Stories

1. 

   In what year(s) were you involved? 2017/18

2. Where was your exchange /program/ place of study? St. Peters Lutheran College

3. How did Kenmore Rotary assist you? Kenmore Rotary was my host Club together with Paddington-Brisbane Rotary Club

4. Can you recall names of your counsellor, host parents, host family members etc? I had 5 host families in total and also 2 counsellors and on country coordinator. I can definitely list them all, if that will be helpful.

5. Do you have any special memories of your time associated with Rotary? Of course! My favourite Memories are definitely the hands on projects that I got to do with Kenmore Rotary. Pacing a shipping container with medical supplies for PNG, helping at the Kenmore firework show, planting trees and helping at a recycling facility together with people with disabilities. Many of the trips organised by Rotary for the students (Sunshine safari, Lady Elliot Island, Red Centre tour) where definitely a highlight too. I loved that Kenmore Rotary really included me into the Club I really enjoyed the meetings and getting to know everyone made it feel like being part of a big family.

6. What was the most valuable aspect of this experience? Getting to know different cultures, understanding global differences in cultures and languages, and learning how the world is interconnected has given me a global perspective that continues to shape me today.

7. Where do you live now? Constance, Germany

8. Your occupation? Just graduated in my Masters Degree in Architecture

9. Any family details you wish to share? Currently engaged 

10. Do you continue to have contact with Rotary? Yes. I visited my sending Rotary Club a couple of time and helped them advertise the RYE program. I am getting updates yearly updates from some of my host families wich I really enjoy. Also reading the Kenmore Kog brings me a lot of joy and insight on what my host Club is doing.

I joined our club at the beginning of last year and have since been involved in a range of opportunities I am glad to have been offered.

 One of the charities that we, as a club, currently support is Paws for Hope and Understanding.

Paws for Hope and Understanding is a Queensland charity dedicated to providing trained service dogs to ex-defence and emergency services personnel, particularly veteran and first responders, who are navigating mental health struggles. At Kenmore High’s Interact Club, we are passionate about this cause and have worked hard to support it with our initiatives. 

The Rotary Club of Kenmore has partnered with the Kenmore State High School to deliver a Youth Leadership for Life Program for students in Years 8 and 11. The Program is being offered to interested students in Year 8 starting in Term 1, over a period of eight to ten weeks and to Year 11 students over a period of five weeks in Term 2. Each session will occur in the 45-minute second break.

The Program aims for students to consider their personal leadership journey through the development of transferable skills and identifying a set of personal values that define their personal leadership style. After development of these skills and values, students will be able to apply their skills through a variety of activities that allow for self-reflection and encourage a cycle of refinement.

SolarBuddy is an Australian charity based in Brisbane, whose goals are gifting solar devices to children living in extreme energy poverty, and educating people to be agents of change to end such poverty.

Kenmore Rotary has been involved with the SolarBuddy programme for 10 years, partnering with local primary schools to provide JuniorBuddy solar LED lights to children in remote villages. The lights are delivered to our schools in kit form, and the children, in year 5 or 6, assemble them, guided by their teachers and Rotarians. The children also write a short letter to the recipient of the light.

Brisbane City Council supports Kenmore Rotary providing study lights to students in Papua New Guinea communities that don't have electricity