The ECHO and Alaska Massage Clinic have returned this month to present the Good People Doing Great Things award. This month’s recipient is long-time Boys and Girls Club Director Tracy Hupe.

Tracy has her fingerprints all over good works throughout the Eagle River community. She has provided many services for local youth during her 13 years at the Boys and Girls Club. In addition to providing fun and safe before and after school programming for school-aged children at the club, she also creates community service opportunities for high school students.

A member of the Sleeping Lady Lions since 2007, Tracy has given back by helping with the Valentine’s Annual Scholarship Fundraiser for high school students and the Christmas Tree of Giving for families in need at the holidays.

She was particularly proud of the community last Christmas when Fred Meyer Jewelers “adopted” an entire family and gave them everything on their wish list.

Also an Elks member, Tracy donates time framing and matting pictures and artwork for auctions. She also works with the Elks to arrange for 10 boys and 10 girls from Boys and Girls Club to attend the Elks Youth Camp in Palmer. In addition to campers, she also sends upstanding high school volunteers to the camp as counselors.

Tracy is humble about her contributions to the community, and knows she couldn’t do any of it alone.

“I help whenever I’m needed and I meet a lot of nice people along the way. I’m successful at what I do because of the community connections.”

Tracy is planning to use her $500 to start a college fund for her grandson who was born last fall.

Sara Kennedy is a special education teacher in the Anchorage School District. She likes to swim, bike and run around Alaska, and camp and fish with her family. To reach Sara, email: sara@echoak.com.