Young Professionals Taking Community Service to a New Level

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/102408_young_professionals_taking_community_service_to_a_new_level/

By Liz Werhane

Members of the Rotaract Club of Santa Barbara already have surpassed 1,000 volunteer hours.

The 20-somethings of the Rotaract Club of Santa Barbara have contributed more than 1,000 hours of community service to the community.

Rotaract’s members, young professionals ages 18 to 30, may not have the disposable income to spend on $200 tickets to nonprofit galas, but they’re often attending anyway. They’re there donating what they do have: time and energy. 

A small sample of organizations helped:

» Goleta Valley Beautiful
» American Heart Association
» Santa Barbara Public Library
» Downtown Organization of Santa Barbara
» Habitat for Humanity
» Stow House and Rancho La Patera, with Rotary Club of Goleta Noontime
» El Puente School, with Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise
» Cottage Health System
» ResQCats
» United Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Barbara County

“You can plant a lot of trees, paint a lot of walls, hammer a lot of nails and help a lot of nonprofits with 1,000 hours,” Rotaract President David Vo said.

International projects are the next frontier for the young club, which already has raised enough money to purchase a clean-water system for Patzcuaro, Mexico. Members are also working on an ambitious project in partnership with a Rotaract Club in Rwanda to help older orphans learn job skills.

“Rotary is honored to support these enterprising young professionals,” local Rotarian Stephen Wheeler said. “Their enthusiasm and desire to be positively involved with a broad range of volunteer projects from Carpinteria to Goleta — and to have fun doing it — takes community service to a new level.”

The club also promotes professional development and networking. Its monthly night hikes and social activities are popular among its members.

Rotaract has meetings at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of every month at varying locations, and service and social events are nearly weekly. Annual dues are $20. Click here for more information.

Liz Werhane is the representative for Rotaract Club District 5240.

http://www.noozhawk.com/noozhawk/article/102408_young_professionals_taking_community_service_to_a_new_level/