GSE Team : From Virginia to Jamaica

VIRGINIA IS FOR Lovers of Jamaica! How else can you possibly sum up a five week experience that equates to a crash course in a country’s cultural essence, and enables total strangers to bond like family within a three day period of living under the same roof?

The Rotary International Group Study Exchange (GSE) Program provides a comprehensive view of a country, its culture and its people, and is by far the best kept secret of Rotary. Jamaica is possibly the friendliest country on earth, and in the words of its tourist board, “Once you go, you [truly] know Jamaica, so it is impossible not to fall in love with the country and its people! Just ask Rotarian Mary Turpin (President-elect, Rotary Club of Rosslyn-Ft. Myers), Brian Ours (sponsored by the Rotary Club of Stafford), Brian Shea (sponsored by the Rotary Club of McLean), Demond Pollard (sponsored by the Rotary Club of Herndon), and Loán (Lo-An) Sewer (sponsored by the Rotary Club of Falls Church).

FORGING FRIENDSHIPS

From December 2009 to April 2010, GSE Team Virginia—which also originally included Anuj Phull (sponsored by the Rotary Club of McLean)— forged friendships that have evolved into lifetime relationships and prepared us for the adventure of a lifetime.

Click HERE to read the rest of the article written by Loán Sewer, GSE team member, sponsored by Rotary Club of Falls Church

Rotary Mobay partners with Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club

Regina Edwards presenting a cheque to The Rotary Club of Montego Bay as part of the Joint Project

As a Joint Project with Rotary Club of Montego Bay, coordinated by International Projects Director PP Bhagwan Chuganey, Past President Regina Edwards of The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club arrived in Jamaica with her family on the 28th of April 2010. She brought with her a large shipment of:

 Medical Equipment & Supplies for Cornwall Regional Hospital;
 Cash & kind ,which included disposable supplies, children's video cassettes, and many other goodies for donation to the West Haven and Blessed Assurance Places of Safety for children;
 Books for contribution to the Literacy Drive

The Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch has partnred with our Club almost every year providing over US$200,000 worth of equipment and medical supplies.

President Michelle pinning Regina Edwards

Past President Regina Edwards of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Rotary Club took time out from her vacation in Jamaica with her family on the 28th of April to deliver the equipment and supplies and to present a cheque to our Club to complete the project.

Unloading Cargo at the Port

A very special Thanks to The Carnival Conquest who transported the goods from Texas to Montego Bay.


All photos courtesy of Michelle Daswani (c)

GSE Australia Team hosted by the Rotary Club of Montego Bay

L-R: PP & GSE Team Leader Trevor Lynch, Katrina Mason, President Michelle Daswani, Philipp Bourquin, Dayle McGeachie, Scott Johnson and GSE Director Immediate Past President Kay Reuben at Lunch Meeting of the Rotary Club of Montego Bay

At our Lunch meeting on the 27th of April 2010, President Michelle Daswani welcomed the Group Study Exchange Team visiting from Australia. The Team Leader, Past President of the Rotary Club of East Maitland, Australia, Trevor Lynch was presented with a Paul Harris Medallion by our Past President George Palmer.

The Team Leader, PP Trevor Lynch, and each of the other four members of the team gave interesting and informative presentations about themselves, their work, their families, special interests and aspects of Australian geography, life, culture and heritage.

PP Trevor Lynch thanked PP George and the Club for bestowing the Paul Harris Medallion on him. He also thanked the various Hosts of the Team and those who have helped to transport and look after them. He stated that highlights of their stay in Montego Bay have been the Rose Hall Rotary Club's Installation & Charter Banquet, visits to schools and to the Jamaica Public Service.

Trevor is a retired Mathematics teacher and has been a Rotarian for 15 years. He lists sport as an important part of his life. He highlighted the different types of snakes of Australia, informing the meeting about their reputation, danger and antidote to their bite.

Other Team members are :-

Dayle McGeachie - sponsored by the Rotary Club of Charlestown, is an Area Coordinator for the Ronald McDonald Learning Programme. The program supports the educational needs of children recovering from serious illness, by providing individual learning programs.
She also facilitates Professional Development courses to make Educators aware of the effects of serious illness on a child’s education. Dayle also holds National and World titles in Surf Lifesaving.

Philipp Bourquin – sponsored by the Rotary Club of Nelson Bay, works in the Energy Utilities Industry overseeing the operation and maintenance of natural gas infrastructure, having under his management a team of 36 people. He enjoys outdoor activities and is an active member of the local Surf Life Saving Club.

Katrina Mason – sponsored by the Rotary Club of Newcastle Sunrise, works as a Residential Case Manger in the Youth Service. Katrina is responsible for 15 children and young people, the training of caseworkers and a team of youth workers. Katrina enjoys travelling and has spent long periods in South East Asia and New Zealand. She especially enjoys activities which revolve around the ocean.

Scott Johnson – Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Morisset, is a Residential Programme
Coordinator at a Sports and Recreation Centre. Scott’s role is to organise a wide variety of clients and provide mainly recreational activities for them. These include archery, sailing, canoeing and rock climbing, to name a few. The majority of the clients are school children but he also provides programmes for family groups. Scott enjoys sport especially cricket and golf.

The Group was hosted by The Rotary Club of Montego Bay East on the evening of Monday the 19th of April at a member's home and visited the Rotary Club of Montego Bay Sunrise, The Rotary Club of Falmouth and Lucea before heading to Kingston for the District Conference.

Rotary Club of Carrollton Farmers Branch partners with Rotary Club of Mobay to bring Medical Supplies to the Cornwall Regional Hospital

A big THANK YOU to The Rotary Club of Carrollton-Farmers Branch in Texas who will once again partner with the Rotary Club of Montego Bay to provide Medical Supplies for the Cornwall Regional Hospital.

The Carrollton-Farmers Branch Club has partnered with our Club almost every year providing over US$200,000 worth of medical supplies and equipment to date. Past President Regina Edwards of the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Club will take time out from her vacation in Jamaica with her family on the 28th of April to make the presentation to the Hospital with our Club.

The Cornwall regional Hospital is the premier public health care facility serving Western Jamaica and our own PP Bhagwan who acts as laiason with the Hospital was advised that its current urgent requirement is medical disposables.

Regina's son, Luke, convinced the Director of his pre-school, Mary Barter to get his school mates at the Bent Tree Child Development Center in Addison, Texas involved in the project. Luke and his friends made a poster (see photo above) to raise awareness and funds for the mission trip. Funds raised will go towards purchasing the disposables.

Says Regina, "We also found several Snoopy stuffed animals that the boys want to bring to give to the kids in the hospital. (They have a Hawaiian looking shirt on so they seem just right for Jamaica.)."

Special thanks to Regina, her Club and the Bent Tree Child Development Centre for their gracious act of kindness and taking this initiative once again to bring supplies to Jamaica!

Rotary Club of Goodyear, White Tanks, Arizona

Past President Bhagwan of the Rotary Club of Montego Bay with visiting Rotarians Jan & Gary (foreground)

and David (in back) from the Rotary Club of Goodyear, White Tank, Arizona

In October of 2009 Rotarians Jan, Gary and David, while cruising the Caribbean, stopped in Montego Bay and paid our club a visit where they were warmly received.

As promised the visiting Rotarians sent a banner from their home Club, the Rotary Club of Goodyear, White Tanks, Arizona to our Past President Bhagwan. The banner was presented to our Club on Tuesday the 5th of January 2010 at our first luncheon meeting for the New Year and a Toast raised by our club to the Rotary Club of Goodyear.

The Club was chartered in 1987 and was sponsored by Estrella Rotary Club. The Rotary Club of Goodyear meets at 6:45 AM Thursday Mornings at the Tuscany Falls Clubhouse, PebbleCreek Community 16222 W. Clubhouse Drive Goodyear, Arizona 85395.

For more information on Rotary Goodyear (White Tanks) visit their website here.