District Youth Exchange Students Experience Chicago
[left, Antonia (center) With Other Exchange Students at Columbia Yacht Club, Chicago]
Youth Exchange Students from District 6420 traveled to Chicago Saturday, September 20th to participate in the annual Rotary Youth Exchange Sailing Lake Michigan event sponsored by the International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians - Chicago Fleet. District 6420 students joined over 100 other Exchange Students from Illinois and Michigan to experience sailing on several beautiful yachts owned by the Yachting Rotarians.
.gif)
Students had a great time getting know one another over lunch on the docks of the Columbia Yacht Club Harbor, and then prepared to board the boats. Unfortunately strong winds and an approaching weather front prompted safety officers and Rotary officials to cancel the outing. Students retreated to the floating home base of the Yacht Club, the MV Abegweit, a huge retired 1940's Canadian passenger ferry. Some students enjoyed a tour of the ship, while others trekked into downtown Chicago.
The District 6420 group chose to visit Chicago's Millennium Park and its world famous architectural features the Cloud Gate, a gigantic chrome bean, and the Crown Fountain. Students then traveled to Rockford where they went on a shopping spree at Cherryvale Mall, and then returned to the home of District Youth Exchange Coordinator Linda Gerber in Rockford for a food feast and overnight stay over.
District 6420 monthly events are intended to provide our Inbound Students with positive exposure to American culture and an opportunity for them to develop friendships and support one another on their adventure in the U.S. This year District 6420 hosts twelve inbound students, four boys and six girls from Sweden, Germany, France, Belgium, Russia, Italy, Thailand, Japan, Ecuador, Brazil, and India. See photos of the Chicago weekend on Moline Rotary's Clubrunner page under 2014 Sailing Lake Michigan Weekend.