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General Overview Founded in 1962, "Interact"
stands for "International Action". The first club was
established in Melbo A successful Interact Club is an active one that fully employs its members' talents and energies in serving the school or community, and promoting International Goodwill. Interact Club projects cover an amazingly wide scope. The following examples are reprinted from the Rotary International Activities An Interact Club in Zimbabwe cleaned a senior citizens' home, washed the residents' clothing, and spruced up the garden. In Australia, Interactors repaired and painted equipment and landscaped the grounds of what is now known as "Interact Playground." Elsewhere, one club constructed a giant paper-mâché ear, put it on wheels, and pushed it for 50 kilometers (30 miles) to raise money to aid local deaf children. Another enterprising club supplied funds to build a new water well through a "Rent-a-Kid" project, in which members rented themselves out to do household chores, baby-sitting, and other tasks. Interactors also fight drug abuse and help people learn to read. They work and play with disabled children. They collect clothing and toys for needy families. And they plant trees and clean up local parks and rivers. In fact, any need within a community might well be the focus of an Interact project. They also help with projects organized by their sponsoring Rotary clubs. In the developing world, Interact Clubs have played a major role in PolioPlus - Rotary International's massive effort to immunize all children against the polio. Interactors help by publicizing the availability and importance of polio vaccination for children hroughout the community and by performing a variety of vital tasks on immunization days.  The Interact Club's 8 Founding Principles 1. To recognize and develop constructive leadership and personal integrity. 2. To encourage and practive thoughtfulness of and helpfulness to others. 3. To create an awareness of the importance of home and family. 4. To build respect for the rights of others, based on recognition of the worth of each individual. 5. To emphasize acceptance of individual responsibility as the basis of personal success, community improvement, and group achievement. 6. To recognize the dignity and value of all useful occupations as opportunites to serve society. 7. To provide opportunities for gaining increased knowledge and understanding of community, national, and world affairs. 8. To open avenues of person and group action leading to the advancement of international understanding and goodwill toward all people.  Club Sponsorship All Interact clubs are sponsored by the local Rotary Club, which will: * Select representatives to attend every meeting of the Interact Club * Undertake joint projects with the Interact Club * Offer guidance and support on active service projects * Provide the Interact Club with financial support
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urne, Florida, USA,
but the movement quickly spread to many other parts of the world.
Today, it is a thriving organization with over 150,000 members
in 93 countries. Every Interact Club must be sponsored by a Rotary
Club, which is also responsible for providing guidance on a continuing
basis. Interact Clubs may be either school or community, based.
To be eligible for membership in a school-based club, you must
be student at the secondary school or pre-university level, be
between 14 and 18 years of age, and possess good character and
leadership potential.
