In 2002, SORC joined the Robotics Society of America (RSA) and changed its name to the Southern Oregon Robotics Society (SORS). Under the non-profit status of the RSA, the SORS began getting involved in the community by providing robotics demonstrations and workshops for local schools, the Grants Pass & Cave Junction chapters of the Boys & Girls Club, Walk-the-Rogue, Josephine County Fair, Breast Cancer Awareness, Boatnik Parades, Asian Festival in Eugene, Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, KTVL Kid’s Day and the ScienceWorks Museum in Ashland to name only a few. In 2002, the SORS hosted it’s first RoboMaxx event at the Jackson County Fairgrounds in Central Point and RoboMaxx II & III the following years at the Josephine County Fairgrounds in Grants Pass. In addition to its volunteer workshops, the SORS has also raised funds for the Boys & Girls Clubs and Toys for Tots.

Club members Dan Gates and Jon Peterman have appeared on Tech TV’s Screensavers, KVMU Fox Channel 26 and Local Access TV. A couple of Dan Gates’ robots were discovered through the club’s website by Canlaws Productions and were used in the filming of Twentieth Century Fox’s “I, Robot” starring Will Smith. Unfortunately, the footage was not used in the final cut of the movie.

Now the SORS has reformed in Medford with a renewed commitment to its original vision as outlined below. We are looking forward to the potential of new membership and community involvement in the Medford area.

If you want to learn more about SORSA's commitment to our community, click here.