Small Acts, Big Dividends

Volunteers from both Interact and Rotary gathered before they set off for adventure!

Each Fall and Spring volunteers from our Rotary Club partner with volunteers from OTHS’s Interact Club in a picking up trash along Highway 50 in the heart of O’Fallon. Interact, in case you don’t know, is like a junior Rotary Club. It’s full of students who can see the world beyond themselves and who want to make that world the best version it can be.

In a world where their are ample reasons to be negative about the future, working alongside these high school students makes one more optimistic.  They are excited about helping others. As a mentor, I get energized by their energy. They work hard. They plan. It is just gratifying to be a part of what they do. 

One of the joys I get out of being a member of Rotary is the camaraderie that occurs between other Rotarians and members of the community that we interact with in our various projects. Conversation while picking up trash quickly turns from “Why do people throw all this garbage out the window?” to intrigue and laughter as we find unique things that people have thrown out of their windows. Conversations that occur, while walking with both adults and youth, present a a unique opportunity to learn and understand more about our fellow human beings.

That concept, understanding, is really at the core of Rotary. We aren’t just cleaning up a road and logging some steps. We are connecting to one another. We are understanding more about each other, and by extension, the world beyond ourselves. It may seem like a small endeavor, but it pays dividends.  

Dave Plocher
Proud Rotarian