those who don't have the same opportunities as I do." He's following the example of his brother, David, a former Key Club member and a 2000 graduate of St. Mary's, who also is an engineering major at Michigan State.
The prep's Key Club is sponsored by the Orchard Lake-West Bloomfield Kiwanis Club and, originally, by the Shelby-Utica Kiwanis Club, which continues its involvement through the awarding of annual scholarships.
The other officers for next year are Paolo Marzan, vice president; Dan Tomlinson, treasurer; and Pat Willoughby, secretary.

Outgoing Key Club president, senior Allan Bruford (left), hands over the gavel to incoming president, junior Zach Hines, with the challenge to continue the club's service to the community.

St. Mary's Key Club
2002-2003 Year in Review

IN THE COMMUNITY:

-Assembled 189 Easter baskets for Oakland County Jail Ministries (for children of inmates)

-Provided books and games for Kids First, an after-school program at Washington Elementary in Pontiac.

-Assisted at the annual golf outing to benefit St. Jude's Hospital

-Participated with the Orchard Lake-West Bloomfield Kiwanis Club in the Keego Harbor Memorial Day Parade and provided entertainment and centerpieces for the Kiwanis Club's Christmas party.

-Helped out at the St. Joseph Soup Kitchen

-Organized a food drive (collected $460 for turkeys) at Thanksgiving and in the spring for Lighthouse inPontiac. Also provided pizza for the soup kitchen works at Lighthouse during Thanksgiving

-Collected clothing for the Capuchins

-Worked with sophomores raking leaves for senior citizens in Wolverine Lake

-Collected Halloween items for Pontiac Area Transitional Housing

-Collected and assembled Toys for Tots

-Adopted three families for Christmas

ON CAMPUS:
-Provided gifts for the graduating seniors' all night party.

-Assisted at Graduation Mass, new student orientation, meet-the-teachers night for new parents, and provided awards, pins, refreshments and flowers for the National Honor Society induction ceremony.

-Helped out at the Polish Country Fair and Oktoberfest, and during the annual spring campus clean-up.

-Provided lunches for workers during two Red Cross blood drives on campus.