Do gooder of the week - moab sun news news1. 5/30/2016 DoGooder of the Week Moab Sun News: News
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DoGooder of the Week
By Lara Gale | Posted: Thursday, November 5, 2015 9:35 am
It’s not Jan Radcliff’s thing to be featured in a column
about volunteers. But when the Moab Sun News
posed it as an important way to celebrate Moab’s
unique community, Radcliff, as she often does when
asked to contribute to something positive, said yes.
“Volunteering is in her blood,” said Debbie Thurman,
a longtime friend and chair of the Moab youth
organization responsible for the Back to School
program and the Make One Take One holiday gift
exchange.
Radcliff has been part of those events since their
inception more than seven years ago, for which
Thurman said she is indescribably grateful.
“She doesn’t just show up,” Thurman said. “She
shows up first and is engaged the whole time. She sees
everything through until the very end.”
She does feel that service is something of a calling to
her, Radcliff said. She was raised in Moab and returned with her children in the 1990s. Since then,
she’s lent her skills and enthusiasm to community organizations, including the Chamber of
Commerce, assisting with events and communication, among other activities. As Moab has shifted to
a popular destination for travelers from all walks of life, she has embraced the opportunity to engage
with an international community through her deep commitment to local service.
“It’s just my nature,” she said. “It’s fun to be part of the enthusiasm and the excitement.”
The Moab Half Marathon was Radcliff’s first experience volunteering with the recreationdriven
events in town. When her daughter signed up to run, Radcliff signed up to volunteer. The first year
she handed out bags. Before long, she got the certifications necessary to help with food and alcohol
and became a seminal figure in beer gardens and concessions areas at not only the half marathons but
other events like the Moab Music Festival, Moab Celtic Festival, Moab Arts Festival, Jeep Safari and
Scots on the Rocks.
“I’ve done everything, and it’s been fun,” she said. “It’s scary at first, but you overcome it,” she said.
The half marathon beer garden was her gateway to engaging at a deeper level with tourists in the
Jan Radcliff