IRHS-Interact
L-R (Ed Sweeney, RCOW) Aidan Tran, Anunya Kapur, Layan Aboumar, students (Patricia Fireman, Red Cross), Carly Walsh, Nour Qasrawi, students (Miles Ross, Rotary7080)
Several members of the Iroquois Ridge High School (IRHS) Interact Club proudly presented the Red Cross with a cheque for $900.00 closing off this school year on a very positive note.
The funding is for the Red Cross Restoring Family Links Program to connect families displaced by the crisis in Turkey and Syria.
The funds were raised through a Rotary grant initiative that the young high school students applied for and successfully obtained.
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Oakville West (RCOW), Interact members are students at Iroquois Ridge High School who believe in giving back to their community locally and globally.
Patricia Fireman, Branch Coordinator, Community Services Health and Wellness from the Burlington office of the Canadian Red Cross, was on hand to accept the cheque.
She responded, “Thank you for the generous donation. I am positive it will help the newcomers and families from Turkey and Syria.”
Learning how to apply for grants and mentored by Miles Ross, the Rotary District 7080 Coordinator for Interact Clubs in southwestern Ontario, the club members, led by Grade 10 student Layan Aboumar were determined to take advantage of the opportunity to obtain funds for such an important cause.
The Interact Club at IRHS has grown over the past several years to include over 60 students annually who collaborate to raise funds and do good in the world. Their teacher Kathryn Patterson is instrumental in ensuring the students are heard, challenged and grow through hands-on experiences.
They are learning that many good things are possible through collaboration and teamwork. Their next adventure will be to help build a school in Guatemala, and subsequently, the Interact team will be raising funds to support that initiative for 2024.
About Rotary
For almost 100 years, Oakville Rotarians have raised funds through special events to support local area charities and not-for-profits, dispersing financial aid to many deserving organizations and their very worthy projects and initiatives. As well, funds are donated and leveraged to support Rotary International projects that impact the global community in a meaningful way.
For more information about Oakville’s four Rotary Clubs visit www.rotaryoakville.ca
