Interact Clubs

Nancy Ostrowski, Youth Services Director

Interact is Rotary International’s service club for young people 12 to 18 years of age. Interact clubs are sponsored by individual Rotary clubs, which provide support and guidance, but they are self-governing and self-supporting.

Club membership varies greatly. Clubs can be single gender or mixed, large or small. They can draw from the student body of a single school or from two or more schools in the same community.

Interact Clubs:

See a list of Interact Clubs in our District by clicking here.

Club Advisors:

Download the Presidential Citation for Interact Clubs by clicking here. Fill it out and return it to your sponsoring Rotary Club's president.

Interact Projects:

Each year, Interact clubs complete at least two community service projects, one of which furthers international understanding and goodwill. Through these efforts, Interactors develop a network of friendships with local and overseas clubs and learn the importance of

Developing leadership skills and personal integrity
Demonstrating helpfulness and respect for others
Understanding the value of individual responsibility and hard work
Advancing international understanding and goodwill

Interact Beach Sweep:

District Interact Clubs have supported the effort to protect the environment. These clubs have participated in the Annual Rotary District 7510 Interact Beach Sweep every Spring for nearly twenty years (see note). Our Rotary District has even been given recognition as a sponsor of this event.

Over the years, we have had more than 350 interactors annually participate, along with 1100 to 1200 other volunteers. In 2010, there were a total of more than 1500 volunteers, which was a record.

For a number of years, our District provided refreshments to volunteers upon finishing this activity. Each year, Rotarian Gerry Harris has been granted special permission to have a barbeque grill at the beach site. In addition, our Rotary District has partnered with Comcast during the past few years to make this project fun and successful.

Rotary Clubs are encouraged to contact Gerry Harris to volunteer assistance at the next Beach Sweep event in April.

NOTE: Clean Ocean Action is the name of the group of volunteers that work at more than 70 sites along the shore to clean the beaches. Twice a year, in the Spring and in the Fall, Clean Ocean Action orchestrates the Beach Sweeps.

Although our interactors have decided to join Clean Ocean Action only in the Spring at Sandy Hook, some students have volunteered twice a year.

For more info, see: www.cleanoceanaction.org