Youth Taking a Stand

written by Alana Lister

In an age where information is swirling constantly, the hardship so often expressed in the news can feel inescapable. With ­endless headlines at one’s fingertips just a few clicks away, it is easy – and common – to feel overwhelmed. Two local girls, Andrea and Grace, know this all too well, and starting this September, they are determined to ignite a bright flame of hope that the world needs so dearly, right in their own community. Fueled by their mutual passion for serving others and making a difference one person at a time, they have decided to form a new club in the ­community, affiliated with Rotary International: the Strathroy Interact Club. These two young people, inspired by their own unique experiences of service and volunteering, are ready to invite other youth in Strathroy and area to be a part of their mission – helping each other help others through a personal, joyful and ­generous volunteering initiative.

The club’s main goal will be to give young people in the Strathroy and area community a chance to volunteer and contribute to bettering the lives of those around them.

Along the way, the club will strive to foster connections between its like-minded ­members, encouraging each member to develop in generosity and ­personal growth. There will also be ­opportunities to connect to the wider world as well: while the club’s main focus will be on serving the local area, it is required that each Interact group works on one international project per year, and so there will be plenty of chances for youth to have a positive impact in the lives of others across the globe.

Andrea and Grace, the two young founders of this new club, have both been significantly impacted by their own ­personal experiences with Rotary via 11-month international exchanges: Andrea in Thailand, Grace in Finland. During their time abroad, they both witnessed youth in their ­respective host countries banding together to form Interact clubs of their own, in efforts to connect and integrate better with their communities. In particular, some students at Andrea’s school in Thailand had formed a club during her stay there, and this inspired her to bring this same ­community spirit and youth ­participation back home with her. Andrea notes that her experience on exchange opened her eyes to the varied differences and difficulties others experience around the world, but she states that her eyes were also opened to the many ways that youth, especially through a Rotary group, can make a ­profound difference at the community level. She also reflects that her participation in Rotary has changed her life, her ­confidence has increased and it has inspired her to co-create this club locally, to be enjoyed by many future generations. Similarly, Grace shares that although she feels deep empathy for the sufferings of others worldwide and wishes that she were able to help everyone, she deeply believes that a great deal of change and hope may be brought into the world by focusing on one initiative at a time, even one person at a time. For Grace, and for all the participants of the Strathroy Interact Club, this new group will be a wonderful outlet for youth to spread goodness in the local community.

September, the start of the new school year, brings the official start of the Strathroy Interact Club, their goal being to host two meetings per month: once during lunch and once after school. These meetings will be taking place at Strathroy District Collegiate (SDCI), but the Strathroy Interact Club will be a ­community club, and so any students from Holy Cross Catholic Secondary (HCC) are also welcome to join. At these meetings, projects that serve both the club’s goals and the members’ interests, as well as reflect Rotary’s Seven Areas of Focus, will be decided by the members. The meetings will discuss future service projects and strategies to get involved with the local community, and they will also work towards providing a safe space for each member to be their truest selves and ­discover a unique support system in their fellow club ­members. The club’s main objective is to focus on projects outside of school; the meetings will provide the framework and planning for how the ­projects will be ­carried out, and how the youth will actively help to make Strathroy a nicer place to live. The club’s meetings will also include ­opportunities for each member’s personal development: guest speakers sharing ­­real-world advice and experiences will be invited to host ­leadership training seminars, and each ­discussion at every meeting will allow ­wisdom and knowledge to be shared between the club’s members. Aside from the two monthly meetings, and as school, sports and work schedules begin to fill up, some months will naturally be busier than ­others; Andrea and Grace understand this, and they want to encourage each member to participate however they can.

At present, there are 16 young people who are excited to be joining the Strathroy Interact Club, and all of them are between 14 and 18 years of age. There are no membership fees whatsoever. The Strathroy Interact Club will be collaborating with the local Rotary Club, as well as any local ­businesses and organizations interested in participating in this important cause. For more information, youth ­interested in ­joining are encouraged to get in contact with the club via email or Instagram DMs. Alternatively, the club will also be holding ‘open door’ meetings throughout the school year, so any young people interested in stopping by are warmly invited to do so.

This club is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for youth to get involved with a powerful ­initiative that not only directly serves those closest to them, but also connects them to the global community of Rotary International. It forms a worldwide team of young people committed to positive change, one small action at a time.

for more information email

strathroyinteract@gmail.com