GSE From Brittany
By Guest Editor Bob Clendenin

             Sergeant Sherry looks for Treasurer Dave’s briefcase while Group Study Exchange Leader Claude sets up his computer and projector.  Chris is impressed.  A show is running in minutes, none of that pesky “No Signal” message often seen.

            Moments later the GSE Team streams in to greet Rotarians while Josè practices “Bon jour!” with a hint of Spanish accent.

            Pending member Rob Lowe meets sponsor Moe, returning from a snowbird summer.  We meet another potential member, Mike Martin and surprise to all, Bob McD saunters in at just 6:59 a.m.  President Steve echoes “Bon jour!” as the bell tingles.

            Following an all-birthday song are happy $’s for sports (please see that section of any newspaper for details) and happily, the Veterans Day Parade and GSE.  Karol and Stephen share 50/50 money.

            Margaret Russell of Murdock Rotary introduces Team Leader Claude Theard who adds to a humorous oration on weather in Brittany saying “We are Britons first and French if necessary.”

            Brittany, he explains is the part of France closest to Florida.  Rotary District 1650 has 46 clubs with a total of about 1500 members and covers about the same area as our District 6960.

            Team member Delphine Le Maout is a radio announcer, employed by the leading station in central Brittany.  She plays guitar and is active in Musicien d’ Oz which organizes music festivals.

            Next at the lectern is Jean-Raymond Fayat, a business analyst for the Institute of Locarn.  Dealing with business and marketing strategy, it is his goal to form his own business one day soon.

            The only married member is Yann LaChaise.  He and his wife, Natacha have a three-year-old son, Aloïs.  Graduated from les Compagnons du tour de France, school of carpenters, Yann is a team leader with a carpentry company.

            Dairy farmer Gwenaël Le Berre tells us he and partners have 90 Holstein cows and 85 heifers.  Cows are milked twice each day to make gruyere cheese and crepes.  The farm has been in his family for 250 years.

            A brief question and answer session reveals the best wine is their own; it rarely snows in Brittany; the largest city is Rennes with 300,000; the language is Celtic, very different from French.  Two very important times in their history were July 1776 and June 1944.

            Following group pictures and banner exchange, President Steve rings us into the sunshine.