Maryville Rotary Club - International Service

Dana West, Director of International Service
The Rotary Cluh of Maryville
P.O. Box 4726
Maryville,TN 37802

Announcements

Maryville Rotary Club Hosts French Group Study Exchange (GSE) Team in Successful Visit

French GSE Team Arrives April 9

The French Group Study Exchange (GSE) Team shown above arrived on April 9. The team, all of whom were medical professionals, included Drs. Hugues Coevoet, Perrine Enguerand, Arnaud LaLanne, Jean-Noel Hannecart - Rotarian Leader, and Anouck Schneider.

The team toured the Smoky Mountains National Park and spent time working with physicians in their matching specialties.

French GSE Team Visits the Maryville Rotary Club

On Thursday, April 12 the French GSE Team visited with our club.

French GSE Team Members at District Conference

Members of the French GSE Team at the Rotary District 6780 Conference in Chattanooga show off their Tennessee Orange shirts courtesy of Mike Husk.

Our host families had a wonderful experience with all of the members of the dream team. Special thanks to our Rotarian families who hosted members of the team in their homes. The host families included Karen Wentz and Ron Appuhn, Beth, Tony and Thomas Stubbs, Will and Betty Ludwig, and Susan and Walter Cole.

Others in our club assisted with the visit. Thanks to Dr. Alan Smuckler, who arranged medical visits for the team, Scott Poland, who conducted a tour of the Municipal Building, Chris LaRue who assisted the team with their presentation to our club, Dana West who made arrangements for the team and provided club banners for each team member, and Karen Wentz, Bob and Denia Lash, and Walter and Susan Cole who provided transportation to the District Conference for the team.

Current Opportunities for Service

Our club has a commitment to International Service. If you would like to serve on any one or more of the Committees, please let Dana West know.

Rotary Foundation

Every Rotarian, every year $100 – that is the goal for every Rotary club. Our club averages this amount only because there are several members that give much more than $100 every year. Therefore, our club does not meet this goal. $100 per year is just over $8 per month. Please, let’s make our club 100%. In addition, there are several levels of giving. One example is that by donating $1,000 over any period of time, we become eligible for a Paul Harris Fellowship. The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education and the alleviation of poverty. The Rotary Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation that is supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world. This committee makes members aware of the opportunities to support the work of the foundation. It is the goal of our club to support the goal of every member, every year, $100. The following area committees fall under International Service and the Rotary Foundation.

Group Study Exchange

The 2006-07 Rotrary year GSE team visit was successful. Why not make a commitment to this important program next year by volunteering to host a visiting team member, providing transportation, or other service. Club members are always invited to participate in the team's activities. If you are interested, please contact Dana West.

The Group Study Exchange program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for business and professional men and women in the initial years of their careers. The program is designed to develop professional and leadership skills among young people to better prepare them to address the needs of their communities and an increasingly global workplace. A team consists of one team leader who is a Rotarian and four team members who are not Rotarians and who are between the ages of 25 – 40, with at least two years of experience in their profession. There is an outgoing team from our District and an incoming team which our club has traditionally hosted for part of their visit.

Youth Exchange Program

Students participate in exchanges with students from other countries. High school students between the ages of 15 and 19 are eligible to apply. Dave and Emile Straquadine and Mike and Deborah Husk hosted Flor Bianco from Argentina in the 2006-07 Rotrary year. Don't forget, students from our high schools are eligible for this program and the opportunity to study in a foreign county for one school year.

Ambassadorial Scholarships

Scholarships may amount to $26,000 for one year of academic study in another country. The program also seeks qualified applicants for grants to university teachers and applicants for Peace Fellowships. The purpose is to promote international understanding and good will by sending ambassadors of goodwill to study and live in another country. Our club is currently taking applications for Ambassadorial Scholarships. If you know of a person who has completed two years of college, would be a good ambassador of goodwill, and would like to study abroad for a year, then please let Dana West know.

Polio Plus

The purpose of Polio Plus is to support Rotary’s goal to eradicate polio through out the world. Rotarian’s are eligible to participate in National Immunization Days. In addition, Rotarian’s can support the goal by donations to the Polio Plus fund.

World Community Service

A World Community Service project is born when Rotary clubs from two or more countries join together to accomplish a community service project. The World Community Service program links Rotary clubs needing extra help with clubs in other countries that are willing to provide funds, materials and technical and professional assistance. Water management projects are a current focus. In the 2006-07 Rotary year our club donated $2,000 to the Thailand Safe Water Project. Our funds were put to good use and system #2, which we funded, has been dedicated in Soek Muang village benefitting several hundred people.

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