Gifts presented to GSE Team

Erhlin Happy Christian Homes- Feb. 23rd

Team Member Corey Spears

I currently have two professions. First, I work for Dutchess Community College as a General Equivalency Diploma instructor. I prepare students at two different community centers for the exam to receive high school certification. Second, I am the C.E.O. of Well Connekted Entertainment Inc., a multi-media production company that provides audio-visual production and design. The company was founded in 2004 to produce recording artists in hopes for major distribution as a record label. I also produce my own music and two of my songs were played on radio stations and websites around the world. I also offer classes to local artists to teach the technical aspects of the entertainment industry. I’ve been married since 2001 and have two beautiful children, eight-year-old Asata and six-year-old Saadiq. I’ve been searching for ways to merge my passion for education, music and family.

Team Member Colleen Foran

I am in my seventh year as a Health & Physical Education teacher in Washingtonville High School. I am also the head coach of Girls Varsity Lacrosse team and advisor of the Ski Club. I was born in New Jersey and was raised in Pennsylvania. I have two sisters, Erin and Katelyn, who also are great friends. I graduated from Lock Haven University with a degree in Health and Physical Education. While attending, I played Women’s Lacrosse. I then went on to Wilkes University where I earned my Master’s Degree in Classroom Technology. While in school, I traveled to Mexico and France and I studied in Spain and Australia. This opened my eyes to the world and inspired me travel to many more countries, including in Africa and Europe.

Team Member Lauren Yanks

I teach literature, writing and communications at the State University of New York at New Paltz. I am a freelance writer for a number of publications. I write about a wide variety of topics. I am also an editor for companies and private clients. I am very engaged in societal issues around the world. I recently returned from a trip to Nepal, where I developed special creative writing programs for orphans and children rescued from trafficking. After visiting Taiwan, I plan to return to Nepal for a month to continue my work. I live with my husband, stepdaughter and two dogs. I grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania—the birthplace of American independence. I have traveled throughout the world, and believe that programs like the Group Study Exchange helps to build a more peaceful world.

Team Member Josie Gray

I have spent my career as a fundraiser for nonprofit (NGO) organizations such as universities, scientific research facilities, environmental advocacy groups and a housing charity. Today, I solicit donations and grants at Beacon Institute to support real-time sensor networks for the study of rivers and education curricula in environmental science, mathematics and engineering. I also volunteer for a nature park and a mountain-hiking trail organization. I earned a Bachelors Degree from Bard College and a certificate in Conservation Biology from Columbia University. My partner Bennett and I own an old house that we spent 10 years renovating. I am passionate about environmental issues, politics, art and culture. I enjoy skiing, hiking with my dog, gardening, cycling, and cooking with good friends.

Team Leader Jack Austin

I began my career in New York City working to fight poverty. Today I live near the Catskill Mountains, 100 miles from New York City. I have worked in environmental education and have been a real estate broker and appraiser. I am now a social worker for the county government, investigating child abuse reports and helping children in foster care. I was raised in Delaware, in a family that loved music, Boy Scouting and the sciences. I studied environmental conservation at Cornell University and earned a master’s degree in psychology at Columbia University. While at Cornell, I traveled with the Glee Club to Southeast Asia for 3 months, singing in 10 countries including Taiwan. I still sing with several groups and play flute. I have been married over 30 years and have 4 grown children and 5 grandchildren. I am active in my church and have been a Rotarian since 1983.

Rotary District 7210

Rotary District 7210 is located in the southeastern part of New York State between New York City to the south and the City of Albany, the State Capital, to the north. It borders several states including New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. The area is well-known for the Hudson
River and Delaware River valleys, and when it was first settled by European explorers about 400 years ago, it was rich in natural resources. It became a strong agricultural area and still produces apples, dairy products, wines, and many vegetable crops. The area also became popular for industrial development in the 1900s. Recreational opportunities include skiing and
hiking with mountains that reach 3000 meters, golfing, raising horses, boating and fishing, hunting, and many forms of tourism. The rivers were, and still are, important for commerce, transportation and fisheries, and flow into the Atlantic Ocean. This region includes rural towns and small cities. District 7210 contains 65 Rotary clubs with about 2000 members across
eight counties. The oldest Rotary clubs in our district were established 90 to 100 years ago, with new clubs still being founded today. Some clubs sponsor youth Interact clubs in high schools, Rotaract clubs in colleges, and Elder-act clubs in senior-citizen housing. Locally sponsored Rotary projects include: building playgrounds, donating food to food pantries to help
feed the poor, giving dictionaries to young students, planting trees, giving college scholarships to high school graduates, donating funds to local charities, and sponsoring free health clinics. International projects that are supported include gifts to United States military troops, medical supplies and equipment to poor countries, and clean water and sanitation projects in undeveloped countries. We organize many social activities to raise funds for these projects.

What is Rotary?

What is Rotary? Rotary International is a global service organization made up of 33,000 clubs in more than 200 countries. Members are business, professional and community leaders who provide humanitarian service, promote high ethical standards, and help build goodwill and peace. Group Study Exchange is a cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young professionals. Teams of four to six non-Rotarians plus a Rotarian Team Leader are given travel grants to exchange visits in paired areas of different countries. www.rotary.org