Group Study Exchange

Service Clubs

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(L) Mauricio Boff, GSE team member, Erin Zorzi, president of the Port Elgin Rotary, Maria Alice Dode, GSE team leader, Henry Weickert, president Southampton Rotary and Debora Marques, GSE team member.

Ann Bourgeois of Philosopher's Wool second from left shows Rotary GSE team member Debora Marques a special knitting stitch while GSE team members Mauricio Boff and Marcia Klee observe

The Rotary Clubs of Port Elgin and Southampton hosted a Group Study Exchange (GSE) visit May 29-31.

The four member GSE team, from Brazil, was headed by Rotarian Maria Alice Dode who is a physician. Other team members included trade specialist Debora Marques, journalist Mauricio Boff and teacher Marcia Klee.

During their visit the host Rotarians from Saugeen Shores escorted the Group Study Exchange team on a tour of the local area to learn something about our community. Stops on the tour included Bruce Power, Huron Fringe Birding Festival at McGregor Park, Steelback Brewery, Southampton Hospital, Bruce County Museum and a special visit to the Philosopher's Wool near Tiverton.

One of the highlights for the visitors from Brazil was the SDSS production of Oklahoma which they thoroughly enjoyed.

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04/06/2009 10:37 PM

Dr. Kirk Hollohan, left, gives the members of the Rotary GSE team and local Rotarians an overview of the Southampton hospital facilities and answered questions from the Brazilian group.

The GSE team has been visiting clubs Rotary District 6330 in Michigan and Southwestern Ontario since early May and will return to Brazil following the District 6330 annual conference being held in Mildmay June 5-7.

The Group Study Exchange program of The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women between the ages of 25
and 40 in the initial years of their professional life. The program provides travel grants for teams of participants to exchange visits between paired areas in different countries.

For four to six weeks, team members study the host country’s institutions and ways of life, observe their own vocations as practiced abroad, develop personal and professional relationships, and exchange ideas. Team members can come from corporations, small businesses, community organizations, medical and educational facilities, government offices, and nonprofit agencies. Rotary Group Study Exchange (GSE) team members from Brazil made a presentation about their country to local area Rotarians at the Southampton Rotary Hall May 29th.