Rotary Club Offers Trip of a Lifetime for International Youth
Posted with permission from The Sioux Lookout Bulletin.
Tim Brody Associate Editor
Ten young people from all over the world took the trip of a lifetime in our backyard.
For the 25th year, the Rotary Club of Sioux Lookout hosted the Rotary District 5550 International Camp which took the international teenagers on a seven day, 180 kilometres loop through a series of lakes north of Sioux Lookout.
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Front from left: Rotary president and trip leader Kirk Drew, Jesper Kamp, Killian Bock, Samuel Kuo and Vicky Chen. Back from left: Assistant District Governor Fred Wright, Michael Lannoo, Jacopo Di Bello, Timothey Lefebvre, Einar Gjerde, trip leaders John Bath and Jennifer Hancharuk, Petras Slekys, Rotary District Governor Rod Riopel, Kenora MP Bob Nault. Tim Brody / Bulletin Photo
While visiting Sioux Lookout, the young visitors got to go on a float plane ride, boat cruise, and climbed Sioux Mountain.
Their visit culminated with an international dinner on July 19 at St. Andrew’s United Church.
Every canoeist cooked a dish from their country and helped recognize everyone who helped make the trip possible.
Rotary Club of Sioux Lookout newly elected president Kirk Drew was one of three leaders who volunteered to accompany the youth on their trip.
He has accompanied youth on the trip for six years and said he absolutely loves doing it.
“The great thing about being on this trip is seeing individuals coming from all over the world. Seeing them develop into a team and work together and finish off an event that tests them to their limits. They get to see what they are capable of doing,” he said.
The international youth had to tough it out through rain and bugs most of their trip, receiving just one sunny day.
The international camp in Sioux Lookout is the only one of its kind in Canada.
“We are the only club, as far as I know, that goes out into the wilderness where they are on their own… in other camps they’ll stay in hotels or youth hostels and everything is done for them. On this trip, they have to do everything themselves,” Drew explained.
Participants cooked their own meals and set up their own shelters after a hard day of paddling.
It was just this kind of experience international campers said they wanted.
Petras Slekys, 18, of Lithuania shared, “This has been a phenomenal thing for me. I’ve learned so much.”
He admitted, “I’m really a city boy and have lived always in the capital, never set out into a forest for the night. For me that was quite extreme and that’s exactly why I wanted to step outside of my comfort zone. I enjoyed it and met so many people.”
The highlight of the trip for him was chatting with his fellow campers round the fire with a mug of hot chocolate.
Vicky Chen, 19, of Taiwan said she had always wanted to visit a foreign country.
“Taiwan is a very small island so I wanted more experiences in other countries. Canada was my first choice.”
Chen said she had never done anything like this before.
“Here there are a lot of lakes. We don’t have a lot of lakes.”
The highlight of the trip for her was completing what has been dubbed the killer portage, a 2.5 kilometre trek that starts and ends in a swamp.
“I remember the mosquitos were so annoying,” she recalled with a laugh.
She said the trip produced memories she will cherish forever.
Timothey Lefebvre, 20, of France confided, “I wanted to meet new people and develop new confidence. At the beginning I thought the trip was easy, but at the end, no. It got very difficult.”
He said he will always remember celebrating his birthday in the Canadian wilderness.
Camp coordinator Susan Barclay said a lot of work goes into the camp, explained preparations begin just after Christmas.
“It can’t happen without individuals and businesses here in town supporting us.”
She also thanked residential school survivor Garnet Angeconeb for sharing with the visitors the impacts of colonization and residential school in this country.
“Garnet asked them to share the message that there is always hope when we work together,” she said.
Looking back over a quarter century of running the camp, she said, “It’s something we really haven’t considered not doing because it’s such an honour having all these international young people here and to have met them over the years.”
She added, “I believe strongly that Rotary and all of its exchange programs would lead to world peace if we could just get every youth to take a Rotary exchange.”
Trip leader John Bath has been on the trip for four years.
“Every year is a good group… it’s always really interesting with the international flavour… A great experience,” he said.
Jennifer Hancharuk has also accompanied international campers on the trip for several years.
She said she has enjoyed meeting so many young people from all over the world.
Kenora MP Bob Nault joined the adventurers at their international dinner, bringing greetings from the government of Canada.
“Canadians very much believe that when we do travel and get to know each other, we make a greater impact in the world,” he said.
This year’s international youth campers were Jesper Kamp (Netherlands), Killian Bock (Austria), Samuel Kuo (Taiwan), Vicky Chen (Taiwan), Michael Lannoo (Belgium), Jacopo Di Bello (Italy), Timothey Lefebvre (France), Einar Gjerde (Norway), Jacky Chuang (Taiwan) and Petras Slekys (Lithuania).
Rotary Club of Sioux Lookout president Kirk Drew (centre) leads international canoeists in an orienteering demonstration. Tim Brody / Bulletin Photo
Drew presented each young person with a copy of Canoe Country by Roy MacGregor. Tim Brody / Bulletin Photo
Jacky Chuang received a special certificate from Drew for taking part in the international camp. Tim Brody / Bulletin Photo
Participants cooked dishes from their countries to share during the international dinner. Tim Brody / Bulletin Photo
The dinner was an opportunity to thank everyone who helped make the international camp possible. Tim Brody / Bulletin Photo
Sioux Lookout Bulletin editor Dick MacKenzie (left) and Kenora MP Bob Nault delight in the international fare. Tim Brody / Bulletin Photo