Hopefully, you’ve had the opportunity to read the previous Rotary Report articles that explore how we come to determine whether the things we do are examples of Service above Self. Things like truth, fairness, goodwill, and whether there is benefit to those we serve.
During the Rotary year, we try to focus on different aspects of a person’s life and bring to the forefront a theme that impacts one’s life.
As we all know, our lives have different growth cycles, from birth to our passing, and during these different cycles, our outlook towards others goes through many changes. As a child, we are almost entirely dependent on our parents or adult caregivers. We grow and become more self-sufficient and independent. We reach adulthood and our lives change again. From adolescence and onwards, we begin to recognize that we are not secluded as if in a cocoon.
Rotary, as a service club, recognizes that fact and includes us in our teen years. Locally, at the high school there is a Rotary Interact club.
The Interact club is not much different than any other service club within the high school with perhaps one or two exceptions. The Interact club has access to the many projects around the world that Rotary is involved in. As a result, the club can decide where or what project they like to involve themselves with.
During March, our focus is on reading, and the projects we undertake try to help in that specific area. The Interact club had decided that reading is not only a pleasure, but also a huge fundamental part of our lives that leads to better education, knowledge, and improvements in one’s life.
As a result, high school bake sales, dances and other events allowed the Interact club to raise some funds, and they directed those funds towards a very worthwhile project — a school in Puerto Villarta. When the school in Peurto Villarta received those funds, they were very gracious and put together a touching video to show and explain a little of how much meaning the books they received has in their lives.
To view the video online, please go to http://pvangels.com/news/3207/rotary-club-supports-aspv-library-program.
The Invermere Rotary Club, through the work of our Interact club, gets a huge international pat on the back for the funding that the library receives. To all the Interact club members, a heartfelt THANKS! for the things you do to make the world a better place through Service Above Self.
This week’s column was written by Rotary Club of Invermere member John Tames. Learn more about the club by visiting clubrunner.ca/invermere.