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The Susitna Rotary Club seeks this district grant to reestablish the Mat-
Su Interact Club. The Mat-SU Interact Club was a growing vibrant club
prior to Covid. The onset of Covid caused the club to go dormant. Susitna
Rotarys goal is to revitalize our future generation of Rotarians throughout
the Mat-Su Valley.
This exciting initiative presents an opportunity to give young people an
opportunity to participate in fun, meaningful service projects across the
Mat-Su Valley. Along the way, Susitna Rotary will help develop their
leadership skills and initiative while meeting new friends.
Organizing an Interact club is one of the most rewarding activities a
Rotary club can undertake in its community. The Mat-Su Interact Club
program gives Susitna Rotary the opportunity to mentor promising young
men and women interested in serving their own communities as well as
the global community. Susitna Rotary will also act as resources and
mentors for Interactors who are on the path toward becoming
professionals and community leaders. In turn, the Mat-Su Interact club
will bring new energy to our club, inspire fresh ideas for service, increase
support of projects, build multi-generational relationships, and help
develop future Rotarians.
At its core, reestablishing the Mat-Su Interact Club aligns perfectly with
Rotary's foremost guiding principle of Service Above Self. Mat-Su Interact
club's service projects will help to improve the quality of life at home and
abroad. The projects often address today's most critical issues, such as
violence, drug abuse, hunger, the environment, and illiteracy. Mat-Su
Interact club will be tasked to complete at least two major service projects
annually, one to serve the community and another to promote
international understanding. Each should involve all or most of the
members of the club. By providing a platform for future leaders to actively
participate in meaningful service projects, leadership development, and
professional networking, we aim to cultivate a generation of
compassionate and globally minded leaders dedicated to positively
impacting their communities and beyond.
Funds will be used to develop and implement a strategic targeted
multifaceted Marketing/Recruitment program to attract our Future Leaders.
This will include but is not limited to:
1. High School Athletic Teams
2. FFA leaders/members
3. Student government members
4. RYLA participants
5. Rebound Youth Exchange students
6. Second Generation Rotarians (children/grandchildren of current
Rotarian)
7. Invite them to participate to all scheduled Susitna Rotary events and
activities.
a. Little Su Classic Clean-up & Float
b. Golf Tournament
c. Big Lake Library Clean-Up
d. Roadside Pick-up
e. Weekly Club Meetings
f. Josh the Otter presentations and pool sessions
g. Any other projects and events
8. Susitna Rotary will host monthly/weekly pizza parties as recruitment
tools at local schools.
Thank you for considering our proposal, and we eagerly await the
opportunity to collaborate in bringing this vision to fruition.
Addendum to Project Description (added after the project was signed)
Revised Project Title:
Josh the Otter Water Safety Program - Northwest Arctic Alaska
Revised Project Location:
Kotzebue and neighboring villages in the Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska
Revised Project Summary:
The Susitna Rotary Club proposes to launch the Josh the Otter water safety and drowning prevention program in Kotzebue and surrounding villages. This program will educate preschool and elementary-age children on water safety and the importance of always swimming with an adult, with the goal of reducing childhood drowning in this remote, water-surrounded region.
For over a decade, Susitna Rotary has successfully implemented this program in our local region teaching all kindergarteners in the Mat-Su Borough- which covers an area of over 25,000 square miles - about water safety on an annual basis.
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1. The Need
Kotzebue and neighboring villages in Northwestern Alaska are located near rivers, lakes, and the Chukchi Sea. Subsistence lifestyles, boating, fishing, and travel over ice and water are daily realities for local residents, including young children. Tragically, Alaska has the highest per capita drowning rate in the nation, and remote communities face even greater risks due to limited access to swimming lessons, life jackets, and water safety education.
Despite the prevalence of water in everyday life, there are very few structured programs dedicated to teaching children the basics of water safety and drowning prevention in this region. The Josh the Otter program can help fill this gap, using age-appropriate, culturally sensitive materials and proven messaging to save young lives.
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2. Project Objectives
• Introduce the Josh the Otter water safety curriculum in the village of Kotzebue with the goal of local community members eventually bringing it to neighboring villages in Northwestern Alaska.
• Provide storybooks, coloring books, and mascot visits to reach an estimated 400+ children ages 3-7.
• Partner with the City of Kotzebue, the Northwest Arctic Borough School District, local schools, and tribal organizations to deliver educational sessions.
• Train local volunteers and educators so they may continue delivering the program annually.
• Raise community awareness of drowning risks and prevention strategies through public events and media.
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3. Project Implementation
The Susitna Rotary Club will:
• Purchase Josh the Otter educational materials (books, coloring books, plush toys, and mascot costume).
• Partner with the City of Kotzebue and the Northwest Arctic Borough School District to launch the program in Kotzebue.
• Train local teachers and volunteers to sustain the program beyond the grant year.
• Hold an event for the community to introduce the program.
• Conduct a Josh the Otter presentation with a mascot visit to engage children at the June Nelson Elementary school in Kotzebue. Invite children from the Nwabsd Home School to attend.
• Provide educational materials to parents and caregivers to reinforce water safety messages at home.
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4. Project Sustainability
By training local educators and volunteers, the program will continue annually without requiring repeated outside funding. Educational materials and mascot costumes will remain in the community for ongoing use. The project will also build long-term partnerships with schools and local organizations committed to children's safety and well-being.
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5. Measurement and Evaluation
The program's impact will be measured by:
• Number of children reached and participating in presentations.
• Number of volunteers and educators trained.
• Feedback from teachers, parents, and community partners on program effectiveness and suggestions for improvement.
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6. Rotary Area of Focus
This project aligns with Rotary's area of focus: Saving Mothers and Children, by protecting young children from preventable injuries and deaths through education and community engagement.
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7. Total Materials Budget $6,685
Josh the Otter Costume - $3,000
Josh the Otter books (500) - $1,975
Josh the Otter presentation & promotional materials - $805
Josh the Otter - shipping to Alaska $905
The costs for the venue for the community event, promotional materials, Rotarian volunteers to travel to Kotzebue to present the program and train volunteers will be covered by Susitna Rotary Club and local partners.
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8. Timeline
• Planning/ Ordering Phase: Early April - July 2025
• Community Engagement Activities: August - October 2025
• Project Execution: October 16 - 17, 2025
• Follow-Up Support and Mentorship: Ongoing
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In summary,
The Josh the Otter Water Safety Program offers an immediate, sustainable, and life-saving intervention for young children in Northwest Alaska. With support from Rotary, we can help ensure that every child knows: "To stay safe in and around water, always swim with an adult!"
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