KNYSNA NEWS - This year has marked a significant milestone in Oakhill College's history. Its Rotary Interact Club celebrates 30 years of outreach and citizenship projects within the Greater Knysna area.
In 1994, Oakhill established the first Interact Club in Knysna, with Tonya Platt serving as the first Interact President.
Not only did Platt (nee Beyleveld) complete her schooling at Oakhill, but she went on to spend many years teaching in Knysna and Oakhill's Foundation Phase, until her retirement last year.
Since then, six other schools in Knysna have subsequently established Interact Clubs, and along with Oakhill, all continue to make a difference in the lives of members of the local community.
Ongoing projects
Over the past 30 years, the Oakhill Interact Club has been involved in a wide variety of ongoing projects, including making educational material for under-resourced Early Childhood Development Centres available, collecting and distributing food to numerous soup kitchens in the area, assisting at various animal welfare shelters, helping to upgrade facilities at some Child Welfare facilities, spending time with patients in the paediatric ward at the Provincial hospital, visiting the elderly at old-age homes, and numerous other projects, with its focus always being on trying to assist and serve where the greatest need may be at any given time.
Knysna Interact Committee members representing seven schools and the Rotary Club of Knysna.
Life lessons
To celebrate this milestone, Oakhill established contact with all the past Interact Presidents and asked them to send the college a short video clip to share their favourite memories of their time serving on the committee, what life lessons they gained during that time, and how that experience has shaped their lives beyond school.
Oakhill also asked them to consider donating R30 in honour of the anniversary to its current Interact Club, which would be used for a special project, to be decided upon.
'Inspirational reflections'
Oakhill received "some wonderful video messages with inspirational reflections, as well as some very generous donations".
"We are truly grateful to every past president for paving the way for those ahead of them, and for keeping the spirit of empathy, selflessness, and kindness, deeply entrenched in our Oakhill values," the college said.
Over the decades... First Oakhill Interact President Tonya Platt, left, and Lesley Satchel, head of the Rotary Club of Knysna's Interact portfolio.
"This was followed by a special assembly in which Oakhill College was treated to a video compilation of messages received and snapshots from the numerous projects we have undertaken over the years.
Lesley Satchel
"We were very honoured to have Lesley Satchel attend our assembly and address our students. As a long-standing educator and Rotarian, Lesley was instrumental in establishing the first Interact Club at Oakhill, and continues, 30 years on, still serving as the head of the Rotary Club of Knysna's Interact portfolio.
"Oakhill is exceptionally grateful to Lesley, for her ongoing commitment to cultivating an ethos of citizenship among our youth. In the global village that is our world today, these are such important values to uphold, when instant gratification has become the norm.
'Meeting members of other clubs'
"Our celebrations wrapped up with a delightful tea which our Interact Committee hosted at our school, with committee members from the other six Interact Clubs, at Concordia High, Keurbosch, Knysna High, Knysna Montessori, Knysna Sekondere and Percy Mdala High all present.
"Again, we were honoured to have Lesley join us, as well as Riana Appel, who heads the Rotary Club of Knysna's Youth portfolio, and Tonya Platt, as our guest of honour.
'Forging strong bonds'
"The students spent a wonderful afternoon getting to know one another better, engaging in discussions around potential collaborative projects for the year ahead, and forging strong bonds that will see us all continuing to set an example, by serving the most vulnerable within our community."
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