Rotary Club of the Battlefords Charters its First Interact Club

John Jangula (Rotary Club of the Battlefords)

Monday, December 14th, was an historic evening for the Rotary Club of the Battlefords!

The club held its annual Christmas meeting and members were treated to a wonderful meal. But instead of engaging in a holiday-related activity as was usually the case during such events, the club rang in the formation of the North Battleford Comprehensive High School Interact Club! Chartered on November 24, the new Interact Club has 16 members and a faculty advisor. Keri Payne, Secretary of the Rotary Club will serve as the liaison between the clubs.

NBCHS Interact President Alicia Piller accepted the Charter from Rotary Club President Bryan Nylander, and was also presented with a gavel and bell and a cheque for some start-up funds. The cheque may be redundant, as the Interact Club has already held their first fundraiser, raising over $400 selling popcorn at the school. Taking advantage of the attraction between food and teen metabolism, they were also able to pro-mote the club and recruit new members in the process!

The NBCHS Club joins 19 others in District 5370 and was borne out of the leaders’ participation in the RYLE and RYPEN programs offered in our District. The Rotary Club has been a strong supporter of these two programs, sending several teens every year. A few of the recent attendees were impressed with Rotary and wanted to expand the Organization’s presence in the Battlefords. That coupled with the dedication of several members of the Rotary Club culminated in the formation of the first Interact Club in the Battlefords.

The idea of starting an Interact Club here has been around for a long time, but it took the drive of a few teens along with that of a few past and present members of the Rotary Club to turn that hope into a reality. The youth of the area and the entire Battlefords community will be well-served by having a secular venue for youth who want to make a positive contribution to their world.