Interact Club Hosts Book Drive in Partnership with ‘More Than Likes’

The Interact Club is hosting a book drive in partnership with More Than Likes, a non-profit organization in North Haven. 

Now through Oct. 6, students and their families are able to donate new or gently used children’s books. The books will be donated to the Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital. Donation bins are located around campus in the Whitson Building, the Schiavone Science Center, and Lower Swain building. 

Senior Daniela McGovern, who co-leads the Interact Club with fellow senior Lucas Celentano, has been involved with Interact all throughout high school.

“Being in Interact Club is very meaningful to me because it is a place where I can make a positive impact on others, not only just locally, but also internationally,” said Daniella. “In the vast world we live in today, it is very hard to feel like the small things you do to help out really have an effect on others. Being in Interact and seeing others around me also have that drive to better our community makes me feel like as a whole we can make that positive change on the world around us.”

The club partnered with More Than Likes as Lucas’s cousin, Alex Ranciato, is the CEO/Founder of the organization. More than Likes is a non-profit created to help pull teenagers away from technology and get them more involved in their community. Alex mentioned the idea of collaborating on a book drive and both Daniela and Lucas thought this would be a great way to get students together and use school resources as a way to give back to local children’s hospitals. 

Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Hamden and Branford, the Interact Club serves as the main branch of Hamden Hall’s community service work. Students in the club help coordinate school-wide initiatives and service projects that benefit local and national organizations. In the past, students have participated in projects for the American Heart Association, Special Olympics, soup kitchens, and many more. 

Upper School science teacher Sarrah Gavin serves as the club advisor and weekly meetings are held on Fridays at 2 p.m. According to Mrs. Gavin, the club has between 10-20 members and plans to do other service projects throughout the year.