Doug Risser

Although I joined Elkhart Rotary in 1999, I did not appreciate the international aspect of Rotary International until 2006 when I led a Group Study Exchange (GSE) team for a month to Parana, Brazil.  From that involvement. I became much more aware of the international aspects of Rotary and the Rotary Foundation.

That initial involvement led to Chairing the GSE Committee for Rotary District 6540.  Over the following years I was involved with selecting and organizing outbound teams to Argentina, Australia, Korea, Mexico, Austria, Bulgaria, and Turkey.  In addition, I organized a corresponding inbound exchange from each of those countries within our district.

I organized the first Rotary Friendship Exchange for our district, with a district in New South Wales and Canberra, Australia, in 2013.  While we were successful in hosting seven visiting Rotarians here in our district, we did not have sufficient interest to send an outbound team.

I was selected for our first outbound RFE with Turkey in 2016 which visited the cities of Adapazari, Samsun, Ankara, Cappadocia, and Antalya.  What a wonderful experience!  It was especially interesting to experience a secular Muslim country during Ramadan.

I also enjoyed a Rotary Friendship Exchange experience in March 2018 with the district in Argentina with which we had a successful Group Study Exchange team in 2007. We visited General Madariago, Maipu, Mar del Plata, and Tres Arroyos with added time in Buenos Aires, a city Sharon and I have enjoyed numerous times.

Sharon and I have attended several Rotary International Conventions including in Bangkok, Lisbon, Atlanta, and Toronto. 

Sharon and I are Major Donors+1 with the Rotary Foundation, are Bequest Society Members, and both are members of the Paul Harris Society of the Rotary Foundation.