Interact Club, Skaneateles Rotary unite to make a global difference
Skaneateles High School Senior Noah Smith recently presented a $1,000 check to Tom Deuson, ambassador for ShelterBox USA on behalf of the Skaneateles High School Interact Club.
The students were inspired to raise money for the disaster relief program after Deuson brought a display to the high school.
They learned how ShelterBox provides vulnerable people around the world with emergency shelter and supplies. Since 2000, ShelterBox staff and volunteers have helped give shelter to more than 1.4 million people affected by disasters and humanitarian crises.
Noah Smith told Rotarians that the Interact Club got involved in the fall of 2017, and decided to devote all fundraising projects from Haunted Hallways to a school-wide badminton tournament to ShelterBox.
“In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, helping people impacted by natural disasters seemed like the natural thing to do,” Smith said.
The Rotary Club paired up with Deuson for his initial visit and matched the students’ first $500 in fundraising. Students went on to raise $500 more.
ShelterBox has received recognition and awards as a charity organization since it began, and has nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018 and 2019, Deuson said.
Submitted photo
Celebrating the joint efforts of the Interact Club and the Skaneateles Rotary Club during a presentation of a check from students (with Karen Price, Interact Club chair; Cathy Powell, grant chair for the Skaneateles Rotary Club; Bill Conole, Rotary Club President; Noah Smith, Interact Club President; Tom Deuson, ShelterBox USA Ambassador). Deuson presented the local groups with a ShelterBox HERO award for “a three year commitment of support to ShelterBox’s mission of ensuring no family is without shelter.”
