Rotary’s full name is Rotary International, and, at a brunch at Wells Gray Inn on Mothers’ Day, this became happily evident with some Clearwater members meeting four people from Bangladesh. The experience is called Group Study Exchange (GSE) and encourages visiting from one country to another by carefully selected young working adults. All team members are very well educated; visiting places to learn more about their chosen professions is one objective of this event. Team Leader, Shohid Chowdhury a successful businessman in the hospitality industry, belongs to Rotary but the participants can not be part of this organization.
The leader spoke first telling about his club and its accomplishments in supporting a Hospital for the Disabled in his home city of Sylhet in north-eastern Bangladesh. The two young men described their jobs: Ishrat Ismail - Lecturer of English at the University where he graduated, and Occupational Therapist Shariful Islam who hopes to add G.F. Strong to the impressive list of international hospitals where he has presented papers and studied. Ms. Ishrat Akhond, a Human Resources and Leadership Consultant, encouraged us to think of Bangladesh as an emerging nation, finding its way out of poverty. It was a great learning experience for us locals, as we discovered more about Rotary and a distant country that is now much more to us than a place on a map and a name in the news when things go awry. Banners and gifts were exchanged in friendly fashion.
The group is being hosted by our Rotary District, which includes part of Washington State, and was staying in Kamloops at the time of their visit here. During their month in this part of BC, they will visit many other Rotary Clubs in District 5060. Our Assistant District Governor, Sherry Chamberlain and her husband Jim, and host Ron Newson, all of Kamloops, accompanied the team. Following the brunch, locals Richard Christenson (our President) and Leon O’Dette led all of the visitors to view Spahats, Dawson and Helmcken Falls. They were awestruck, but perhaps this was upstaged when one team member who had never seen snow before, was presented with a snowball. Predictably, a snowball fight ensued...
Important Updates
May Days Parade: By popular demand, the parade will end at its usual location --- Raft River Elementary School. Food and a pop is free for participants at the bbq there; others pay $5.00.
Chefs in the Country: Our new fund-raiser is being postponed until the fall - a less busy time for the restaurateurs and caterers who wish to participate.