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Aurora Borealis Rotaract
ROTARACT CLUB OF INTERIOR ALASKA
PO BOX 84919 FAIRBANKS, AK 99708
Aurora Borealis Rotaract Club: Best is yet to come
The dedicated members of the Aurora Borealis Rotaract Club have participated in numerous community service projects that have taken them from Denali National Park to Barnaul, Russia, but their greatest projects are still to come.
The club is part of an international organization of service clubs for young professionals and students aged 18-30. As an affiliate of Rotary, the Rotaract club works closely with the four local clubs on service projects and events. The club's membership consists of University of Alaska Fairbanks students and young professionals throughout the community.
Rotaract clubs take their name from a combination of the words "Rotary" and "Action." The first officially chartered club was in North Carolina, in 1968, but clubs of young people associated in service with local Rotary clubs had existed for several years prior in India and Europe. Today, there are more than 6,750 Rotaract Clubs in 146 countries.
This month, the club is assisting the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race by managing the Circle City checkpoint. President Julia Gray said the group helped with the checkpoint last year.
"I guess we did a good job so they asked us back," she said.
Since July 2004, the 15 members of the club have helped such local organizations as the Denali Foundation, Love, INC, ASUAF, the University of Alaska College of Fellows, the Alaska Bird Observatory, Family Focus, Sunriser's Rotary and the Equinox Kids Marathon, Fairbanks Rotary's Miniature Golf Tournament, the Denali Center, North Pole Rotary's rose delivery and the Alaska Center for Resource Families to name a few.
In the summer of 2004, the club traveled twice to Denali National Part to assist the non-profit educational organization in their annual volunteer day as well as their lively auction. Rotaractors painted, cooked, cleaned, did computer entry, manned tables and interacted with the public in a wide range of activities.
Past President John Pile Jr. became the first member of the Aurora Borealis Rotaract to represent the club at a Russian Rotaract event. In August 2004, he attended the Rotary Youth Leadership Forum in Barnaul. He was able to meet with clubs such as the Irkutsk Rotaract Club, and it has inspired a positive impact on the club at home in terms of project ideas and management techniques.
The Aurora Borealis Rotaract Club is preparing for its most ambitious project to date. The Rustic Alaskan Rotaract Experience will take place in March. The club has invited 10 Rotaractors from around the world to Fairbanks to learn about Alaska, give presentations on their own country and home Rotaract club projects, as well as perform a community service project.
Rotaract has adopted Love, INC for its Centennial Project to help prepare the nonprofit to move into its new building in an extensive demolition and construction project.
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