Story published in The Scene 30 April 2019
In 2018 Matamata College Interact was looking for a project that would serve the Matamata Community. The result is a new half size basketball court which local sports celebrity Alex Bradley will formally open on Friday 3 May during the opening gala.
Matamata College Interact, sponsored by Rotary Matamata, was launched in 2017 to give students the opportunity to serve their local community and others throughout the world. Their first project was to collect books which were distributed to primary schools in Pakistan and Nuie. For their next one they looked at local needs. They knew that break-ins to ‘the turf’ the courts at the College locked to protect their specialised surfaces, were a problem for the school. Principal Alan Munro was keen to provide a facility at the College that would be open to the public throughout the year. The concept of a reduce sized basketball court was born. 
Past Interact Presidents Brooke Dunbar and Patrick Roskam worked hard to secure funding from Rotary Matamata and Matamata College Sports Club and permission from the Board of Trustees. Students at the College planned the court and Interact, assisted by teacher Mike Hills secured generous support from Carey Concrete Services to build the court. 
Interact, under this year’s President Molly Burgess Munro and Service Projects Committee Chair Hannah Jacobsen, are currently planning the opening gala which is open to the public from 3.30-5.30pm on Friday 3 May. They plan to have live music, face painting, a sausage sizzle, a hoop shooting competition for all ages and prizes. They have even challenged Rotarians to a short basketball match.
Interact are delighted that local sports personality and ex-Chiefs player Alex Bradley will perform the official opening.
Matamata Rotarians Robert Stuart and Michelle Tanner have been supporting the Interactors with this project. “We have so impressed with the enthusiasm of the students. It has been very satisfying to see them work together so successfully to bring this facility to fruition.”
And already Matamata College Interact are planning their next project. Watch this space!