Conversations in the
Public Interest

The Saratoga Torch Club is part of International Torch, a respected organization founded in 1924 by William Bullock to foster intellectual exchange across professions and disciplines. The network has grown from a single chapter in Minneapolis to more than 50 clubs nationwide.

Founded in 2016, the Saratoga Torch Club hosts Civic Conversations‍ ‍with authors, scientists, artists, community leaders, and change agents of all kinds. We’re allied in this with the Smartacus Story Accelerator.

We find ourselves in a moment where information is abundant but judgment is scarce—the challenge is no longer access to knowledge, but the ability to reason together about what is true, meaningful, and worth acting upon. Artificial intelligence, used thoughtfully, offers a way to surface local expertise, extend these conversations, and transform them into shared civic resources.