In Gear | Rotary in Southern New Zealand In Gear - Issue 3 | Page 33
A team trip to Clyde Dam.
was raised in Alexandra, and was
encouraged by the host club, which
ultimately sponsored her, to apply.
Amaka, who now works in banking in
Wanaka, took home a silver in the 4 x
200m freestyle relay and a bronze in the
4 x 100m freestyle relay from the 2010
Delhi Commonwealth Games, and was a
member of the New Zealand swim team
at the London Olympics two years later.
What the retreat has given her, she
says, is the focus and drive to finish
her studies, and keep her eye on the
‘why’.
“It’s shown me, if you keep getting up,
you keep moving forward,” Samantha,
who is also a keen rower, says.
Samantha
She plans to use her new knowledge
in her role as Kea Scout leader.
“I loved every moment, and I gained so much from the
experience.
“I’ll use it in my scouting career
to help and support others to
find their ‘buzz’.”
Dunedin’s Slade Miller, 22, was
another who became involved
after being shoulder-tapped
by his boss.
Slade
“I try to give every
opportunity a go, so said ‘yes’
right away.
“I feel like the world has
opened up to me. It really shows
you and inspires you to think bigger when you realise
that you can make a difference.
“The amount of things you don’t realise you can do
is phenomenal. A lot of the speakers came from very
normal backgrounds, yet have achieved great things.
I plan to take a few more risks and challenge myself.
When my brother is older, I’d love to see him come.”
Slade was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Taieri. “I
haven’t had anything to do with Rotary up to now,
so I’m looking forward to paying them back with
something.”
A chance glance at an ad in a local community
newspaper promoting the retreat led Wanaka’s Amaka
Gessler, a champion swimmer, on the road to RYLA.
As well as great life lessons, Amaka, who
was sponsored by the Rotary Club of
Wanaka, says she’s come away from RYLA
having made strong connections with like-
minded people.
“It is an amazing, fun
experience where you meet
awesome people. I now have
more confidence in following
my own path and passion,”
she says.
“I want to continue doing
what I love, and get more
involved in my community,
and get other youth
involved, as well.”
Amaka
Each year, more than 25,000
young people from around the world graduate
from RYLA courses, camps and seminars, which are
designed to help them better understand the dynamics
of business, community, their personal needs and
relationships.
The programme was developed to support Rotary’s
strong commitment to young people, and relies on
clubs’ ongoing backing to both identify leaders-in-the-
making and to sponsor their participation.
Now in its fourth
decade, RYLA has
proven extremely
successful both in
New Zealand and
globally, and has been
an important stepping
stone for many of
today’s world leaders.
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