Kingsford High School forms new leadership and volunteer club, The Flivver Family

Kingsford, Mich. - (WZMQ) - Kingsford High School has formed a new club this year for leadership and volunteer service called The Flivver Family. The club has already made a difference in the local community by pitching in at events such as the “Stomp the Snow” snowshoe walk in Iron Mountain. The kind-hearted club president and founder, Maria Fornetti, shared with WZMQ that she started the club in response to tragic events that have occurred at high schools around Michigan, like the Oxford school shooting that took place in 2021, and the passing of a Marquette County teen just last year.

"There’s been just a lot of unrest within schools in Michigan, and I kind of wanted to create a sense of belonging and school spirit, and coming together as a community within our school…. And I felt that it was a good time to create something like that," said Fornetti.

So far, twenty members have joined, and the Kingsford High School club is open to all teens, with even students from outside schools in Iron Mountain joining. The club's next service project will be a fundraiser for one of the local volleyball coaches who is undergoing treatments for pancreatic cancer. Fornetti and The Flivver Family Club also helped with ski events during the Great 8 Winter Games. The club's dedication to community service has already made a significant impact, and they plan to continue making a difference in the lives of those around them.

Kingsford High School senior, Maria Fornetti, has her sights set on the University of Michigan, but she's also focused on spreading the message of inclusivity among high schools in Dickinson County.

"Each month we do like an activity together, like a fun one. For instance, we've gone bowling, we've done a movie night, we did the snowshoeing event."

Fornetti wants teens to know the organization is for more than just the Flivvers. The club is inviting other high schools to join in. The Flivver Family Club is breaking barriers between school districts, with teens from other nearby schools like Iron Mountain also participating.

"I think this time of our lives, it can be very lonely - especially in high school. So to know that people have somewhere where they can come to kind of as a safe spot or to go to friends that they now have because of this - as a safe spot, is really important," said Fornetti.

Fornetti says the club is actively promoting its message on Kingsford's social media accounts and getting out to volunteer at local events.