Wednesday August 19 7:15 am Adam Lougee, ACRPC, Rosie's (Fred)
Wednesday August 19 5:30 pm Tri Club Social, Button Bay State Park (Fred/Jason S)
Wednesday August 26 7:15 am Club Assembly, Rosie's (Fred)
Ben started fines and happy dollars.
Fines:
Lizzie S - Late
Fran - Late
Liz M - Late
Happy Dollars:
Mike K - Happy birthday to his wife!
Karen - Spoke about a touching story about our food packing.
T - Back after a trip to Ontario.
Heather - Talked to Sem, he may be here for a visit in the fall!
Paul - Book parade was great and so was the concert he attended!
Jason L - grateful for a weekend free of handicap ramp building!
Eric - great attendance for the handicap ramp, thank you to Aaron Larocque for the use of his tractor! Also, happy that RYLA Students were in there to speak!
Lizzie S - Grateful that RYLA students were speaking today and fingers crossed for her trip to the Casino with a friend.
Jason S - Happy to support the great group of students that were in attendance for todays meeting!
Speaker: RYLA STUDENTS
Students spoke of the annual multi-day event for Rotary students (Rylarians) centered on developing leadership, teamwork, and
community involvement. It brings together sophomores to juniors from the local international district, including participants from Quebec, Canada, to work in groups of about 8–10. Activities mix icebreakers, leadership style exploration, creative group tasks, physical challenges, and service projects. The weekend emphasizes experiential learning,
reflection, and building connections across backgrounds, with counselors guiding groups and several formal and informal presentations to wrap up.
Purpose: A leadership skills week where students bond with peers, learn in small groups, and encounter mystery-style activities to spark collaboration.
Icebreakers and leadership discovery: Introduction activities, a leadership-types quiz, and a forehead-tape mystery exercise to mingle and reveal personal traits.
Group formation and identity: Each group designs a flag, creates a cheer, and presents on stage; groups have fun names (for example, Stack Studs, New England Nectarines, Blue Dogs, Navy Seals) and color-coded shirts.
Team-building activities: Various games teach communication, inclusion, and adaptability; a notable hula hoop/strings exercise gradually reduces verbal input to empower quieter members.
Day 2 big activities: Scavenger hunt with group collaboration; a bridge-building challenge using newspaper and masking tape that must support a paint can for 10 seconds while no one can talk.
Service project: Packaging meals (over 11,000) in under an hour for distribution by local Rotary clubs, reflecting a local-to-community shift this year.
Talent show: Mandatory or strongly encouraged talent performance; groups collaborated on dance routines and showcased diverse talents, reinforcing teamwork and confidence.
Day 3: Volunteer opportunities and community impact stories; presentations by counselors and past participants about how Ryla inspired activities translated into community action (including potential Interact Club formation).
Reflection and closure: Paper plate awards recognizing individual traits and contributions; signed shirt exchanges; final Q&A about future leadership opportunities and continuing involvement.
The weekend succeeds in fostering leadership, teamwork, and community-minded thinking among students. It emphasizes experiential
learning, cross-cultural interaction, and personal growth, with tangible outcomes like potential formation of an Interact Club and real-world
volunteer initiatives. The program closes with reflections, appreciation, and commitments to stay connected, underscoring the lasting impact of shared leadership experiences.