Rotary offers open door to the world
THIS year Rotary celebrates 53 years of the Youth Exchange Program in Australia.
The first exchange conducted was in Wangaratta in 1958, with a student who came from the US.
In 2011 more than 7000 young people will have the opportunity of a lifetime - a chance to live in another country and see the world from a new perspective through Rotary Youth Exchange.
An alumni dinner was held at the Warwick Golf Club recently to celebrate the students who have successfully completed their year overseas.
Two locals, Mindi Devine who travelled to Canada in 2008, and Erin Dean, who spent a year in Switzerland 30 years ago, were guest speakers at the dinner and provided insight into their experiences abroad as exchange students.
Other locals who enjoyed the alumni dinner and spent a year overseas as Rotary exchange students were Kahli Dawkins, Danielle Dwan, Simon Locke and Sophie Williams.
Jiah Long, a Warwick High School Year 12 student who will head off in January, for a 12-month exchange in Brazil, also attended the dinner and gained some useful information from the previous exchange students.
The Rotary Club of Warwick Sunrise hosted the dinner and enjoyed the opportunity to hear the stories and experiences of the returning and outgoing exchange students.
The Warwick Sunrise Club meets at the Warwick Motor Inn every Thursday for a breakfast meeting from 7am to 8am to support and co-ordinate community, national and international services.
Anyone interested in attending a meeting is most welcome.
