March 13th marked the 39th anniversary of the formation of Rotaract, a Rotary-sponsored service club for young men and women ages 18 to 30. Rotaract clubs are usually community-based or university-based and are sponsored by a local Rotary club making them true "partners in service" and key members of the Rotary family. Through the Rotaract program, young adults not only augment their knowledge and skills, but they also address the physical and social needs of their communities while promoting international understanding and peace through a framework of friendship and service.
It just so happens that the Rotaract Club of Heredia, the town in which my university is located, was the first Rotaract Club formed in Central America. Getting involved with the Rotaracts of Heredia has been a wonderful way to meet fun, bright, and service-oriented people. The weekly meetings are held at the Casa de Cultura, in the center of Heredia, and many varied service projects and other ´business´ matters are discussed for several hours, before then piling into cars and continuing the fun at a nearby restaurant or bar to eat, drink, and be merry (i.e. sing karaoke!) together! It´s evident that this is more than just a club for the members; it´s more like a brother(and sister)hood where solid friendships are formed with the basis of ¨Service Above Self.¨
I had the opportunity to join both the Rotary and Rotaract Clubs of Heredia for a community service project of providing eye exams and, if necessary, eyeglasses to children at a local public school. The visiting partner Rotary Club for this project was from Atlanta, GA., and with them they brought 1000 pairs of used donated eyeglasses to distribute. Two professional optometrists were present to examine and diagnose, and as volunteers, we interacted with the children, helped with the initial reading of eye charts, and later handed out the prescribed glasses.
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