Our 2019 Interact Ambassadors to Kenya team has been selected from the applicants around the state, and the 6 Ambassadors and 5 Team Advisors are hard at work preparing for their unique Adventure in Service — including a training and bonding retreat just completed at El Rancho Bonito in Cornville.

 

While the Interact district leadership is still wrestling with the many challenges we have had this year in getting the container of crutches and other mobility devices shipped to Kenya before the team arrives the first of July, the team members and advisors are at work with their training, plus with the necessity of raising at least $25,000 to cover the expenses of shipping the container, paying the airfare for the teen Ambassadors (the adult advisors pay their own way), and some of the other team’s travel and insurance expenses.  Help from Rotary and Interact clubs with this year’s funding is urgently needed!

 

Selected as members of this year’s Ambassadors team are Kara Austin, from Grand Canyon High School, at the Grand Canyon; Sandra Franco, from Westwood High School in Mesa; Jaiden Gatson, from Bourgade Catholic High School in Phoenix; Cassidy Johnson, from Desert Mountain High School in Scottsdale; Hannah Mason, from Westwood High School in Mesa; and Matthew Syms, from Herberger Young Scholars Academy in Phoenix.  Traveling with the team as adult Advisors will be Asst. Rotary Youth Services Chair, John Wintersteen, from the Rotary eClub of the Southwest; Assistant Governor Ron Williams, from the Prescott Frontier Rotary Club; Marla and Steve Lazere, veteran Rotary Youth Exchange leaders from the Mesa West Rotary Club; and Lauren Lukas, the Special Events Coordinator from American Furniture Warehouse, our corporate partner for our Interact Crutches 4 Africa Project.

 

Rotary Clubs, individuals and organizations who are willing to help these amazing young people with all that they are accomplishing, can send their donation to Interact District Treasurer PDG Jeanie Morgan, 1126 W. Elliot Road, Unit 1014, Chandler, AZ 85224.  Donors desiring tax deductibility should make their check payable to RI D5510 Foundation.  Donors not needing a tax deduction, can make their checks payable to Interact District 5495.  In both cases, a notation should be made in the memo section of the check: “for Interact C4A.”  All help with this signature international service project of our Interact district is greatly appreciated, and serves as a huge encouragement to these youth, to know that sponsoring  Rotarians do in fact back and support them in what they are doing.