RYPEN (Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment) is a Rotary youth camping program that started in Australia in 1985. It aims to prepare young people between the ages of 14 and 18 for leadership in the community. Our club annually sponsors 1 or 2 students to participate in the camp and has, for a number of years, been responsible for running the camp at the Adekate Camp site near Creswick. This year, the District Chair of the RYPEN program is our own, Past President Thea Allan. Last Thursday, we heard from one of our sponsored students for 2019, Natalie Murray from Highview College, and, typical of RYPEN participants, Natalie spoke about how the experience had dramatically improved her self confidence and better prepared her to be a leader in the future. Natalie's mother agreed that, "Natalie was a different person after the camp." Natalie thanked camp leaders for their efforts with Chocolate bars and odd socks (a camp "in joke"), and the club for their sponsorship. More pix by clicking "Read more..."
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