Aussie RFE

 
Australian Friendship Exchange
 

On Thursday, April 24 nine Rotarians from five clubs in District 9640 in Australia landed in Hilo to begin their two week visit to Hawaii.  The visiting Rotary Friendship Exchange (RFE) team was greeted by their host families to begin a packed schedule of social gatherings, sight seeing and participating in the Merrie Monarch Parade. The RFE team was hosted by five families from the Rotary Club of Hilo and the Rotary Club of South Hilo.  Host families included Richard & Jenny Johnson, Kerry Glass & Susan Munro and Treena Breyfogle from the Hilo club and Wana & Eddie Agasa and Steve and Noko Yoshida from the South Hilo club.

 
 
A Steak Fry was held on the evening of their arrival which was attended by Rotarians and family from the five East Hawaii Rotary Clubs.  During the evening we exchanged banners and enjoyed a short presentation by the RFE team.  As usual the RC Hilo Social Team did a bang up job supplying steak, chicken and sausage along with the special stash of goodies in the back.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Friday, April 25 was the Australian ANZAC (Australian New Zealand Army Corp) Day.  This is the equivalent of their Memorial Day.  
They took the occasion to lay a wreath and do a short memorial service at the Hilo Vietnam Memorial. Luckily the rain held off long enough for the service.
 
Following the ANZAC Service the RFE team and hosts headed up the mountain to see the Volcano National Park.  This being the wet side of the island we were greeted by blowing rain for most of the day.  We did our best to show them them sights then retreated to the lounge in the hotel for lunch and a beer.  After that we split up and headed our separate ways back toward Hilo.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Saturday evening we had a small gathering of the RFE team and the host families at Richard and Jenny Johnson's.  Richard wowed us with is smoked chicken and grilled wild caught Alaskan Salmon.
 
Saturday was the Merrie Monarch Parade.  This was our first year to be in the parade and it was a great success, except we did not have near enough candy.  The rain came and went but didn't dampen the spirits of the Rotarians.
    
 
After the parade we packed up the team in the Salvation Army bus and headed up the mountain to meet the West Hawaiian Rotarians.