On April 10th members from the Rotary Clubs of St Catharines, St Catharines South, Lincoln and Grimsby joined the Rotary Club of St. Catharines Lakeshore for a joint celebration of Youth programming possibilities through Rotary as presented by Patricia Murenbeeld, Rotary District 7090 Youth Exchange Inbound Coordinator. There is no better representation of that celebration than the group photo accompanying this article.
In that photo, we have our District Inbound student from Belgium, as well as our past Youth Exchange student to the Netherlands (notice their blazers loaded with pins and flags). We also have past and present host families along with parents of a future exchange student. The many Rotarians in the party hats symbolize the extensive Rotarian team that each student has to support and nurture their experience.
- Those in the Red Party Hats represent the local Rotary host club members that support their Inbound and Outbound students.
- Those in the Green Party Hats represent the Rotarians on the Rotary District 7090 Youth Exchange Committee who support the students, host families, host clubs and coordinate the program.
- Those in the Purple Party Hats represent the Overseas Host Clubs that support the Outbound students.
- And those in the Black Party Hats represent the Overseas District Youth Exchange Rotarians who support the Students and coordinate the program for those students sent away for Rotary Youth Exchange
This “team” from all over the world works together. From students, to parents, to host parents, to community members, plus Rotarians, they come together, and support one another, all with a common purpose and commitment.
OUR ROTARY VISION STATEMENT states - Together we see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change- across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves. Exposure to different cultures is a powerful force in the promotion of international understanding and peace. The world becomes a smaller, friendlier place when we learn that all people – regardless of nationality – desire the same basic things: a safe, comfortable environment that allows for a rich and satisfying life for themselves and for their children. One of the objectives of Rotary Youth Exchange is to enable all students to broaden their own outlook by learning to live with and meet people of different cultures, creeds, and ethnic backgrounds and by having to cope with day-to-day problems in an environment completely different from the one they have experienced at home.
Unfortunately, the number of Rotary clubs sponsoring students in the Rotary Youth Exchange Program has decreased in District 7090 since the pandemic. This meeting was designed to provide information regarding costs, manpower, timelines, and expectations to support International Youth Exchange as well as providing first hand experiences from Inbound, proposed outbound, previous outbound students, and host families.
Bryan Pett of the Rotary Club of St Catharines Lakeshore stated, “Having the students, host families, and the Rotary support individuals involved really brought home how much of a coordinated team effort the Youth Exchange program is. Brilliant! It also highlighted the indirect and under-appreciated ways Rotary does good in our community and world, and reaffirmed for me, why I am a Rotarian.”
The final lesson from this meeting was YOU can make a difference. REACH Out and talk to our Inbound
students next time you see them. Invite them to participate in a club activity. Invite them over for dinner,
or next time you go to a concert , hockey game, or show. If your Rotary Club does not participate in
Rotary Youth Exchange, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be involved. Reach out to the District 7090
Youth Exchange Committee. We can get you connected.
students next time you see them. Invite them to participate in a club activity. Invite them over for dinner,
or next time you go to a concert , hockey game, or show. If your Rotary Club does not participate in
Rotary Youth Exchange, that doesn’t mean that you can’t be involved. Reach out to the District 7090
Youth Exchange Committee. We can get you connected.
Family welcome (above)
Working together. (above)