It was a night to recognize civic leaders as The Brooklyn Rotary Club of Verrazano celebrated its 41st anniversary on Friday, May 17 at Gargiulo’s Restaurant in Coney Island. Dr. Joseph Caruana served as master of ceremonies. The St. John’s University ROTC Color Guard presented the colors and performed the national anthem.

This year’s Humanitarians Award was presented to the Van Westerhout Cittadini Molesi Social Club and Club Carinese d’America, two prominent Italian-American social clubs that, along with the Rotary Club, helped sponsor three children from Kosovo to come to the United States for open heart surgery. The children received the life-saving surgery, and went home with suitcases full of toys and other essentials provided these organizations.