INTERACT'S 3rd YEAR IN BANI
The Rotary Club of Akron Newstead, students from Akron High School and its Interact club partnered over the holidays to provide humanitarian assistance in the town of Bani, Dominican Republic. The visit was coordinated through the Rotary Club of Bani and its Interact club and was the third year of the partnership in Bani.
Led by chaperones Marlene Stone, the head softball coach at Akron High School, Rotarians Patty Buckley and Kevin Stone, the group’s focus was capital improvement projects at the Elizabeth Seton Nutrition Center that included building organic gardens and new concrete in the playground area. The center provides sustainable, locally-controlled quality services for children and their families that include health care, nutrition, childcare and education in resource - limited communities around Bani. The students also held a holiday party for the children. Along with the party, the Akron softball team played its third annual softball game at the center; softball equipment and sneakers were once again donated by the team. Before departing a donation was made to the Bani Medical Dispensary.
As always and in the spirit of Rotary many new international friendships were made and former ones renewed. The students and their chaperones represented Rotary and the US in an exemplary manner.
Pictured - Rotarian Patty Buckley (2nd from left) and Akron High School head softball coach Marlene Stone (2nd from right) accept a certificate of appreciation from Jose Gonzales of the Rotary Club of Bani. Looking on are two members of the local Interact club of which Jose is its advisor.