By Elizabeth Gronert

Before my year of service began, I had no idea what kind of impact the RARE program would have on my life. Upon learning of my final placement in Bandon, I thought of the changes to come. I would be trading cornfields and the Iowa River, for pine trees and the Pacific Ocean… I would be working in a community that needed my help… my job would allow me to pursue my sustainability passions… I would be living off a reasonable income… I would be working towards an education stipend to help pay off my student loans…all I had to do was move half way across the country for a year. Not too shabby of a deal.

So my partner, pup and I whittled our lives down to what would fit in a mini van, Subaru forester and car topper. Packed to the brim, we started our journey across the country. As soon as I was on the Oregon South Coast the incredible opportunity RARE was giving me began to set in. Like many rural communities, Bandon is a hidden gem. The South Coast in general is hard to get to but once you arrive it is more than worth it. Since the focus of my placement is tourism destination development, it was very easy to start my year of service with a passion to develop and promote the South Coast.

The opportunities you can have in RARE, both professionally and personally, is really unparalleled. When I started my position I was thrown into this huge network of movers and shakers in the area. Within my first month, my professional network had quadrupled (in the least). Where I once sat in on meetings, I now lead some of them. Where I once created plans in college, I was now seeing them through implementation.

These communities feed off of the excitement and passion a RARE member brings to the table. It reflects in the endless opportunities people present you with, as well as the ones you can create for yourself. If you are looking for an opportunity to grow as a person and make a difference, RARE is the program for you.

A bit about Elizabeth Gronert:

• Currently serving as South Coast Tourism Development Project Coordinator with the Oregon Coast Visitors Association – A Travel Oregon Sponsored Placement
• Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science, Bachelor of Science in Anthropology, Certificate in Sustainability, University of Iowa, May 2017
• People may be surprised… “when they learn that I have hand fed a jaguar while in Belize.”

Does community development work interest you?  Are you looking for a life changing experience in rural Oregon?  Learn more about serving with the RARE AmeriCorps Program via our website: https://rare.uoregon.edu/application-process/member-application-process/