“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” – Princess Diana

 

“You are allowed to outgrow people. This includes past versions of yourself.” – Mandy Hale

 

“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

 

 

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

(notes provided by the erudite Mary Hodson)

 

There will be no morning meeting on August 29.  Diana asked members to invite former members and friends of Don Decker to the Decker Garden Rededication at 5:30 PM that day.   After the Rededication, we will remove to LODGIC.

 

 

PROGRAM

 

David Henry introduced his daughter Lauryn who has returned from a Rotary Youth Exchange in France.  Lauryn never heard about Rotary Youth Exchange at her school.  Rather, she learned about it from her mother Tiffani, who had been a Youth Exchange to the Philippines.

 

Lauryn explained that during her exchange she stayed in three homes around Lyon, about two hours from Geneva.   Although she had four years of high school French, she didn’t understand her first host family for about two weeks.   On weekdays, she attended a private Catholic school from 8 AM to 5:15 PM.  She missed the diversity of Centennial High School.

 

Her first host family took her to Paris, Normandy and Mt. San Michel.   She met the extended family at their very formal Christmas dinner.   After four months, she moved to a second home in the countryside.  Her second host family took her to ski resorts, the south of France and Spain where they visited Gaudi architecture and the Dali Museum.

 

Lauryn was initially apprehensive about her third hosts, a divorced couple.   She switched homes each week, but it worked out very well.  During this time, Rotary allowed her to go out of the country to visit her cousin in Poland.

 

Lauryn made many friends through the activities arranged by the Rotarians for the Youth Exchange students.   The Rotarians took them on a bus trip to Paris and Switzerland.   She made friends from Finland and Austria.   

 

Asked about French attitudes toward Americans, Lauryn said most had fixed ideas based on the media.  She felt she could better represent the USA to them.  Our members all agreed that she is a great ambassador!

 

She described coming home after ten months was “bittersweet”.  Now she wants to share her experiences and speak to students about Youth Exchange.  She also introduced Fah Inthachak, a Youth Exchange from Thailand, who has been with her family for just two days.

 

 

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  Aug 15th Aug 22nd Aug 29th Sept 5th
Introductions Allan Penwell Ed Perry Rod Roberts Tod Satterthwaite
Reflection Jen Shelby Lou Simpson Cary Woolard Charlie Smith
Greeters Allan Penwell Ed Perry Rod Roberts Tod Satterthwaite
Keith Brandau Paul Conforti Diana Dummitt Ata Durukan
Song Leader Adam Wright Oktay Baran Michelle Barbey Keith Brandau
Notetaker Conforti Perry Penwell Hodson
Decker Weeding Penwell Baran Johnson  
Next Weekend        

 

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UPCOMING SCHEDULE (with program committee member responsible listed in parentheses)

August 15th – Mike Hirschi will discuss the Rotary Foundation (Darrell)

August 22nd – Mitch Marlow from the Virginia Theater will speak to us the Virginia’s upcoming season (Charlie)

August 29th – No regular meeting (5th Thursday) – 

September 5th – TBD (Cary)

September 12th – Club Assembly

September 19th – Michelle Layser, Assistant Professor of Law, UIUC will discuss tax law and social policy (Tom)

September 26th – Meghan Gentry will speak about foster care in Champaign-Urbana (Ondine)

October 3rd – Lisa Wilson, Executive Director, East Central Illinois Refugee Mutual Assistance Center (ECIRMAC) (Bob)

October 10th – Club Assembly

October 17th – TBD (Cary)

October 24th – TBD (Charlie)

October 29th – Tuesday – C-U Sunrise Rotary Charter Anniversary banquet at Biaggi’s

October 31st – No regular meeting (5th Thursday) – 

November 7th – TBD (David)

November 14th – District Governor Julie Dobski

November 21st – TBD (Ondine)

November 28th – TBD 

December 5th – TBD

December 12th – Club Assembly