Salem Interactors blaze a trail
It was a much-awaited ‘dream project’ for the outgoing president S Hemanath of RC Salem Phoenix, RID 2982, to start an Interact club at a government school where sanitation facilities are minimal. “A grouping of students mentored by our club will create a positive change, both in the school’s physical conditions and the morale of the children,” he says.
After much planning and deliberations, the club inaugurated its maiden Interact Club of Phoenix, “at a government school in Salem with 23 charter members, who are students of Class 8–10, with the then AG Badrinarayana Gupta presenting the RI citation to charter secretary Ansal Sunil.” During the Interact installation at the Government Higher Secondary School, Maniyanoor, near Salem, an RO filter unit worth ₹8,000 was installed for providing drinking water to 900 students (up to Class 12) and 30 teachers. “A sanitary pad vending machine (₹7,000) was also set up, and we directed charter president Sujithra to ensure that the device is put to good use and restocked every fortnight,” recalls Hemanath.
Shortly, the Interactors will be co-hosting jointly with its parent Rotary a mega drawing competition for government and private schools in Salem. “We will conduct the sketching event in August, and there will be no entry fee for students from government schools. Our Interactors will play a major role in hosting this art competition,” he explains. In the coming months, the club will erect a Rotary-Interact signage at the school’s entrance which will boost “our public image in the neighbouring villages. Also, a push cart donated to an elderly woman selling small snacks and fancy stuff near the school compound wall will be repurposed with Rotary Wheel logo and RI messages to spread the idea of what Rotary is all about among local people,” says Hemanath.
When they came to know that the children’s 40-bed dormitory at the Annai Sathya Illam, a huge orphanage spread over 3–4 acres in Gorimedu village near Salem, was in a derelict state, “we swung into action renovating the dorm at a cost of ₹1.35 lakh. Apart from masonry work, 23 new beds, each having a cot, mattress and pillows; and 40 cupboards were donated to the hostel.” Electrical fittings including lights and fans were replaced, and a fresh paint coating was given to the walls. “We have given a new, sprightly look to the primary block of the orphanage that has 400 450 inmates in all.”
Children were sensitised on environmental issues at a tree planting drive in which 20 new saplings were named after the inmates of this special home to celebrate the new year. Outgoing DG V Sivakumar presented RI’s Significant Service Award to Hemanath for renovating the orphanage at a public image seminar.
With 39 members, four Paul Harris Fellows and one Major Donor, the Salem club brings out a monthly bulletin, Phoenix Talks, edited by Hemanath. “The incoming DG Sivasundaram has made me GML editor for the new Rotary year, impressed with my club projects detailed in our bulletin,” he smiles.
