Many students need service hours for organizations such as the National Honors Society, their church, and other community organizations. INTERACT is a great opportunity for youth that allows them to get involved in their community and help those in need. The club meets every Monday from 5:30 to around 7.
The club is an international club and is the youth version of a club called Rotary. Rotary does some of the same things as INTERACT, except their members are over the age of 18. Both groups have one overall thing in common: Helping people who need help and helping those who are less fortunate. Local president of INTERACT Connor King says, “Rotary’s motto is service above self and INTERACT is the same thing with the same morals but allows the youth to get involved.”
The club does different types of fundraisers and community services activities. For example, the club hosts Coat for Caring which is a coat drive. The club gives out coats to people who can’t afford them or can’t get them for some reason. This event is usually done towards the end of November.
Another thing the club does is sell “puppy chow,” which is a Chex Mix mixture for a dollar and each dollar helps buy vaccines for polio in developing countries. According to King, “Every dollar we make off of puppy chow is matched by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation which turns into three dollars. Every three dollars made buys five vaccines.” He also said that the club made around $1,000 dollars last year which means they were able to raise $3,000. This allowed them to buy 15,000 vaccines for underdeveloped countries.
The club overall is a great thing to get involved in especially if you are a person who enjoys helping others and your community. The club also allows students to meet new people and create new friendships and bonds. King says, “You get to meet students who have the same interests as you do.” This is a good point because being around people who have some of the same interests as you can bring you closer to new people which helps make new friends. So if you are interested in helping people, making new friends that enjoy some of the same things you do, and helping your community, then INTERACT is the club for you. The club is always welcoming new members and there aren’t any requirements to become a member. King said,“We meet once a week and there isn’t a requirement of how many meetings you have to attend or how many events you have to volunteer at.”
