NORTH POLE SCHOLAR VISITS DONAGHADEE ROTARY CLUB

The members of Donaghadee Rotary Club held their weekly meeting last Thursday evening in “The Stables” Groomsport.

Aaron Jackobson a visiting Ambassadorial Scholar from University College Dublin, where he is studying Irish History gave them a talk on Alaska.  

Aaron is a native of North Pole Alaska a town with a population of 1.000 souls outside Fairbanks. He began his talk by passing around maps and photographs of Alaska. He went on to explain that Alaska which is 1/5 the size of U.S.A. is a land of extremes. Where Aaron lives there is only one hour of daylight each day in November yet June has 23 hours of daylight during the longest day.  

He outlined the history of Alaska and then went on to describe the climatic conditions. He described the snow as being like sand because the climate is so dry.  

He explained that in the 1950s a number of local businessmen got together built a toy factory and renamed the town as North Pole as a marketing ploy. In the hope that people would want to buy toys made at the North Pole. Unfortunately this strategy did not work.  

When his talk was finished he answered a number of questions about Alaska put to him by the members.  

Aaron then exchanged a Fairbanks Downtown Rotary Club banner with President Les Jones.

The Sergeant at Arms Peter Irwin then presented the Catherine Best Mr and Mrs Trophy to Past President David Monson who accepted it on behalf of his wife Anne and himself. This trophy as readers of our web site www.donaghadeerotary.org will be aware was hotly contested on our recent weekend visit to The Brown Trout. The prize consisted of all the ingredients required for “a quiet Friday night at home”  

The club are running a quiz night in aid of charity at Donaghadee Rugby Club on Friday 19^th March. Tickets can be obtained from the members at £5 each. Teams will consist of 4 players and everyone is welcome, refreshments will be served.

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