Rotary receives visitors from down under

Stephenville's Rotary Club played host recently to a group of five Australians on a Stephenville stop-over of their Rotary Group Study Exchange program.

Each year a Rotary Club can nominate young professionals in its community, non-Rotary members, to participate in the program.

Team leader David Ross, a member of the Rotary Club of Paramatta City, led the team members in a presentation about the places in Australia from which they came and their jobs.

Suzanne Wright, an employment caseworker; Colin Wilkes, an area sales manager; Cate Robinson, a high school teacher and Shannon Tonkin, a journalist, each also spoke on a topic specific to their country - its geography, history and sports.

Local Rotary members viewed photographs of kangaroos, mountain scenery, and the Sydney Opera House, which classically trained musician Ms. Wright said she played.

Rotary clubs all over the world sponsor group study exchange programs. The Stephenville Club in particular has been successful in sending young professionals from this area to France and to Africa on the same program. A trip offered this year to Japan, however, received no applicants.

To apply, a person must be between the ages of 25 and 40 and not be a member of Rotary.

The trip to Atlantic Canada was professionally enhancing for journalist Shannon Tonkin, who writes for two community newspapers in Australia.

"Learning how journalists from different parts of the world interact with our community and become part of their community and become a voice for their community is always very interesting to study," she said. "So there's been lots of exchanges of ideas and that's something I'll remember for a long time to come."

The team spent just one night and one dinner with the local Rotary before heading to Corner Brook and parts East. Before leaving, Mr. Ross said the team was very well received throughout Nova Scotia, but was told to wait until they got to Newfoundland to see some true Canadian hospitality.

"And I must say we have had a wonderful time," he said.

reporter@thegeorgian.ca