DOWAGIAC — On Thursday, the Dowagiac Rotary Club shared stories about international Rotary experiences.

As members reflected on its five core values and membership in the past 100 years, they shared stories of exchanging ideas and experiences with other Rotarians from different clubs.

Members spoke about how it is encouraged when traveling for vacation or business in another country that Rotarians visit Rotary Clubs and share ideas.

Rotarian Mark Herman spoke of Rotarian Tom Dalton, who is still a member but spends time in Florida.

“Whenever he travels, and he travels all over the world, he always goes to a Rotary meeting,” Herman said. “There was a time when his mother-in-law was with him and ended up in the hospital. [Dalton] had met someone at the Rotary meeting and given them a call since she hadn’t been feeling well. He called the Rotarian, who ended up being the head of the hospital at 2 a.m.”

Herman said Dalton would be in circumstances of emergency, and he could go to Rotary Club members in the countries he was visiting and individuals would help him.

“Things like that just happen because you are a member of Rotary,” Herman said.

Rotarian Marilu Franks had a similar situation where her connections as a Rotarian proved helpful.

While in Brazil, Franks had an abscessed tooth. Since she was staying with fellow Rotarians, a member from their Rotary Club, who ended up being a dentist, helped Franks.

“He took care of me,” she said. “It didn’t cost me a thing.”

Rotarian Barbara Groner reminded the group of how every club in Rotary is international.

“We do not have a national organization that is then part of the international,” Groner said. “Rotary goes right from the local club to the district and zone to the international. Anybody that is a member of Rotary, is a Rotary International member.”

Franks also mentioned how Dowagiac’s Rotary Club has participated in youth exchange programs.

“It is one of the most rewarding experiences a family can have,” Franks said. “You learn that every culture has differences, but there are so many things that are alike.”

This Christmas, Franks and her husband spent time visiting one of their exchange students in Virginia. Another past exchange student is visiting the couple in September.

On Saturday, a Rotary Club in Kalamazoo will host a training beginning at 9 a.m. for information about the youth exchange program.

“That is a meeting for training to understand more about what youth exchange is about and how do we get a youth exchange here or send one overseas,” said president Melody Wallace.

Wallace encouraged members of the club to attend if they wanted to see the Dowagiac Rotary Club grow in that area.

Rotarians said the last time they hosted a youth exchange program was five years ago.