Interact Club Caps Year With Sierra Leone Project
The Moline High School Interact Club has completed its successful inaugural year with an impressive international project!
MOLINE – The Moline High School Interact Club has completed its successful inaugural year with a very impressive international project effort!
The Moline High School Interact Club, formed in November 2013, and chartered in January 2014, quickly developed and organized its agenda of Service Above Self. The Club has met its responsibility for community service by participating in Rotary birthday celebrations at Hope Creek Care Center, and in service to its school by joining in a school blood drive effort. But the largest and most impressive effort of this year’s club has been to adopt and support Rotary’s Sierra Leone Project.
Following a March presentation regarding our Sierra Leone Project by Moline Rotarian Dr. Art Pitz, the Club accepted Dr. Pitz’ challenge to raise $1500.00 to fund school fees and uniform costs for a group of needy children, who are under the umbrella of House of Hope, so that they may attend school. Interact Club students quickly organized an effort to raise awareness of the plight of the children in Sierra Leone, including distributing flyers, and conducted solicitations for donations. Club members solicited local businesses for raffle gift donations and on April 28th and 29th the Club held Sierra Leone bake sales during lunch periods at Moline High School. But the main event was a very well planned and organized evening event. Students, faculty, and the public were invited to Sierra Leone Night, an evening event on April 30th at Moline High School which included video and speaker presentations regarding the needs in Sierra Leone and other events. Speakers included Interact Club Faculty Advisor / Assistant Principal Lisa Martinez, Interact Cub President Gabrielle Pinc, Moline Rotary Club President Nick Norman, Interact Committee Co-chair Gary Francque, Rotarian Dr. Art Pitz, and a special appearance by keynote speaker Senior Pastor Abdul Conteh from Sierra Leone, West Africa. Presentations were followed by a bake sale, a great gift raffle, and fantastic volunteer performances by the Moline High School Jazz Band.
Interact Club’s efforts paid off with them surpassing their fundraising goal. Soon the funds raised will be forwarded to those in need in Sierra Leone! Thanks to all the enthusiastic and dedicated MHS Interact Club members, Mrs. Martinez, and Moline Rotarians who supported the efforts with programming, gift donations, and $232.00 in personal cash donations. What a testimonial to the commitment of our new Moline High School Interact Club, and Rotarians, to Service Above Self!
(View this story and photos of the efforts on Moline Rotary’s Clubrunner web page www.molinerotary.org under Photo Albums / Interact Club Sierra Leone Event.