"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." - Neale Donald Walsch
In 2014, my daughter, Ellie Collins, had the honor of being sponsored by the Rotary Club of Reno Centennial Sunset as a Rotary Youth Exchange (RYE) scholar to Strasbourg, France. I was impressed with the training that she and I both received in preparation for her exchange. I was also impressed as I learned about Rotary’s mission and got to know members of the club. It was also my privilege to host an exchange student, Ken from Thailand, during the year my daughter was away. One morning shortly after the start of the school year, I was walking with Ken to the bus stop and talking with him about his classes. As I watched him board the bus, I had a picture in my mind of my daughter being driven to her school by another Rotary family 5600 miles away. Rotary is INDEED international!
I have always had a passion for connecting people from many countries together in peace. I have even lived for four years in Central America doing educational and social services work. I joined RCS Rotary while Ellie was in France, served as host family, club counselor, and am now serving on the RYE District Committee.
I have truly found my passion in Rotary and the Rotary Youth Exchange.