Rotary-Sponsored Youth Clubs To Be Started

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30378, 29 February 1964, Page 15

Rotary-Sponsored Youth Clubs To Be Started

An “Interact’’ dub may soon be started in Christchurch, Mr C. H. Taylor told the opening session of the seventh annual conference of the Rotary 298 (South Island) district last evening. “Interact” was . short for International Action. The dubs were for schoolboys between about 15 and 18 and were formed by a Rotary club in connexion with a school. Members were chosen by the sponsoring Rotary dub with the help of the headmaster. Mr Taylor said the dubs aimed to instill leadership, to encourage international understanding and to foster social service within the school.

Interact clubs might work to gain money to bring overseas "interaoters” to their schools; they might help boys from needy families; they might carry out projects to improve community facilities. The clubs had their own officers and ran their own programmes; the organising committee of the sponsoring Rotary Club, however, had a representative of the Interact club’s board of directors present at its club meetings.

So far, only two clubs were operating in New Zealand, at schools in New Plymouth and Pukekohe; but another was being formed in the North Island while another was under negotiation in Christchurch. At the conference Mr .C, E. Worster of Los Angeles, the special representative of Mr C. P. Miller, president of Rotary International, urged members to support Mr Taylor. Mr Taylor was one of the five members of the committee set up by the board

of Rotary International in 1960 at the instigation of the then president, Mr H. Thomas, of Auckland, to recommend what form a Rotary-sponsored youth organisation might take. Interact was the result. The organisation Was launched only two years ago, but already it includes over 300 clubs in 32 countries. The Rotary district conference was officially opened by the Mayor (Mr G. Manning). Today the conference will continue with addresses and discussions, morning and afternoon, and a dine and dance function in the evening. Tomorrow. morning there will be a religious service in the Cathedral, followed by the introduction of a group of overseas students and the report of the conference resolutions committee.