Joe Avella, past president of the Rotary Club of Hudson, was recently recognized as Rotarian of the Year for 2017 based on his initiative in reestablishing the Youth Exchange Program with Hudson High School.
 
                                                                                               
Last school year, Jasiek Dolkowski from Olstyn, Poland made quite an impression at Hudson High School and was effervescent in his comments about his experiences at school and traveling the USA. An interview with Jasiek can be found on the Rotary website www.hudsonrotary.org.
 
In the same year, Casie Ackerman of Hudson journeyed to Brazil for the school year and reported to Rotary that it was an invaluable experience meeting exchange students from many different countries. She felt that she was a student ambassador for the USA in Brazil.
 
For the current school year, exchange student Lucas De Carli from Francisco Beltrao Parana, Brazil will attend Hudson High School as a junior. He will reside with the Avella’s for the first part of the school year.
 
Joe Avella was congratulated by outgoing Rotary President, David Basil, for his determination to reinvigorate the exchange program that is embraced by numerous Rotary clubs throughout Ohio.
 
If you are interested in attending a future Rotary meeting to hear one of the regular credentialed and entertaining speakers, please contact Evan McCauley at mccauleyevan@gmail.com or Rich Warfield at rwarfield@warfieldandcompany.com.