Rotary Club of Langley Park - International Contact Club
Doetinchem Oude Ijssel
(website http://www.rcdoij.nl)
Dennis Berry, a Founder Member of the Rotary Club of Langley Park, had formerly been a member of Beckenham Round Table, where he had been an enthusiast for International contacts.
In 1976, the year following the Club’s Charter, he learned through an old friend Aard Kroon, a former Round Table member of Beckenham’s twin Club Rheden in the Netherlands, that he was joining a new Rotary Club being formed in the town of Doetinchem, a neighbouring town to Rheden. The new Club was to be called Doetinchem Oude Ijssel.
A nod was as good as a wink to Dennis and he was soon passing on his enthusiasm for international contact to other members of the Club; and a party of seven Rotarians and four wives attended the Charter meeting in Doetinchem on 22nd May 1976, where they were entertained in an impressive manner during the week-end. Subsequently the two Clubs confirmed their agreement to becoming International Contact Clubs.
Over the subsequent twenty eight years the bond between the two Clubs grew stronger and stronger. Apart from the regular annual contact week-ends (one year in U.K. and one year in The Netherlands) the two Clubs participated in numerous social occasions and also in each other's fund raising activities.
In 2000, members of Doetinchem Oude Ijssel came over for Langley Park’s 25th Charter Anniversary celebrations; and in 2001, members of Langley Park returned the compliment in Doetinchem.
The relationship continues to grow over the years in strength and warmth. In May 2004, 28 visitors from Doetinchem came to Langley park for the International weekend, including 4 children of Rotarians and two International Exchange Students, one from Mexico and one from Australia.
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