January Cabinet Meeting
Wisconsin Lions lnternational Youth Exchange Report-
• 2015/16 Wisconsin Lions Youth Exchange - Winter Program
We are currently participating in the lnternational Lions Youth Exchange Winter Program. We have 3 youth staying with Host Families in Central Wisconsin
o l youth from Australia
o 2 youth from Peru
We also have one youth from Wsconsin traveling abroad to Peru.
While our winter program does not offer a camp, youth are exposed to cultures both here and abroad, where they learn about life from a different perspective with a host family stay. Through this new perspective, our youth will return home with a greater understanding of the world around them which will ultimately satisfy the first order of Lionism, "to ueote and foster a spirit of understand among people of the world".
• Wisconsin Lions lnternationalYouth Camp 2016
We are currently in the process of accepting applications from abroad into our summer program, where we anticipate placing ~50-60 youth from about 25 different countries with host families throughout Wisconsin. Last year we met our goal of hosting youth in all 10 Wisconsin Lions Districts and this year we expect the same.
This year, our first application is from a Saudi Arabian youth (sponsored by a local Saudi Lions Club) which is a first for our program. lt's exciting to see new countries participate in our Wisconsin program as our goal is to have as diverse a group as possible so that we might better understand those we know least about.
• Camp Dates 2016
Our camp dates are from July 31 - August 7th 2016 which is a week later than usual. Camp dates are directed by Camp Vista Management and although the dates are later it will allow some youth to participate that haven't been able in the past.
On January 9th, l'll be representing the Wiscansin Lians Youth Exchange Program at the Madison gverture Center lnternational Festival where l'll be distributing literature about our program and recruiting host families for our 2016 program.
Respectivety Submitted, Lion Ben August - Wisconsin Lions Youth Exchange Chair