With Rotary an American in Gudo
(Article by Silvia Lodi Pasini, published in “IL GIORNO”) An American to Gudo Visconti. This is exactly the case for New York student Megan Hafler, 17, who will live in Italy for an entire year with the Rotary Youth Exchange Program. For about a month, in fact, he has been a guest of the family of Gudo city councilor Gianni Alberta, whose son Jacopo was "exchanged" under the same conditions and is now in the USA. On Wednesday, the girl was a guest with the Alberta members of RC Morimondo Abbazia, whose president Giuseppe Resnati introduced her to the members, explaining the dynamics of the RYE (Rotary Youth Exchange): a program that has been active for over 75 years, which today involves 8 thousand students and 82 countries, the aim of which is to give young people the opportunity to experience life abroad. It is aimed at students aged 15 to 19 and is divided into short stays and long one-year stays, reserved for those attending the fourth year of high school. Applicants must apply and obtain sponsorship through a Rotary Club in their area, but parents are not required to be Rotarians, as is the case for Albertans. Megan made use of the RC of the city where she lives, Tully NY, who put her in contact in Italy with the head of the Rotary 2050 District, who in the meantime had received the application from Jacopo Alberta, a high school student in Magenta, to be included in the RYE. No sooner said than done, the exchange took place, as a result of which Gudo's young Italian, also wearing the typical jacket full of pins which serves as uniform for the Rye youth, he flew to America, where he attended the Central Valley Academy in Ilion (NY). Megan thanked Rotary for the splendid opportunity given to her to get to know and experience Italy, exchanging the Tully NY RC pennant with President Resnati. A very touching moment was experienced when, in honor of the guest, the anthem of the USA, which is also the homeland of Rotary International, was played. In the 2050 district this year there are a total of 32 young people participating in the Youth Exchange, out of a total of approximately 130 throughout Italy. Of these, 75% are girls.
