The Sunrisers, along with our sister club, the Rotary Club of Sudbury, continue to support peace and international understanding through education, and it is for this reason we are participating in Rotary’s Youth Exchange.
This program fosters international goodwill by enabling 8,500 high school students to live and study abroad each year in more than 100 countries.
The Sunrisers have sponsored Candice Larson, daughter of Sunriser Dawn Larson, as a member of Rotary’s Youth Exchange Program. Candice recently left for Croatia, where she will live with her host family and attend high school for a year.
Candice is an enthusiastic 16-year-old with an endearing smile and outgoing personality. She regularly attended meetings and events of the Sunrisers to keep the club fully apprised of her endeavours to complete her preparation for the year abroad.
We could not have found a more deserving candidate.
In turn, the Sunrisers will be hosting Mirelle Neves from the city of Catalao, Brazil, as part of our commitment to the Youth Exchange program.
Mirelle is also 16 and will be attending Lo-Ellen Park Secondary school for the coming year. During her stay she will reside with her Sunriser host families.
We give a hearty welcome to Mirelle.
Programs such as student exchange cannot exist without the support of all Rotarians, and especially our host families.
In other news, Sunriser Line Villeneuve is an active volunteer with the Wild at Heart Wildlife Refuge in Walden.
This wildlife refuge is a non-profit, registered charity that promotes wildlife conservation by providing veterinary care and rehabilitation to injured, sick or orphaned wildlife.
This spring, Line shared her passion for helping animals to the Sunrisers, who responded with a cash donation of $1,650 to pay for infant formula, needed for feeding a variety of abandoned wildlife.
Line also recruited a group of Sunrisers with the required expertise to create a video for Wild at Heart, as well as a new sign.
We congratulate Line on her stellar efforts in helping these vulnerable animals, as well as bringing an awareness of the needs of groups such as Wild at Heart.
Nine members of the Sunrisers Club strike out for the annual district Rotary conference being hosted in Val’Dor, Que., Sept. 18-21. This is an opportunity for members to learn and to participate in events that serve to make Rotary, and Rotary International, stronger.
Next year, it will be the Sunrisers turn to host the district conference. Between 225 and 250 delegate Rotarians from our district will spend three days in Sudbury for the event.
In still more Rotary news, Sept. 13 we held the Fun Run at Rotary Park. This was a shared event between the Sunriser’ and the Rotary Club of Sudbury.
A special thank you to all those who participated and helped support the Rotary Park, which continues to evolve thanks to the dedication of Rotarians from both our clubs.
A big reminder that our signature fundraiser, Vie Le Vin, will be held at the Caruso Club on Nov. 15. Please note this is a change. It was previously scheduled for Nov. 28 at the Radisson Hotel.
Contact any Sunriser for tickets. This is a fun night, not to be missed.
Alex McCauley is a member of the Rotary Club of Sudbury Sunrisers.
