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Interact is growing in strength in District 9930.In the same year that Rotary Matamata celebrated 70 years, they sponsored their first ever Interact at the town’s only high school.
Interact (International Action) is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young people aged 12 to 18 years that provides young people the opportunity to organise and participate in fun and meaningful service projects both internationally and in their own communities.
It is a great way to ‘grow’ future Rotarians.
On 27 August Matamata College Interact, led by Co-Presidents year 12 students Brooke Dunbar and Patrick Roskam, held a celebration to launch Matamata College Interact at Matamata Fire Station. Over 60 people attended the event that featured Caitlin Papunui-McLellan, New Zealand’s youth speech maker at the 2015 Anzac Day ceremony at Gallipoli.
Those who attended District Conference this year will remember this amazing young person who jumped at the opportunity to support these students. Brooke said “We were very grateful, and honoured, to have Caitlin, a bright and extremely motivated young woman, speak at our function about the opportunity, chance, choice and change. It was the highlight of our celebration and her kōrero (speech) was very relevant to our club and very interesting to listen to”Immediate Past President Michelle Tanner committed to investigating the possibility of establishing an Interact at the College in her July 2016 Changeover speech. Speaking after the charter celebration she said “I have been told repeatedly that Interact at the College ‘won’t work’ but I could not see why. The ‘We tried that before but…’ argument did not work with me so, with the support of fellow Rotarians, I arranged a meeting with the Principal. I wrapped Interact up in a ‘package’ of Rotary opportunities for students and was given the approval to present to a school assembly. It all went from there really and we received our certificate of the charter from Rotary International in June, actually while I was at the International Convention in Atlanta!”
Matamata Interactors have already started work on their first international project, a Book Drive, collecting books for distribution to primary schools in developing countries. The first consignment is destined for Pakistan in October going to a Literacy Centre that has been built, funded by Rotary clubs in Pakistan, the US, India and Rotary Matamata. They are looking for further distribution so would love to hear from any Rotarians or organisations who may be sending resources (maybe in a container) to the Pacific Islands.
In addition, they have been given the opportunity to raise funds for their local community project by planting 4000 trees on a nearby property in late September.
Matamata College Interact has its own Facebook page and has already had two articles published in a local newspaper. Towards the end of this year, they will be presenting to their local Intermediate school and promoting Interact with years 9 and 10 in the College to ensure sustainability.
Matamata College Interact can be contacted at matamatainteract@gmail.com