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Founded in 1962, "Interact" stands
for "International Action". The first club was established in Melbourne,
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.
Interact benefits its young members,
the sponsoring Rotary Club, and the community that the Interactors serve.
Through Interact, the young members develop initiative, leadership skills,
and lasting friendships. The Rotary Club gains a service partner, as well
as an opportunity to prepare its community's youth for future leadership.
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.
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
throughout the community and by performing a variety of vital tasks on
immunization days.
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