Justus Kirchhoff "RYE Year Wrap-up" & Jerry Thain "RI International Convention Highlights"
 
Justus Kirchhoff, our fine RYE student visitor, gave us a heartwarming thank you. His pictures of Rotary activities; generous host families, the Ruchtis, Lieders and Sindermans; sites visited and sports and band undertaken were gratifying to us. And Justus was convincingly sincere in his appreciation for an extraordinary year of varied experiences. One could see how he had grown, found new interests and extended old ones. His father's home club in Baden-Baden will be impressed and proud with this visible tribute to a Rotary exchange year. What a fine young man! What a good time he gave us. The club sent him off with thanks, wishes for good luck, and confidence that his future will be a bright one.

We also take a moment to thank the host families and our great team of club workers sustaining the RYE program at District and club level.

Jerry Thain stepped forward when Priscilla was felled by a bee sting and ended up in hospital on Sunday, July 4th. Jerry highlighted the pleasures and features of the Rotary International Convention in Montreal on June 20 to 23rd.

Like Justus's, but very compressed, the Thain's experiences were varied. This convention marked the 100th anniversary of Rotary becoming international for the Rotary Club of Winnepeg was chartered in 1910. The impressive flag parade, featuring almost 200 flags Rotary countries marked the opening Plenary Session. One new Rotary nation, Palestine, hosted and supported jointly by Israel and Jordan, was welcomed into the Rotary family. The House of Friendship is always a fascinating destination. Hundreds of booths display the huge variety of Rotary projects, sell Rotary paraphernalia, and offer places to sit and chat with Rotarians, many wearing ceremonial native dress as well as welcoming smiles. Each RI Convention includes entertainment, breakout sessions, meals talks by notable persons. Queen Noor and Greg Mortensen, author of Three Cups of Tea were among them.

He hopes that his enthusiasm, and the Thains repeated satisfaction with R I Conventions will inspire some club members to attend New Orleans next year