Members of Vaughn College’s Circle K Club are more accustomed to serving than being served. Thursday, however, was their time to take a bow.

The club and the College paid tribute to Circle K’s outgoing board, welcomed its new one and recognized the 2010-2011 achievements of all members Thursday at its annual recognition ceremony. Among the dignitaries on hand were New York Circle K Governor Rickie Santer and LaGuardia Kiwanis Club President Verdia Noel.

“I’ve watched you and I’ve seen service, leadership and fellowship on display,” Noel said. “You don’t know how big it is for Vaughn’s Circle K club to have the governor of your district here.”

Santer was happy to attend. Vaughn’s Circle K chapter is a subsidiary of Kiwanis International, a global service organization whose members sponsor more than 150,000 projects annually. Vaughn’s chapter was chartered in January 2010 and Don Raghunandan was installed as its first president. Among the projects Vaughn’s chapter contributed to was a global initiative to eliminate neonatal tetanus, a disease that afflicts millions in the developing world.

“You all here do so much to contribute to Circle K,” Santer said, a sentiment echoed by College President Dr. John Fitzpatrick, who guaranteed that Circle K will be “the most worthwhile experience for anyone who participates in it.”

Awards were presented and a new board for 2011-2012 was introduced. Outgoing President Raghunandan said his legacy will include growing the organization’s membership and cultivating additional fund-raising sources. Last year, for example, Vaughn’s Circle K sent two members to the annual district convention; this year, it will send six.

Circle K’s 2011-2012 board: Narendra Ram, president, Class of 2013; Meryl Kiniry, vice president, Class of 2012; Sumeer Missir, secretary, Class of 2012; Christopher Makoyawo, treasurer, Class of 2012; and Farhan Shaikh, bulletin editor, Class of 2012.

Members of the outgoing board: Raghunandan, president; Sehrish Butt, vice president; Muhammad Siddiqui, secretary; Ram, treasurer; and Missir, bulletin editor.

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CIRCLE K INSTALLATION AND RECOGNITION CEREMONY: LaGuardia Kiwanis Club President Verdia Noel receives an annual award from outgoing Vaughn Circle K President Don Raghunandan as Faculty Adviser Kalli Koutsoutis looks on.

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CIRCLE K 2011-2012 BOARD: Newly installed President Narendra Ram, Secretary Sumeer Missir, Vice President Meryl Kiniry, Bulletins Editor Farhan Shaikh and Treasurer Christopher Makoyawo.