Students from Unaka High School’s Key Club are planning to host a yard sale fundraiser Saturday, in order to raise money for their yearly, international conference.

Britney Hodge, president of Unaka’s Key Club, said the International Convention (ICON), is their big convention at the end of the year.

“We are trying to send our future co-presidents,” Hodge said. “It is really expensive, about $1,000 a person.”

With their plans to send their two people, plus two others, the club is looking to raise roughly $4,000 by the end of May.

Currently, they have raised just a little over half that.

Hodge discussed the upcoming fundraiser during a Kiwanis Club meeting at Dino’s Restaurant in Elizabethton Tuesday afternoon, in which several Kiwanis members discussed ways of supporting the group in their efforts. While the organization agreed to send out fundraiser letters in the mail, Hodge said this is one of only two official fundraising events the club has been able to organize.

Hodge said ICON is a chance to meet with people around the world and learn from their experiences.

“You get to meet people from all over,” she said.

She said people tend to think of Key Club as a small school club, but she said this perception undervalues what they bring to their communities. Key Club is one of the largest high school clubs in the country.

Unaka’s Key Club Advisor Kayla Clawson said they will also be hosting a car wash at Taco John’s on May 25, but that will be the only other community-wide fundraiser. Everything else will have to come from individual donations.

“We need the money no later than June 1,” Clawson said.

The yard sale will take place Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 156 Dawn Road. Those interested in donating items to the sale can contact Clawson at 423-895-1375.

Those interested in making a donation outside the two events can do so by making any checks out to Elizabethton Kiwanis Club and can contact Clawson by phone with any questions.