Youth Exchange

The Beginning of Rotary Youth Exchange in District 7070

By Past District Governor, Bill McKay Sr.

In July, 1970, I was the incoming president of the Rotary Club of Belleville. For two weeks of that month my wife Barbara and I and our two sons and two daughters went on a tour of seven European countries with 26 other tourists.

Dale Lumley & Sonya Johnson, January 1972. Both from Durban, South Africa.

On the tour was a travel agent from South Africa, Mrs. Johnson, accompanying a very rich elderly lady. Mrs. Johnson's husband was not on the tour but I learned that he was the incoming president of the Rotary Club of Durban.

The Durban club had experienced Youth Exchange with U.S. clubs and was looking for other countries for exchange. Rotary Youth Exchange is between Districts, so on return to Canada I had the District Governor appoint me Youth Exchange Officer for our District. I corresponded with Mr. Johnson, then with his District Youth Exchange Officer. This resulted in accepting two students from Durban to be placed with the Rotary Club of Belleville.

First arrivals

Sonya Johnson (daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson) and Dale Lumley arrived in Toronto in January 1972. They had their first view of snow. This was the first year long Rotary Youth Exchange in District 7070.

Both girls spoke extensively of their home country and their experiences in Youth Exchange to Rotary Clubs, elementary schools, high schools, churches, youth groups, etc.

Dale and Sonya visit Belleville Collegiate Institute in January, 1972

At the farewell party in our house after Christmas 1972 I asked the girls how many groups they had addressed. The answer was 50.

Growing ever since

The number of countries and the number of students involved in Youth Exchange coming and going in our District has increased dramatically since the beginnings in 1972 and it all started with the Rotary Club of Belleville.