ST. GEORGE — Jayme Pickett, 2012-13 president of the Dixie State University’s Rotaract Club, has been named Rotaractor of the Year from among dozens of college-age nominees around the state. Pickett, currently serving an LDS mission in Berlin, returned from her first Rotary experience as a freshman at DSU and newly elected club officer, ready to move her club forward and participating wherever possible in providing service on campus and in the community.
In her year as president, DSU’s Rotaract Club took part in Club Rush, opening carnival, the school’s homecoming parade and organized a special needs Halloween carnival.
She also motivated her fellow Rotaractors to help with multiple service projects in the community with local Rotary club members, including St. George Rotary’s dictionary project, which provides dictionaries to all 3rd graders in Washington County.
DSU Rotaractors also volunteered in carnival games booths for Swiss Days; provided support for track and field events in the Huntsman World Senior Games; helped raise money for local schools at the Halloween Haunted Cave; painted and re-roofed a home in the community and spearheaded a project to send toys and other small gifts to children in need in selected third-world countries.
In addition to local volunteer service, Pickett raised funds and traveled to Mexico where, with 300 other energetic Rotaractors, built homes and schools over a two-week period last summer.
Rotaract (a name derived from a combination of Rotary and action) originally began as a Rotary International youth program in 1968. It is now a rapidly growing organization with more than 9,030 clubs and nearly 208,000 members around the world.
For information about Rotaract or Interact, a companion program for high school age students, call 652-7671.