Thursday, February 14, 2013

GSE 2013 From Oregon Visits Aklan



The Rotary Club of Kalibo will be the host of five (5) members of the Rotary International Group Study Exchange (GSE) Team. They are from Rotary International District 5110 Oregon, USA. They will arrive in Kalibo on February 20, 2013 and stay until February 22 when they will depart for Boracay.

GSE is a cultural project of Rotary International geared to promote peace and understanding among nations and people.
The GSE Team is composed of:

Tommi Drake 
Team Leader 

Tommi is a member of the Rogue Gateway Rotary Club of Grants Pass, Oregon. Prior to retirement, she was the Gallery Director and Art Department Head at Rogue Community College. Currently, she teaches one class a quarter and is a community advocate working with arts groups and tourism to ‘promote our people and support our area’. She is a grandma of four young people. She visits with them as much as possible. Aside from her art, she loves to hike, raft and visit with family and friends.

Beth McGrady
Beth McGrady is a registered nurse on the orthopedic unit in Coos Bay, Oregon. Her father teaches metal shop for high school students and her mother teaches water aerobics. She’s the youngest of five children having three brothers and one sister. She loves science, reading, and being outside. Herfuture goal is to join Doctors Without Borders and give medical aid around the world.

“Peace begins with a smile.” ~ Mother Theresa

Kendra Northam grew up in Juneau, Alaska and moved to Eugene, Oregon in 2002. She was adopted from S. Korea at 3 months old and has an older sister, supportive parents, and many great friends in her life. Kendra graduated with her nursing degree in 2009 and has since been working on a progressive cardiac hospital unit. Kendra enjoys volunteer work and plans to continue volunteering throughout her nursing career. In 2012, she participated in a medical mission to Guatemala with HELPS International to provide care for the underserved.

Lauretta Prince
Lauretta’s family has lived in Oregon for two generations. Her husband is studying engineering, her mother is a lawyer, her father is a gunsmith, and her brother builds houses. They enjoy outdoors activities like camping, hiking, fishing and playing baseball. Lauretta loves learning about the food, music, languages and customs of other countries. Along with coordinating home stay programs for international students, she teaches English as a second language and she also leads French classes for children and adults.

Emily lives in Cave Junction, Oregon. She graduated from Green Mountain University in 2011 with a Master’s in Environmental Sciences. She works with the National Park Service on watershed health and habitat conservation. She lives with her husband and often plays with their 2 grandchildren. Emily loves exploring new places, growing food for her family and having adventures.

The team will arrive on Thursday, February 20. They will be welcome in a Filipino lunch upon arrival. They will give courtesy call to Kalibo Mayor William Lachica, Aklan Gov. Carlito S. Marquez and attend Rotary Club of Kalibo meeting in the evening. 

On February 21, they will visit ASU Banga, Metro Kalibo Water District, Bakhawan Eco Park among others.

Radio interviews are being arranged. 


While in Aklan, they will stay with host families. Tommi Drake, the Team Leader will stay with Past President (PP) Niovady Marin, Beth McGrady – Rtn. Buenas Aires Celi Rivera, Kendra Northam – PP Joel Mercurio, Emily Ring – Pres. Dennis Lim and Lauretta Prince – PP Botoy Villorente. /MP

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