By providing a temporary self-sufficient water supply in the advent of such a disaster much suffering and disease can be prevented.

The Aquabox is a system that can provide safe drinking water almost immediately.  It consists of a sturdy plastic tank with water purification tablets packed with essential welfare items designed for a disaster situation.  Once the contents are removed, each Aquabox can be used to purify up to 1100 litres of polluted water, enough for a family of four for about four months.  Below is a photo of an Aquabox.

The Rotary Club of Bellingen, and Club members Catherine and Peter Waters, each provided funds recently to purchase Aquaboxes to be sent to Pakistan to help in their recent disaster.

The Rotary Club of Bellingen invites any member of the public who wishes to contribute to the purchase of further Aquaboxes to contact club treasurer, Diana Christian, at 6655.0277.

Jess has described Zurich as a beautiful old city situated on a large lake which is full of clocks, old buildings and cobble-stone streets where there is always something happening, whether it is a carnival or a music festival.  Many of the clocks, for which Zurich is famous, are situated on towers and they ring on the hour during the day, so that it is always easy to know the time.

School in Switzerland is held from 7.30am until 5.30pm and this can mean a 10 hour school day - something to which Jess is slowly getting accustomed.  But school offers her the opportunity to meet her friends and to practice the German language she is learning.

Jess reports that all her host families have been very welcoming.  Now she is living with her third family, where both ‘parents’ are architects and she has a younger ‘brother’ who is always happy to help her practice the language.  This opportunity has allowed Jessica to experience real family life in Switzerland.

Jessica is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bellingen, which is at present also hosting two young German Students.

Over the past few weeks, the Rotary Club of Bellingen and the many friends and ‘family’ of Rotary Youth Exchange Student, Vigga Sand Laursen have been saying farewell.

During her last few days Vigga has tried to experience all those things she didn’t want to miss during her stay in the Bellingen area, and revisit all her ‘new’ friends and Bellingen families.  She has been guest-of-honour at several farewell parties, taken a trip on a Whale Watching cruise, visited all her favourite Bellingen places, and swum regularly in the ‘Never Never’ at Gleniffer so that she can re-acclimatise for the Danish summer.

Vigga is returning to Denmark where she intends to complete her studies and become a plastic surgeon.  However, she has definite plans to revisit Bellingen where she “has had the greatest experience of her life” as an exchange student.  While in Australia Vigga has had the opportunity to experience a different culture, study a different language, travel widely, while also meeting a new community of people.

While on exchange, Vigga has represented her home country, Rotary International, and her host club - Bellingen, exceedingly well.  She has been a wonderful ambassador for the Rotary Youth Exchange Program, and she has impressed everyone who has had the opportunity to meet her with her friendly demeanour, dry sense of humour and happy outlook.  The Rotary Club of Bellingen and all Vigga’s friends wish her well, but she will be greatly missed, until she returns.

Rotary Club of Bellingen has been involved with YEP for many years.  Over the past three years the Club has sponsored local students to Russia, France and Switzerland, while hosting students from Denmark and Thailand.  Each of these students has had the opportunity to live with different families within their host nation, experience a different culture and traditions, and learn a new language.

At present local girl, Jessica Maher, who is in Switzerland, is participating in her ‘Eurotour’, during which time she will visit several different countries in Europe, experiencing the many and varied opportunities that this tour can offer.  Next year Sophie Sheather, a local lass who is a year 10 student at JohnPaulCollege, will live in Belgium for 12 months.

Vigga Laursen, a student from Denmark, who at present is being hosted by the Rotary Club of Bellingen, is drawing to the end of her exchange.  Vigga has lived with four Bellingen families during her stay and attended Bellingen High.  During that time she has had the opportunity to travel along the east coast of Australia extensively as well as visiting South Australia and the Northern Territory.  Vigga will return home very soon and will be missed by her many new friends in Bellingen, but both Vigga and all those whom she has met during her stay have been enriched by this experience. She is pictured below.

Ably assisting Gabriel and Sammii, both in the preparation of their material and during the event, were Rotary Exchange Student, Vigga Laursen and teacher, Donna Stanmore.  The students needed to represent Denmark in a wide range of issues including a ban on growing opium poppies in Afghanistan, the refugee issue, capital punishment, whaling, free trade and international fishing.  Over thirty issues were debated over the weekend and both Sammii and Gabriel were enthusiastic in their participation, well prepared and both spoke eloquently when they had the floor.  The students proposed a motion from the floor asking that the UN guarantees a minimum standard of education for every child and this motion was passed with the highest majority of the weekend.

The Rotary Club of Bellingen is very proud to have had these two students represent the club and is looking forward to them attending a club meeting to report on the MUNA experience.

Also attending MUNA was Vigga Laursen, Bellingen’s YEP Rotary Exchange student.  While at MUNA Vigga assisted the organisers and also presented a speech about the Rotary Youth Exchange Program (YEP) to all those attending.

The photos are of "The Team", and Vigga displaying her Rotary Exchange jacket.

While in Australia Vigga has been a student at Bellingen High and is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bellingen. She has been living with various families in the area, to allow her to experience a variety of different types of Australian family life. She is now staying with her fourth and last host family as she is due to return to Denmark in July.

On her return from her ‘Safari’ Vigga gave a very interesting Powerpoint presentation to Rotary Club members. After only 10 months in Australia Vigga was able to very confidently present a very interesting speech about her recent trip in fluent English.

Vigga’s ‘Safari’ had taken her from Sydney to Melbourne, South Australia - where she experienced a salt lake for the first time, Alice Springs, Uluru, Cairns, The Great Barrier Reef, Port Douglas, Byron Bay, and back to Sydney. During this trip she experienced many firsts, which included camping in the outback, a sunset at Uluru, camel rides, diving on the Great Barrier Reef, as well as experiencing Australia’s unique scenery. For Vigga and the other exchange students this was a trip of a lifetime.

During her stay in Australia Vigga has been a marvellous ambassador for her country and while here she has represented her host Rotary club, school and the Rotary Youth Exchange Program exceedingly well. Everyone who has had the good fortune to meet this lovely young lady with miss her friendly vitality when she returns home.

The photo is of Vigga with all her host "Mums", who were present at her "Safari" speech.

Louise Rawson-Harris, President of the Bellingen Memorial Hall Management Committee, spoke recently to the Rotary Club of Bellingen, highlighting the work done so far and the plans for the future. Louise is a very hard-working member of the Bellinger Valley community, with a long history of volunteer work, particularly in the Arts fields with the Bellingen Community Arts Council (BCAC), the Nexus Gallery, the Bellingen Art Prize, the Arts Mid North Coast Board and, until recently, was Curator/Manager of the Bunker Cartoon Gallery in Coffs Harbour. Louise has been an artist and art teacher in the region for the past 30 years and is committed to the arts and the development of our arts facilities.

The photos shows Louise being presented with a Certificate of Appreciation by Rotary President, John Conway. 

Jessica left Australia in January and she has been very busy attending school and meeting many new people.  Lessons are in English but Jess is busy learning as much of the German language as she can so that she can converse with the locals.  She is trying to learn more German everyday.

Jessica reports that the people have been very welcoming and friendly and that she has met a variety of people including 50 other exchange students. Jess also reported that she is settling in well and that she is having a great time meeting new people, visiting new places and experiencing a totally new culture.

This friendly atmosphere has helped Jess acclimatize to her new surroundings and appreciate the wonderful opportunity that an overseas exchange can provide.  Any student interested in participating in a similar experience should consult the Rotary web site.

The photo below is of Jessica and one of her new friends in Switzerland.