District Interact Chairman:
Chris Roelofs - Bundaberg Sunrise Club
Email: 0708interact@rotary9570.org
INTERACT
Interact is an international organization of service and social clubs for young people of secondary school age that fosters leadership and responsible citizenship and promotes international understanding and peace.
Combining the words "international" and "action" created the name.
Interact clubs are sponsored by Rotary clubs.
Rotary clubs provide guidance and inspiration, but the Interact clubs are self-governing and self-supporting. Clubs take a variety of forms; both single-gender and mixed as well as large and small. The membership base of a club can be drawn from the student body of a single school or from two or more schools from the same community.
Each year, Interact clubs complete at least one community service project and at least one project that furthers international understanding and goodwill. Interactors develop a worldwide network of friendships through exchanges with local and overseas clubs. Along the way, Interactors develop their leadership skills and initiative while meeting new friends.
Through their service activities, Interactors learn the importance of:
* Developing leadership skills and personal integrity
* Demonstrating helpfulness and respect for others
* Understanding the value of individual responsibility and hard work
* Advancing international understanding and goodwill
The Rotary Club of Melbourne, Florida, USA, initiated the first Interact club in 1962. Today there are more than 200,000 Interactors in 8,693 Clubs in 111 countries world wide. District 9570 supports six very active Interact clubs with a total of 137 members participating in a wide variety of worthwhile projects.
ROTARY CLUB SUPPORT FOR INTERACT
The support and guidance of the sponsoring Rotary is a key ingredient in the success of an Interact club. Some suggestions for creating a lasting bond with the Interact club:
Invite Interactors to the Rotary club’s meetings to report on their activities.
Create an annual Rotary-Interact service project and participate in World Interact Week.
Show the Interactors how to produce a club bulletin
Help the Interact club develop strategies for recruiting and retaining members.
Establish a recognition program that acknowledges Interactors’ achievements.
Publicize Interactors’ achievements to the community and the Rotary world.
Inform Interactors of other RI or Rotary Foundation programs available to them.
Invite Interact club officers to meet with the district governor during the governor’s official visit.
ANNUAL MEETING
The sponsoring Rotary club’s Interact subcommittee should host an annual meeting at the beginning of the school year or Rotary year. Invite all Interactors, the Rotary club president, and all interested members of the Rotary club. The meeting should cover the following topics:
Meeting agendas
Procedures
Completed projects
Ongoing projects
Attendance
Membership development
Publicity
Future plans
| DISTRICT 9570 INTERACT CLUBS | |||
| Rotary Club | Sponsored School | Active members | Projects / Interact Club outcomes |
| RC of Maryborough | Maryborough State High School | 20 | 24 hour famine, Daffodil Day,Red Nose day & other badge selling days, sausage sizzle |
| Outcome from projects- bought computers and special control devices, will raise funds and support St Jude's School in Tanzania. | |||
| RC of Sarina | Sarina State High School | 12 | School dance, Red Cross blood donation, 40 hour famine, Social activities, flag ceremony for District 9570 conference |
| RC of Mackay | Mackay State High School | 15 | Selling Valentine s Day roses, Easter Raffle, Free dress days, 40 hour famine |
| Interact members also are invited to attend some Rotary meetings with a youth focus or promoting NSYF. Foster a link between Interact and Rotaract. | |||
| RC of Mackay West | Mercy College | 27 | Interact Walkathon ($4500 raised) 195 participants- beneficiaries were 'Canteen' and 'Beyond Blue', Relay for life ($2500 raised for Cancer research), Members assisted with the RC of West Mackay Fair, donated & distributed Easter Eggs to the elderly at St Francis of assisi nursing home, hosted a 'Cross Roads' social with approx 30 handicapped people present. |
| RC of Port Curtis Gladstone | Gladstone State High School | 27 | Harmony Day- Banner creation, Clean-up Australia (manning phones for for Conservation Council as well as cleaning up, Relay for Life, Trivia night, Face painting at Multicultural Fair, chocolate and lolly selling, art Union ticket selling, Free dress days at school, hopefully participate in Harbour Festival Raft Race |
| Guest speakers at meetings- health talks etc. | |||
| Rotary Club | Sponsored School | Active members | Projects / Interact Club outcomes |
| RC of Bundaberg Sunrise | St Luke's Anglican School | 45 | Salvation army's Red Shield Appeal doorknock, Relay for Life, 40 hour Famine, Daffodil Day, Entertain at an Aged Care Facility- concert and talf to residents a number of times throughout the year. Assist disabled in bi-monthly meeting, Clean-up Australia Day, assit with the Fruit and Vegetables Growers in annual 'Bundy in Bloom' Parade, Spectacle collection to be recycled in overseas countries, Sponsor children in India to remain at school, Multiculural Festival- run a stall to raise funds for designated Rotary and non-Rotary projects |
| RC of Maryborough Sunrise | St Mary's College | 11 | Held dances for St Mary's Primary School students, sign washing projects for local businesses, car washes, sausage sizzle. Next year projects include annual dance, Breast Cancer awareness day, face painting at primary school fete, Easter raffle, assist at the local show in the Rotary van as well as the Technology Challenge. Molney raised so far has been to sporting equipment for the local special school. |
| RC of Biloela | Biloela State High School | 15 |