Highlights of October 20 Meeting

 

Dick explained the holder of the winning ticket would automatically win $35.00.  They would also win the right to draw a card from the deck.  If they draw the joker, they will win an additional $20.  If they draw the Ace of Clubs, they will win the large pot, which is now up to $297.00.  He asked Fanny Leinard to draw the winning ticket.  She drew her own ticket.  The card she drew from the deck was the Nine of Clubs.

 

 

Logan Harper was invited to come forward to be recognized.  John Pennypacker explained that Paul Harris Fellow recognition is awarded to members who have donated $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation or someone has transferred recognition points accrued in their own giving account so someone else can be recognized.  Each additional $1,000 in giving will earn another level of Paul Harris Fellow recognition.  Logan, who has only been a Rotarian since May, 2021, has already received his Paul Harris Fellow Plus One recognition, which represents a total of $2,000 having been donated to do good in the world.  

 

 

 

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President Pam began by explaining that the program originally scheduled for the October 20 meeting had to cancel two days prior to the meeting.  She said she was wearing her own RYLA shirt as a clue for what we were going to hear about.  Pam also said that October 20 was National Youth Confidence Day, and remarked that Fanny, as a Rotary Youth Exchange Student represents youth confidence in its highest form.  She was brave enough to leave home and family to live in another country for a year - and then signed up for cheerleading.

 

Fanny will do a full report on her exchange later in the year, but we did get a preview.  The community she is form is in the north of France.  She has been here since July and is very happy to be here.  When asked how the school day differs in the two countries, Fanny explained that her school day at Campo Verde High School begins at 7:30 AM and is over at 2:30 PM.  She has six classes there.  In France, her school day begins at 8:00 AM and ends at 6:00 PM with a 20-minute lunch break.  After school she spends the rest of the evening studying.  There is no time for extra curricular activities or sports.  Here, after spending a couple of hours at home following school, she goes back for two hours of cheer practice.  That opportunity doesn't exist in France.  She said her favorite food here is fast food, because there is not so many opportunities for that in France.  Her favorite fast-food restaurant here is Chick Fil-A.  She said the other students at Campo Verde have been very nice, and open-minded.  She has been able to make friends with others at school.

 

When asked about RYLA, Fanny said the day was filled with activity from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM.  She said is was fun, and she learned about leadership and confidence.

 

Pam was ready with some RYLA-related participatory fun.  Logan Harper and John Pennypacker were selected to choose teams to compete against each other in a challenge.  John's team consisted of himself, Fanny Leinard, Gina Schroeder, Ted Williams and Mike Whalen.  Logan's team members were Ron Thompson, Polly Cady, Sean Green and Polo Santiago. 

 

The two teams each had a hula hoop they had to pass around as they stood in a circle holding hands without letting go of he hands of the individuals next to them after the hoop had been placed between two people who joined hands through the hoop.  The competition was pretty intense and it was so close it was hard to say which team won.  They were far enough apart, it was impossible to watch both teams at once.  

 

The next challenge was not a competition, it was an exercise in cooperation and trust.  The members from both teams lined up across from each other to catch Fanny Leinard in her Trust Fall.  The team members had their arms reaching forward in front of themselves, bent at the elbows.  Fanny stood on top of a ladder facing the opposite direction.  When Pam signaled all was ready, Fanny let herself fall backward into a soft landing on the outstretched arms of the waiting Rotary members.

 

After these fun activities, Fanny was asked to share some of her impressions of RYLA.  She said her favorite activity was Bafa Bafa.  In that activity, two teams each represented very different cultures and had to learn about each other.  They had to work as teams to get acquainted.

 

Pam told about attending a Westwood High School Interact meeting on October 19 after RYLA.  Pam had arrived early in Mr. Becker's classroom.  two girls who had attended RYLA went to a corner and started talking about how friendly Team France was.  Their conversation was "Fanny did this..."  "Fanny did that..."   "Fanny was the best..."  Some that were on the Switzerland team agreed - Fanny was the best.