As the AU Circle K prepares to elect its new executive board Feb. 17 and attend the Capitol District Circle K convention that weekend, the student service group's leaders will have a lot to look forward to and live up to in the coming year.
In 2004 the community service organization won two awards for outstanding growth, including the Circle K International Membership Growth award and the Capitol District D.C., Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Most Improved Club Award.
At the end of last year, AU Circle K boasted a 200 percent increase in membership, which held at 65 at the time of the convention, and a 400 percent increase in the number of volunteer hours completed by members.
The awards were presented to AU Circle K at the last Circle K International Convention held in St. Louis in July 2004. Melissa Tanguay, junior in the School of Public Affairs and former president of Circle K, represented the club at the convention.
When Tanguay became a member of Circle K as a freshman in 2002, "it was really a mess and all of the officers were going abroad," she said.
Tanguay stepped into the position of president in the spring semester of 2003, working with a young executive board, which revitalized and renewed the club.
"Now I'm a junior and I have a lot on my plate," said Tanguay, who takes a full course load and has an internship. Although still an active member, she no longer serves as president of Circle K.
The current president is Tara Steinmetz, a sophomore in SPA, who has been involved with Circle K since her freshman year, while Meghan Mahoney, a junior in the School of Communication, serves as vice president and Lauren Richards, a junior in SPA, serves as secretary.
The tenets of Circle K include service, leadership and fellowship. Service is the main goal of the AU Circle K chapter. Volunteer projects are typically offered by the executive board twice a week, and anywhere between five and 15 members participate in each volunteer project.
Steinmetz encourages members of the club to participate in at least four projects per semester but does not ask for a minimum number of volunteer hours. Steinmetz said non-officer members are asked to fill committee chairs in order to promote leadership across the board, while social aspects of the group are fostered in order to build a "network of like-minded individuals."
Steinmetz's favorite volunteer experience is working at Mount Caramel House, a transitional women's shelter in D.C.
"You get to see the progress of women as they enter the house homeless and without job skills," Steinmetz said, and follow them as they become "self-dependent."
Circle K is involved with numerous other organizations, including the Friendship Terrace Retirement Home, where members throw holiday parties, and The Imagination Stage, a children's theater in Bethesda where members interact with children and work as ushers.
Paula Chrin, a freshman in SOC and treasurer of AU Circle K, volunteers at approximately six projects per month. Chrin has long been an active volunteer.
"I was originally involved in the high school counterpart Key Club," Chrin said.
Kiwanis Club is the parent organization of both Circle K International, which charters chapters across the globe, and its high school equivalent, Key Club. The AU chapter of Circle K International was chartered in 1998.
Regarding AU Circle K's international affiliation, Chrin said, "It's really awesome how connected we are."
AU Circle K participated in the D.C. Walk for the Homeless last semester, which raised funds and awareness for local groups campaigning to end homelessness. It also coordinated a large-scale project around a fund-raiser called the In-House Day of Service. This all-day event included multiple projects. Members met after the fund-raiser to make blankets, holiday decorations for the Georgetown Pediatric Ward and trauma dolls, which are used by doctors in children's hospitals to show patients where surgeries will be done.
"We want to help people as much as possible," said Chrin, who is also the Club-Building and Revitalization Committee chair.
Chrin was offered a job at The Imagination Stage, but preferred to continue doing her work as a volunteer.
"I kept going back," said Chrin, who loved getting to sit down with the kids, play with them and watch productions like "Charlotte's Web" and "Bunnicula."
The AU Circle K officers to be elected Feb. 17 will assume their responsibilities April 1.
This summer, Circle K International will hold its 50th annual international convention.
