KNYSNA NEWS - On Friday 1 November members of the Interact Club at Plettenberg Bay Secondary School arrived at the Green Hole public park on Leisure Island with their educators Mirick Arries and Andrid Marais, full of energy and keen to learn more about both the environment and bullying.
Although these two concepts are strange bed-fellows, both have "caring" as the principal theme, caring for the environment and caring for each other.
Local environmentalist Michael Spies - who recently received the prestigious Paul Harris Award from Knysna Rotary, "which honours Rotary International founder Paul Harris and recognises outstanding contributions by individuals in placing service above self" - and Past President Irmela Pakendorf, both from the Rotary Club of Knysna, were invited to address the learners.
Future generations
Michael, who teaches learners about conservation, sustainability, and the impact of their actions on the planet, stressed the fact that caring for the environment was not just the right thing to do, but it would give future generations a better, cleaner and more beautiful world.
He motivated the Interactors to plant trees in their school grounds, as he had done at schools. They then read a pledge promising to do all in their power to care for all living creatures.
With black bags at the ready and energised by the motivational talk, they gathered litter while discussing how they could recycle what they had found.
After a break Rotarian Pakendorf invited the learners to enter the Drumbeat for Change Essay Competition, a project of the Rotary Club of Knysna.
Emotional scarring
She explained the meaning of and lifelong impact that bullying has on those who have been bullied. Pakendorf felt that she was talking to the converted, as most of the attendees had either been bullied or had seen someone being bullied, often leading to emotional scarring or even suicide.
After accepting both these challenges, the students cooled off in the lagoon and enjoyed delicious chicken rolls prepared by Marais and her helpers.
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