Rotary’s Group Study Exchange Team to Tiawan

Rotary District 7570’s Group Study Exchange Team began their adventures in Taiwan this week after a local send-off from area Rotary clubs.  Meet the team in this video and read on to learn about the GSE program. To discover more about Virginia’s Rotary District 7570, please visit their website and follow the team’s trip by liking the team’s Facebook group page.

You can also enjoy reports of their experience by following team member Tammy Yang’s vlog.

ABOUT THE TEAM MEMBERS

The Team Leader is Beverly Pitzer of Martinsville Uptown Rotary. Beverly is eager to connect with the GSE team members and help to make this the best learning experience and leadership development experience possible for both the visiting team and for their hosts in Taiwan. She is prepared to generously share of time and knowledge of the Rotary projects in her area that may be of service to their hosts in Taiwan, and she is hoping to learn and bring back ideas and best practices from their hosts’ home projects.

In her role as Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) & Fair Lending Officer at Carter Bank & Trust in Martinsville, Virginia, Beverly focuses her time and energy on understanding the communities’ needs across the bank’s footprint in Virginia and North Carolina. With this understanding, Beverly collaborates with colleagues at the bank on community development projects. These projects include: revitalization and stabilization, economic development, essential services, and affordable housing. This comes in the form of lending, donating, and serving in low and moderate income areas and distressed and under-served areas. In addition to Community Development, Beverly also focuses on Fair Lending, which is driven by the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Her work in Fair Lending includes a proactive approach to lending, investing, and serving all communities fairly.

Outside of her service and work in Rotary and Carter Bank & Trust, Beverly is involved in a number of other community organizations. She serves on the Board of Directors of the United Way of Henry County & Martinsville and is involved in the Community Impact Committee and Executive Committee. Beverly is active in the Bridges out of Poverty initiative in Martinsville/ Henry County/ Patrick County and is on the Implementation team for their first set of “Getting Ahead in a Just Getting by World” classes. Additionally, Beverly serves on the E3 Advisory Council, a project of the Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). Beverly is a member of Christ Episcopal Church in Martinsville, Virginia.

Blaine Elliott is a charter member of the Blue Ridge New Generations Rotary Club in Roanoke, Virginia and currently serves on the district conference committee. He is excited to join the GSE team and help make this experience meaningful for both the team and hosts in Taiwan. Blaine is currently owner of CaZiWa LLC, a real estate investment firm. Blaine’s firm is focused on investing in single family homes in the Roanoke Valley and surrounding areas and improving the homes and neighborhoods by providing quality, affordable housing for a growing community of people with the desire to rent rather than own. CaZiWa also provides a platform for investors who wish to enter the real estate investment asset class passively. Outside of his service work with Rotary, Blaine is an active member of his church, First United Methodist Church in Salem, Virginia. He is a member of the Genesis Praise Band on the drums and involved with the youth as an adult leader helping with everything from mission trips to leading the Senior High Sunday School Class.

Wendi Goods Everson serves as Senior Program Officer for Danville Regional Foundation (“DRF”), a private independent foundation whose mission is to revitalize the Dan River Region by making long term investments in economic development, education, health, and community capacity. At DRF, Everson focuses on community development and civic engagement. Everson holds a bachelor′s degree from Temple University, an MBA from Averett University, and a certificate in nonprofit management from Duke University.  She is a Southeastern Council on Foundation Hull Fellow and graduate of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Southside. She serves as a board member of River District Association and CIC Head Start. Everson is the 2014 recipient of the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce Pace Award for Community Service. In her spare time, Wendi enjoys coaching youth basketball. She is the founder of the Virginia Owls youth basketball program where she mentors young athletes aspiring to play sports at the college level. Wendi is married to Jason and they have 3 children: Jada, Jenesis and Wesley.

Asia Malone is a member of the Rotary Club of Bristol Virginia-Tennessee. She serves on the Public Relations Committee and as Co-Chair of the Rotaract Committee. Asia is the Chief of Staff for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Mountain Empire. She handles the day-to-day management of personnel and insures all staff issues are addressed properly. The Boys & Girls Club is an after-school program that provides life enhancing opportunities for children and teenagers who may not have access to life developing resources. Outside of her service/work in Rotary and The Boys & Girls Club, Asia is involved in several community organizations. She serves on the United Way of Southwest Virginia Early Childhood Success Council, is an active Reading Buddy for the Reading Buddies Bristol Tennessee/Virginia, and serves on the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Committee. Asia is a member of New Hope Baptist Church.

Tammy Yang serves as the general manager of Sake House Japanese Restaurant located in Blacksburg, Virginia. Though she has many roles, her main focus is becoming a community icon for their establishment. Yang is currently a member of the South Main Merchants Association in Blacksburg. She also serves in the Blacksburg Junior Women’s Club (BJWC). Yang is sponsored by the Montgomery County Rotary Club. As a Taiwanese American, she is eager to learn more of her family’s origins on the GSE trip to Taiwan. She is also hoping to view how other businesses provide different interactions with their community by building lasting connections and strong networks. By viewing their examples of collaborating with other businesses to help better their community, she can learn about different business models and opportunities that can be implemented in her community.

ABOUT THE GSE PROGRAM

The Group Study Exchange (GSE) program is a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity for young business and professional men and women in their initial years of professional life. Rotary districts in different countries are paired to send and receive professional study groups of four to six non-Rotarian team members and one Rotarian team leader to travel for four to six weeks, staying in the homes of Rotarians when possible.

Launched in 1965, this dynamic program has built a successful track record at the personal, community, and international level. With good planning, a goal-driven itinerary, and active participation of dedicated Rotarians, a GSE can be an exceptional educational experience for both the visiting GSE team and local Rotarians.

Goals and Objectives

The GSE program is designed to develop professional and leadership skills among young adults, so that they can address the needs of their communities and an increasingly global workplace. GSE participants follow an extensive and rigorous program of international travel and team activities.

• Vocational visits
  • Provide opportunities to observe vocations as practiced in another country
  • Impact team members’ long-term careers through exchange of ideas in their respective fields
• Cultural experiences
  • Allow participants to study another country and its people, language, and institutions through experiences in an organized and meaningful host program
  • Promote an appreciation of cultural diversity worldwide
• Fellowship opportunities
  • Encourage team members and hosts to meet, communicate, and live with each other in a spirit of fellowship and goodwill
  • Consider each other’s problems, aspirations, and community concerns
  • Foster lasting friendships and international understanding
• Rotarian involvement
  • Offers Rotarians specific, practical, and meaningful opportunities for international service by providing young, formative professionals a different perspective of their vocation in another country and culture

Learn more about Rotary International at https://www.rotary.org

“Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.”

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