Morris Briggs will lead Westerville's Fourth of July parade By BRET LIEBENDORFER Published: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 11:30 AM EDT SNP photo by Bret Liebendorfer Morris Briggs, a decorated veteran of three wars, will be grand marshal of the 2008 Rotary Club of Westerville Independence Day Parade. Purchase this or other SNP photos.   If one word could describe Morris Briggs it would be service.   The 81-year-old Westerville resident was selected to be the grand marshal for the Rotary Club of Westerville Independence Day Parade for his service to his country and his community. "I don't see what all the fuss is about," Briggs said. "I've always thought I was just a normal guy." Briggs began his military service by volunteering at the age of 17 for World War II, the first of the three wars he would serve in. "I'm one of the youngest of the World War II veterans," Briggs said. "Anyone younger than me would of had to have lied about their age." During the war he was stationed in the Philippines for a year, but did not see combat. Upon returning home, Briggs received his bachelor's degree in journalism from Kansas State University, but was called back to duty for the Korean War before he could start work. "You never look forward to going to war, but when your country tells you to go, I always thought it was best to do what you're told," he said. In Korea, Briggs was stationed 10 miles south of the De-Militarized Zone and flew on 50 missions, doing photo reconnaissance. On two missions he did said he did not "expect to come home." Briggs also served in Vietnam, where he worked as an advisor to the Vietnamese air force. In 1973, Briggs retired as a lieutenant colonel from the military after 28 years of service. In 2004, he was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. During his service, Briggs said he saw patriotism change drastically. After World War II soldiers everywhere were treated as heroes. After Korea they didn't receive the same respect because he said the war was not well known. Vietnam was the most difficult, because the public did not know how to react to a non-conventional, insurgent-style war. Briggs ended up in Westerville in 1966 because he was chosen to be an aerospace studies professor at Otterbein College, and to run the school's ROTC program. From 1973 to 1982 he served as the school's dean of admissions. Early in his residency in Westerville, Briggs joined Rotary Club of Westerville and he went on to became club president and District 6690 governor. Other areas Briggs lent his services to included the Boy Scouts of America and officiating a variety of sports. "I'm not sure if I was ever any good (at being a sports official), but I never got booed off the field," he said. Not one to slow down, Briggs said he still helps out Rotary when he can. "If I didn't try to be so active, I'd probably be in a wheelchair," he said. The Westerville Fourth of July Parade will begin at 1:30 p.m. July 4 and travel along State Street, from Heatherdown Drive to north St. Paul Catholic Church, 313 N State St. The parade theme, chosen in an annual Westerville schools contest by Christopher Tedeschi, a fourth-grade student at Hanby Arts Magnet School, is, "Land of the Free Because of the Brave." During the parade the Westerville Area Ministries Resources will be collecting dry and canned foods, for its local food pantry. If residents are unable to attend the parade, non-perishable donations can be dropped off at WARM's 24-hour Donation Station at its offices, 175 E. Broadway Ave. For more information visit the Rotary's Web site at rotaryclubofwesterville.org. "You never look forward to going to war, but when your country tells you to go, I always thought it was best to do what you're told." --Morris Briggs ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SNP photo by Lisa Aurand Nine Westerville students will head overseas this year on Rotary International Youth Exchange, sponsored by the Rotary clubs of Westerville. They include (from left) row 1-Katherine Martin, Taylor Lint and Anna Schiffbauer; row 2-Alex Simari, Nick Stilman, Greg Miller, Tatiana Lundstrom and Patrick Donovan. Not pictured is Molly McKinney. Purchase this or other SNP photos.

Nine Westerville students to embark on Rotary exchanges

* Five students will go on month-long, short-term trips while four will spend a year abroad through Rotary Youth Exchange.

By LISA AURAND

Published: Thursday, June 19, 2008 3:09 PM EDT

The eight students laugh and tease one another as they sit around John Timmerman's dining room table in Westerville. A year ago the students in the group, who range in age from 14 to 19, wouldn't have said "hello" to each other in the school hallways.

But last fall, each approached the Rotary Club of Westerville Sunrise with a common interest -- participating in the Rotary International's Youth Exchange Program.

That led them to Timmerman, who helps coordinate the program, and to each other.

Students who say they want to travel abroad through the program, either short-term or long-term, must show that they are serious and demonstrate they would be good ambassadors for the club and the United States by attending a variety of Rotary events, Timmerman said.

"We were pretty happy with the kids that surfaced" and showed their commitment by attending youth exchange weekend events with the three inbound exchange students in Westerville this year.

The process of weeding out who should be accepted into the program was actually unusual for the Sunrise Rotary, Timmerman said.

"Historically, we never really sent kids abroad," he said.

But increased publicity for the two students the Westerville club sent to Belgium and Turkey last year drew increased interest from students, and nine of them -- the eight students at Timmerman's table, plus one -- will be taking either short term or long term trips.

It's the most exchange students the club will have sent in a year. Five will take short-term, month-long trips, and four will take 11-month long-term trips.

Officially, the Sunrise Club is sponsoring seven of the nine. The sister Rotary Club of Westerville is sponsoring two, one of which was a referral from the Sunrise club.

"I'm really excited just to experience a completely different culture," said Westerville North student Katherine Martin, who leaves in August for a long-term trip to Hungary.

Fourteen year-old Tatiana Lundstrom, who will spend a month in Argentina this summer, agreed.

"I wanted to be able to better my Spanish," she said. "It will be cool to spend time in another culture and learn more about them."

Spring Grove resident and St. Charles sophomore Patrick Donovan, scheduled for a short-term trip to France, said he's looking forward to tasting the food and the cheese in Normandy, where he'll be staying with his host family.

For short-term trips, Rotary tries to pair a student with a host family who has an exchange student of the same age and gender. That student then flies back to the U.S. with them for a reciprocal four-week stay. It's a family-to-family exchange over summer break.

"(Rotary makes) sure you know what you're getting yourself into," said Westerville South student Anna Schiffbauer, who will visit Finland this summer.

For instance, long-term students are made aware that they may not be able to graduate with their classmates. The Rotary exchange program is a cultural, rather than an academic exchange, Timmerman said.

Some students, including Molly McKinney, who will spend 11 months in Germany, choose to participate the year after graduation. McKinney graduated from Westerville North June 7.

Short-term students are primed to be open-minded and flexible, willing to learn a different culture and ready to become a working member of their host family abroad.

All Rotary exchange students must agree to swear off "the Four Ds" during their exchanges. They can engage in no dating, no drinking, no driving and no drugs on their trips. Violation of the promise will end their exchange early with an unscheduled return trip home.

Rotary, a worldwide service organization, has a large network of clubs in that participate in its exchange programs. Among the countries that have participated in exchanges with the local clubs: Bolivia, France, Japan, Germany, Mexico, Moldova, Peru, Poland, Slovenia and Turkey.

Students list their top choices for host countries and Rotary International does its best to match them with one of their picks, Timmerman said.

"The kids can't dictate where they go," he said.

Rotary clubs abroad and the students' host families foot most of the costs of the program. The students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare and must also pay a minimal administration and insurance fee -- about $800 for the long-term exchange.

High school students between the ages of 15 and 181/2 at the time of departure are eligible for the program.

Timmerman said the ideal student for the program is outgoing -- someone who loves to make new friends and feels comfortable walking into a room full of strangers.

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News & Public Opinion photo by Jef Vidmar
Members of the Westerville Rotary Club met Saturday morning to bulid their float for Westerville's upcoming Fourth of July parade.