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23rd year with the Bennington Rotary Club..
Entering my 23rd year with the Bennington Rotary Club, I have held board positions, served on many different committees, and volunteered for work on countless projects. My current role in the club; as part of the Vocational Service Committee, is the club's liaison to the Mount Anthony High School Rotary Interact Club. Working with these young men and women has brought me new found energy and excitement in Rotary.
Jointly sponsored by the Bennington and Catamount Rotary Clubs, this Interact Club has been successful because of the great leadership from its student officers, and the Herculean efforts of the moderator for the club at the school, Dan Lucy. Along with myself, and the Catamount Rotary club's liaison Charlie Letourneau, Mr. Lucy oversees and coordinates the volunteer efforts of the club. Rotary International encourages each interact Club to perform at least two service projects each year: one that benefits the school or community, and one that furthers international understanding.
With forty to fifty active members, the Interact Club has been involved in community projects like the Bennington Car Show, The Festival of Trees, Moosefest, Moonlight in VT, Garlic Festival, Ethan Allen Days, and holiday bell ringing for the Food and Fuel Fund and Share Heat programs. They were an integral part of the North Bennington Winter Carnival and Penguin Plunge as well. Interact fielded a team of "plungers", raised some money for Special Olympics, and braved sub-zero temperatures, to dip into Lake Paran on a Saturday morning in February!
On an international level, club members travelled to Somotillo, Nicaragua last year, to establish a network of computers with refurbished machines they brought down with them. In addition to the computers, they secured donated medical and dental supplies for distribution once they arrived. Recently, Interact members participated in the "Empty Bowls" fundraiser at the high school, raising money to end world hunger.
Interact Club members develop leadership skills, personal integrity, and demonstrate helpfulness and respect for others. Through their involvement with Interact, they also develop an understanding of the value of individual responsibility and hard work, advancing international understanding and goodwill.
Currently there are nearly eleven thousand Interact Clubs in one hundred and nine countries around the world, with an estimated two hundred thousand young people involved. Rotary International has recognized Interact as "one of the most significant and fastest growing programs of Rotary service".
Locally, our Interact Club was founded by the late, consummate Rotarian, Sal Santarcangelo. From what I have observed over the past few years, the club has grown in numbers, and in the size and scope of projects they undertake. Rarely does a weekly meeting go by without a member of one organization or another asking for Interact's help with a particular project.
A fine example of this occurred at the meeting this week. A member of the Bennington Area Hospice came to ask for help from Interact. Hospice has been urchasing thin ceramic ornaments for the people in their care, for placement on a Christmas tree around the holidays. With an ever tightening budget, Hospice has found that these ornaments have become too expensive to purchase. They came to ask for Interact's help, along with high school ceramics teacher Teru Simon, in making and decorating these ornaments for their clients. This is, literally, a great hands-on project for them, and the club jumped in with both feet!
In years past, I have seen interest in projects, and volunteerism wane towards the end of the year, as the weather gets nicer. This year, under the leadership and guidance of club officers Miles Selib, Anya Eckhart, Cherise Madigan, and Megan Pini, they keep rolling right along with lots of energy. It will be a privilege and an honor to present these fine young men and women with Interact certificates of merit at the end of the year awards ceremony.
By: Jim Thibodeau - Bennington Rotary Club Member
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