Karen was pleased to promote the Rotary student Exchange program and tell us about her own experience and how much it had a positive impact on herself and many of her fellow exchange students from all around the year whom she met that year in Brazil.  Karen was a precocious 16 year old and very excited to be away from home and to visit an far away and very different culture.  Her trip started off with a visit to a young family of a new Rotarian in San Paulo who as it turned out was not quite prepared for her. This put her in a very worrisome predicament but after calling back to Orillia, Carl  Dickson and Don Whitfield had her relocated very quickly to a more welcoming family.  While in San Paulo, a city of 38 million she had many exciting excursions to local events but equally memorable was the friends she met and shared new experiences with that were her fellow exchange students. The people of Brazil were very friendly although 90% of the population were extremely poor.

 She credits this time with introducing her to the value of  social and communication skills.  These students together helped one another with problem solving and to this day many remain in contact wherever they have ended up in various careers working all around the world.  After high school and university, Karen found a challenging career in banking followed by teaching law and politics at Algonquin and then began her own business which is Integrity and Leadership Consulting.

 Karen feels that her experience with the Rotary exchange was key to introducing her to the benefits of learning communication skills and co-operative open thinking and problem solving which have made her and fellow students successful.  She is thankful and proud of the Rotary efforts to continue these programs.  

 

  

Monday...
     Gravenhurst: 12:15 - Opera House, 295 Muskoka Rd. South
     Wasaga Beach: 12:15 - RecPlex - Oakview Room, 1724 Mosley Street

 

Tuesday...
     Orillia Satellite Group: 5:30 - Mariposa Inn and Conference Centre (meet at Grape and Olive)

 

Wednesday...
     Barrie Kempenfelt 7:15 a.m. - Barrie Country Club, 635 St. Vincent St. North
     Huntsville: 1st Wednesday of month 6:30 p.m. - balance of month 12:15 - Holiday Inn Express
     Midland: 12:15 - Best Western Highland Hotel

 

Thursday...
     Barrie: - 12:15 - Lakeshore Community Centre

     Collingwood - SGB: 7:30 a.m. Atoka House, Cranberry Resort, Collingwood

     Orillia Lake Country: 7:00 a.m. Mariposa Inn
     Huntsville Lake of Bays: - 7:00 a.m. Soul Sistas

​     Washago Centennial: 5 p.m. Washago Community Centre

Friday...
     Bracbridge: 12:15 - Youth Center