This has been an extremely fruitful year for the Interact Club of Beaconhurst School.

For the first term, we had our normal visits to old age homes and children’s homes. Come the second term, and we are suddenly Very busy with fund raisers. All for good Causes, off course!!

We had a Copper Drive from St. Bernard Hospice, where we were given bags to fill with our copper coins-although we stressed that silver is also most welcome.

Some classes really went all out and filled big bottles and baskets with coins, thanks to their teacher’s motivation! We even had a nursing sister visiting the school and addressing us about the wonderful work that St. Bernard Hospice is doing. A visit to them in the near future is definitely something to pursue.

We also had our annual Jersey week, where old, usable clothing and warm blankets were collected. The Beaconhurst family really emptied their wardrobes because we donated bags and bags full of clothing. We even had to ask the organizer to come back to fetch some more, because people brought more clothing after the due dates and Interact did not say: “no thank you, we are done collecting…..”

We partook in the Children for Children fundraiser that is organised by Loaves and Fishes. Our school had to collect rice and boy- did we collect RICE. 2 489kg of rice plus some that we could not weigh, because we learned that one cup of rice could feed a family of 4 people, and learners literally brought cups of rice. Image how many families can be fed with 2 489kg of rice??? You do the Maths!

Some of our interacters also supported the Parkland Street Collection, by smiling very nicely at the patrons of Fruit and Veg Beacon Bay. The learners were very chuffed, because people gave unselfishly.

Two absolute highlights of the term was our visit to the SPCA, where Glynis gave us a lecture on animal care and a tour through the SPCA. We were all very saddened by all the stray and neglected animals that we saw there.

The second Highlight was the 3 Interacters who got to go on the Interact Conference at Jeffrey’s Bay. They came back raving and bragging about what a great time they had and they were full of new ideas.

Now, the rest of us just need to go on an Interact camp!!!

Lizz Gallant