June – the month that our foreign visitors start arriving to enjoy the hospitality of Oregon Lions and their friends, learning a bit about our history and especially falling in love with our scenic beauty. But – it appears that is not the case this year. To date we have too few host families volunteering and too few volunteering the use of their motor homes. We have again had to cancel the Youth Excursion – a mobile camping trip around some part of Oregon. This is the second year in a row that it has had to be cancelled – not a favorable sign to say the least, nor a positive reflections for the state of Oregon as a whole.
But – the kids will come and I certainly hope we can get them all placed. Most have to secure their flights by about mid-April to get a favorable flight at a reasonable cost. How many will have to be turned back? And – how many years will we be able to even sustain a skeleton Exchange program? Only time and the cooperation of Oregon Lions will tell.
Our visitors from the past still hold their visits in the highest of esteem as well as fondest of memories. So much so that several of our past guests are coming back to visit again this summer for extended periods of time. Any visit to a foreign country can be the experience of a lifetime and for those who truly had fun and experienced Oregon as it should be, the memories are life-changing. I can say this as when I travel to foreign areas, my visits have had a real impact on me as well. Visiting past YE kids was the real highlight last Spring in Europe, seeing what they have become as they reach adulthood has been quite the positive experience – and being able to visit areas they feel were more significant that those tourist Mecca’s was great. Seeing their countries from their eyes certainly gave me pause as to how I will strive to show my guests, both foreign and local, what I think will be the most significant places to see and experience.
But, I am one – and alone can not make the impact that we all can collectively. Hosting kids demonstrates our willingness to explore the world, even from our own homes. Taking the youth to places that are our favorites for interest, history or for special memories that we have shares that sense of family with others. We can open our homes and hearts to demonstrate that small and precious ideal of Lionism – WE SERVE, and that by broadening our own horizons; we can show the increase in international understanding amongst the peoples of the world.
As a Multiple District we have to decide if we want to continue to open our arms and homes to others, or to retract and continue on that steady decline that can only lead to failure. The choice is ours and ours alone – expand and reach out to the youth of the world, for they are the future, or to throw away the possibility to succeed and expand a program the has in the past been one of the most positive programs that Lions has had to offer. I will be hosting youth from Norway and Belgium and will have returnees from the Slovak Republic and Germany this summer, and I truly look forward to hosting them. What about you?