Mie is a Rotary Youth Exchange student who is staying with a host family in the Camino / Pollock Pines club.  She gave us an entertaining presentation that gave us a good picture of her life in Denmark and something about her experience so far in America.  She lives in a suburb of Aarhus, a city of 300,000, and her favorite activity was being a child actor performing in The Old Town museum in Aarhus from age 9 to 13.  One big difference she noted in her day to day life here was that her host family and her need to use a car to get around, whereas in Denmark, she mostly used her bicycle.  In Denmark, the teachers moved from classroom to classroom and here of course the students move from classroom to classroom.  In Denmark, students over age 18 get paid to go to college, whereas here many colleges or universities are very expensive.  Her reasons for wanting to be an exchange student (since 5th grade) include wanting to learn a new culture, make friends for life, to network and for personal development.  At her American high school, Mie is engaged in purely American sports not available in Denmark:  cheerleading and powderpuff football.  Mie was a delight and we invited her back late in her year here if she so desires.

 Membership chair Anne Eckert presented Suzy with her Red Badge and other membership materials (right).  Suzy was accompanied by her parents, Ian and Sally Marshall, for the presentation.  Suzy eagerly accepted and is promising that she will advance quickly to blue badge status.

October 24th was World Polio Day and our club marked the day as follows:  1) Dave Sargent recounted his experience of a few years ago when he traveled to India with fellow Rotarians to assist and witness the delivery of the vaccine to vulnerable children.  He said that it was very moving to be at the front lines representing so many who have given so much to make the anti-polio campaign a reality.  2) Bill Hughes also spoke in his Polio+ shirt about the articles in the Rotarian magazine describing the impact of the disease in the lives of five Rotarians.  He reminded us that Rotary's End Polio program started in 1979 in the Philippines. He also auctioned off a box of chocolates with the proceeds going to Polio+.  The bidding, starting at $100 was spirited and won by Ulla Petersen at $300.  Bill also described a form that will help members make one-time or ongoing gifts to the Rotary Polio+ project.