Rotary Club of
PRESS RELEASE – 5th June 2006
Communications & Press
officer Ian Valentine ian@cival.info
Public Relations
Sun
shines on Rotary Garden Party
Some 70 members and friends of the Rotary Club of Ascot met in Virginia Water for their annual “Foundation Garden Party” last Sunday (4th June). The event was held in support of the Rotary Foundation charity, and also provided an opportunity for local Rotarians to hear about the life and experiences of some of those who have received grants or scholarships from the Foundation. Special guests this year were three “Ambassadorial Scholars”, young people who have been awarded Rotary Foundation scholarships in order to further their studies at an overseas educational institution.
Oyuna Shagdarsuren from Mongolia was dressed in the striking traditional “formal” robes of her native country, a full length black silk coat featuring gold embroidered dragons, over a gold silk skirt. Oyuna is currently studying Agriculture at Reading. She spoke of the nomadic lifestyle of almost half the people in her country, and the extremes of climate, with temperatures as low as minus 40°C in winter. Her career intention when she returns to Mongolia is to apply what she has learnt this year in the development and improvement of local agricultural methods. Asamai Endo from Japan is following a “British Studies” course at Oxford, and she spoke of the cultural benefits of the international scholarship year. Lisa Morris lives in the Thames Valley and has recently returned from her scholarship year in Africa; she spoke of the problems of health education, AIDS and HIV in Africa.
After the presentations by the students, Malcolm Boddington, the Rotary District Foundation chairman, spoke of the importance of Rotary Foundation scholarships, and particularly of the need to help young people from poorer countries to be able to take up these scholarships to study in more expensive economic environments. The final presentation was from Alan French, Team Leader of the recent Rotary District Group Study Exchange visit to Australia. Group Study Exchange is an initiative whereby groups of young professionals undertake a structured exchange visit with a similar group of young professionals from overseas. Alan reminded the audience that the Rotary Foundation is the largest independently funded scholarship organisation in the world.
Apart from the informative presentations, preliminary financial estimates indicate that the Garden Party raised between £400 and £500 for the Rotary Foundation.
The Rotary Club of Ascot Garden Party
Left to Right: Lisa Morris, Asami Endo, Brian Millis (Rotary Club of Ascot Foundation Committee Chairman), Alan French, Oyuna Shagdarsuren and Malcolm Boddington.