Rotary hosts group from Hong Kong

RIVER VALLEY -- Recently, the River Valley Rotary Club hosted the Group Study Exchange team from Hong Kong.

The GSE team, from the field of medicine, left from the Hope Association on April 21 at 5:30 a.m. for a presentation at the Saco Bay Rotary Club's breakfast meeting. From there, the team visited LifeFlight at the Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston before coming back to Rumford for a lunch hosted by the Hope Association.

In the afternoon, the team traveled to Dixfield to tour the Irving Lumber Mill, then toured the Premium Specialty Hardwoods in Rumford.

The busy day concluded with giving team members a change to settle in with their host families before the evening social.

Friday was a vocational day, and after a breakfast with their host families, the team was transported to Rumford Hospital for a guided tour with hospital President John Welsh and his staff. They were allowed one-on-one time with colleagues, doctors, medical staff and facility tour with lunch provided by the hospital. They gained valuable information and were excited to share information in similar fields of medicine.

The five-day visit was made possible through the effort of Rotary GSE committee members Richard Allen, Bill Gates, Catherine Johnson, Jane Bubar, Becky Hall, Jerry Cohen, Kelly Greene and Joe Sirois of River Valley Rotary, and Steve Wight of Bethel Rotary, who collaborated and organized host families, activities and professional vocation opportunities for an exchange of

information.

Host families who opened up their homes for their visitors were Rotarians Bill Gates, Catherine Johnson, Joe Sirois and Steve Wight, who were able to share cultural experiences and introduce them to Maine.

In the early 1960's, the Rotary International Trustees began considering programs for non-Rotarians that would promote international goodwill and understanding. One plan was for small groups of young business and professional men and women to travel from one Rotary district to a district in another country.

In the nearly five decades since, more than 70,000 young men and women have traveled the globe as part of Group Study Exchange teams.

River Valley Rotary meets every Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. for their breakfast meeting at 49 Franklin St. in Rumford and every third Tuesday for their social meeting at 4 p.m., also at 49 Franklin St. Feel free to join them at either venue and see what their club is all about or visit: http://www.RiverValleyRotaryClub.org.

Rotary hosts Photo:

Inside the Maine Made Furniture Co., Brian Phelps led a tour and discussion about the business with the Rotary Club's Group Study Exchange team from Hong Kong. (Times photo by Bruce Farrin)