Dear Lions, Lionesses and Leos:

Our District lost a dedicated Lion and a wonderful person last fall with the passing of Lion Bill Peters from the West Goshen Lions Club. Lion Bill was our District Youth Exchange Chairperson for the past six years with the Nishio City Lions Club in Japan. Our continuation as a District project of this wonderful youth program is vital to the students in our area and to those students coming here from Japan. I am pleased to inform all of you that I have accepted the Chairmanship of this great cultural exchange of our young people.

The Youth Exchange program in our District is starting to take shape for 2010. I have exchanged communications with Lion Makoto Kato and President-designate Lion Tsuneo Kawai. The Nishio City Lions Club is very pleased that our District is continuing the Youth Exchange between our Nations. We did not exchange students last summer because of the H1N1 flu that was very serious in Japan. It was decided by the Nishio City Lions Club that in the best interest of health concerns the exchange would be postponed until 2010. The concern of the H1N1 has diminished considerably in Japan; so the six students that were eligible to go last summer will have the first opportunity to go this summer. The limit is eight students, does your Lions and Lioness Club know of any students age 14 to 20 that would like to experience a unique learning opportunity of Japanese culture and traditions? If so, please contact me. I received a communication from Lion Isamu Tsujimura that the Nishio City Lions Club is preparing for the visitation of this year’s exchange students and that host families are being arranged for the 3 to 4 weeks visit from July 20th, 2010.

I am also looking for chaperone(s) to escort our exchange students to and from Japan. The adults traveling with the students do not have to stay the four weeks but the few days experiencing Japan will be very exciting. The cost to the escort(s) is only the flight ticket. All accomidations are offered by the Nishio Lions Club.

I am also asking for all of the Clubs in our District to help with this program. Next year we will be hosting the Japanese students and we will be looking for host families to participate.

Please remember to put our District Youth Exchange program on your Club’s budget to help defray the costs of conducting this wonderful and unique District 14 P project.

Yours In Service,
IPDG Rich Taylor
MD 14 P Youth Exchange Chairperson
484-571-2327
pennoak@gmail.com
105 Twin Creek Lane
Kennett Square, PA 19348-2460