The motto, “Service above self,” says it all. With 1.2 million members worldwide, Rotary International is a massive network of individuals dedicated to community service.
But DU’s own Rotaract Club, a student chapter of Rotary International, strives to involve even more people — especially a younger demographic — by completing at least one local and one international project annually.
“Being in college, we’re a little bit more flexible in terms of time, deciding what we’re going to do, and the opportunities that are available,” says Kelsey Guyette, president of DU Rotaract.
Guyette, a sophomore international studies and German major from Greeley, Colo., described an extensive club project list, including tutoring at South High School, volunteering with Project CURE and helping with on-campus events.
Although 15–20 members regularly show up at meetings, more than 100 are involved in the club. Still, Guyette says she is aiming for more participants, especially from graduate students.
One of Rotaract’s most important contributions to global development has been the eradication of polio. During Rotary’s PolioPlus Awareness Week, DU’s members collected donations outside Sturm Hall and then dyed donors’ pinkies purple to signify a child’s polio vaccination. Thanks to Rotary’s efforts, the crippling disease is found in only four countries.
DU Rotaract Club meetings are 6 p.m. Wednesdays in Jazzman’s Café in the Driscoll Center.