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Rotary offers opportunities, hope around world

Ethiopian trip by Whistler residents part of effort to wipe out polio Bernie and Bob Morton have just returned from an extraordinary mission in Ethiopia and perhaps the most outstanding aspect of their trip is how accessible these kinds of adventures

Ethiopian trip by Whistler residents part of effort to wipe out polio

Bernie and Bob Morton have just returned from an extraordinary mission in Ethiopia and perhaps the most outstanding aspect of their trip is how accessible these kinds of adventures are to the public.

The Mortons were given the opportunity by Rotary International to travel to villages and immunize more than 300 children against polio.

For 10 days the Mortons assisted local nurses vaccinate children against the deadly disease in a region where the average annual income is $100 US.

"I found the most amazing thing was how welcoming everyone was," Bernie said.

"Most families never had much but they would invite you into their home and put out stools for you and just make you feel welcome."

This is not the first time the Mortons have travelled overseas to provide aid and spread good will, but their experiences would not have been possible without Rotary.

Rotary is perhaps best known for its student programs but Bernie, who is a district trainer, said Rotary provides wonderful opportunities to all kinds of people, including those who are not members.

"Everything’s on www.rotary.org , but I should explain that before we went to Ethiopia we did a trip to South Korea and there were four members of our team who were not members of Rotary," Bernie said.

"I was the team leader on that trip to Korea but the other four members were not because it was a trip designed for introducing people into Rotary."

Rotary was founded 99 years ago as a volunteer organization with the purpose of initiating humanitarian programs. There are now Rotary clubs in 165 countries with more than 1.2 million members.

Rotary’s flagship program is its effort to protect children against polio, with the goal of ending the disease throughout the world by 2005.

Bernie said that in addition to aid programs, Rotary consistently organizes trips to help people expand their knowledge about their chosen profession and promote good will between cultures.

"Our Korean trip was a group study exchange to Pusan in South Korea, it went for four weeks and it was all paid for through Rotary," she said.

"These trips are about spreading good will and fellowship around the world but the main purpose of this trip was to get people between 25 and 40 to learn about his or her profession in another country."

"There was an interview process to pick a team with a good mix of professions as well as a good mix of personalities who had the ability to travel hard; because it’s fun, but you travel hard."

Bernie said many people who go on trips sponsored by Rotary become members when they return.

"Becoming a member is encouraged but some people don’t, but they certainly have a big place in their heart for Rotary."

While it’s clear there are many benefits for adults who are involved in Rotary, there are also enormous incentives for students.

Local student Sarah Morden, 17, has just been chosen by Whistler Rotary to represent Canada for a year in a country of her choice.

Morden was chosen from a field of five in the first round of local interviews.

She now has to pass another interview at the district level.

"I chose the Czech Republic, France and Brazil because I wanted a good mix, but it’s going to be difficult to decide," Morden said.

Once the interview process is complete Morden will be placed in an Outward Bound program where she will learn more personal skills and given training on local customs in preparation for her departure in August 2004.

District chairperson for the Rotary Youth Exchange Lyn Stroshion said the students she has hosted and helped send away on Rotary programs are the type of people that "can change the world".

Stroshion’s daughter spent a year in Brazil and she has also hosted many students from around the world.

"I had a French girl stay here and I would say that she’s my French/Canadian daughter," Stroshion said.

"We e-mail constantly and our kids are good friends."

Stroshion, who is a mother of four, sees the Rotary program as much more than just an exchange program.

"I think the program is something that promotes world peace," she said. "Because people don’t usually go and start war against someone they love, and the kids that come here get loved.

"They come here and they’re home sick, they don’t know the language and they don’t know the culture, but they’re embraced by the families and they learn and come to understand quite quickly.

"The kids who are chosen are the cream of the crop too. Many of them go into politics after the experiences they have.

"I see them as a big elastic band soaking up everything and they get stretched with knowledge and they never return to the way they were."

Stroshion said an exchange program was also an incredible experience for the families who get the opportunity to host kids.

"To have a foreign child live in your house is a relationship that lasts and you’ll find that in most cases the families go and visit the kids in there own countries," she said.

In addition to the one-year exchange program that is reserved for only a select few, Stroshion said there was another program that goes for a month, which is much more accessible.

"There are two types of programs: the long-term exchange and the Rose program.

"The Rose program is a short term exchange that goes for about a month and it’s an easy thing to get into.

"There is an unlimited amount of places and all the kids need is a wish to do it.

"The parents have to pay for a plane ticket, but that’s all. Their child stays for free for one month in another country, which I think would be a great thing to do over the summer.

"It’s a wonderful opportunity for the kids but it’s also practical for parents who want their child to be safe because they’re with a family and being supervised.

"The hosting families are chosen by Rotary so you know they’re going to do their job."

Applications for the Rose program begin in February and the interviews for the annual exchange program are next October but Stroshion said that anyone needing information should contact her or their local organizations now.

The web address for the youth exchange program is: www.d5040youthexchange.ca/.

For anyone wishing to join Rotary, there are two choices in Whistler and many more Squamish.

The original Whistler Rotary club meets at 7:15 a.m. on Tuesdays at the Wildwood Café at the Whistler Tennis club, while the Millennium Rotary club meets at 12:15 p.m. in Boston Pizza every Wednesday.

There are no major differences between the clubs except that one chooses to meet later in the day.

Matt Souza from the Millennium club said anyone interested in joining either club should just attend a meeting.