Anne Horgen, School Counselor at Perry High School, along with Kaitlyn Leber and Seth Borgenson, students at Perry High School accept a check from Mike Draisey. Mike selected Perry Interact Club as our March MFLCares charity.
Perry, Iowa – Perry Interact Club is Midwest Family Lending’s March charity and has received a $1500 donation.
Through MFLCares, Midwest Family Lending team members have the opportunity to nominate a charity they’d like to support. As a Perry alumni, Perry Community School District and the Perry community are important to Mike and the Draisey family. He wanted to spread some positivity on this tight knit community.
In the heart of Perry, Iowa, a small but dynamic force is at work, shaping the future leaders of tomorrow. The Perry Interact Club stands as a beacon of youth empowerment, community engagement, and service excellence. Founded on the principles of Rotary International, this club embodies the spirit of ‘service above self’, instilling in its members the values of compassion, leadership, and social responsibility.
It all started when Perry senior, Kaitlyn Leber, was given the opportunity to attend the Rotary Youth Leadership Awakening (RYLA). Kaitlyn was so inspired at camp that she met with high school counselor, Anne Horgen to talk about what they could do to bring the spirit of service to other students. With Anne’s help, Kaitlyn was able to reinstate the Perry Interact Club, a once functioning club that lost momentum due to the COVID pandemic.
The club now has 30+ members and is making a huge impact in the Perry community, and beyond!
One of the defining features of the Perry Interact Club is its unwavering commitment to community service. They organized a pet supply drive for Racoon River Pet Rescue. They sent cookies with handwritten notes to the Perry Police Department. They visited elderly residents at local nursing homes, providing them joy and companionship. They made and gifted blankets and winter survival packages to local refugee and immigrant families. At Christmas, they participated in “Shop with a Cop” and helped create a memorable Christmas experience for underprivileged kids. The list goes on and on.
Anything we go through, we get through.
Kaitlyn Leber
It’s been a tough 2024 for the Perry community and the Perry school district. Focusing on others has been a way to help students cope. The Perry Interact Club is a platform for young individuals to come together, collaborate, and make a tangible difference in their community. Making a positive difference in the lives of others helps with healing.
By leading by example and embodying the Rotary motto of “Service Above Self,” these young individuals prove that age is no barrier to making a positive impact. Their enthusiasm, dedication, and genuine desire to make a difference serve as a powerful reminder that helping is indeed healing.
Seth Borgenson, joined the club because he has a heart for service that he credits to his grandmother. “She was always helping others”, said Seth. He feels that through service to others, he will honor his grandma. Through the structure of Perry Interact Club, Seth is now setting an example for others to follow.
The Perry Interact Club, is making an impact beyond Perry, as this organization serves as a training ground for future leaders. Through service projects, members develop essential skills such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving, laying the foundation for their success in both personal and professional endeavors. Through her experience at RYLA, and her leadership with Interact Club, Kaitlyn plans to continue serving as she heads off to college this fall. Perry Interact Club is helping form today’s youth into tomorrow’s leaders!
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
NAHATMA Gandhi
MFLCares about Perry Interact Club!
MFLCares is a program of Midwest Family Lending, a local mortgage company committed to creating customers for life and making positive community impact. Through MFLCares, we support and promote central Iowa charities. Check out our website to learn about the incredible organizations that are making a positive impact in our communities!