It's all about "Schoolies"
Posted by Harry Bracegirdle
on Feb 24, 2015
Tayla Root, from Port Fairy, was guest speaker at the Rotary Club of Port Fairy's Dinner meeting on 23rd February 2015. Tayla had recently returned from the Philippines where she spent a few weeks as part of an entourage of local students engaged in an "Alternative to Schoolies" program to assist a small community in Mindanao with refurbishment of a school library. Tayla was in the Philippines in November and December 2014.
This is the fifth year the program involving for year 11 and 12 students, and organised by Geraldine Edar-Ralph, has been conducted. Geraldine's former village in the Philippines has been the beneficiary of the program but this year they also provided essential aid to assist the recovery of victims of Typhoon Haiyan which devastated the region in 2013.
Tayla (pictured below) gave an insight into the two-week program to refurbish a school library and the assistance program to provide food and supplies to typhoon victims. The trip was not all work though and they had sufficient time to also carry out a few adventurous exercises and to getting to know the locals. Tayla passed around numerous photos from her trip for the benefit of Rotarians present.
After addressing a few questions Tayla was thanked by Rotarian, Kevin Matthews for her presentation. Tayla's parents, Rachel and Phil Root, were also present as was her proud grandparents - Rotarians, Reg and Maureen Beattie.
