Members of the Oswego High School interact club recently visited Oswego Hospital’s maternity center to donate two dozen handmade baby blankets for the hospital’s newborns.
This is an annual community service initiative that begins with the students doing fundraisers to raise enough money to purchase material for the blankets. They meet after school to make the blankets and finish the community service project by donating the blankets in person at the hospital.
The Interact Club is affiliated with the Oswego Sunrise and Oswego Noon Rotary Clubs and focuses on community service. Cindy Tascarella, member of the Sunrise Rotary Club and an Oswego Health employee, has been helping to coordinate this event for many years. "These blankets are greatly appreciated and it is very rewarding to see our students taking an interest in our local community" stated Tascarella.
Interact Club Advisor Warren Shaw added, "We appreciate the cooperation and assistance of Oswego Health. By involving our students in what happens in our community and getting them involved in making it a positive place to live, we prepare them to be better citizens as adults."
Interact Club President Hannah Brown said, "We plan and perform eight to 10 community service projects every year. We have about 30 members and enjoy being able to get together and do something that can make a difference in someone's life. Our next projects include Christmas cards for soldiers and adopting a family for Christmas.”
In the photo kneeling in the front row, Kelly Phillips, RN, Elaina Broadwell, Kennedy Thompson, Michaela Callen and Michelle Laver. In the second row also kneeling are Willow-Su Knapp, Kelci Somers, Maddy Plylar and Maddy Taylor. In the third row are Kim Hyde, RN, Clinical Manager of the Maternity Center, Gina Kristiansen, RN, Bri Stenz, Carlie Smith, Megan Clary, Lauren Devinny and Cindy Tascarella, of Sunrise Rotary and Oswego Health. In the back row are Tyler Youngman, Interact Club Advisor, Hannah Brown, Interact Club President Warren Shaw, Claire Richardson and Kelly Skinner.