It was a great way to round off our August meetings this week with the planned combined meeting with the RC of Highbrook, to hear from our 2023 RYLA awardees. Unfortunately, a few could not make it, like our RYLA awardee Alex Wilson a late apology, but he has been rescheduled for September to present to us.

Todd Hanlon from the RC Pohutukawa Coast has been part of the RYLA Committee for over 25 years and in 2021-2022 was awarded a Paul Harris for services to RYLA. He gave an informative overview of the history, and operational developments of RYLA over this time.

The three awardees that presented from left to right in the photos are:

Ashani Perera and Subhas Bhat from F&P Healthcare, and Noah Smith from Warren Hay Marine in Whangarei. Ashani was a 2022 awardee and talked from her perspective of being a camp leader this year and ‘being on the other-side’ of the RYLA experience. Subhas a self-confessed introvert learnt that being vulnerable and taking risks are important aspects to interacting and achieving in a group. Noah, a late applicant learnt to say yes, yes, and yes to all opportunities put his way, as they have enabled him to grow into a better version of himself. He also shared that he had experience post RYLA blues, struggling to settle back into life as ‘normal’. They all rated the island challenge as the best take out of RYLA for testing their physical and mental capacities to the extreme limits. Final thanks and acknowledgements went to their workplaces and Rotary for providing this unique leadership experience that has been life changing in so many ways.