Interact
Click here to access the Interact 5160 Web Site
About Interact
Interact is a community service club that is sponsored by Rotary International for high school students. Clubs comes in many varieties, and may be school-based or community-based. Community-based clubs may draw Interact members from several schools as long as they are within the territorial limits of the sponsoring Rotary club, which provides support and guidance. Each Interact club is required to complete at least two community service projects every year, one of which must be an international project. Although each Interact club is sponsored by an individual Rotary club, Interact clubs are self-sufficient and should require little or no financial support from Rotary. Through projects, Interactors learn the importance of leadership, personal integrity, helpfulness and respect for others, and advancement in international understanding and goodwill. In the process, members are also able to have fun and to meet new friends. Today, Interact is one of Rotary's fastest growing programs, with more than 9,600 clubs in 117 different countries.
History of Interact
The first Interact club was authorized at Melbourne High School, Florida, USA on November 5, 1962. The name "Interact" came from combining the words "international" and "action". Interact was Rotary's approach to a program that enabled the youth to serve both in their communities and internationally. Instead of the Rotarians serving the youth, high school students were now able to take part in the process of improving the community. Within a year there were 177 Interact clubs in 24 countries. By October 1964, the number of clubs grew to 450 in 32 different countries. In 1967, Rotary International opened Interact to all high school students at any age and of either gender. Throughout the years, Rotary awarded many different Interact Clubs that were involved in projects that advanced international understanding and goodwill. Today, Interact clubs are still continuing to thrive and grow with the United States , Brazil , India , and Japan having the highest number of Interact clubs.
Pump Aid
Currently, there are over one billion people in the world that do not have access to clean water. Each year, more than three million of these people die from drinking unclean water. They have to collect their water from unsafe sources, such as rivers and unprotected wells. Some of them also have to travel long distances, sometimes many kilometers, to merely obtain the water. Pump Aid has identified 250,000 children at 500 schools in Zimbabwe and Mozambique that have a severe lack of clean water. This lack of clean water prevents the children from safely attending school. For only $500, Pump Aid will build a technology pump, called an Elephant Pump, at a school. This pump will be able to supply 500 children, 12 teachers, and more than a dozen families with clean water. It will also be able to supply the needs for a clean school vegetable garden. The pump is durable and easy to maintain by the local people. The produce from the vegetable garden can used as a fundraiser for the school or can be stored during times of famine. The money will pay for the digging of a deep well, installation of the pump and construction of a brick housing, and cement cap and spillways to protect the water from any contamination. The children, their parents, and the teachers contribute to the building of the pump by building bricks or collecting sand and stones. The teachers and children also draw pictures for the ones who sponsored the pump as a show of appreciation.
Pump Aid is Interact District 5160's district goal for 2004-2005. Our goal is for each club to raise $500 each, enough to provide for one pump. Together, we are looking to achieve a minimum of at least $10,000 together as a district. Please share any fundraising ideas you have with each other.
Portions taken from the Interact Web Site (http://www.interact5160.com)