RYLA UPDATE By GEET CHAHIL 
Geet is no stranger to the Rotary Club of Lincoln. Geet was recommended by the guidance team at BDSS to participate in the Rotary SLAPSHOT program and participated representing our club. SLAPSHOT is a weekend long program of personal & leadership activities for 100 High School student leaders, 15-18 yrs. old. Our Lincoln club sponsors registration for two BDSS student leaders as selected by BDSS staff.
Geet graduated from BDSS as valedictorian of his graduating class and received the Rotary Medalist award. Award recipients are chosen for their demonstration of "Service Above Self" in their high school leadership activities while achieving high academic success throughout their 4 years at BDSS.
Geet was approached by Sue Foster at The Town of Lincoln Good Citizen awards where Geet was a recipient of an award for his work with Niagara Strong.
The club was looking for RYLA participants and Sue suggested Geet apply. The team of Gayle & Paul Roth interviewed the applicants and Geet was chosen to be sponsored by the club to attend RYLA.
RYLA is an International Youth Leadership development program, District 7090 takes place over 6 days at State University of New York in Fredonia NY. It is an inspiring personal development seminar for young people 19-25 yrs.
Geet shared some of his experiences with the club and called RYLA a life changing experience for him. He has quit his job, switched career paths since returning and is attending Mohawk College this fall in film making and broadcasting.
Geet is the creator of an on-line effort focusing on mental health for youth. Niagara Strong has done fundraising and is selling a line of clothing to help raise funds. One of the first attempts was to raise money for Pathstones a Distress Centre in St, Catharines catering to mental health clients. A video was posted , it was shared by a parents group in Beamsville and the video went viral on social media. the effort raised $4000 in six hours to be donated to Pathstones.
Please check out https://niagarastrong.ca/ for more information and to support Geet in this effort to bring awareness to youth mental health.
Follow Niagara Strong on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/niagarastrong/?eid=ARBC3B0DAom_SHWoS9hJjqOVKdKyOPjdEsGEHBn0Y9iaWdWLdtq6-FANouApRPncckW4vB9otJzA4o5S