November 30: Rotary Youth Exchange Changes Lives
Rotary Youth Exchange is active and alive in our post-pandemic world. It is one of the best exchange programs for high school-age students in the world. We will hear stories of how the program has influenced students we have hosted from around the world. A former host mother will share her remarkable story of lifelong connections and we also will get an update from our inbound student from Germany. Linda Bednarz, chair of our Youth Exchange Committee, will moderate the program.
Program Chair: Linda Bednarz
Meeting Location:
Willamette Heritage Center Dye House
President’s Message
Rotarians,
For those of you who may have missed it, here’s Ron Kelemen’s announcement from last week regarding our Sri Lankan Rotarian friends:
“Last week I announced that my wife Kathy and David Deckelmann are trying to help a Rotarian in Sri Lanka that some of us know ow. In 2019, Rotarians were guests of gracious Rotarian hosts in Sri Lanka as part of a Rotary Friendship Exchange (RFE). Later, a Sri Lankan delegation came here. The group leader, Gihan Panditaratne, spared no effort or expense to help the visiting Rotarian delegation, including one member who had a serious medical emergency.
Now he needs our help. His daughter, Rheya, finally got her student visa for the honors program in business at Sheridan College in Toronto. During this long wait to get admitted and get her visa, the political and economic situation in Sri Lanka collapsed, and the rupee value of the college fund Gihan saved for her is almost worthless. And Gihan lost his job. We have her December 16 plane flight covered, but if you would like to contribute to help with the miscellaneous new expenses any college student would have (especially one going to an expensive foreign country), please give your contribution to David, who is setting up a temporary account to help her set up an account in Toronto. Thanks for helping a Rotarian and his bright daughter in need.”
This week we are back at the Willamette Heritage Dye House. Linda Bednardz will be chairing our program on Youth Exchange. This promises to be a very insight full program on how Rotary impacts our youth worldwide. Should be a great program.
I would like to also remind you that next week December 7th we will be offsite at South Salem High school. We will meet in the Auditorium Foyer early, at 11:45 – where we will be served a catered lunch by the award-winning South Salem Culinary Class followed by a performance by the Nationally recognized South Salem HS Choir in the new auditorium. I hope you all can make it.
Below is the award our club won for being the Salvation Army’s top service club in 2021. We raised $2,800 the most money of all their outside groups. However, that was Chane’s year. Not that I am a little competitive or anything, but I would like to see us break that record this year. We will be circulating a bellringer signup sheet, I would encourage you to sign up and ring the bell.
The Salvation Army kettle and band will be at our Club meeting on December 14. This tradition goes back more than 50 years. Members who want to contribute should come prepared. You can also send a check to the Club post office box or contribute to our Foundation designating the Salvation Army. If you contribute directly please let Treasurer Chuck know so he can include you in the Club numbers.
Cheers!
David
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