Rotaract is a group of Rotary Clubs with members in the 18 to 26 year old age group.  There are more than ten-thousand such clubs in 180 countries with 203k members.  Such was the information shared by Brennan Jacobson, a Kingston High School, and recent University of Washington graduate, at the July 7 meeting of the Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Club.  While at Kingston High, Brennan was recipient of a KNK Rotary Club scholarship.  He went on, at UW, to serve as Program Coordinator for UW Rotaract Club.  He described some of their activities to include Seattle Street Cleanup, Food Drives, Harvest Against Hunger, Fare Start, and Beacon Hill Food Fest.  Jacobson told Rotarians there was also a social component to the Rotararact activities, which unfortunately was curtailed by Covid.  And he shared the important connection Rotaract serves between Interact Clubs at the high school level and Rotary Clubs, such as Kingston North Kitsap, and those around the world.

    On this 4th of July weekend it is wise to celebrate America - and to celebrate the spirit, energy, and accomplishments of folks right here at home.  As an example there was a 2020-2021 community project involving North Kitsap kids, families, and schools.

    As is often the case, one community service group takes the lead.  In this case, it was our friends at Kingston Kiwanis Club (buy some blueberries).  With support from the Suquamish Tribe, the Windermere Foundation, and Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Club more than $8k was raised.

    The forced closure of Kingston Schools due to the COVID pandemic, required the North Kitsap School District (NKSD) to provide instruction via on-line learning programs that required students to have Chrome Book computers and internet connectivity.  To promote full participation in the on-line schooling, our Kingston North Kitsap Rotary Club, in conjunction with the other community groups, helped provide students in 63 eligible families with Chromebook computers, mobile wi-fi “hot-spots” and services.  Also included in the effort was the purchase and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) in 210 “at-home kits” procured, assembled and distributed by the community volunteers from Kiwanis, Kingston Cares, and Share-Net Food Bank.  

    Thanks to a recently received Rotary District 5020 grant, KNK Rotary Club has been partially reimbursed for its contribution to the success of the “village” project.