Eighteen members of Circle K, an on-campus community service group, returned from a trip to Jamaica last month with nice tans and and the first-place Gold Achievement Award.
The award was presented on August 10 to the club with the highest overall achievement in the areas of community service and fundraising.
The chapter received the brass cup for raising more than $5,000 for charities and doing more than 2,500 hours of community service.
"To win the International Gold Cup of Achievement is beyond all words," said Rishi Mougil, former president of the University's Circle K chapter. "It is literally the national championship of our organization."
The organization, which is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club, stresses leadership, fellowship and service. Members also have done activities for area children such as visiting the Motts Children Hospital, helping with the Ozone House's open house and being active in K-grams, a program that pen-pals college and elementary students.
Chapter members said they had no idea how the voting would turn out in Jamaica.
"I thought we were in the running," said Katie Foley, chapter vice president. "I knew we'd done great things."
One of those great things was to increase student participation in Circle K.
The group more than tripled its membership for a total of 105 members, earning it the Growth Enhances Membership Award.
The organization's campaign of posting signs with an encircled 'K' on billboards peaked interest on campus, said Beth Morrison, chapter secretary.
"We grabbed people's attention, and once they came to our programs and events, it was the energy and heart that retained them," Mougil said.
The chapter also started Website where students can join the organization (www.umich.edu/~circlek) and obtained an on-campus office. It meets every Thursday and has a mass meeting scheduled for Sept. 17 in the Michigan Union's Kuenzel Room.
In addition to the GEM and Gold Achievement Awards, a few individuals awards found their way into some Circle Member's hands.
Honore Brodene, former chapter district governor, and Jennifer Bucholz, former chapter secretary, received distinguished status for their services.
Moudgil won a $1,000 scholarship for his leadership and academic achievements.
"The scholarship I won was a nice one for tuition purposes, and it was very nice that the Michigan District had nominated me," Mougil said.
Circle K had more student involvement this year than any other in its 30-year existence at the University.
Hard work, talented officials and a recent restructuring are reasons for this years triumph, Foley said.
Although last year's officers have moved on, this year's leaders hope to maintain the precedent set by the group.
"We're going to do our best to keep it up and, most importantly, have fun," Foley said.
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