Youth development remains a cornerstone of our club. Steven Whitfield, a retired Kruger Park Game Ranger and a member of the SA Hunters Association, presented an insightful conservation talk to the youth club members at the Interact Fun Day on Paarl Mountain. Together with Lindsay Lewis, municipal manager of the mountain, stories were shared and seeds of hope were sown.
Programmes such as Youth Leadership camps (RYLA), Adventure into Citizenship and Youth Exchange continue to provide meaningful platforms for leadership development. The involvement of young people in initiatives such as the upcoming blanket drive and community events reinforces the importance of nurturing a culture of service early in life. These are the future leaders of Rotary and their energy and commitment is inspiring.
We are encouraged by the continued growth of Interact, with Charleston Hill successfully launching a new club of enthusiastic young members. During February, these students were served with an inspirational address by Dr Gillian Arendse (renowned Nuclear Physicist). Engagements with other schools are progressing well and hold promise for further expansion.
The Paarl Rotary Club also supported the Paarl Youth Initiative Golf Day at Boschenmeer with a fourball sponsorship. Our fourball was competitive and the day proved to be great fun. We continue to be amazed by the results achieved by the Paarl Youth Initiative with children from less privileged communities.
During February, a number of Rotarians volunteered together with the Cornal Hendricks Foundation and Samaritan’s Feet NPO to provide shoes to children from less privileged schools in our community. Each child’s feet were washed before they were issued with a new pair of shoes. This was a heart-warming experience shared with many Friends of Rotary.
Rotarians and friends volunteered at the Samaritan's Feet event.
