Roger Cline, our host last week, agreed to greet everyone he meets with a smile, and to be particularly appreciative to store clerks.  Thank you Roger!!

 

Our speaker, Bob Heydorn, received the district's "Service Above Self Award" this year for his work with the Youth Exchange Program.  His daughter was an exchange student and described her time abroad as being 'the best year of her life'.

 

Rotary offers long-term and short-term Youth Exchange programs.  In the long-term program, the  US high school student visits another country, usually for 10 months.  He or she lives with a thoroughly vetted Rotarian host family who provides room and board.  The outbound student's family is responsible for travel expenses, spending money, Rotary medical insurance and an emergency fund of $300.  The students are approved by the local Rotary district to participate in the program.

 

A foreign student can expect a variety of experiences:  school activities, learning about the culture of the local community, learning about the USA, in general, new foods, etc.  Part of the hope of having students here is to dispel some of their American impressions learned from television and movies.  All students soon discover there are more similarities, than differences, among people of different cultures.

 

The short-term program involves a student from the US spending 4 weeks in another country and then bringing a student from the foreign host family here for 4 weeks.  Carrie's daughter, Sienna, participated a year ago. 

 

The goal of these programs is to build peace, one student at a time.  Of course, the programs are on hold during the time of this pandemic. Hopefully the program will start up again in January 2021.  

 

Bob --- We thank you for sharing your stories and Rotarian enthusiasm with our Club!!