Randolph McKinnie has helped with the family business, McKinnie Funeral Home, since before he can remember. From arranging flowers to planning a service with a family, he did what he could to help not just the business, but the grieving family.
“My family is a very big advocate of serving others,” McKinnie said. “Being raised with that type of take on life, that’s probably what contributed to why I love serving others.”
That sense of service has influenced McKinnie’s life. He joined Key Club International his freshman year in Graceville High School, and now the senior is the only black on its International Board of Trustees.
Thinking it was just a club on physical keys, McKinnie figured he’d check out the first meeting and leave if it wasn’t interesting. Although it wasn’t what he expected, he said it was exactly what he wanted.
“The Key Club organization, it wasn’t just an organization that said it was a student-led organization or just said they serve people,” McKinnie explained. “They actually went out and did service.”
He worked his way from member to club treasurer his sophomore year. With some extra encouragement, he went on to become the lieutenant governor of the Florida district and finally became an international trustee.
“I found that I really wanted to expand my horizon and have a greater impact in the organization,” McKinnie said.
As a trustee, McKinnie covers three districts: Caribbean-Atlantic, Missouri-Arkansas and Pennsylvania. He visits each district twice a year and keeps them abreast of Key Club news by calling them two or three times a week.
Besides overseeing their districts, the board of trustees also develops resources for club members, including updating bylaws, fixing up member booklets and even an application for the iPhone and Android — all to help the members who are spread across 30 different countries.
“Being in Key Club has opened my mind to what everyone’s purpose should be, which is serving others,” McKinnie said.
McKinnie wants to keep serving, even after high school. He plans to either join or create a branch of Circle K International, the college equivalent of Key Club. He wants to study political science and then become a corporate lawyer. His dream is to become the lawyer for Kiwanis International.
“No matter what color you are, no matter what ethnicity you are, there’s always room for you to serve others,” McKinnie said. “As much as you have and as blessed as we are as Americans, there are others who are not as fortunate. We need to go beyond our normal and really help others.”
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